Tag Archives: Richard Cuff

“Old-school static wins the spy wars”

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Richard Cuff, who shares this Komando.com piece on how old-school shortwave number stations remain active in espionage. Intelligence services — notably Russia — still send coded beeps and voice-read numbers using one-time pads because radio is simple, anonymous, and hard to trace.

Sure, we’re all shortwave enthusiasts and many of us grew up with number stations abound, but it’s always great to see popular websites pick up on this. Read the full article on Komando.com.

Radio: Your Lifeline When the Grid Goes Down

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Richard Cuff, for sharing this article from Metro.co.uk: “Radio is still the ultimate survival tool during blackouts and emergencies.” The piece underscores radio’s enduring role as a reliable source of information when modern digital networks fail. In an age of increasing reliance on internet and mobile phone services, it’s a timely reminder of why radio is so valuable in crisis situations.

BBC Audio Access Abroad: Major Changes Coming Spring 2025

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Richard Cuff, who shares the following news via the BBC:

Upcoming changes for listening to BBC audio outside the UK

If you live outside the UK, how you listen to BBC radio will change, starting from spring 2025.

Instead of using BBC Sounds, you’ll be able to use a new service at BBC.com and on the BBC app. BBC Studios has launched these all-new audio environments, tailored to outside UK audiences. The BBC’s content will remain available on other international podcast platforms.

International listeners will no longer be able to use the BBC Sounds app and website from spring 2025.

You can find out more about these changes on the bbc.com website.

Advice for UK Listeners travelling abroad

For listeners who reside in the UK, you will still be able to use the BBC Sounds mobile app when you are abroad. Check our FAQ for further info: Can I use BBC Sounds when I travel outside the UK?

Why are we making these changes?

BBC Sounds is a UK licence fee funded service. To offer better value for our UK listeners, BBC Sounds will be repositioned and made available exclusively to UK audiences.

BBC Studios is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC and is focused on bringing our trusted, world class journalism and storytelling to international audiences. This includes BBC audio content on bbc.com and the BBC app, which will be focused to international listeners.

Support for listeners Outside the UK

If you live outside of the UK and have a query regarding listening to BBC radio and audio content, please visit the support page at bbc.com where you can find help and contact their support team.

Registration for the 2024 “Winter SWL Fest” is now available!

The Fest will be May 10th & 11th, 2024.

The Fest will be a combination in-person and Zoom event, and will be held at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania – just north of Philadelphia. We have a block of rooms set aside for the Fest at a special rate; this block will only be available until April 18th, 2024. After that date our special rate may no longer be available, and the hotel itself may sell out.

In-person registration is limited to 65 participants, so register early if you don’t want to get shut out; there is no limit to the number of Zoom participants.

Start your process at the Winter SWL Fest website: http://www.swlfest.com

You can find out more information there, and access the group reservation link for the hotel and also register for either the in-person or the Zoom event.

We apologize if you’re seeing this announcement in multiple places; we wanted to get the news out there as quickly as possible since we have tight deadlines this year.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Richard Cuff and John Figliozzi, co-Festmeisters

Eton Elite Executive on sale for $150

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Richard Cuff, who notes that the Eton Elite Executive shortwave portable is on sale via LifeHacker for $150. Click here to check it out!

NHK World celebrates 80 years of radio service

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(Source: NHK Radio Japan via Rich Cuff)

Radio service for overseas marks 80 years.

A ceremony has been held to mark 80 years since the start of radio service at Japan’s only station broadcasting programs overseas on shortwave bands.

The KDDI Yamata Transmitting Station in Koga City in Ibaraki Prefecture, north of Tokyo, is used by NHK World Radio Japan.

About 50 officials from NHK, KDDI and other entities took part in the ceremony on Wednesday.

The chief of the communications ministry’s Kanto Bureau of Telecommunications, Tsubaki Yasufumi, said remotely at the event that he honors the station’s 80 years of stable operations. He also said he hopes for continued efforts so that programs from Japan can be broadcast overseas.

Terada Kenji of the NHK Engineering Administration Department said shortwave broadcasting served as a lifeline on many occasions such as the 2014 coup in Thailand. He said he wants to express gratitude to all the people involved in shortwave broadcasting.

After the ceremony, the head of the station, Saito Toshimitsu, said it plays an important role in providing information from Japan. He added that he will keep working hard so that the station will be passed down to younger generations.

Click here to read at NHK World.

Should web-based SDR loggings be included and shared in regular logging columns?

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Operating a KiwiSDR in Iceland from my vacation spot in Québec (circa 2018).

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Richard Cuff, who writes:

Radyo Pilipinas is one of those English language stations that are not very likely to make to my Pennsylvania location, even under excellent conditions, simply because propagation of their frequencies wouldn’t reach eastern North America when they’re on the air.

Web tunable SDRs change all that…I caught them today from 0315 to their 0330 signoff on 15640 and 17620, in English, with a chatty travelogue program.

I was listening via an Indonesian Kiwi SDR located in Jakarta.

I’m left wondering — is there interest in reporting logs like this? We wouldn’t normally include them in the regular Loggings column in the NASWA Journal, because I’m not tuning my radio, I’m in front of a computer screen tuning half a world away.

FWIW, Radyo PIlipinas broadcasts in English daily from 0200 to 0330 on 15640, 17700 (announced but not heard) and 17620 kHz.

73 – Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA (virtually in Jakarta, Indonesia…)

Wow–what a great question, Rich.

I suspect some DXers have very strong feelings about WebSDR loggings, both for and against.

In terms of loggings columns with various radio clubs and organizations, I suppose it’s up to the governing body to decide. As you say, I suspect it will come down to whether or not remote radio operation counts. With a KiwiSDR, for example, you’re controlling a remote receiver–one that is physically located in a known geographic spot–and the audio is being piped over the Internet. I know it wouldn’t be in the spirit of the thing if you submitted logs implying you’d logged Radyo Pilipinas from your home receiver and antenna. If, however, you disclose that you were using a remote RX station in Jakarta, the logging would be accurate. Whether or not it’s allowed is a separate issue.

Anyone care to share their constructive comments? What do you think about WebSDR loggings? Please comment.