Tag Archives: John Figliozzi

John’s Updated Review of the Choyong LC90 Multi-Band & Internet Radio

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A Further Review Update on the Choyong LC90

By John Figliozzi, NASWA Journal Shortwave Center Editor

Prepared December 12, 2024

Having previously reviewed the overall performance of the Choyong LC90 and then updated that review to include firmware upgrades the radio’s manufacturer has implemented to address some initial problems or shortcomings, I now turn to evaluating how this radio performs as a primary substitute for other comparably sized radios currently and previously on the market.

First, some caveats should be kept in mind.

This is the first – and only – radio on the current market that makes possible reception of longwave, medium wave, shortwave, FM radio station signals and Internet streaming radio stations in one self-contained unit.

Exemplifying that unique status, it also allows for connection to personal music sources via Bluetooth and permits the user to access Internet streaming via both WiFi and cellular over-the-air connections.

Furthermore, in another soon coming firmware update, its developer is promising the addition of RDS capability on FM, metadata transmission within Internet radio streams, as well as music library and podcast access through Spotify and Apple.  

In sum, the LC90 is a most versatile instrument – the most versatile radio available anywhere.

This is also a “portable” radio, not a desktop model.  As such it is designed to operate as a “traditional” radio optimally off its self-contained whip antenna.  Though an ability to connect an external antenna is provided, the use of anything other than a relatively short wire is likely to overload the radio’s internal electronics.  This is not a design flaw.  Therefore, it should be evaluated against other consumer-grade portable radios, not against more sophisticated semi-professional equipment.

The Parameters of This Test

Having said that, I set out to test how the LC90 works as one’s primary portable radio.  By that I mean, for example — besides for use when at home — if one is traveling and has limited storage space in one’s luggage, would taking only the LC90 offer satisfactory performance in the absence of any “back-up” receiver?

Most of us establish over time a pattern to our radio listening.  We regularly tune-in to particular stations at particular times for particular content.  This is how I performed this study.

As one example, I regularly listen to Radio Romania International’s mid-afternoon (mid-morning in eastern North America) transmission in Romanian for western Europe via shortwave.  American and European pop rock music is a prominent part of the programming and, since I don’t speak Romanian, I find listening both accessible and enjoyable.  This is a good and fair test since RRI is a station with powerful transmitters that, even when not targeting eastern North America, can and does provide reliably good reception here.

I use FM regularly and primarily for local public radio and their content including their relays of BBC World Service, as well as low power community stations.

I’ll tune somewhat distant medium wave (AM) stations after dark for content I find unique.  One example is CFZM 740 “Zoomer Radio” in Toronto which offers old time radio shows at 10 each night.  Toronto is about 300 miles west of my home location, so it’s an intermediate distance that usually promises decent nighttime reception.

And I have several favorite stations worldwide only accessible via Internet radio.  Some are current or former international broadcasters that previously used or still use shortwave.  Others are domestic stations that make content that I find enjoyable, informative or unique available through Internet streaming.

Internet Radio

The LC90, as stated in my previous review and subsequent revision, performs very well in finding and listening to Internet radio stations.  Its interface is still comparatively a little “clunky”, but in truth all of them are in one way or another.  What it comes down to is learning the logic behind each and, once one spends some time with the LC90, its own interface becomes more familiar and directly useful.  Uniquely, it also allows for voice search of stations, something that doesn’t always work well and can be frustrating.  But it’s fun and useful to try it and if not giving the desired result, one can move on to other provided search methods.

The LC90 — also uniquely — provides two ways of accessing Internet radio stations – via WiFi and via a pre-purchase of time on cellular networks.  Both work well and the availability of cellular access offers a level of flexibility other Internet radios don’t have.

In sum, one need not have another Internet radio to “back up” the LC90.  It’s more than fine on its own.

Shortwave

Off its whip antenna, the LC90 performs at least very close to the way most comparably sized quality portable shortwave radios perform that I’ve used or tested.  Included among them are the Grundig YB400, Panasonic RF-B65, Tecsun PL-398 and Sangean ATS909.

Recent firmware updates all but eliminated the annoying “birdies” that cropped up across the bands previously in the LC90.  I have noted some random “ticking” at times when listening on shortwave and can’t determine if that phenomenon is due to the radio’s internal electronics or ambient atmospheric conditions that the radio’s sensitive circuitry somehow picks up.

A further update has added a rather rudimentary ability to tune single sideband transmissions.  (It’s all that the radio’s original basic architecture will allow.)  But this is important because it opens the potential to hear amateur radio transmissions as well as some utility transmissions such as VOLMET weather reports.

One caution, though, if your interest is primarily DXing.  The LC90 – while very serviceable as a shortwave radio — is not a DX machine.  It is primarily designed for radio listeners, not those who see the radio principally as a hobby.

Nonetheless, the LC90 is both sensitive and stable enough to mostly match and sometimes exceed the performance on shortwave of other portable radios of comparable size.

FM

All that needs saying here is that the good sensitivity of the LC90 on FM combined with its superior audio performance, especially for a portable radio, makes listening on FM most pleasant, noise-free  and satisfying whether at home or away.

Longwave and Medium Wave

Though its engineers have tried several ways to improve the “AM radio” performance of the LC90, this is where it meets its one Achilles heel, so to speak.  It does have an internal ferrite rod antenna (unlike the now discontinued – again – Eton E1), the performance of which can be marginally improved with use of an inductive tuned loop antenna like the Terk Advantage.  Absent that, extending the rod antenna also improves reception a little, as does connection of a reel-type extended wire antenna.

But despite all these attempts, the internal circuitry of the LC90, including its screen, creates a prodigious noise floor in the longwave and medium wave bands that all but the most powerful local stations cannot effectively overcome.

What this means is that while the LC90, as stated, is a good performer on shortwave, it will likely disappoint most on long and medium wave because even inexpensive AM radios will outperform it in this one respect.  That means that, unfortunately, the LC90 is not a good option for me to pull in 740 Toronto when at home.

Having said that, no one yet has solved this noise problem and, given all the effort Choyong has put in to try and do so, it might well be unsolvable at least in an affordable way.  Luckily, there are a wealth of very compact and inexpensive AM radios out there that can give one what one wants if he or she is determined to use MW to listen.

Conclusion

And that last point about determination is crucial.  The fact is, now that Internet radio is almost universally available, that must be first choice for the listener focused on content and “easy listening”.  If conditions are such that one can’t access what one wants to hear from AM, FM or SW, Internet radio access will more than likely provide it and in better listening quality.  And the LC90 lets the user access Internet streaming from more places than any other radio — almost anywhere (except the very few places without access to a WiFi or cellular network).

But also conversely, on occasions when Internet radio is inaccessible, the LC90 provides other ways to receive entertainment and information “over the air”.

Furthermore, LC90 engineers are about to introduce music streaming and on-demand podcasts through another in an impressive series of firmware updates that continually have improved and enhanced the performance of this radio.

The LC90’s batteries have remarkably long life between recharges, another important factor whether portability is a convenience or a necessity.

Finally, Choyong has established a dialogue with the radio’s users through a Facebook page that provides for direct interaction with the LC90’s chief engineer and developer.  In fact, that interaction is not only tolerated, it is encouraged, and has led to a number of enhancements, corrections and improvements that have been implemented in the LC90 through firmware updatws..  Where else has that happened?

So, my judgement is an enthusiastic “yes” — the LC90 can readily serve as one’s exclusive standalone portable, entirely suitable as it is for everyday use around home or on the go.

Click here to check out the Choyong LC90 on Amazon.com.

John’s In-Depth Review of the Choyong LC90 (Export Version)

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and WWLG author, John Figliozzi, who shares the following review:

A Review And Analysis Of The Choyong LC90 (Export Version)

By John A. Figliozzi

General

To my knowledge, this is the first radio to combine AM Shortwave with Internet Radio.  This makes it the first true “full service” radio incorporating ALL of radio’s major platforms.  Many radio listeners question why this hasn’t been done sooner, so this very good first effort is most welcome.

The initial presentation of the radio to the new owner is impressive.  The stylish box in which it arrives is worthy of a respected instrument of high quality.  The radio has the solid substantial feel of a device with excellent build quality.  Its sizing – that of a paperback book along the lines of some previous well-respected AM/FM/SW receivers like the Grundig YB-400 – gives it the perfect form factor for a radio that can be enjoyed both in the home and as a portable.

There is so much to like here.  Over and above its unique combining of Internet radio and shortwave, there’s a “permanent” battery that offers many hours of use before it needs recharging, ATS tuning, the ability to save frequencies and stations in several preference lists, several ways of searching for Internet radio stations, an easy way to add Internet stations not already listed by the manufacturer, and others.

But the LC90 really shines with its fantastic audio on FM and Internet radio.  There’s a woofer, a tweeter and a low frequency diaphragm inside the speaker cavity that occupies the left half the case – and nothing else.  The radio’s excellent build quality and its developers’ efforts to produce a world class audio section in a portable radio really pays off.

But no radio is perfect, and this one obviously is a work in progress.  So, being critical – which is what a review and analysis like this does — should not imply disapproval on any level.  On the contrary, the LC90 is already a well-formed radio worthy of consideration by any purchaser.

The Screen

The screen that is the center of the LC90 provides much information depending on the platform being used.  But in some cases, useful information is missing and in other cases the information provided seems unnecessary or of questionable utility.

In AM (MW), FM and SW, it is not readily apparent what all the symbols mean or why they are there.  The time, signal strength and SNR (signal to noise ratio), bandwidth, meter band, heart (for including a frequency in “favorites”) and the “Freq. vs. Addr.” indicators are all helpful and understandable.  But what is meant by “Memo” isn’t entirely clear.  Is it holding just my preferences?  Or the number of stations found by ATS?  Or something else?

So, too, with the Internet Radio screen.  What do the three dots, the speaker icon and the return icon mean?  The ability to tune stations in sequence as they appear across the bottom of the screen depending on mode is both unique and helpful.  But the use of a timer to tick off how long one might listen to a particular station seems of dubious value.

Some suggestions for better use of the screen in some circumstances are detailed below.

Operation

Initial setup matching the radio to home internet service proceeded flawlessly.  The time clock is in 24-hour mode and showed correct time and date in my time zone.  Some purchasers had previously noted that the clock showed a time one hour earlier than the actual time.  I surmise that this is because the clock remains in standard time year-round.  There is no facility to reset the clock, compensate for seasonal time changes or set the clock manually.  This is an oversight that should be addressed.

This is a sophisticated, multi-faceted radio.  As impressive as it already may be, it should be perceived as a work in progress in need of the improvements it will get eventually through firmware updates and design modifications.  It would be helpful if those updates could come directly and seamlessly through the Internet, something that apparently can’t be done currently.

The LC90 comes with a rather short, almost cryptically worded pamphlet.  This can serve as an ok quick start-up guide.  But after using the radio, it’s obvious that there’s need for a comprehensive operation manual with copious directions for the user, along the lines that Eton provided for the E1.  A radio of this quality and at this price point demands such consideration.

In short, becoming fully familiar with and comfortable using all the features of the LC90 requires a prodigious learning curve, one that is not intuitively discerned.  I have to say that even after using it almost constantly for a few weeks, I feel I am still missing things.

Just a few examples of aspects that go unexplained include:

  • What does “Auto Play” mean in Settings?
  • Getting to preferences (the “heart” icon) is confusing and I’ve inadvertently removed them without learning how it happened.
  • Why does the screen show “Please add radio channel first” when I think I’ve already done that?
  • Why does screen alarmingly show “Saved channels removed”, having done so when I press the tuning dial thinking I am obtaining a list of my preferred or saved stations?

The cleverness behind the LC90 is not intuitively apparent.  If I hit the wrong keys in combination or hard press instead of soft press a key, I get a result I don’t understand and for which there is no explanation in the exceedingly short manual provided now.  In some cases, I put myself in a corner I can’t get out of, so I must reset by shutting down and restarting the radio to get back to base.

Following are my observations on the performance of the LC90 by platform:

FM

The LC90 has a very good FM section that is quite sensitive.   Using the ATS feature, (automatic tuning) it found 37 stations in Sarasota FL, for example.

For its size – and even considering many larger radios — the LC90 has an excellent audio response on FM.  However, although it has activated stereo capability, it does not appear to actually provide stereo through its ear/headphone jack. This is because the same output is used to provide audio to the speakers and the ear/headphone jack.  This feels like an oversight that should be rectified.  The radio does “recognize” a stereo plug and audio does play into both ears.  It’s just not stereo audio.

As currently configured this LC90 does not offer RDBS (RDS in Europe) on FM.  This should be incorporated into a radio of this quality being offered at this price point.

Even so, in this user’s opinion it earns a 4.5 on scale of 5 on FM.  But if it had stereo and RBDS, it would easily earn a 5.

A question arises:   Were HD Radio (in North America) and DAB+ (in Europe and Australia – if these are targeted markets for the LC90) considered for incorporation into this radio by its developers?  If not, why not; and, if so, why was a decision taken not to include them?

Shortwave

Performance of the LC90 on shortwave is very good, especially since it clearly is not intended as a hobbyist’s DX machine.  As such in my opinion, it doesn’t require the SSB capability that some have said they wish it has.

Rather, this radio is intended for the content-focused listener.  I view the AM (MW), FM and SW platforms as back-up alternatives for and secondary to the primary focus — Internet Radio.  Nonetheless, the LC-90’s performance is above average on both FM and SW which should be assuring to anyone considering its purchase.

The LC90 is quite sensitive on SW for a small portable using just its built-in expandable and rotatable 9 stage rod antenna.   But it does especially well when a common clothesline reel external antenna is extended and plugged into the receptacle provided for that purpose on the radio’s right-hand side.  (Similar improvement is noted for AM (MW) and FM, as well.)

Complaints about placement of this receptacle close to the tuning knob is of no concern when an external antenna of the type described above using a 3.5mm plug connector is used.  Any more sophisticated an external antenna would likely overload this radio considering that “birdies” – false signals internally generated by the radio itself — can be detected throughout the SW spectrum even when just using its built-in rod antenna.  This flaw should be addressed in any future modification or upgrade.

The audio enhancements made on this radio through unique use of speakers and their orientation are not as apparent here as they are when listening to FM and Internet Radio.

On AM signals generally — both SW and AM (MW) – a listener can detect artifacts in the audio.  Audible random “clicks” often can be heard – usually when receiving weaker stations – which sounds as if the radio’s audio section is clipping.   Adjusting the bandwidth appears to offer only minimal help with this.

Indeed, the audio produced by SW and AM (MW) sounds somewhat mechanical except on very strong stations.  It seems to lack body or depth on SW and AM.   Some of this undoubtedly is due to the quality of AM audio to begin with.  But the latter does sound more natural on other receivers.  The 7 bandwidths provided (1, 1.8, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 6 kHz) do help to somewhat shape the audio, but it appears that there could be better choices for what this radio is trying to achieve.

Nonetheless on SW, the LC90 rates a comparative 3.75 on a scale of 5 for sensitivity off its built-in antenna.  That rises to a 4.0 when the external antenna described above is connected.

An unrelated anomaly was noted from using the radio on SW:  The LC90 (or at least this test unit) apparently cannot be tuned directly to frequencies in the 25 MHz (11m) band.  The radio will only accept 4 integers here, so it reverts to 120m instead of 11m.  Instead, one must press the tuning knob to change the display to 11m and then tune manually via the knob to the desired frequency.

AM (Mediumwave)

All Internet-capable radios up to now have avoided including AM – both MW and SW – into their designs due to noise and interference issues generated by the radio’s internal control signal and screen, and the difficulty involved in shielding both.

While acknowledging the considerable effort put forward by the LC90’s developers to ameliorate this problem, the radio does not fully overcome these challenges to producing “clean” AM audio.

The developers themselves seem to recognize this problem.  While they have incorporated an internal ferrite MW antenna in the radio’s design, its utility is overwhelmed by internal interference.  Rotating the radio to emphasize or null certain signals yields no apparent difference.  Consequently, the developer suggests that the listener extend the internal rod antenna for “best results”.

The AM (MW) section is unfortunately the weakest aspect of this radio.  Daytime reception is very poor – rated comparatively a 1.5 on a scale of 5.  The LC90 receives and saves through ATS only very local stations and misses several of them.

Reception does improve after dark, largely due to skywave propagation.  But it is only comparatively fair – 2.5 on a scale of 5.

Using the external clothesline antenna described above improves daytime reception to a 2.0, but those purchasing this radio should expect only marginal pedestrian – even comparatively substandard — results with AM (MW).

In sum, the audio improvements the LC90’s developers have successfully worked to provide elsewhere in the LC90 are almost undetectable here unless one is listening to an exceptionally strong AM (MW) station.

Internet Radio

To this observer, this is the core of the LC90.

There are three equally important tasks that an Internet radio must achieve to serve as a quality example for the genre:

  • Stability of signal reproduction,
  • Superior audio quality,
  • Easy user interface.

Let me begin by pointing out that it is readily apparent that the developers put lots of work into this aspect of the LC90.

The stations that do play successfully sound very good with excellent stability.  But compared to other internet radios I own and have experienced, there are just too many stations that lack that stability (characterized by frequent audio breaks or “hiccups”) or don’t load at all.

Here are some specific observations from use over several weeks:

Simply put, the user interface needs work.  While the LC90 offers several flexible tuning assists, there seem to be too many that overlap and others missing.  The effort does not seem to be centrally focused enough.  For example, listings within each category appear randomly, and many unexplainably with what looks like the same links that are indistinguishable and scattered throughout a given category.

Indeed, there are many individual listings that are repeated within the same and different lists which are found via the Tag, Menu, News. Music, Language buttons on the radio.  Why?  Is it to provide different codecs or levels of streaming quality?  There is no indication as to the way each might differ one from another, if at all.

As mentioned earlier, there is much going on here that cannot be intuitively discerned by the user/listener — and it must be!  Comparing it to other Internet radios such as the Pure Elan Connect, which uses the constantly updated Frontier Silicon station and podcast database, the LC90’s Internet radio operation is confusing and the logic behind it is difficult to perceive.

Some stations appear in Chinese and Cyrillic script, and others just as dots across a line.  This is unhelpful to listeners outside these cultures.  Also, there appear to be features within the LC90’s architecture that are “hidden”.  For example, through an inadvertent combination of key presses I found myself briefly in a listing that appeared designed solely for the Chinese market until I reset the radio by turning the radio off and then on again.

The developers appear to have created their own stations database rather than use one of the others already in use on other Internet radios.  Since it is apparently an entirely new approach, it’s impossible to determine if it is continuously updated, systematically modified or updated periodically according to some schedule.  This observer did not see any activity or change that would indicate that anything was updated over the weeks he was using the LC90.

Many domestic BBC links (Radio 3,4,5,6, e.g.) just don’t work.  When ostensibly “loading” them after selecting them, the percentage just stays at zero.  Given the importance of the BBC internationally, this is concerning and should be corrected with all deliberate speed.

In fact, this observer experienced an inordinate number of links that didn’t seem to work at all.  Some links also play initially, but then just “hang” or stop working or “hiccup” periodically (RTE, RTHK, e.g).

When comparing the LC90’s admittedly many offerings with those on Internet radios using the Frontier Silicon database, many stations appear to be missing.  However, the LC90’s developers have included in the radio’s architecture a very accessible means for the radio’s users to add stations that are not already in the radio’s database.  Whether these are just added only to the user’s radio or added globally to the LC-90 database is unknown.

In short, the way these lists — and the way the user tunes them in — work now appear to detract from rather than enhance the performance and user’s overall experience with the LC90.  This situation leads this observer to the perception that the developer’s concept(s) behind station lists and tuning is unfocused and disorganized.  This situation cannot be allowed to continue.  As stated, this user interface needs reconsideration and refinement in the opinion of this observer to make its use more intuitive for the user.

The LC90’s display for Internet radio is attractive but supplies only stream loading percentages and the station name.  There is no means of knowing the actual quality of the audio signal other than by ear.  The timer provided counting how long the station has been playing is not really of any practical use when listening to an Internet radio station.

A better use of the LC90’s screen would be to include visuals like station logos and station-provided metadata, neither of which are present now.

An anomaly that came to light through use:  The “Podcast” button only seems to provide stations like other buttons, not podcast lists.  This observer could find no way to access or listen to podcasts.  Again, this needs to be corrected.

In the opinion of this observer, the Internet section of the LC90 earns an overall 3.5 on a scale of 5 with the proviso that the radio’s audio performance with the highest quality Internet streams earns a clear 5.

Bluetooth

The LC-90’s Bluetooth feature works well.  Audio volume is jointly controlled by the source and the radio.  Its set-up and operation appear seamless.

TF and SIM cards

Not tested.  Since most SIM cards are tied to phones here, I anticipate that Internet access for the LC90 Export Version will remain with WiFi for the vast majority or, when and where WiFi is unavailable, by linking one’s phone to the radio using Bluetooth.

Neither was the timer or sleep function tested, but it can be assumed that both work as they should.

Final Notes

Other reviewers have expressed a desire for an air band, SSB capability and a fold out strip on the rear of the radio’s case so that it might be angled when used.

Frankly, I don’t see the need for any of these with the LC90 or any future enhancement or modification of it.  Anyone wishing to angle the receiver can find an inexpensive tilt stand on which to place it.  But, in that regard, I would suggest that the developer recreate the rod antenna so that it clears the perimeter of the case and allows it a full 360-degree rotation.

Otherwise, my preference would be that any such effort and the resources necessary to pursue them be concentrated on the more important matters I highlight for improvement in this analysis.

Hot Off The Press: The Worldwide Listening Guide’s Eleventh Edition

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As a dedicated content DXer and broadcast enthusiast, I’ve always found joy in the pursuit of obscure programming across various mediums. While shortwave radio has been my preferred method since childhood, the allure of Wi-Fi radio and streaming content has grown increasingly appealing over time. Amidst the vast landscape of online content, The Worldwide Listening Guide (WWLG) has consistently stood out as my go-to resource, and the recently released eleventh edition continues to be an invaluable tool for content discovery.

Once again, author and curator John Figliozzi has crafted a comprehensive guide tailored to the diverse interests of SWLs like myself. Going beyond a mere programming guide, the WWLG delves deep into the world of broadcasting and content delivery, covering platforms such as AM, Shortwave, FM, Satellite Radio, Internet (WiFi Radio), and Podcasting.

Each chapter dedicated to these platforms serves as a simple primer, offering insights into the state of broadcasting from both the broadcaster’s and listener’s perspectives. Reminiscent of the informative Passport to Worldband Radio that I first encountered in the 1990s, the WWLG not only provides programming details but also addresses the health and potential longevity of each platform.

What truly sets the WWLG apart is its attention to both over-the-air and online broadcasting.

Even for someone reasonably knowledgeable about radio and the media landscape, each edition of The Worldwide Listening Guide brings fresh discoveries. The eleventh edition, presented in a slim volume, maintains this tradition. What particularly pleases me is the WWLG‘s spiral-bound format, which makes it incredibly convenient to reference while exploring the airwaves or navigating the internet.

Figliozzi’s exploration of the many facets of radio is both insightful and detailed, making the WWLG an indispensable resource for anyone interested in broadcasting. It serves as a curated guide, akin to a local independent bookstore for online content and programming, aiding listeners in navigating the abundance of options.

Furthermore, each edition of the WWLG contains new and updated content, showcasing Figliozzi’s keen awareness of the dynamic space that is online streaming and downloadable media. As a dear friend of mine, I know there simply couldn’t be a better author and curator for this volume.

Packed with a wealth of information, The Worldwide Listening Guide is a true bargain, promising to keep content DXers engaged for years to come. I wholeheartedly recommend it to those seeking a deeper understanding of broadcasting and a reliable tool for content discovery.

Click here to purchase from Universal Radio.

Click here to purchase The Worldwide Listening Guide on Amazon.com. Note that this Amazon affiliate link supports the SWLing Post at no cost to you. Thank you!

CTV: “How shortwave radio is resurfacing as a tool in Ukraine”

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, William Lee, who shares this story from CTV which focuses on the resurgence of interest in shortwave radio following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

This item features our good friend, John Figliozzi; author of the Worldwide Listening Guide:

How shortwave radio is resurfacing as a tool in Ukraine (CTV)

In a world of mobile phones, satellites and the internet, some old school technology is making a major comeback. The shortwave radio, used by spies for decades to send encrypted messages, is being resurrected for the war in Ukraine.

According to Dr. Andrew Hammond, curator and historian at Washington, D.C.’s International Spy Museum, the shortwave radio “is a classic tool that was used for espionage.

“With a shortwave radio like this, you can transmit information over huge distances,” he told CTV National News.

But now, decades later, shortwave is coming back into use. [Continue reading…]

A look inside: The Worldwide Listening Guide’s Tenth Edition

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As I’ve mentioned many times here on the SWLing Post, I’m something of a “content DXer.”

Clearly, I enjoy chasing obscure programming––news, documentaries, music, variety shows, anything the broadcasting world has to offer.   Even though my favorite medium for doing this has been shortwave radio, these days, I often turn to Wi-Fi or over-the-internet radio.  Wi-Fi radio offers the discerning listener the ability to track down fascinating regional content from every corner of the globe––content never actually intended for an international audience.

If you, too, like the chase, The Worldwide Listening Guide (WWLG) will be your go-to, and this recent edition––the tenth!––is the latest in a long line of handy volumes that help the listener catch what’s out there, noting that with each passing year there’s more content to catch.

Cornucopia of content

The variety of content from online broadcasters today is surely orders of magnitude more than any one individual has ever had via over-the-air (OTA) radio sources.

Though my WiFi radio offers an easy and reliable way to “tune” to online content––both real-time station streams and on-demand podcasts––the content discovery part is actually quite difficult. I liken it to browsing a large public library looking for a new and interesting book to read, but without the guidance of a librarian. The options are so plentiful that even with superb indexing and organization, one simply doesn’t know where to begin.

On the other hand––and I’m speaking from very recent experience here––if you find a good local independent bookstore, you might actually discover more meaningful titles because the bookstore selections are curated by both the proprietor and the local community.

With this analogy in mind, The Worldwide Listening Guide is essentially my local bookstore for online content and programming.

I recently received a review copy of the new 10th Edition of the Worldwide Listening Guide  by John Figliozzi and, as always, I enjoyed reading it from cover to cover.

The WWLG speaks to the types of programming I enjoy as an SWL because the author, John Figliozzi, is a devoted shortwave radio and international broadcasting enthusiast.

And while the bulk of the WWLG is a detailed and beautifully organized programming guide, it’s also so much more…

“The Many Platforms of radio”

As I’ve so often said, the WWLG is a unique guide; there’s nothing quite like it on the market because it truly takes a deep dive into the world of broadcasting and content delivery both from a technology and programming point of view.

Each media delivery platform, whether on AM, Shortwave, FM, Satellite Radio, Internet (WiFi Radio), and Podcasting, has a dedicated section in the book where Figliozzi explores each in detail. He also speaks to the state of each platform both from the broadcaster’s and the listener’s perspective.

Indeed, each chapter dedicated to these topics very much reminds me of the old Passport to Worldband Radio that I first picked up in the 1990s. The WWLG serves as a primer, but also speaks to the health and potential longevity of each platform.

I appreciate the fact that Figliozzi also addresses the nuts-and-bolts side of both over-the-air and online broadcasting.  For while I’d like to think that I’m reasonably knowledgeable about the world of radio, I find I always discover something new in each edition.

There’s a surprising amount of information packed into this slim, spiral-bound volume. The Worldwide Listening Guide is enough to keep even a seasoned content DXer happy for years…or at least, until the latest edition comes out!

In short? The WWLG is a bargain for all it offers, and I highly recommend it.

The 10th edition of The Worldwide Listening Guide can be purchased here:

Note that at time of posting copies of the WWLG can be pre-ordered at Universal Radio. Amazon.com will soon have links to purchase the 10th edition when they’re in inventory. I assume the W5YI group will also have the 10th edition available for purchase soon!  

Pre-order the 10th Edition of The Worldwide Listening Guide

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Tom Ally, who notes that Universal Radio is accepting pre-orders for the 10th edition of John Figliozzi’s The Worldwide Listening Guide.

Click here to check out the WWLG at Universal Radio.

Note that Universal Radio closed their main store in Ohio, but continue to offer select radio products via their website.

Thanks for the tip, Tom!

Radio Waves: Radio Six on Shortwave Again, ATN Refrains from Politics, NPR Ratings Drop in C-19, and Grand Central’s Role in Standard Time

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A WWV Time Code Generator

Radio Waves:  Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio

Because I keep my ear to the waves, as well as receive many tips from others who do the same, I find myself privy to radio-related stories that might interest SWLing Post readers.  To that end: Welcome to the SWLing Post’s Radio Waves, a collection of links to interesting stories making waves in the world of radio. Enjoy!

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributors Michael Bird,  John Figliozzi, and Jack Dully for the following tips:

Radio Six Pops Up Again on Shortwave (Radio World)

Radio Six International has not been a full-time shortwave broadcaster for some time. But after two recent live broadcasts on 6070 kHz prompted by the pandemic, it says it will continue monthly broadcasts at least for now.

Radio World visited electronically with Tony Currie.[…]

WLW’s America’s Truckin’ Network To Refrain From Political Talk (Radio Insight)

iHeartMedia News/Talk 700 WLW Cincinnati has eliminated political talk from its overnight “America’s Truckin’ Network” show hosted by Steve Sommers.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Sommers told listeners of the change on Monday morning’s show after multiple unspecified complaints.

In the on-air statement, Sommers blamed the change on a group of individuals who took offense with comments made by a caller a few weeks ago.[…]

NPR Radio Ratings Collapse As Pandemic Ends Listeners’ Commutes (NPR)

Broadcast ratings for nearly all of NPR’s radio shows took a steep dive in major markets this spring, as the coronavirus pandemic kept many Americans from commuting to work and school. The network’s shows lost roughly a quarter of their audience between the second quarter of 2019 and the same months in 2020.

People who listened to NPR shows on the radio at home before the pandemic by and large still do. But many of those who listened on their commute have not rejoined from home. And that threatens to alter the terrain for NPR for years to come, said Lori Kaplan, the network’s senior director of audience insights.

“We anticipated these changes,” Kaplan said. “This kind of change was going to take place over the next decade. But the pandemic has shown us what our future is now.”

Commercial radio is experiencing, if anything, worse declines. But audience research commissioned by Kaplan indicates that NPR’s audience is disproportionately made up of professionals who are able to work from home and who are interested in doing so even after the pandemic subsides.[…]

The Day That New York Had Two Noons, a Century After Losing 11 Days (Untapped New York)

New York’s history has included everything from transit strikes to riots over Shakespeare to immigration from nearly every country in the world. Yet, for much of this history, people didn’t always know the “correct” time or date. Until 1883, virtually every place in the country set local time according to the sun. According to Sam Roberts in his book Grand Central: How a Train Station Transformed America, “Typically, noon would be regularly signaled so people could synchronize their clocks and watches.” From dropping a ball down a flagpole in Manhattan to ringing a gong, settlements all across the country would alert people of noon. But as railroads spread throughout the country, it was nearly impossible to standardize the time.

“A passenger traveling from Portland, Maine, to Buffalo could arrive in Buffalo at 12:15 according to his own watch set by Portland time,” Roberts writes. “He might be met by a friend at the station whose watch indicated 11:40 Buffalo time. The Central clock said noon. The Lake Shore clock said it was only 11:25. At Pennsylvania Station in Jersey City, New Jersey, one clock displayed Philadelphia time and another New York time. When it was 12:12 in New York, it was 12:24 in Boston, 12:07 in Philadelphia, and 11:17 in Chicago.”[…]

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