Tag Archives: Global AT-2000

Guest Post: London Shortwave’s guide to mitigating urban radio interference

6 Replies

London-Urban-CityMany thanks to SWLing Post contributor, London Shortwave, who is kindly sharing this guest post–a brilliant article he recently posted on his own website.

I’m very grateful: one of the most common questions I’m asked by readers is how to cope with the radio interference so many listeners and amateur radio operators experience in high-density, urban areas. If this is you, you’re in for a treat–just keep reading:

Dealing with Urban Radio Interference on Shortwave

by London Shortwave

Shortwave radio listening is an exciting hobby, but for many of us city dwellers who either got back into it recently or tried it out for the first time not long ago, the first experience was a disappointing one: we could barely hear anything! Station signals, even the supposedly stronger ones, were buried in many different types of static and humming sounds. Why does this happen? The levels of urban radio frequency interference, or RFI, have increased dramatically in the last two decades and the proliferation of poorly engineered electronic gadgets is largely to blame. Plasma televisions, WiFi routers, badly designed switching power adapters and Ethernet Over Powerlines (also known as powerline network technology, or PLT) all severely pollute the shortwave part of the radio spectrum.

Does this mean we should give up trying to enjoy this fascinating medium and revert to using the TuneIn app on our smartphones? Certainly not! There are many angles from which we can attack this problem, and I shall outline a few of them below.

Get a good radio

The old adage “you get what you pay for” certainly holds true even when it comes to such “vintage” technologies as shortwave radio. Believe it or not, a poorly designed receiver can itself be the biggest source of noise on the bands. That is because many modern radios use embedded microprocessors and microcontrollers, which, if poorly installed, can generate interference. If the receiver comes with a badly designed power supply, that too can generate a lot of noise.

So how does one go about choosing a good radio? SWLing.com and eHam.net have fantastic radio review sections, which will help you choose a robust receiver that has withstood the test of time. My personal favourites in the portable category are Tecsun PL310-ET and Tecsun PL680. If you want a desktop radio, investigate the type of power supply it needs and find out whether you can get one that generates a minimal amount of noise.

It is also worth noting that indoor shortwave reception is usually best near windows with at least a partial view of the sky.

Tecsun PL310-ET and Tecsun PL680, my two favourite portable shortwave radios.

Tecsun PL310-ET and Tecsun PL680, my two favourite portable shortwave radios.

Identify and switch off noisy appliances

Many indoor electrical appliances generate significant RFI on the shortwave bands. Examples include:

  • Plasma televisions
  • Laptop, and other switching-type power supplies
  • Mobile phone chargers
  • Dimmer switches
  • Washing machines / dishwashers
  • Amplified television antennas
  • Halogen lighting
  • LED lighting
  • Badly constructed electrical heaters
  • Mains extension leads with LED lights

Identify as many of these as you can and switch them all off. Then turn them back on one by one and monitor the noise situation with your shortwave radio. You will most likely find at least a few offending devices within your home.

Install an outdoor antenna

If you have searched your home for everything you can possibly turn off to make reception less noisy but aren’t satisfied with the results, you might want to look into installing and outdoor antenna. That will be particularly effective if you live in a detached or a semi-detached property and have a garden of some sort. Of course, you will need a radio that has an external antenna input, but as for the antenna itself, a simple copper wire of several metres will do. An important trick is making sure that the noise from inside your home doesn’t travel along your antenna, thus negating the advantage of having the latter installed outside. There are many ways of achieving this, but I will suggest a configuration that has worked well for me in the past.

Fig.1 Schematic for an outdoor dipole antenna.

Fig.1 Schematic for an outdoor dipole antenna.

I have used a three-terminal balun (positioned outdoors), and connected two 6 metre copper wires to its antenna terminals to create a dipole. I then connected the balun to the radio indoors through the feed line terminal using a 50? coaxial cable. In the most general terms, the current that is generated in the antenna wires by the radio waves flows from one end of the dipole into the other, and a portion of this current flows down the feed line into your radio. The balun I have used (Wellbrook UMB130) is engineered in a way that prevents the radio noise current from inside your house flowing into the receiving part of the antenna.

Wellbrook UMB130 balun with the feed line terminal disconnected

Wellbrook UMB130 balun with the feed line terminal disconnected

Antenna preselectors

There is a catch with using an outdoor antenna described above — the signals coming into your radio will be a lot stronger than what would be picked up by the radio’s built-in “whip” antenna. This can overload the receiver and you will then hear many signals from different parts of the shortwave spectrum “mixing in” with the station you are trying to listen to. An antenna preselector solves this problem by allowing signals from a small yet adjustable part of the spectrum to reach your radio, while blocking the others. You can think of it as an additional tuner that helps your radio reject unwanted frequencies.

Fig.2 Schematic of a preselector inserted between the outdoor antenna and the receiver

Fig.2 Schematic of a preselector inserted between the outdoor antenna and the receiver

There are many antenna preselectors available on the market but I can particularly recommend Global AT-2000. Although no longer manufactured, many used units can be found on eBay.

Global AT-2000 antenna coupler and preselector

Global AT-2000 antenna coupler and preselector

Risk of lightning

lightning

Any outdoor antenna presents the risk of a lightning strike reaching inside your home with devastating and potentially lethal consequences. Always disconnect the antenna from the receiver and leave the feed line cable outside when not listening to the radio or when there is a chance of a thunderstorm in your area.

Get a magnetic loop antenna

A broadband loop antenna (image courtesy of wellbrook.uk.com)

A broadband loop antenna (image courtesy of wellbrook.uk.com)

The outdoor long wire antenna worked well for me when I stayed at a suburban property with access to the garden, but when I moved into an apartment well above the ground floor and without a balcony, I realised that I needed a different solution. Having googled around I found several amateur radio websites talking about the indoor use of magnetic loop receive-only active antennas (in this case, “active” means that the antenna requires an input voltage to work). The claim was that such antennas respond “primarily to the magnetic field and reject locally radiated electric field noise”[*] resulting in lower noise reception than other compact antenna designs suitable for indoor use.

Interlude: signal to noise ratio

In radio reception, the important thing is not the signal strength by itself but the signal to noise ratio, or SNR. A larger antenna (such as a longer copper wire) will pick up more of the desired signal but, if close to RFI sources, will also pick up disproportionately more of the local noise. This will reduce the SNR and make the overall signal reading poorer, which is why it is not advisable to use large antennas indoors.

The other advantage of a loop antenna is that it is directional. By rotating the loop about its vertical axis one can maximise the reception strength of one particular signal over the others, once the antenna is aligned with the direction from which the signal is coming (this is termed “peaking” the signal). Similarly, it is possible to reduce the strength of a particular local noise source, since the loop is minimally sensitive to a given signal once it is perpendicular the latter’s direction (also known as “nulling” the signal).

It is further possible to lower the effect of local noise sources by moving the antenna around. Because of the antenna’s design, the effect of radio signals is mostly confined to the loop itself as opposed to its feed line. Most local noise sources have irregular radiation patterns indoors, meaning that it is possible find a spot inside your property where their effects are minimised.

Many compact shortwave loop antennas require an additional tuning unit to be attached to the loop base (much like the preselector described above) but broadband loops do not. Wellbrook ALA1530S+ is one such antenna that is only 1m in diameter, and it was the one I chose for my current apartment. I was rather impressed with its performance, although I found that I need to use a preselector with it as the loop occasionally overloads some of my receivers when used on its own. Below is a demo video comparing using my Tecsun PL680’s built-in antenna to using the radio with the Wellbrook loop.

As you can hear, there is a significant improvement in the signal’s readability when the loop is used.

Experiment with a phaser

Although the loop antenna dramatically reduces the levels of ambient RFI getting into the radio,  I also have one particular local noise source which is way too strong for the loop’s nulling capability. Ethernet Over Powerlines (PLT) transmits data across domestic electrical circuits using wall socket adapters, as an alternative to wireless networking. It uses the same frequencies as shortwave, which turns the circuits into powerful transmitting antennas, causing massive interference. One of my neighbours has PLT adapters installed at his property, which intermittently become active and transmit data. When this happens,  it is not merely noise that is generated, but a very intense data signal that spreads across the entire shortwave spectrum, obliterating everything but the strongest stations underneath. Fortunately, a mature piece of radio technology called antenna phasing is available to deal with this problem.

Fig.3 The principle of antenna phaser operation (adapted from an original illustration in Timewave ANC-4's manual)

Fig.3 The principle of antenna phaser operation (adapted from an original illustration in Timewave ANC-4’s manual)

Signal cancellation using phase difference

A phaser unit has two separate antenna inputs and provides one output to be connected to the radio’s external antenna input. The theory of phase-based signal cancellation goes roughly as follows:

  • The same radio signal will arrive at two different, locally separated antennas at essentially the same time.
  • The phase of the signal received at the first antenna will be different to the phase of the same signal received at the second antenna.
  • This phase difference depends on the direction from which the signal is coming, relative to the two antennas.
  • The phaser unit can shift the phases of all signals received at one antenna by the same variable amount.
  • To get rid of a particular (noise) signal using the phaser unit:
    • the signal’s phase at the first antenna has to be shifted by 180° relative to the signal’s phase at the second antenna (thus producing a “mirror image” of the signal received at the second antenna)
    • its amplitude at the first antenna has to be adjusted so that it is the same as the signal’s amplitude at the second antenna
    • the currents from the two antennas are then combined by the unit, and the signal and its mirror image cancel each other out at the unit’s output, while the other signals are preserved.

Noise sampling antenna considerations

To prevent the possibility of the desired signal being cancelled out together with the noise signal — which can happen if they both come from the same direction relative to the antennas — one can use the set-up illustrated in Figure 3, where one antenna is dedicated to picking up the specific noise signal, while the other is geared towards receiving the desired broadcast. That way, even if the phases of both the noise and the desired signals are offset by the same amount, their relative amplitude differences will not be the same, and thus removing the noise signal will not completely cancel out the desired signal (though it will reduce the latter’s strength to some extent).

It is possible to use any antenna combination for phase-based noise signal cancellation. However, one has to be careful that, in the pursuit of removing a specific noise source, one does not introduce more ambient RFI into the radio system by using a poorly designed noise-sampling antenna. After all, the phaser can only cancel out one signal at a time and will pass through everything else picked up by both antennas. This is particularly relevant in urban settings.

For this reason, I chose my noise sampling antenna to also be a Wellbrook ALA1530S+. The additional advantages of this set-up are:

  • It is possible to move both loops around to minimise the amount of ambient RFI.
  • By utilising the loops’ directionality property, one can rotate the noise sampling loop to maximise the strength of the noise signal relative to the desired signal picked up by the main antenna loop.
Two Wellbrook ALA1530S+ antennas combined through a phaser

Two Wellbrook ALA1530S+ antennas combined through a phaser

And now onto the phaser units themselves.

Phaser units

dxe-upload

DX Engineering NCC-1 (image courtesy of dxengineering.com)

I have experimented at length with two phaser units: the MFJ 1026 (manual) and DX Engineering NCC-1 (manual). Both solve the problem of the PLT noise very well, but the NCC-1 offers amplitude and phase tuning controls that are much more precise, making it a lot easier to identify the right parameter settings. Unfortunately this comes at a price, as the NCC-1 is a lot more expensive than the MFJ unit. As before, a preselector is needed between the phaser and the radio to prevent overloading.

Below is a demo of DX Engineering NCC-1 at work on my neighbour’s PLT noise. I have chosen to use my SDR’s waterfall display to illustrate the nefarious effect of this type of radio interference and to show how well the NCC-1 copes with the challenge.

Cost considerations

Fig.4 Final urban noise mitigation schematic

Fig.4 Final urban noise mitigation schematic

It would be fair to say that my final urban noise mitigation set-up, shown in Figure 4, is quite expensive: the total cost of two Wellbrook antennas ($288.38 each), a DX Engineering phaser ($599.95) and a Global AT2000 preselector ($80) comes to $1257. That seems like an astronomical price to pay for enjoying shortwave radio in the inner city! However, at this point another old saying comes to mind, “your radio is only as good as your antenna”. There are many high-end shortwave receivers that cost at least this much (e.g. AOR AR7030), but on their own they won’t be of any use in such a noisy environment. Meanwhile, technological progress has brought about many much cheaper radios that rival the older benchmark rigs in terms of performance, with Software Defined Radios (SDRs) being a particularly good example. It seems fair, then, to invest these cost savings into what makes shortwave listening possible. You may also find that your RFI situation is not as dire as mine and you only need some of the above equipment to solve your noise problems.

Filter audio with DSP

If you have implemented the above noise reduction steps but would still like a less noisy listening experience, consider using a Digital Signal Processing (DSP) solution. There are a number of different approaches and products available on the market, and I shall be reviewing some of them in my next post. Meanwhile, below are two demo videos of using DSP while listening to shortwave. The first clip shows the BHI Compact In-Line Noise Elimination Module at work together with a vintage shortwave receiver (Lowe HF-150). The second video compares using a Tecsun PL-660 portable radio indoors on its own and using the entire RFI mitigation set-up shown in Figure 4 together with a DSP noise reduction feature available in the SDR# software package, while using it with a FunCube Dongle Pro+ SDR. As a side note, it is worth remembering that while DSP approaches can make your listening experience more pleasant, they can’t recover what has been lost due to interfering signals or inadequate antenna design.

Set up a wireless audio relay from your radio shack

The above RFI mitigation techniques can result in a rather clunky set-up that is not particularly portable, confining the listener to a specific location within their home. One way to get around this is by creating a wireless audio relay from your radio shack to the other parts of your house. I did this by combining the Nikkai AV sender/receiver pair and the TaoTronics BA01 portable Bluetooth transmitter:

Head for the outdoors!

So you have tried all of the above and none of it helps? As a last resort (for some, but personally I prefer it!), you can go outside to your nearest park with your portable radio. After all, if shortwave listening is causing you more frustration than joy it’s hardly worth it. On the other hand, you might be surprised by what you’ll be able to hear with a good receiver in a noise-free zone.

Acknowledgements

Many of the above tricks and techniques were taught to me by my Twitter contacts. I am particularly grateful to @marcabbiss, @SWLingDotCom, @K7al_L3afta and@sdrsharp for their advice and assistance over the years.

Thank you–!

What I love about my buddy, London Shortwave, is that he didn’t give up SWLing just because his home is inundated with radio interference–rather, he saw it as a challenge. As you can see, over the years, he has designed a system that effectively defeats radio interference.

I also love the fact that he uses an even more simple approach to defeating RFI: he takes his radio outdoors. A kindred spirit, indeed.

I encourage all SWLing Post readers to bookmark and search London Shortwave’s website. It’s a treasure trove for the urban SWL. We thank him for allow us to post this article in its entirety.

Spread the radio love

Transceivers, portables and foldable solar panels: our Virtual Radio Challenge II responses

8 Replies

Laya-Bhutan-Location-Wikipedia

Three weeks ago, I posted a virtual challenge for SWLing Post readers:  your opportunity to piece together the best, innovative $1200 (US) radio kit you might pack for two years in the remote off-grid village of Laya, Bhutan.

You were tasked to track down a radio kit that would keep you in touch with the world, and potentially afford you some very unique DX. [If you haven’t read the full virtual radio challenge, including all of the limitations you might face, I encourage you to check out this post before continuing.]

Your Reader Responses

And, wow, what excellent responses–!  First, I want to thank all who participated in this challenge. Much like the results from our first Reader Challenge, no two responses were identical.  I sincerely hope you enjoyed this exercise as much as I enjoyed reading what you’ve sent to the SWLing Post!  

Below you will find responses from readers, representing remarkable diversity in radio set-ups. Note that my comments follow; they are italicized and in bold.

Now, with no further ado…I welcome you to radio DX in Laya, Bhutan!

 from Frank Holden

Tecsun-PL880-SWLing-Post-0527I would take along two radios:

PowerFilm-Rollable-PV-PanelTo run this for two years off the grid I would buy a PowerFilm R15 foldable Solar panel ($130) and a charging regulator kit for about $18.

These two items would keep me supplied with plenty of power for the job at hand.

I assume that a computer is already owned, mine is a Mac Powerbook…

so I would include in my kit a 12V/18V dc-dc convertor for $60.

This can be adjusted to provide the correct charge voltage for my computer. I would also get the small enclosure for it. Say $70

I would need to source a bare ended power cable for the computer from somewhere, cost unknown. My present one came from my scrap box.

I would also buy a fuse block to help keep all the wiring tidy. ($47)

Also a flush mount USB socket for my radio charging cables about $30.

I would set up all this gear either on a panel or in a small box for the sake of tidiness. This, involving crimping kit, crimps and wire,  could be done before departure. Say $20 for the bits.

Job just about done but not quite…. solar panels only provide power when the sun is out… need a biggish battery to accept the solar charge during the day and give it back at night.

A nice wet cell 12 volt battery will do the job but that won’t be allowed on the ‘plane..what to do??

After flying into Bhutan at Paro and busing to Thimphu I would take time out to buy a 12V automotive battery. At first I considered a couple of 6V motorbike batteries but have been advised that motorbikes are uncommon in Bhutan but cars and trucks aren’t. No probs on-carrying that by truck, horse and porter so thats the 12V storage sorted.

Connect solar panel to charge regulator to my battery to my computer power supply and radio charging cables . Throw my wire antennas over the handy tree, pour single malt, put feet up……

Total cost excluded the 12 volt battery … about $600…  Oh and must not forget to replace the supplied AA’s  in the PL-660 with Sanyo Eneloops and also a few extra sets as spare…. and a copy of WRTH.

I must admit a bit of an advantage with this…. my boat is an off-grid installation and my wife was in Bhutan a few years ago.

Frank, I love how simple you’ve kept this set up. You are very wise to acquire a 12V auto battery locally, when you arrive in Thimpu.  While Bhutan isn’t as commercially “developed” as many other countries, you can find basics like batteries, connectors, fuses and accessories in the capital city of Thimpu. Your experience off-grid on the open sea and with Bhutan, in general, have served you well. Thanks for your entry!

from Tim Rahto

[Note: Tim was so enthusiastic about this challenge that he proposed three different kits: one with a transceiver and two receive-only.]

Your radio challenge inspired me to ignore everything else I have to do today and write you up a response. [You’re welcome, Tim!]

I know your contest refers to shortwave listening and not ham radio, but we are talking about Bhutan here. According to QRZ, there’s only 9 callsigns in the entire country, with three of those belonging to radio clubs, special event stations, or DXpeditions. With that in mind, I put my station together with transmitting as well as receiving in mind.

Option 1: Yaesu FT-857D

FT-857DRADIO

For a radio, I chose the Yaesu FT-857D. I have one in my truck, and it’s survived four years of mobile operation without a hiccup. About the only knock I have on this radio is that the AM bandwidth is pretty wide for shortwave listening, but you can always put it into sideband if needed. It’s small, portable, and puts out 100 watts. Perfect!

Used on eBay for $780.

BATTERY

Since I just blew half of my money on a transceiver, I needed something fairly light and inexpensive for a battery. With that in mind, I was very happy to find a 7 amp hour motorcycle battery for $39 from Batterystuff.com. Sold!

ChargeController-PV-PanelPOWER

Now that I have a battery, I needed some way to keep it charged to keep me on the air. That’s where this 100w solar panel and charge controller combo I found on Amazon comes in. Hard to go wrong for the price too. $164.99 seems like a pretty good deal to me.

ANTENNA

Some would say I cut corners on the antenna, but I don’t think so. Considering the remote nature of the location and the need to keep things light and mobile, I went with a simple dipole. Easy to build, simple to repair, and works pretty well. I went the ‘roll your own’ approach and bought an Alpha-Delta dipole kit and wire for the antenna, and 100′ of coax to feed it all.

Alpha Delta Delta C kit: $29.95 

150′ Copper Antenna Wire: $26.99

100′ RG-8X: $24.95

DentronTUNER

While I have enough wire to make an 80m antenna, I’d like to use it on other bands as well, so a tuner is a must. And since I’d like the ability to trim the antenna for the shortwave as well as amateur bands, I went with an older manual tuning Dentron Super Tuner that I found used on eBay. It’s going for $100 with no bids at the moment, so if it doesn’t go up I should be able to pick it up for the original asking price. It’s not the smallest unit in the world, but they’re not very heavy either.

That leaves me with $12.13 left to buy a log book and some pencils. What about the shipping and handling you ask? Why I went and picked it all up myself of course. 😉

Here’s a quick itemized list of gear:

  • FT-857D – $780
  • Battery   – $39
  • 100′ coax – $39.95
  • 3′ coax jumper – $6.99
  • solar panel/charge controller – $164.99
  • dipole kit – $29.95
  • 150′ antenna wire – $26.99
  • Antenna tuner – $100

Option 2: Icom R71a

r71ARADIO

Icom R71a – $260 on eBay.

ANTENNA

ArraySolutions shared Apex Loop Array SAL-20 – $795

COAX

100 ft RG-6 – $15.04

PanelBATTERIES

Quantity of 2, 12v 7 Amp Hour alarm batteries – $30.58 ($15.29 each)

POWER

30w solar powered battery charger – $88.91

GRAND TOTAL: $1189.53  BOOM!

Option 3: Lowe HF-150

Lowe-HF150RADIO

Lowe HF-150: A lot of radio in a small package. $489.95

ANTENNA

4 unterminated beverages. This will give you all eight points of the compass, all be it two at a time.

alf-delta-4b-n_jy_mlANTENNA SWITCH

4 position Alpha Delta N connector switch from Universal Radio, $94.95

COAX

2 100 ft RG-6 – $60.16 ($15.08 each)

BATTERIES

Quantity 2: 12v 7 Amp Hour alarm batteries – $30.58 ($15.29 each)

POWER

30w solar powered battery charger – $88.91

Tim, no doubt you had a lot of fun piecing together your radio kits! In each case you chose quality components–a smart decision since you want longevity and reliability in the field. I think there would actually be enough financial flexibility in each case to include a small back-up portable like the Tecsun PL-380 or similar. As you must know, the Lowe HF-150 is a surprisingly small tabletop radio with excellent performance; it would be easy to slip in a backpack or suitcase. Thanks for your entries!

from Rex B

KTORFor power I’d get a couple solar panels, maybe the 75-watt ALEKO panels Amazon has for $110. Also a $200 K-Tor pedal power-box as a backup in bad weather, or similar device.

For power storage, I’d go with sufficient numbers of AA size LSD NiMH batteries to be wired up into several 12V battery packs for solar charging… heavier than Li-Ion, but considerably cheaper, more durable, and should easily last through 2-years, where li-ion wouldn’t.

KA1102Probably throw a $100 Kaito KA1102 radio in there. The 1103 is infuriating. A long, long spool of wire for use as antenna once setup. And other bits and pieces.

Amazon says I’m $600, or $800 including the netbook, without really trying to find good deals. Lots and lots of accessories still needed, like 12V cell phone chargers, diodes and/or solar charge controller. I’d also throw-in other comforts, like plenty of different LED flashlights and lanterns, good external speakers and headphones. Plus lots of USB thumb drives just loaded up with movies and TV.

Rex, I like the idea of the KTOR pedal power when solar conditions are not favorable.  in truth, using solar requires a little pre-meditation whereas pedal power could work anytime. Thanks for your entry!

from Timothy Johnson

ECSS-PL-660

Hi! This is a great challenge. I would take my Tecsun PL 660 and buy a solar AA charger. (And maybe $400 worth of AA duracells!) And for my backup……My Grundig FR200!

GrundigFR200TecsunGreen88What? No gazillion dollar receiver with a four mile wire strung up?

Correct! It’s a fun challenge in a great location. I want to use the radio I use now to see what I can pick up. It’s a good location to pick up stations from the otherside of the world that I normally can’t get, but dream about what it would be like. The PL 660 isn’t a slouch when it comes to receiving, and it has SSB and the Airband! This is a fun challenge and it’s a great time to enjoy listening to the shows, not just seeing what I can get. Up in the mountians, I would need to rely on my shortwave for news around the world. I mean, what day is complete without Radio Havana Cuba’s slant on the news? I would hope over there I could get Iran’s Voice of Justice!

The FR-200 would be my back up to use if the solar charger breaks, or it’s cloudy for awhile. It’s a great portable with a built in dynamo. Plus its fun to use. Scanning the dial on an analog dial makes for relaxed listening. Kick back, pour whatever the locals drink, and see what comes in!

As an english/science teacher, I could introduce the students to the world and improve their english skills, while they teach me some of their language.

Anyway, great challenge!
Timothy Johnson

I have had a lot of experience with the Grundig FR200. Unfortunately, it’s no longer available new from Grundig, but the same model is available from sellers on eBay as the Tecsun Green 88. Not only does it work well from the hand crank (2 minutes of cranking yeilds 40+ minutes of listening), but it also runs for 80+ hours on a set of AA batteries. It’s a durable radio as well.  Thanks for your entry!

 

from Ashok

RTL-SDR

1) Asus EEE-PC $100 from ebay.com
2) Soft66RTL-HF-VHF-SDR including RTL2832u-R820T with upconverter ($52 ebay)
3) 23000 mAh Portable External Battery Solar Power Charger for LAPTOP 12V 16V 19V ($109 ebay) it has multiple pin configuration and also a LED torch.
4) Single core Electrical wire 100 feet for antenna (INR 300 = 5 $ in india)
5) Nylon thread/Rope (INR 50 = 0.9 $ in india)
6) 30 feet Coaxial cable (RG56 ???) INR 80 = 1.3 $

a) Install Linux (Fedora), GNU Radio, and other software for RTL SDR.
b) additionally install fldigi, multimode, HFfax software, NOAA weather decoder
c) make a QFH (Quadri Fillar Helix Antenna) for 137MHz NOAA satellite reception also usefull for VHF 2m reception, upon arrival at the destination. The wooden stick and batten used for it can be available free at the destination.

Total expences = 100+52+109+5+1.3 = 267.3 $
Still one have 1200 – 267.3 = $932.70

That’s an innovative SDR kit and certainly well within budget.  In fact, you would have over $900 to purchase a backup radio, batteries, power generation and antenna accessories! Thanks for your entry! 

 

from Cap Tux

Cap’s Virtual Radio Challenge Submission
As the challenges main objective is to listen to international broadcasters and DXing you only need a small portable receiver with very little power consumption. There are a lot of very capable receivers on the market now to fit the bill.

Remember, lugging a big receiver to the other side of the world is not going to be fun (and risk it being damaged en-route).

As the village is completely off the power grid I propose to use a small portable receiver & power source with a fairly good storage capacity i.e. at least 5 good charges from a fully charged source should give you a good few weeks of heavy usage.

Tecsun-PL660-SilverReceiver:
Tecsun PL-660 Receiver – A very capable shortwave receiver with MW/LW/FM with SSB and runs from 4 x AA rechargeable 1.2v Ni-Mh batteries.
This receiver is also capable of running/charging from a sustainable USB power source.
The PL-660 also has an auto scan and store that will sweep shortwave and store any stations it finds into memory, saves you tuning about.
You can charge this using a USB Charger for the Tecsun PL-660.

USBFM Reception:
You may be lucky and have FM reception within range (unlikely, but possible), a general coverage receiver in most cases is not equipped with VHF BCB FM reception i.e. NRD-525, IC-R75 are not equipped with VHF FM.

FM in Bhutan: http://www.unesco-ci.org/ipdcprojects/content/expanding-public-service-fm-radio-rural-communities

Broadcast schedules:
In order to know what frequencies you need to tune into, realistically you will only have the first season i.e. A15 shortwave schedules for your target shortwave broadcasters.
You will not know the next seasons frequencies, you will need to listen into your favourite broadcaster nearer the time to get next seasons frequencies. Load the current seasons frequencies onto your laptop, or print them off.

Antenna:
The PL-660 has an external antenna socket by way of a 3.5mm socket, a long wire can be used. Personally, I would take my home-brew passive Mag Loop antenna which can fold up easily, why? in case of thunderstorms that could send static down an external long wire to the receiver, rendering it unusable.

You could always hang the long wire around your room to minimise static from thunderstorms. You get a long wire bundled with the PL-660, no need to buy another,

Li-Po-Pack-BatterySustainable charging power source for the receiver:
23000mAh Li-Po battery pack with solar panel (USB port & various outlets for laptop charging).
Technically you could ditch the 3 x AA internal batteries and power the Tecsun direct from the battery pack via the mini USB cable, however, assume you would want to run it autonomously from the charger or go out and about for a spot of Dxing. I propose purchasing 12 x 2400mAh rechargeable Ni-Mh batteries.

Netbook

MSI-Netbook-LaptopA phone or tablet is going to be a liability if dropped, a small netbook is going to be more robust for travelling and will have a longer running time from each charge.

I would also charge the laptop from my solar charger as it has a 19.5v option for charging. The MSI Wind U180 gives around 7.5 hours on a full charge (Loads of options for a netbook though).
The stock battery is about 7200mAh which the solar charger is more than capable of fully charging.

Shopping list:

Total: £318.28 ($517.06)
As this is well within budget you could buy two of everything for redundancy.

PL-310ETHonourable mention:
If AM BCB is your only concern a Tecsun PL-310ET will fit the bill, very small/light and cheap at around £32. There is also less chance of a small £32 radio being stolen.

In the end, I would probably take both my PL-660 & PL-310 as the PL-310 will give me the flexibility when out hiking or travelling within Bhutan and also acts as a backup radio.

Cap, I’m impressed with how frugal and portable you’ve kept your radio kit. Adding the Tecsun PL-310ET is a great idea. I imagine there would be superb opportunities to do mediumwave DXing with the ‘310. As a bonus, when traveling within the country, the PL-310ET would be easy to carry and use en route.  Thanks for your entry!

 from London Shortwave

My solution is to fuse my two previous submissions to The Post – my response to the shortwave listening challenge for the remote Atlantic island of Tristan Da Cunha and my portable SDR design – and to add solar power.

unCube Dongle Pro+ and Toshiba Encore 8" running SDR# in a London park

FunCube Dongle Pro+ and Toshiba Encore 8″ running SDR# in a London park

To recap, the tablet-based SDR set-up costs $643. My experiments with FunCube Dongle Pro+ and SDR# software have convinced me that this combination makes for one of the best shortwave listening experiences in its price range. Here are a few reasons why:

– FunCube Dongle Pro+ is a sensitive SDR.
– SDR# has an excellent noise reduction algorithm that often turns laborious DXing into comfortable listening. It also has a robust synchronous detector, which, combined with its passband tuning and noise reduction algorithms can unbury almost any station from the surrounding co-channel interference.

However, given the remoteness of the location and the fact that there is no reliable electricity grid to speak of, we need a few extras:

Solar Power

You may recall that in my portable SDR solution there are two sets of batteries that need to be recharged:

– Toshiba’s built in Lithium Ion battery (via its USB port)
– 4xAA batteries for the Gomadic 5V Power Pack (used for supplying extra power to the SDR)

First, let’s get a compact, foldable solar panel:

1. Powerfilm F16-1200 20W foldable solar panel

1. Powerfilm F16-1200 20W foldable solar panel

I would go with Powerfilm F16-1200 20W foldable solar panel (buy it here for $210.99). Disclaimer: although I’ve never used any of the PowerFilm products or accessories, I have read good reviews of them from other radio enthusiasts. When folded, this solar panel measures merely 27.9cm x 16.5 cm – slightly smaller than an A4 notepad. Once fully opened, however, it can deliver 20W of power (15.4V, 1.2A), enough to charge the Toshiba tablet and 4xAA rechargeable batteries simultaneously.

To charge the AA cells, I would go with the Powerfilm RA-3b – 12V Battery Charger Pack for AA and AAA (buy here for $54.41) and the Powerfilm RA-2 12V Female Power Port Adapter (already included with F16-1200).

2. RA-3b - 12V Battery Charger Pack for AA and AAA

2. RA-3b – 12V Battery Charger Pack for AA and AAA

12vadapter

3. RA-2 12V Female Power Port Adapter

Although we only need 4 AA batteries for the Gomadic USB Power Pack, it’s always nice to have some spare ones, just in case. I would throw in a pack of 12 Panasonic Eneloop AA 2100 Cycle Ni-MH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries for $26.95.

eneloopbatts

4. 12 Panasonic Eneloop Rechargeable Batteries

The spares can be used in the following ways:
– To power the backup portable shortwave radio
– To have another batch ready when the batteries insde the Gomadic USB Power Pack run out.
– Using Gomadic, to charge the tablet outside daylight hours, for more daytime listening.

Now onto charging the tablet itself. For this I would use the Powertraveller Spidermonkey 4-Port USB Charger Hub at $38.76. Again, I haven’t used this product, but according to the specifications it can charge up to 4 USB devices and accepts input power between 5V and 30V. The reviews are largely positive, so it seems like a safe choice.

5. Powertraveller Spidermonkey 4-Port USB Charger Hub

5. Powertraveller Spidermonkey 4-Port USB Charger Hub

To connect the Spidermonkey hub to the solar panel we’ll need the Powerfilm RA-16 – 3ft. Extension Adapter with 4.75mm Barrel cable (available here for $9.98)

6. RA-16 - 3ft. Extension Adapter with 4.75mm Barrel

6. RA-16 – 3ft. Extension Adapter with 4.75mm Barrel

If we want to charge both the tablet and the AA batteries simultaneously, the  Powerfilm PP-7 – Multiple Device Charger Cable accessory will come in handy (here for $24.99)

7. PP-7 - Multiple Device Charger Cable

7. PP-7 – Multiple Device Charger Cable

Antenna Extras

Living off the grid has the advantage of there being minimal man-made radio interference. For this reason we can use a larger antenna than in my original proposal. I suggest buying 40m of POLYS18 Copper-Clad Steel Antenna Wire from Universal Radio (the total comes to $31.44), cutting it halfway, and attaching each half to one of the two antenna terminals on the Wellbrook HF Balun, mentioned in my previous article, thus creating a dipole.

Of course, this makes for a rather powerful shortwave receiving antenna that can easily overload the radio. We can solve this problem by connecting the balun’s feedline output to the antenna terminal on the Global AT-2000 Antenna Tuner, $85 via 25 feet of GadKo BNC Male Copper Stranded Center Conductor Cable , $16.90. We should then connect the radio terminal to the short feedline cable of the FunCube Dongle Pro+ SDR, with the ferrite chokes left in place. We will need 2 x BNC female to PL259 Adapters, $6.49, to connect the BNC cables to Global’s PL259 female sockets.

8. Global AT-2000 Antenna Tuner

8. Global AT-2000 Antenna Tuner

9. 2 x BNC female to PL259 Adapters

9. 2 x BNC female to PL259 Adapters

10. GadKo BNC Male Copper Stranded Center Conductor Cable

10. GadKo BNC Male Copper Stranded Center Conductor Cable

Finally, here’s a simple schematic diagram of how the antenna parts should be wired together:

Connecting all the antenna bits together

Connecting all the antenna bits together

Backup Radio

The challenge article mentions that a back-up radio would be desirable in the event of other equipment failing. I suggest Tecsun PL-310 ET, available for $48.79 from Amazon. It’s a very similar radio to the excellent Tecsun PL-380 (they use the same Silicon Labs chipset), but it has one notable advantage: an external antenna input! It takes a 3.5mm jack plug, so we’ll need a BNC Socket to Composite 3.5mm Male Jack Plug Adapter, $2.01.

Image Source: Anon-Co

11. Tecsun PL-310 ET

12. BNC Socket to Composite 3.5mm Male Jack Plug Adapter

12. BNC Socket to Composite 3.5mm Male Jack Plug Adapter

The subtotal for all of the above comes to $556.71. Adding on $643 for the tablet-based SDR solution brings the total to $1199.71, just 29 cents below the budget limit!

London Shortwave: since you frequently take this same portable SDR kit to the field, I have no doubt that it would perform well in rural Bhutan. Using a PL-310ET as a backup and even thinking to bring a couple antenna accessories shows how thoroughly you thought through this exercise. Knowing the copious amounts of radio noise (QRM) you deal with in London, you might decide to stay in RF quiet Laya after your assignment is over!  Thanks for your entry! Readers: check out London Shortwave’s blog for more portable SDR fun.

from “Broad Wing”

SQUARED_UP_OBLIQUE_VIEW_OF_CR_1A_FULL_SIZE__76883.1405428614.1280.1280

Primary Radio – Comm Radio CR 1A ($614.95)

(Radio is light weight and very durable. It also picks up SSB etc. Even though it used up half the budget I figured it would be the best to have. It has an internal rechargeable battery. I can be charged with Goal Ten Battery Pack or Solar Panels)

kaito-KA600MM

Secondary Radio-Kaito KA-600 Voyager ($60.00)

(This radio is my back up as it has several ways to charge the batteries, solar crank, and electric when I can get to a city that has electricity. it should also be dependable. It also has a built in flashlight. This antenna uses AA rechargeable batteries.)

ANTENNAS

Primary Antenna– Super Sloper all SW Band Antenna ($91.49)

(I have used this antenna and find it to be very durable and a very good DX antenna for shortwave. It is made by a gentleman called Low Bander on e-bay.)

Secondary Antenna – Tinatena All Band Active ($32.90)

(I thought that if in the dead of winter, my primary antenna broke, and there were a couple feet of snow outside, I could use this one for a backup and not have to go out in the snow or storm. This antenna uses 9 Volt batteries.)

ANTENNA SUPPLIES

Antenna wire 12 gauge 50 feet ($27.94)

(Wire would be used to build a long wire antenna if needed or for repairs of the Super Sloper Antenna. Wire will also be used to hook up 2- 12 Volt sealed batteries to primary radio.)

Battery operated solder gun with solder and magnifying glass/helper ($26.26)

BATTERIES/CHARGER

91AMHiWtWZL._SL1500_Goal Zero Solar charger kit with solar panel and Goal 10 charger with 4 AA Batteries. ($99.00)

Additional Solar Panel – Renogy 100W Solar Panel ($132.90)

40 foot solar panel extension cable MC4 converter ($22.99)

(This kit and the extra solar panel should charge up my batteries if the weather permits. The solar panel can be hooked up in tandem to provide quicker charging times or used on separate equipment. The Goal 10 charger will charge my Comm Radio when the power is low, and I can connect the radio to the kit when the sun is out just to recharge. When the sun is not out, or I have a long time without sun, I can use the Secondary Radio to conserve batteries.)

BATTERIES

Set of batteries sold with 24 AA 2000 mAh, NiMH Batteries low discharge ($42.34)

9 Volt batteries, 4 pack ($15.96)

2- 12Volt 7ah sealed lead acid rechargeable batteries ($32.00)

Total Cost: $1198.73 -$ I200.00= $1.27 under budget. Good for a pack of crackers to take on the plane to munch on.

I am not buying any connectors as the primary antenna comes with coax and connector. All prices include shipping and handling charges and can be received in 7-10 days. In two years I will report back to you and tell you how the trip went.

I think choosing the CommRadio CR-1a as the centerpiece of your set up is wise. The CR-1a is very rugged and engineered to last.  Most importantly, you can power and charge it on a wide range of voltages (6-18 VDC). That’s power flexibility! Thanks for your entry!

from Eric McFadden (WD8RIF)

What a fun thought-experiment!

For the shortwave listening station radio, I’d buy a Sony ICF-SW7600GR portable shortwave receiver. It’s stable, sensitive, selective, provides SSB and synchronous-detector, and runs on common AA cells. It’s available for about $132 on Amazon but I’d probably buy from Universal Radio.

Sony7600GR

To fashion the the antenna, I’d take a 100′ spool of 18AWG stranded, insulated (black), wire ($16 at Jameco). I’d string as much as I could between my room and the tree. (I’d think about taking an MFJ-1910 33′ telescoping fiberglass mast (4′ collapsed, $90) in case the tree is too close to the house or not tall but I haven’t flown commercially in many years and don’t know if traveling with the mast would be a problematic.)

Emtech ZM-2

Emtech ZM-2

I’d buy an Emtech ZM-2 “z-match” tuner ($65 in kit form, $90 built, direct from Emtech) to use between the Sony and the random-length wire antenna; I’d adjust the tuner’s two knobs for maximum noise in the receiver. A 3′ RG-8X coax BNC-to-BNC jumper ($6 at Universal Radio) plus a BNC-female to 3.5mm-male adapter (#4546, $3 at Universal Radio) would be used to connect the Sony to the tuner; the wire antenna would connect directly to the tuner’s binding post. A short length of wire could be used as a ground-connection or counterpoise, if desired. I’d also take a pair of solder-less alligator clips (less than $1 each, many sources) and a solder-less 3.5mm plug (I have one of these but haven’t yet found a source for a new one; I might have to make one) in case I would want to (or need to) use the random-wire antenna without the z-match tuner.

PowerFilm-AA-ChargerTo power the Sony receiver, I’d use Eneloop AA cells and two Powerfilm “AA Battery Foldable Solar Panel” (3.6v x 0.6A, $85 at Jameco) to charge them. Fortuitously, the Powerfilm panels come with four Eneloop cells each. I’d buy an additional 8-pack of 2000mAh Eneloop cells ($25 on eBay).

The receiver uses for four cells; one of the panels could (probably) charge a set of four cells each day and the Eneloop chemistry would allow the charged batteries to remain charged while not in use. The second 8-pack of Eneloops and the second Powerfilm solar-charger provide redundancy. It’s unlikely that one evening’s listening on the Sony would discharge a set of cells so it wouldn’t be a problem if the solar panel needs more than one day to fully charge a set of four cells.

To know where and when to listen, I’d take a copy of WRTH 2014 ($30 at Universal Radio).

If I choose the kit version of the z-match tuner and don’t buy an MFJ-1910 mast, the total comes to $449.

I am an amateur radio operator and would want to take along some sort of transceiver. Given my druthers, I’d take my Elecraft KX3 and forget about the ICF-SW-17600GB but that’s against the rules of this Challenge.

YouKits-HB-1B

MK33MiniCWPaddleSince I can’t take my existing KX3, I’d buy a YouKits HB1B Four Band CW QRP Transceiver (80/40/30/20m, $300 from YouKits), a Whiterock MK-33 single-lever CW paddle ($30 from Electronics USA), two pairs of inexpensive over-the-head stereo earphones (~$10/ea), a ten-cell AA holder (#10AAT, $7 at Batteries America), and another set of 2000mAh AA Eneloop cells. I’d use the same random-wire antenna I deployed for the listening post, and the same Emtech ZM-2 z-match tuner to match the transceiver to the random-wire. The 8-pack of Eneloops plus two cells “borrowed” from the extra set purchased for the listening post would be used to make a 10-cell battery-pack for the transceiver. Using both Powerfilm chargers would probably allow me to fully-charge ten cells in a two-day period. I’d have to balance the charging needs of the listening post and the ham station but I think it wouldbe workable.

The cost of the ham station comes to $382.

The rules of the Challenge were unclear about whether the cost of a tablet/smartphone/PC was to come from the $1200. Either way, I’d probably limit myself to a 7″ tablet such as the Nexus 7 I bought myself last year for $150. A Powefilm USB + AA Foldable Solar Panel ($80 from Amazon) could be used to charge such a 7″ tablet. (And the same panel could be used to charge cells 9 and 10 of my 10-cell ham radio battery pack, allowing me to charge the ten-pack in a single day instead of needing two days.)

The grand-total of all of this stuff comes to $1,061, leaving enough to purchase a second ICF-SW7600GR to take as a spare.

I know this is just a mind-experiment but I’d love to hear what the HF bands sound like so many miles from any RFI sources!

Eric, WD8RIF

Eric, I like how you’ve balanced your ham radio and shortwave listening needs in this kit. While there was no restrictions to keep you from using a KX3 (both a superb transceiver and general coverage receiver), your set up allowed for more extras and back-up supplies. Since a basic kit version of the KX3 costs about $930 (shipped) it would have eaten up much of your budget.  Since I own a KX3, my first inclination was to design a kit around the KX3 as well (if the budget would have even been $100 more, I probably would have). With your kit, you have a little money to spare, plenty of antenna-making supplies, a fantastic antenna tuner for both SWLing and QRP, a benchmark portable receiver and a capable four band QRP CW transceiver as well. Great job! (Readers, Eric has an excellent website devoted to ham radio and QRP–his projects are beautifully documented.)

from RS Wood

PL-660

By the sound of it, this is a Peace Corps assignment.  May as well ask a former Peace Corps volunteer!

I’d personally recommend you keep a low profile: traditional peoples like those you find in Bhutan will see your fancy antenna on the roof and assume you’re a spy or something.  I’d go for a portable shortwave – something in the $150-$300 range from Sangean or Tecsun, as well as a $35 indoor, powered antenna (they run on AAA batteries).  Buy a second radio as backup.

For internet use, assume you’re going to be offline for long periods of time.  Get a netbook, not a tablet/smartphone, and one or two USB hard drives for storing your stuff.  Ditch gmail/hotmail and get an account from which you can download email and store locally when you’re in town (fastmail.fm, toast.net) – look for POP3, not IMAP.  Idea is: you go into town, plug in somewhere, download and store your stuff locally, and can use your machine at your house, with no connection to the internet, to write.  You might be able to get a GSM modem if service extends to your post; that’s another reason to have a machine with USB slots into which you can stick a USB modem (yes, dialup) or GSM (cellphone) modem.  Used netbook on ebay should run you $200; add another $200 for external harddrives you bring stocked with stuff (ebooks, etc.).

Lastly, bring as many notebooks, pens, and books as you can.  Speaking from experience, you’ll find yourself doing more reading and writing, and less internet.  And I repeat: keep your radio low-profile.  Whip out the huge radio and antenna and your neighbors will distrust you, seriously.

Good cultural points! This is true. In the past, I have given this same advice to aid workers traveling to impoverished urban areas.  Not only does a conspicuous setup attract attention, but also (sadly) theft–not just of your radio, but anything else in your house. Fortunately, I have only heard positive reports from Bhutan–houses without locks, that sort of thing. Thanks for your entry!

from Ariel Jacala (NY4G)

k2100med

For starters – I would either build from scratch or buy a new Elecraft K2.  Since I would be on assignment for 2 years, I would need to be able to repair my gear.  A K2 is built from through hole components so it is repairable.  All I would need are some spare parts for the components that are known to be failure prone – mostly diodes.  I would consult with W3FPR for his recommended list of spare components from his experience of repairing hundreds of K2s.  If I can find a used one with a SSB module, so much the better.  I would volunteer to build one for someone else just to get the build experience.

Elecraft K2 – from the Elecraft reflector $600

Next I would invest in at least a 20 watt solar panel.  Price per watt is ever changing for the better.  One is available from Amazon for $109 for 27 watt panel weighing 3 pounds.

Next are batteries.

One 30 amp hour SLA for $80 dollars at Batteries Plus.

GeneratorThe next thing is toss up.  Cabelas sells 500 watt generator for $350 dollars or do I get a small amp.  Provided I can get gasoline from the villagers, the generator will make living here at least bearable – for lights, charging batteries and another power source other than the sun.  The amp goes for $300 – a Hardrock50 which I have built.  Is it worth the extra 6 or 7 dB from 10 watts?  You bet.  In an emergency I can use the extra 40 watts or for a long overdue ragchew in English.

There you go
Transceiver, batteries, solar panel with money to spare. – about $350 left.

Ariel NY4G

Ariel: Very smart of you to consult Don Wilhelm (W3FPR) as he is the most knowledgeable source of info about the K2 and any weaknesses it may have. I have a K2 and completely agree–it’s probably the most capable transceiver that can be field serviced. The only weakness of the K2 (for this hypothetical trip) is the fact that it does not have a general coverage transceiver. For any broadcast listening, you’d want to use some of that $350 surplus for a portable receiver–easily accommodated in your budget! I know you Ariel, and am willing to bet that most of your radio time would be in the ham bands! Thanks for your entry!

from Anil Raj

Spend two years in Bhutan, off-grid and with no internet… Wow! That is probably the most extreme scenario one can think of! However, not completely alien to me as I work in the energy business setting up power plants in off-grid areas http://www.omcpower.com/

These are my thoughts:

POWER SOURCE

Click to enlarge.

Click to enlarge.

Clearly, the single largest limitation is going to be the availability of reliable power. A quick look at a solar insolation map for the region makes it clear that solar which would normally be the most convenient source of power cannot be relied upon in this case.

My choice for reliable power would be a combination of a solar charger with a set of Eneloops and the BioLite stove since all it needs to generate useful power are twigs and sticks. It generates about 3 – 4 Watts which can comfortably power a small radio. I’m pretty sure the stove would come in handy in the winter to keep warm as well! The daily ritual of lighting a small wood fire to listen to the radio might eventually become a meditative experience… Price $ 118.00 + $130.00 + $20.00

RADIO RECEIVER

Anil-3

My choice here is the Sony 7600GR. It is time tested having been on the market for over a decade. In my opinion it has by far the most robust build quality in it’s price range. SSB is a must, and the Sony performs well in this department, and the AM sync is a bonus feature. The main reason for my choice however, is the frugal power consumption – about 50 mA. The Sony also happily runs off a 5 V supply like a USB charger which simplifies the power issue significantly. Price $ 130.00 on Ebay

HEADPHONES

SC5GS-MainImage

Headphones are a must to keep power consumption low and my choice here are the “Sleep Phones” http://www.sleepphones.com/ The fantastic thing is that these also keep your ears warm (Himalayan winters) and of course you can use them in bed without the discomfort normal headphones or earbuds usually give. Price $ 40.00

TRANSCEIVER

Anil-1

Being a ham, it is obvious that a transceiver will have to be a part of the plan. Any of the traditional general coverage transceivers available today would immediately break the energy budget and not be viable for more than a couple of weeks. Here my choice is the Mizuho MX-14s handheld. This tiny rugged 20 M transceiver puts out 2 W on SSB and CW, fits in my pocket and hardly draws any power. My plan would be to keep it for emergency use only in case a license is not possible. I have used one of these for several years and know what is possible with 2 Watts and a good antenna. Power is from a set of Energizer AA lithium batteries which can hold a charge for up 20 years.

The MX-14s turns up regularly on Ebay for around $ 300.00 or more depending on the physical condition.  Price $ 350.00

ANTENNA

HyEndCompany-001

My choice would be the HyEndFed antennas EFHW and the most suitable would be the 20 M version which would work fine as a random wire for the Sony receiver as well as  and End Fed Half Wave for the transceiver.  These antennas are built to a very high spec with silver plated wire with teflon insulation etc. Price including feeder and adapters $ 120.00

SUMMARY

Anil-2

So, all the bits and pieces together add up to about $ 1000.00 which is comfortably inside the budget. I would definitely spend the rest on woollen socks!

73s

Anil

Anil, this is brilliant! What I like best is that your kit is based on your experience both with alternative energy and the equipment you’d plan to use. Having built a solar house myself, I also consulted a solar isolation map when first tackling this Bhutanese challenge. You’re right: unless you have a semi-permanent PV system to trickle charge a battery anytime you have solar gain, you could be disappointed if relying on portable solar alone. Though I had heard about the BioLite, I’ve never used one. I’m very tempted to buy one now.  I see where it could provide two important resources at once: heat and power. I also love the idea of the Mizuho MX-14s HT transceiver; though it’s limited to 20 meters, that would be one of the best and most useful bands if you decided to get on the air. I’ve read that the Mizuho is nearly bullet-proof. Still, like Ariel with the K2, I would consult Mizuho MX-14s users in advance of the trip and perhaps stock up on components that commonly fail. Looks like they would be relatively easy to replace in the field (with an inexpensive battery-powered soldering iron). Thanks for your thoughtful entry!

What fun! Thank you all…

I know this sort of challenge may not appeal to everyone, but I really enjoy it. This sort of exercise forces you (though safely) outside the comfort-zone of a home radio set-up. Your responses are truly innovative.

Thanks, again, for your participation! If your response wasn’t included above, or I didn’t respond to you directly, please let me know: it’s possible I skipped over yours by mistake as there were quite a few responses to collate, and my email is managed by a rather discriminating SPAM filter.

Meanwhile, if you think of an alternative set-up–or would like to add your own to this post–please comment below!

I already have more than six future reader challenges waiting in the wings: all based on real inquiries from readers. I hope to post another in the near future.

Spread the radio love

Portables, SDRs, dongles, kits, and a spy radio: our virtual radio challenge responses

8 Replies

TristanDaCuna-001

Two weeks ago, I posted a virtual challenge for SWLing Post readers:  I asked you to imagine you were placed on a one-year research assignment on one of the world’s most remote inhabited islands, namely, Tristan Da Cunha, in the South Atlantic.

Your goal was to assemble the best shortwave listening set-up possible for your virtual budget of $200 US. You were tasked to track down a radio kit that would keep you in touch with the world, and potentially afford you some very unique DX. [If you haven’t read the full virtual radio challenge, including all of the limitations you might face, I encourage you to check out this post before continuing.]

Your Reader Responses

And, wow, what great responses–!  First, I want to thank all who participated in this challenge. No two responses were identical.  Some truly surprised me…I must say, I sincerely hope you enjoyed this exercise as much as I enjoyed reading what you’ve sent to the SWLing Post!  

Below you will find ten responses from readers, representing remarkable diversity in radio set-ups. Note that my comments follow; they are italicized and in bold.

Now, with no further ado…I welcome you to radio DX on Tristan de Cunha!

from Frank Holden

TecsunPL-660First up, Frank Holden, who submitted his entry at 3:00 AM–prior to leaving on a 6:40 AM flight. Obviously, travel was on this Post reader’s mind.

Frank writes:

Based on both my own experience and recent swling.com research I would choose a:

(Photo courtesy of http://www.perite.com/)

Squidpole Antenna (Photo courtesy of http://www.perite.com/)

Total is $210 Australian, so you will get change out of $200 US.

Some notes:

  • Feed antenna up inside the Squidpole and tape at the top…. The rubber ‘bobble’ is removeable.
  • Maybe run a short length of coax from radio to base of Squidpole.
  • Make sure the Squidpole is well stayed. My experience in VP8land and Tierra del Fuego is that the constant flexing in high winds will lead to squid pole failure. Mine were secured to the taffrail on my boat… i.e. at the base and 50cm up from base…. Failed at the 50 cm point. I have also had a 5 metre high quality (marine grade) alloy whip fail in the same manner.
  • Utilise rest of baggage allowance with warm clothes, rum (power outages… for use during), etc.

Thanks, Frank! I love the idea of the Squidpole as it can give you a little height when trees are absent. I have used a similar telescoping pole for Ham Radio QRP operations: a Jackite pole. I’ve broken the tip section twice already due to my own clumsiness–fortunately, the tip can be purchased separately. As you suggest, I bet the winds on Tristan Da Cunha would give the Squidpole a run for its money!

from AB3RU

The Ham It Up v1.2 - NooElec RF Upconverter converts your RTL-SDR dongle into an HF receiver.

The Ham It Up v1.2 – NooElec RF Upconverter converts your RTL-SDR dongle into an HF receiver.

AB3RU writes:

I propose using my current setup, since a laptop is a freebie here. I use the following in my setup:

1) RTL-SDR dongle for the laptop ($15)
2) Ham it up upconverter ($40)
3) AlphaDelta SWL sloper, MFJ 1020B (eBay, got ‘em for $102)

That’s $157. That leaves $43 for a 25? length of coax and two MCX adapters. Coax run is $15 (at $0.39/ft for RG-8X.) I forgot how much the adapters were, but less than the $28 left over after buying the coax run.

Downside? I have no pole to support this, and houses on the island are only one story structures. I’ll have to attach the high end of the sloper to the peak of the home where I’m staying, and I’m sure that height is less than the 25? recommended by AlphaDelta. In addition, I’ll have to plant a stake at the lower end of the sloper to keep that end the recommended 8? above ground. I also made no provision for extra power if a power outage exceeded the amount of juice in my laptop battery.

If push came to shove, I would drop the MFJ 1020B for an extra $50 to buy supports or an extra battery.

Thanks, AB3RU! I’m willing to bet that you might find something on the island to support one end of your sloping antenna. It might be a challenge to meet the 25′ recommended height, as you stated. Still, this is an innovative and quite portable option!

from Tudor

Sony-ICF-SW7600GR“Tudor” comments:

Here are my choices:

  • A 50-100m wire to be used as an antenna for SW and MW. I imagine I’ll be able to catch a few MW stations from South America or Africa. As for choosing a radio…
  • I’ll need a good radio which allows using an external antenna not only for SW (all of them do) but also for MW (few of them do). I think there is only one radio which fits this requirement within the budget: the Sony ICF-SW7600GR, available on Amazon.com at prices around $140. My other choice would be a Sangean ATS-909X which works very well with external antennas, but it’s more expensive.
  • I’ll also need two packs of 4 AA rechargeable batteries and a charger.

Thanks, Tudor! I believe your choice of the Sony ICF-SW7600GR is a very good one, as the Sony is a solid performer. It would be a challenge to find a new Sangean ATS-909X within your $200 budget–you would need to track down a used one, most likely. With the PL-660 in tow, you would then have a full $60 to purchase batteries, charger, and your antenna wire. Very workable!

from KK6AYC

KK6AYC suggests using the MFJ Model MFJ-8100:

MFJ-Model-MFJ-8100

http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-8100W

It is through hole soldered so replacing parts is easy. Bring a bag of spare parts and a couple batteries. Get two headphones so that you and a friend can listen at the same time.

Thanks, KK6AYC! At $110 US, you would certainly have enough budget for spare parts, batteries, and antenna wire. While a regen receiver may not be for everyone, these do provide excellent sensitivity once you pass this rig’s learning curve for tuning. If the winds blow your external antenna around, you might have to ride that regen control! Great alternative to the typical portable–!

from John Treager

Next, John Treager, who writes:

Neat thought experiment! I’ve recently got back into SW listening after years away. I’ve been hitting your sites for two or three months and your weak station comparison really grabbed my attention but this one has lit the fire again.

[…]I’m a contract engineer who lives away from my primary residence most of the time so this challenge kind of strikes a chord. And, as I’m getting back into SWL, you’ve given me a reason to research (something engineers love to do!).

TecsunPL-660-SilverBased on the weak station article and discussion, I like what I’ve seen in the Tecsun PL-660 (although I don’t own it yet). […]Found in silver on eBay for $100.99 from kaito-electronics-inc. Seriously, what’s the fascination with black? Black is $20 more…

If I’m renting a room with a family on the island, headphones are a must. I’m cheap and traveling light so let’s go with Sony MDRZX100 headphones. I’ve used them for quite a while and like them. I find them comfortable for at least a couple of hours. Currently $15.09 on Amazon.

I enjoy the challenge of simplicity so, as far as an antenna goes, I would choose a simple long wire. Either a reel or one I build, $10-15. I get as much enjoyment from fussing with antennas as I do from turning knobs and dials. If my simple wire antenna doesn’t work when I get on location, then investigating and tinkering with antenna design and construction will fill the hours!

wrth-2014By the rules of the challenge, power is available but somewhat unreliable it sounds like. To meet that, I’m going with rechargeable batteries and enough to last for a while. AmazonBasics AA NiMH Rechargeable batteries (16 pack, 2000 mAh). Not the newest version, but should suffice for one year and 16 batteries should be enough for extended periods of no power. And, this may be a bit of a cheat, but I use AA batteries for everything, so I already have a charger!
Next, some sort of reference. I usually use either my laptop or a phone/tablet for frequencies/times from various sources, but given that there is no internet access in the residence and power may be occasionally spotty, let’s go with the World Radio/TV Handbook as a backup (I do miss Passport to World Band Radio!). I found WRTH on eBay (new, 2014 edition) for $27.24.

I assume I will have notebooks and pens for other reasons, so not included in the total.

So, all told…

Total: $182.67

With the remaining difference, I may get a Kaito KA321, which I have found to be a great deal of fun. […]Being a budget DXer, and given the performance of this little radio, I would almost have to have one along. I would love to see what it did in the South Atlantic!

Thanks, John! That should be enough AA batteries to keep you going well over a week with no power. Packing a WRTH makes a lot of sense. Via the island’s library Internet–however variable–you could download WRTH updates, as well.

from London Shortwave

The Global AT-2000 (Photo: RadioPics.com)

The Global AT-2000 (Photo: RadioPics.com)

London Shortwave sent his suggestion in by tweet–a simple, proven combo: 

Thanks, London Shortwave!  While the Global AT-2000 is a little difficult to find these days, London Shortwave has had excellent success with this antenna coupler. There should be enough room in his budget for rechargeable batteries, as well.  

from Princehifi

“Princehifi” comments:

If a laptop was coming along, I would have to use an SDR.

AFEDRI_SDR-USB-HS_640

I would get the Afedri SDR USB-only model [see AFEDRI SDR-USB-HS above] for $159 (board only, I’d have to mount it in a sardine can). I would then use the remaining $41 for a cheap used antenna tuner and a random wire for an antenna. I think this kit would make for an excellent listening post.

Backup power would be a concern with the outages, so I am contemplating a 6-volt battery backup power system to power my Phillips 4-port USB hub (6 volt DC in requirement). From there the USB-hub will power/charge a Dell Venue 8 Pro tablet (the laptop), the Afedri SDR and maybe a USB-powered speaker? Would have to test out this backup power scheme before boarding the boat!

I think I could do all of the above for $250 including the backup power system. Although it would likely push $300 when wires, cables etc are all in (does not include the tablet/laptop).

Thanks, Princehifi! So you’re a little over the $200 budget with all of the accessories, but if you already have a laptop and tablet, I think you could tweak your set-up to meet the budget goal. I did not realize that there was a USB only version of the Afedri SDR–I might have to get one of those myself!

from Rob

TecsunPL-660-SilverRob comments:

Here’s my list. Where can’t get it locally and I don’t have a firm shipping cost, I’ve estimated it as an additional 20%. Stuff I can get locally (Radio Shack, etc.) I haven’t added any shipping or sales tax.

  • Tecsun PL660 (eBay/Anon Co): $85 + $16 shipping = $101
  • 100′ roll of 22 gauge stranded copper wire (Amazon): $9.41 + 20% = $11 (good long random wire)
  • 25′ RG58 (Universal Radio price $0.25/ft): $6 + 20% = $7 (use the coax to get wire antenna out and away from the house; wrap it on an old jar (free!) to make an ugly balun to keep household noise from creeping up the outside of the shield)
  • 1/8″ phono plugs for antenna port (Radio Shack): $3.50
  • Koss Earbuds (Radio Shack): $5 (these really cut down on battery drain and make for a better house guest)
  • Eneloop charger & 4xAA batt combo (Battery Junction): $16 + 20% = $19.20 (the 660 comes with one set of AA’s, this gives another and an away-from-radio charger to cut down on noise)

TecsunAN200OK, that totals to $147 for the basics. Now I want to add two more things:

(That’s right, a spare radio. Because middle of nowhere.)

Grand total: $192

Now if I’m allowed to scrounge in the parts bin for stuff like 22 gauge antenna wire, RG58, and earbuds, there might be enough left over for a SECOND spare radio and 4 more Eneloops!

Thanks, Rob–you have a plan, indeed! Well thought through! I, too, would be very curious what sort of medium wave DX I could hear in the South Atlantic, especially since you know there would be no local blow-torch stations around. I have the Grundig version of the Tecsun AN200 and find it an essential antenna for portable MW DXing.

from Michael C. Fortner

ECSS-PL-660Michael C. Fortner’s list includes:

Radio: Tecsun PL-600 (I have one and am comfortable with it’s operation) – $43.35

Antenna: 500′ spool red 18 gauge wire (you can’t have too much wire in case of wind damage, animals, people, etc.) – $29.07

2 two packs of 1/8 mono phone jacks (again, backups are good) – $4.49 x 2 = $8.98

AmazonBasicsBatteriesBox-001Batteries: 16 AA NiMH batteries – $25.86

Charger: Solar battery charger (backup to mains power that charges batteries in radio): $19.99

Headphones: Koss KSC-75 headphones x2 (good dynamic range for the price and I have two pair that I use): $14.82 x 2 = $29.64

Grand total: $156.89 (all qualify for free shipping)

I’d guess I would save the rest for repair costs in case the radio acts up. Of course, I’d take the one I already have as a spare. When in remote locations, backups are essential so I probably bought more than most people think I need. And as far as the battery charger, rapid chargers are bad for most NiMH batteries so I went with a slower charger. And don’t forget that the Tecsun can charge the batteries in the radio when not in use.

Thanks, Michael! You are erring on the side of having extra batteries and more than enough wire for antennas; there’s no way you’ll run out in your one-year stay. On Tristan, I know that locals often trade supplies: those extra batteries may turn into an antenna support!    

from Kenny B

 OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAKenny B writes:

I love your site, I’m there everyday and almost forgot to enter so here it is:

1. Kaito 1102, I have had good luck with it and it has ssb, second choice would be a Tecsun PL-380, I really love this radio and it’s a great little dxing machine but no ssb.
The Kaito is 64.95 on Amazon, free shipping.

The Sundance Solar DIY battery charger

The Sundance Solar DIY battery charger

2. A Sundance Solar- build it yourself battery charger for AA and AAAs: $40.00 plus 9.99 shipping

3. Scotts Electronics 384pf air variable capacitor, $13.95 plus $4.95 shipping, this if for my shortwave magnetic loop I will build, I’m pretty sure I can procure the wood for crossbeams or something to make a loop can be had on the island.

4. 6ft RG-58, Wal-Mart, $4.95

5. 50ft speaker wire, Home Depot, split it gives me 100ft, can also be used to make a dipole or longwire, $9.99

6. Sanyo Eneloop rechargeable batteriess, AA, 3rd generation, 2000mah, 8 pack $26.40, Amazon, free shipping

7. Travelproducts.com, 1600 watt voltage converter, 19.99, free shipping

8. Radio Shack 1/8th inch miniplug for end of coax, $4.00

Wow! Thanks, Kenny B! Other than the KA1102, your complete kit is DIY–I like it! You could build the battery charger and antenna prior to leaving. 

from Anil

Anil writes:

1. Receiver: Wandel & Goltermann FE-8 Spy Radio Receiver (US$ 120 at a Hamfest)

Wandel_And_Goltermann_FE-8

Wandel & Goltermann FE-8 Spy Radio Receiver from the cold war (mine was manufactured in 1963. I bought it at a Hamfest in Sweden a month ago for the equivalent of US$ 120.[…]

For ruggedness there is nothing else like it. It is completely sealed and constructed from a single piece of die-cast machined aluminium and stainless steel. Just the thing for wet and rainy Atlantic islands! Covers 2.5 – 24 MHz and only needs 6 Volts at 8mA. A pack of twelve AAs will fit in my pocket and last at least a year with about three hours of listening every day. No adapter, no charger. The razor sharp 3.1 kHz Collins Mechanical Filter is not ideal for music but hard to beat for general news and SSB utility listening. Like the famous Collins R390 it uses a mechanical “digital” dial accurate to 1 kHz which also glows in the dark. […]It is smaller that a Tecsun 660 though it weighs a lot more. More about this radio here http://www.cryptomuseum.com/spy/sp15/fe8.htm

2. Antenna & Earth (US$ 15 in any electrical store)

Random length PVC insulated wires with a banana plugs- total 50 meters. The radio has a hi-impedance input and is sensitive enough to do a great job with just 20 m of wire. The rest is spare.

3. Headphones (US$ 25 on eBay)

Lightweight Telex Aviation Headset with 1500 Ohms impedance can be worn for long periods with no fatigue. The audio response is tailored for voice.

WandelAndGoltermann-FE-8-Front

4. The latest  WRTH Handbook (US$ 30 online)

I’m all set for the trip now with $10 to spend on a supply of chewing gum. I know that this radio setup can easily deal with whatever is thrown at it… the question is if I can!

Thanks, Anil!  Wow…I never saw that spy radio coming! It does look like an ideal radio for prolonged use and for pretty much any environmental conditions. I hope you realize that I will be bugging you (okay, pun intended!) to provide us with a few broadcast recordings from the FE-8. It’s certainly got my interest piqued!

Now, that was fun! Thank you all…

I know this sort of challenge may not appeal to everyone, but I really enjoy it. This sort of exercise forces you (though safely) outside the comfort-zone of a home radio set-up. Your responses are truly innovative. I only wish the Post could actually send our participants to Tristan de Cunha to try their set-ups out first-hand! I, for one, would love to come along…

Thanks, again, for your participation! If your response wasn’t included above, or I didn’t respond to you directly, please let me know: it’s possible I skipped over yours by mistake as there were quite a few responses to collate, and my email is managed by a rather discriminating SPAM filter.

Meanwhile, if you think of an alternative set-up–or would like to add your own to this post–please comment below!

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Tecsun PL-660 + Nevada EFW-2 = Winning Combo

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Shortly after posting my Traveling Light, SWLing Right article yesterday, @LondonShortwave shared a video of the portable set up he uses for SWLing in London public parks:


Click here to view a video of his Tecsun PL-660/Nevada EFW-2 combo in action.

The antenna @LondonShortwave uses in the video is the Nevada EFW-2 (below). To keep the PL-660 from overloading he either sets the PL-660 sensitivity switch to “Normal” (rather than “DX”) or uses the Global AT-2000 coupler shown in the video.
EFW-2-001

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