Tag Archives: Radios in Movies

Kris recognizes Italian receiver in “The Same Sky”

1 Reply

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Kris Partridge, who shares the following comment regarding John Harper’s recent post:

The receiver which featured in Same Sky is of Italian manufacture, it’s from Geloso but I’m not able to identify which model.

Here is a link to a very interest and comprehensive page, by Tony I0JX, about John Geloso the founder of the company. Scroll down, but read enroute, and there are pictures of the receivers and transmitters bearing the Geloso name.

http://www.qsl.net/i0jx/geloso.html

Yes, you will agree it’s a Geloso in the film.

It must be fifty plus years since I was allowed to touch one. As a teenager one of the ‘Elmers’ at the local amateur radio club in Torbay had a complete Geloso station.

What a beautiful receiver! Thanks for the follow-up, and links to this company’s history Kris!

Spread the radio love

Numbers station in a Netflix series “The Same Sky”

3 Replies

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, John Harper (AE5X), who writes:

I don’t know if you’ve heard of a new series on Netflix – “The Same Sky” is a Cold War spy series regarding an attempt to gain access to an American eavesdropping facility in Berlin in the 1970’s.

Not a lot of radio-related activity in the series but there is a scene of a spy receiving his coded instructions via a numbers station. I’ve posted a YouTube video of the scene here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=45&v=KqyIqn926eM

Click here to view on YouTube.

Thank you, John! I’ve just added The Same Sky to my watch list–I love Cold War spy films and series!

I’ll add this post to our ever growing archive of radios in film!

Spread the radio love

Self-powered shortwave radio spotted in Battlestar Galactica

2 Replies


Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bruce F, who writes:

Here is a photo of a radio from the 2004 – 2009 TV series “Battlestar Galactica“. This radio is perhaps unique and worthy of careful study! Why? Because not only was it NOT MADE on Earth, but there is no connection in its design with any other known radio ever.

The reason for this is quite simple. This sci-fi TV series takes place in a distant future when all humans had left the Earth generations ago and migrated throughout the galaxy. The humans in this series have lost all touch with humanity’s origin planet. They do not know where Earth is, or even if it still exists, or if it ever actually existed.

“Earth” is an important part of their religion and mythology. So here is a totally un-Earthly radio. Odd though. it does closely resemble a Grundig wind-up radio I owned sometime in the 2000’s…

Ha ha! Yes indeed, Bruce. And I can confidently say that I’ve personally distributed hundreds upon hundreds of this particular radio model for Ears To Our World. Grundig used to market it as the Grundig FR-200, and Tecsun still offers it as the Tecsun Green-88 (or GR-88). It’s a brilliant receiver, although I’m not sure how effectively one can monitor shortwave while in a spacecraft! 🙂

I also grabbed some screenshots from BSG with a number of radios some time ago. I’m not sure I ever posted it, though. I’ll have to look through my (rather deep) drafts folder.

Thanks for sharing, Bruce. I’ll add this post to our growing archive of radios in film!

Spread the radio love

Bruce discovers a bit of Morse Code in “Picnic At Hanging Rock”

4 Replies

(Image source: IMDB)

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bruce Fisher, who writes:

I recorded this short piece of the soundtrack from the 3rd episode of the Picnic at Hanging Rock mini series– it’s being used as a part of the music to an eerie scene, and there is no telegraph or radio related visual corresponding to it. It certainly sounds like Morse Code to me, but I haven’t decoded it. Anyone?

(If you can’t see the embedded player above, click here to listen.)

Many thanks, Bruce! You certainly have sharp ears and are correct in assuming this is Morse Code. The spacing and cadence are a little awkward and jittery, however. I did a decode myself, but I’m curious what others might have heard.

Post readers: Please comment with what you heard in this code!

Spread the radio love

Ulis spots a brilliant radio illustration in Archer

2 Replies

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ulis, who shares the screenshot above–from the FX series Archer–via Twitter and notes:

I agree!  Kudos to the Archer team! That’s a brilliant and intricate illustration for an animated series. Thank you for sharing, Ulis!

I’ll add this post to our growing archive of radios in film.

Spread the radio love

Balazs spots radios in several movies and Netflix series

1 Reply

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Balazs, who has spotted a number of radios recently on Netflix. Balazs notes:

The Snow Walker (2003): Barry Pepper tries to fix a radio:

Maze Runner – The Death Cure (2018): as scanners:

The Rain – new Danish post-apocalyptic series from the Netflix: field comm found:

Many thanks for sharing these, Balazs!

Post readers: Do you recognize these radios? One looks a lot like an Icom marine radio. Please comment!

Spread the radio love

Transceiver discovered on Marvel’s “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”

2 Replies

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

[Found this radio on] Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 05 Episode 03 (on a spaceship in the future):

Great catch, Balázs! Can anyone name this modern ham radio transceiver? Please comment!

I’ll add this post to our growing archive of radios in film.

Spread the radio love