{"id":35131,"date":"2018-12-09T09:38:44","date_gmt":"2018-12-09T13:38:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=35131"},"modified":"2018-12-09T12:53:47","modified_gmt":"2018-12-09T16:53:47","slug":"winter-radio-life-and-preparing-for-power-outages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/12\/winter-radio-life-and-preparing-for-power-outages\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter radio life and preparing for power outages"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

Listening to a local station with the BC-348-Q until we lose power.<\/p><\/div>\n

Here at SWLing Post<\/em> HQ we’ve been under a Winter Storm Warning since yesterday–it’s not set to expire until sometime tomorrow. This storm hasn’t been all snow–it’s a mixture of snow and ice. If this continues, I fully expect to lose power at some point today.<\/p>\n

In general, we’re prepared to handle this sort of thing: our refrigerator and freezer are powered by solar and completely off-grid, we have a super efficient RAIS woodstove to keep us warm and of course, we have a generator at the ready if needed.<\/p>\n

Playing radio off-grid<\/h2>\n

As I write this post, I’m listening to the Signal Corps BC-348-Q<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0(photo above) which is tuned to a local AM broadcaster. It’ll fill my shack with local news\/tunes and its vintage valves will do a fine job warming this small room until the power eventually goes out.<\/p>\n

When it does go out, I’ll switch to my blackout buddy, the CommRadio CR-1A<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>I find that the CR-1A is nearly ideal for off-grid and field listening, as long as you have a good external antenna. The internal Li-Ion battery powers the thing for ages and it has an incredibly capable receiver.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Of course, I also have an Elecraft KX3<\/a><\/strong> and KX2<\/a><\/strong> which can be powered by battery, but I tend to use the CR-1A for broadcast listening and save the KX2\/KX3 for off-grid ham radio QRP fun.<\/p>\n

In addition, I have the new battery-powered\u00a0CommRadio CTX-10<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0transceiver in the shack.<\/p>\n

I’ve been receiving numerous emails about this particular field rig because there are so few CTX-10 reviews out there even though it’s been on the market since late July.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Please note that I’ve been giving the CTX-10 a thorough<\/em> evaluation over the past few weeks and plan to publish my initial review in the next few days.<\/p>\n

Bye-bye noise!<\/h2>\n

Even though I live in a very rural and remote area with little-to-no RFI, when the power is cut, my noise floor still drops . We’re not immune–like most homes, we have power supplies and devices that emit radio interference.<\/p>\n

It’s funny: most urban radio enthusiasts I know don’t fear power outages, they prepare for and embrace them!<\/em> When all of those RFI-spewing devices go silent, it’s simply amazing what you can hear from home on frequencies below 30 MHz with pretty much any receiver.<\/p>\n

Personally, as long as I have a means of 1.) powering my radios<\/strong>, and 2.) making coffee<\/strong> (extremely<\/em> important), I consider myself properly prepared.<\/p>\n

I’ve always got those two points covered.<\/p>\n

Bring it, old man winter!\u00a0 I’m ready to play radio!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Do you enjoy the SWLing Post?<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n

Please consider supporting us via\u00a0Patreon<\/span><\/a>\u00a0or our\u00a0Coffee<\/span>\u00a0Fund<\/span><\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Your support makes articles like this one possible. Thank you!<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here at SWLing Post HQ we’ve been under a Winter Storm Warning since yesterday–it’s not set to expire until sometime tomorrow. This storm hasn’t been all snow–it’s a mixture of snow and ice. If this continues, I fully expect to lose power at some point today. In general, we’re prepared to handle this sort of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[545,3,26,43],"tags":[1626,1625,2773,5541,1627,2772,2175],"class_list":["post-35131","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ham-radio","category-news","category-radios","category-shortwave-radio","tag-commradio","tag-commradio-cr-1","tag-commradio-cr-1a","tag-commradio-ctx-10","tag-cr-1","tag-cr-1a","tag-off-grid-radio"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-98D","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":22367,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/11\/the-commradio-cr-1a-has-been-discontinued\/","url_meta":{"origin":35131,"position":0},"title":"The CommRadio CR-1a has been discontinued","author":"Thomas","date":"November 24, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributors R. Lewis (KF5GV\/HS1) and Dave Zantow (N9EWO) who've both noted that the CommRadio CR-1a receiver has been listed as \"discontinued\" by Universal Radio, and HRO. I imagine CommRadio has stopped manufacturing the CR-1a as they gear up for production of the new\u00a0CTX-10 10 watt\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The CommRadio CR-1a","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/CR-1a-left-front.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/CR-1a-left-front.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/CR-1a-left-front.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/CR-1a-left-front.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8527,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/01\/commradio-cr-1-and-wrth-power-outage-essentials\/","url_meta":{"origin":35131,"position":1},"title":"CommRadio CR-1 and WRTH: Power outage essentials","author":"Thomas","date":"January 7, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Like much of North America, we're currently experiencing record low temperatures and strong winds here at our mountain home. This morning, I woke to no power and no Internet. My iPhone still works though, hence the ability to publish this post. But no power is really no problem when it\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":9329,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/04\/commradio-introduces-the-cr-1a\/","url_meta":{"origin":35131,"position":2},"title":"CommRadio introduces the CR-1a","author":"Thomas","date":"April 18, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to Dave Zantow (N9EWO) for apprising me of an update to the CommRadio line: the new CommRadio CR-1a. Based on information published by CommRadio, it appears that the main difference is a change to the\u00a0USB hardware which has been improved to provide: Digital I-Q (for third-party SDR developers),\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "New Products"","block_context":{"text":"New Products","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/new-products\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"CommRadioCR1a","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/CommRadioCR1a.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/CommRadioCR1a.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/CommRadioCR1a.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/CommRadioCR1a.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14050,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/07\/new-firmware-and-software-for-the-commradio-cr-1a\/","url_meta":{"origin":35131,"position":3},"title":"New firmware and software for the CommRadio CR-1a","author":"Thomas","date":"July 15, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post reader,\u00a0Grzegorz Jasionek, who notes that CommRadio has just released a firmware update for the CommRadio CR-1a that includes a new Graphic User Interface (GUI) with a 3D spectrum display. The CommRadio Dropbox site has an 18 minute video showing how to operate the GUI and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"CommRadio-SpectrumDisplay","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/CommRadio-SpectrumDisplay-e1436970878134.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/CommRadio-SpectrumDisplay-e1436970878134.png?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/CommRadio-SpectrumDisplay-e1436970878134.png?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10677,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/09\/commradio-cr-1-a-superb-travel-radio\/","url_meta":{"origin":35131,"position":4},"title":"CommRadio CR-1: a superb travel radio","author":"Thomas","date":"September 8, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"If you're a regular reader, you'll know that I've been on the road for the past three weeks, and have enjoyed\u00a0some quality radio time in New Mexico and Colorado. While I brought four portables along (the CommRadio CR-1, the Sony ICF-SW7600GR, the Tecsun PL-380, and the Tecsun R1212A), when conditions\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The CommRadio CR-1 in Taos, New Mexico","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/CommRadio_CR1.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/CommRadio_CR1.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/CommRadio_CR1.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13448,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/06\/used-commradio-cr-1-at-universal-radio-for-379\/","url_meta":{"origin":35131,"position":5},"title":"Used CommRadio CR-1 at Universal Radio for $379","author":"Thomas","date":"June 3, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"While browsing\u00a0the Universal Radio used equipment index\u00a0during lunch, I noticed Universal\u00a0currently has a used CommRadio CR-1 (not the CR-1a) for $379.95. In my opinion, that's a brilliant price for a used CR-1 in good condition. You can buy used gear with confidence from Universal Radio;\u00a0they back\u00a0their items with\u00a0a\u00a060 day warranty\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The CommRadio CR-1","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/CR-1-e1433353344925.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/CR-1-e1433353344925.png?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/CR-1-e1433353344925.png?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/CR-1-e1433353344925.png?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35131","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35131"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35131\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35131"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35131"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}