Robert – All Things Radio

AM Radio, Antique Equipment, Boat Anchors, News, Radios

Zenith Royal Trans Oceanic D7000Y

05/18/2018

I love old radios, as any reader of this blog will probably know. My collection has grown both in quantity and in variety. Like with any hobby, there is only so much room for storage and/or display before you have to downsize a bit to grow in new areas. I am selling one of my childhood favorites (never owned one as a kid, but my mom had an earlier version of this radio, the 3000) to make room for a new boat anchor. I am mentioning this here (and I promise not to do this often) because I realize some

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Amateur radio, Digital Modes, Homebrewing, News, Propagation, Radios, Shortwave, Software Defined Radio

Beating the Solar Minimum Doldrums

04/04/2018

Experiments with SDR Luigi Freitas Beating the Solar Minimum Doldrums Solar Minimums. Yes, they are a drag. We've been talking about the solar minimum for some time in the amateur radio community, but of course we are not the only ones affected by the lack of vigorous ionization. Shortwave radio is affected, utility monitoring is affected, as well as almost any signals dependent on the atmosphere for propagation. And yet . . . . The truth is there are always radio signals of one form or another traversing the sky, running along the ground, or shooting straight at us from

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Uncategorized

Fox Delta Antenna Analyzer Kit Review

03/05/2018

I have placed on the Reviews and How-Tos page a review of the FoxDelta Antenna Analyzer kit originally published in The Spectrum Monitor. While I would not attack it for your first build, if (or when) you have some building experience I think you will find the kit fun to build, and a useful tool to have in the shack. Enjoy! 73, Robert

Amateur radio, Homebrewing, News, Radio Kits, Shortwave, Software Defined Radio

Spectrum Analyzer and Other Bits and Pieces

01/25/2018

The RF Explorer model WSUB1G+ is the latest instrument designed and developed by the RF Explorer team. The RF Explorer WSUB1G+ is a powerful, high-performance, digital spectrum analyzer covering the 1GHz frequency range, starting at 50KHz. The WSUB1G+ costs $165 USD. Features Include: Internal LNA amplifier and selectable attenuator Low frequency support from 50KHz covering LF, MF, HF, VHF and UHF up to 960MHz Wide band coverage for all popular sub-1GHz bands -- including FM, TV and DTV, ISM, RFID, GSM, etc. Solid aluminum case plus silicon rubber boot protector Pocket size and light weight Standard 50 ohm SMA antenna connector 128x64 built-in

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Amateur radio, Homebrewing, Radio Kits, Radios, Shortwave, Software Defined Radio

A New Year, A New Radio

01/03/2018

I confess to being quite excited! Not by the New Year so much (I've seen a lot of those come and go!), but by a new radio I received last night. The radio is a uBITX kit by HF Signals (http://www.hfsignals.com/index.php/ubitx/), covering the HF band for reception (yeah, shortwave!) and transmitting capabilities on the amateur bands up to 10 Watts. Here's a description by the manufacturer: The µBITX is a general coverage HF SSB/CW transceiver kit with features you NEED for operating ease, convenience and versatility. It works from 3 MHz to 30 MHz, with up to 10 watts on

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News, Radios, Shortwave

Sharing A Personal Blessing

11/28/2017

Many of our readers are familiar with The Shortwave Listening Post by Thomas Witherspoon, and consequently are familiar with his non-profit group, Ears To Our World (ETOW). EOTW works with partners around the globe to provide radios to schools in areas where electricity is either non-existent or very spotty. The radios are ones we are familiar with, Tecsun Green-88, having the option of being powered by several means: FM/AM/SW 4 Band Radio. Proprietary tuning knob speed control. 2.5 inch Speaker with excellent sound quality. Hand crank recharge. High Efficient Power generator for cranking charging. Built-in

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Computers, Digital Modes, Software Defined Radio

Now is the Time!

11/11/2017

Believe it or not, it was not all that long ago when computers were new and amateurs started to integrate computer technology into their shacks. Fast forward 30-40 years and most amateurs have a computer somewhere in their radio room. Or at least I am guessing this is the case. I am not so sure that I would bet the family farm on this statement. Perhaps better to say I presume such is the case. I bring this up because I see a great deal of hesitation for folks to try new things, particularly when it comes to computers, digital

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FTA Satellite, News, Shortwave

It’s Radio with Pictures!

10/13/2017

Long ago I "cut the cable" and started watching over-the-air (OTA) TV. Your remember, it's the TV most of us grew up with if you were born pre-1980. I actually use my police scanning antenna on a splitter to receive my TV signals, and it works pretty good (I get about 30-35 channels). The only problem with OTA programming are those dagnabbit commercials! I can't stand 'em! Fortunately there is another type of OTA TV, called Free-to-Air satellite, or FTA. I have written about this before The Thrill of Discovery so I won't cover all of that ground again. Commercial

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AM Radio, Amateur radio, Antique Equipment, Pirate and Clandestine, Shortwave

Winter Nights, Radio Nights

10/02/2017

October is here and for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, days are getting shorter, temperatures are finally cooling down, and fall is almost here. In other words, Radio Nights are here! I love fall and winter for the radio opportunities they bring. Quieter atmospheric conditions mean more signals to hear, more beacons to catch, and more radio activities. Pirates will be on the air toward the end of this month, as Halloween brings out many pirate radio stations. AM broadcast chasing really comes into its own during winter months. On quiet nights you can expect to hear stations

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Amateur radio, Digital Modes, News, Shortwave

Some Lighthearted Fun!

09/21/2017

The above image is an award certificate for working South Shetland Islands and RI1ANO at least twice during the months of July through September. Whew! I just made it! I worked the station on 15m and 40m FT8 mode, as indicated from their award lookup page shown below. One of the neatest things about amateur radio and shortwave radio is learning about new lands and some of their history, influence, etc. You may have noticed the award and the log-check page are in Russian. I do not read Russian. Do I care? Nah!! Getting the award is still cool,

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Uncategorized

The Value of Something New

09/16/2017

I will be the first to admit I am a radioholic - I can't seem to get enough radios or radio accessories. This has led to overcrowding in the shack, moments of "oh I forgot I had one of these," and many times the throwing up of hands in bewilderment as I try to find an organizational and storage structure which makes sense. I would take a picture of my shack but it would be too discouraging, as well as having to make it a panoramic. No one shot would cover it all. This is not to say I

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Amateur radio, Digital Modes, News, Propagation, Shortwave, Software Defined Radio, Uncategorized

What is the Price of Negativity?

08/31/2017

With all of the buzz created by our recent Solar Eclipse here in the states, many hams wondered what the effects of such an eclipse would have on propagation. I admit I was mildly curious myself, but did not expect big swings in any direction. Locally the effect was pretty minimal, even with 91% totality. I expected the sky to get much darker than it did here, but in reality, it didn't even come close to a mildly cloudy day. But there has been enough written already about the solar eclipse, and much more will be written. My interest here

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Elmers, News

It’s Back, Better than Ever!

08/13/2017

(Okay, a bit of hyperbole!) Visit the Restored "Interesting Links and Books" Page for new resources where I have added some of my favorite YouTube video links in Electronics, Radio, and Propagation. I am working to resolve email issues (that's why there have been no new posts for a while), but I confess, it is a mystery why they suddenly stopped working. Apparently I am the only one on the planet to whom this has happened! (At least I cannot find any solutions through my usual sources, that is, Google!)

Aircraft, Amateur radio, Computers, News, Utility Radio

Or Maybe I Just Love Radios?!

12/17/2016

I seem to be a man of contradictions. As I look at my "shack" (amateur radio speak for where I keep my radios!) I must be conflicted. I have radios from the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, and the 10s. I like radios of every era as each radio is a marvel of technology from the simplest to the most complex. Even radio designs we take for granted today are scientific wonders, and radio is itself, of course, magic! On the same table I use for day-to-day radio fun, I have two modern marvels of technology, and four

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AM Radio, News, Uncategorized

Memorable Radio

12/03/2016

Memorable Radio An interesting post from the excellent SWLing.com Blog got me thinking about memorable radio sounds and segments. The post referenced a piece done by "Twenty Thousand Hertz" on the historicity and significance of the NBC chimes. There was a lot there I did not know. One of the things I found most intriguing is the idea of how these three notes (originally 7!) have been a part of our culture for 90 years! They have signified triumphs and tragedies, milestones and things we would rather forget. And they were even used in WWII in a special way (No

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Homebrewing, LF & VLF, News, Propagation

Natural Radio – All Around Us!

11/22/2016

Today a good friend of mine, Justin KE8COY, posted a link referencing a broadcast piece on Natural Radio - a reference to the radio signals produced naturally by the earth. The piece notes how it was Thomas Watson, co-inventor of the telephone, who first heard the earth's radio signals coming over a telephone test line strung up over the roofs of houses in Boston. The piece is fascinating, and opens up yet another aspect of radio I (and Justin) find fascinating. And yes I know I am using "fascinating" repeatedly to describe this aspect of the hobby, but it truly

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Elmers, News, Uncategorized

Elmer or Expert?

11/13/2016

I ran across a post in an eham forum on the topic of Elmers where the person was contrasting Experts and Elmers. It was a well-written piece, and the follow-up comments were sometimes equally interesting. More often than not when a person asks a question in a forum or on a chat board or a mail room, experts jump in and (attempt) to show off their knowledge. Obviously, there are real experts in any field, and their input is always useful because it is more likely to be correct. But the so-called experts to which I am referring are the

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News, Pirate and Clandestine, Shortwave

Halloween Pirate Activity on the Air Tonight!

10/31/2016

Passing along this excellent post from SWLing Post Blog on Pirate broadcast activity tonight. If you have never listened for pirate activity, or listened and not caught anything, this is a great night to hear multiple stations. - Robert Halloween is typically the most active day of the year for shortwave pirates...so, here are two things you'll want to do this Halloween (tonight): 1. Hobby Broadcasting Blog Check out Andrew Yoder's pirate radio blog ,the Hobby Broadcasting blog. Andrew is the author of the Pirate Radio Annual and a guru on shortwave pirate radio. Andrew has already logged some Halloween stations, as Halloween

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Amateur radio, Computers, Digital Modes, News, Shortwave

Voice of America Digital Broadcasts

10/09/2016

I had an interesting experience this evening listening to the Voice of America's digital broadcast (I have mentioned this in previous posts) as Hurricane Matthew pounds the eastern seaboard of the Carolinas. The atmospheric noise tonight was almost like the waves of the ocean crashing in along the beach, receding and coming again with a new wave. When I first tuned into the broadcast on 5.745 MHz I could barely hear the opening theme music or the initial voice introduction. I wondered if I would pick up anything at all. Here's where the beauty of digital modes come in. I

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Aircraft, AM Radio, Antique Equipment, History and Significance, News, Shortwave, Utility Radio

A Good Friend Who’s Always There

09/09/2016

This summer has been a tough one for me in many ways, not the least of which is the minimal amount of time I have been able to spend playing radio. I have several commitments involving radio each week/month, but I do not consider that "playing" radio. To me, playing radio is where we get to sit down in front of a radio of any kind and do something with it just for the pure joy of it. The good thing about this hobby is it is always there whenever you are ready. It is like a good friend who

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News, Shortwave

A Shortwave Listening DX Contest

08/15/2016

This was posted on SWLing this morning and I thought it worthwhile to pass on. I have taken the survey and emailed it back to the club. I hope this happens--it's a great incentive to be investigating the SW bands!! 73, Robert Hello all SWLers and DXers: I have been interested and actively participating in the Shortwave hobby for almost four years now. I have not seen a DX Contest originating in the USA in those years although we have a lot of SW hobbyists here and in North America as a whole. I have participated in the Canadian ODXC

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History and Significance, News, Shortwave, Shortwave Soapbox

A Taste of the Cold War – The Two Koreas

08/14/2016

38 North is a publication I have referenced previously with regard to the use of shortwave and broadcast radio as tools of the government to reach across the N. and S. Korea borders in both directions. Their most recent article on this topic was published today entitled Cold War Communications: The Two Koreas Resume Coded Radio Broadcasts The article is quite good and includes some sample clips from the broadcasts referenced on several TV news reports (of course my Korean language skills are, shall we say, nill) but you can make out the clips of the broadcasts. I can't help

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History and Significance, News, Shortwave, Software Defined Radio

Excellent Article on Shortwave Radio in Radio World

08/02/2016

There is an excellent article on Shortwave radio published yesterday in Radio World Magazine entitled "The Evolution of Shortwave Radio" by James Careless. The article discusses some of the history of shortwave radio, as well as the current state of this broadcast medium, with input from some of the most respected names in the field. I was encourage to see notice taken of some of the more interesting changes taking place in terms of who is broadcasting: SAME USAGE, CHANGING PLAYERS Given the reduction and/or demise of so many international shortwave broadcasters, one might expect that the world’s shortwave spectrum

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News, Pirate and Clandestine, Shortwave

QSL Card From Pirate Station X-FM

07/19/2016

Here's a great example of a QSL report from Pirate Station X-FM Stereo Shortwave monitored Halloween 2015. Not only is it a beautiful card, Redhat (the Deejay) also included the playlist as a .txt attachment. As I recall he also made live announcements of who had left reception reports/comments on the HF Underground forum as well as for those who sent him emails directly. I sent a short recording as part of my reception report, and it was an added bonus to see that mentioned in his QSL card. Here is the Playlist for the night: -All Times UTC (Zulu)-

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News, Pirate and Clandestine, Shortwave

Pirate Radio Annual 2016

07/18/2016

The 2015-2016 Pirate Radio Annual by Andrew Yoder is available for purchase, and you will not find a better collection of all things Pirate Radio around. I have been getting this publication for several years since first finding out about it, and the work which has gone into this book is nothing short of amazing! There are stories of pirate stations, as well as details about virtually all of the pirate radio stations mentioned, and the book is a more than respectable 229 pages along with a CD of pirate recordings!! All this for $16 +$3 shipping. What

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Amateur radio, Computers, News, Shortwave

Technology Marches On

07/13/2016

Technology Marches On For the past month or so I have been involved with two major projects (neither of which are finished), and neither are radio related. at least not directly. But I was contemplating things a bit this morning when I realized, yes, they are connected indirectly to radio through the advancements of technology. Allow me to explain. I have been a computer "geek" in the past, going all the way back into the early 80s. Through the 90s I would keep abreast of the developments, have definite opinions on software and hardware (such as AMD vs. Intel chips

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Amateur radio, News

13 – Colonies Special Event July 1 – July 7

06/28/2016

13 Colonies operating event runs from 1300Z July 1 – 0400Z July 7 Once again, the 13 Colonies Special Event will take place between 1300z, July 1st and 0400z July 7th. The certificate is printed on heavy card stock. Stations working one state or, as many as all 15, will be eligible for the certificate. A “Clean Sweep” indicator will be affixed, for those lucky enough to “Q” all 15. A special endorsement will be attached for stations contacting their sister operation, WM3PEN, in Philadelphia, PA, where independence was declared. New since 2015, the 13 Colonies have added a second sister event station GB13COL will operate from

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Amateur radio, Digital Modes, News, Satellites

What Will We Do Next?!

06/03/2016

A blurb in the QRZ.com News and in the ARRL weekly newsletter caught my attention concerning an interesting reception report involving the ISS (International Space Station). As I have noted in other posts one of my favorite things to do in amateur radio is the send and receive messages using the ISS repeaters, both APRS and voice. I have logged many APRS signals (including several DX stations!), as well as a dozen or more states. I simply find it fascinating to think a signal I send up into space can be heard and repeated by something orbiting our planet and

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Amateur radio, Digital Modes, Homebrewing, Radio Kits, Radios, Raspberry Pi

Raspberry Pi and Amateur Radio

05/27/2016

Raspberry Pi and Amateur Radio For those who may be interested I have added a section in the Interesting Links and Books page with resources for using the Raspberry Pi for Amateur Radio Projects. This is not an extensive list, but some of the links are themselves extensive, and I suspect there is enough there to keep one busy for quite a while! Enjoy! 73, Robert

News, Shortwave, Shortwave Soapbox

South Sudan a Perfect Example of the Importance of Shortwave

04/30/2016

There have been several recent stories highlighting a new shortwave radio station seeking to cover South Sudan called Eye Radio. Eye Radio already has an FM presence in the area, but has found it inadequate to reach the whole region. I first saw a report about this on the Cumbre-DX mailing list, and then some additional outlets have added more information, including this report from the BBC: A radio station in South Sudan is using older, but tried and tested technology to reach new audiences. Radio is a crucial medium in South Sudan, where illiteracy is high and many areas

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Digital Modes, News, Shortwave, Utility Radio

Tracking High Seas Pirates on Shortwave

04/25/2016

Suspected pirates surrender to crew members of the CGC Boutwell. (U.S. Coast Guard photo) Thanks to Mario Filippi (N2HUN) who has graciously allowed me to re-post this excellent piece here. It originally appeared on the SWLing.com Blog (ed. note: make sure to click on the images for a larger view so you can read the captured text - it is fascinating, and I am green with envy! - Robert) Tracking High Seas Pirates on Shortwave Radio by Mario Filippi (N2HUN) (All photos taken by author–click to enlarge) Ahoy! After spinning a radio dial for over a half-century, shortwave listening still

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Amateur radio, News, Propagation, Solar Weather

New Sunspot Activity

04/18/2016

The extreme ultraviolet flash from today's M6.7-class solar flare. Credit: NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory There is some new and interesting sunspot activity from a large heart-shaped sunspot which has been drawing some attention recently. Here's the scoop from Spaceweather.com: BIG SUNSPOT ERUPTS: Surprise! Quiet sunspot AR2529 isn't so quiet, after all. The heart-shaped active region erupted on April 18th (00:39 UT), producing a strong M6.7-class solar flare and shortwave radio blackouts around the Pacific. Visit http://spaceweather.com for more information. Might wake up some ionization activity, the bread and butter of our radio hobby! 73, Robert

News, Shortwave, Shortwave Soapbox

More Thoughts on Contemporary Shortwave Listening

04/14/2016

I find old radio souls now and again who seem, at least to me, to be in touch with the spiritual side of radio. I am not talking about religious programming or some weird cult, but rather they are folks whose souls have been touched by the magic of radio. It is mystical, magical, and at times seems to connect our physical bodies to the very electrons which flow through the air. It is as though our minds are connecting with the radio signals like old friends, able to hear and be heard. Yeah, I know, I am weird.

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AM Radio, News, Shortwave, Shortwave Soapbox

Is Broadcast Radio Doomed?

04/12/2016

(The following is part news / part editorial) According to a report going to Parliament for the BBC's broadcast charter proposal, they are preparing for an Internet-only world for broadcasting. This has prompted an investigation of other radio broadcasting services by Radio World magazine. Part of the article Is Broadcast Radio Doomed" follows: Conventional radio and television broadcasting are doomed, eventually. Or so one might reasonably assume from reading “British, Bold, Creative,” the BBC’s broadcast charter proposal for the next decade of its mandate. The BBC’s 10-year broadcast charter is up for renewal in 2016. The proposal is the Beeb’s [British

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Aircraft, Milcom Radio, News, Radio Kits, Scanning Radio, Utility Radio

FlightAware Aircraft Monitoring Data in Real-Time

04/08/2016

Frequent readers of this blog will know I am a big aviation monitoring fan. I have an inexpensive SDR dedicated to ADS-B monitoring which in turn sends data to FlightRadar24, which allows sharing of data from live feeds from around the world to be integrated with online data transferred through networks. Another such service is FlightAware which also integrates data from users into a very sophisticared tracking service. For those who receive (and send) flight data from ADS-B capable devices such as the RTL-SDR dongles or have Apps for their tablets and phones, FlightAware announced on Wednesday this change to

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Antique Equipment, Boat Anchors, FTA Satellite, Radios, Shortwave, Software Defined Radio, Utility Radio

A Typical Radio Day

04/04/2016

A typical radio day for me usually involves several different aspects of the radio hobby. Granted, I may include things others would not strictly call radio, but for me anything associated with the radio hobby is fair game! Sometimes this can be something as mundane as logging contacts, or checking for QSLs (confirmed contacts with other radio operators or stations), or it can be as exciting as putting some test equipment to work checking circuits or measuring frequency response. For me anything connected with radio in almost any form is interesting. A typical day (or portion thereof) might involve listening

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AM Radio, Antique Equipment, News, Radios, Reviews and Views

Expanding Horizons

03/19/2016

One of the best things about the Internet is the ability to tap into a vast supply of knowledge available from a multitude of sources. When it comes to the radio hobby there are thousands, if not tens of thousands of sites with potentially useful information. I cannot claim to have visited them all, or even a measly 1% in all likelihood. But I have found some useful links (available on my Interesting Links and Books page) along the way, and two in particular I would like to highlight. Regular readers of this blog will recognize The SWLing Post Blog

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News, Radios, Shortwave

A Shortwave Radio for the Car

03/11/2016

Tonight on Allan Weiner Worldwide (WBCQ 7490 kHz coming in beautifully on my FRG-7) Allan mentioned a shortwave radio converter for car radios. The package uses a small box which plugs into the cigarette lighter socket and can either use an antenna made for the converter or an antenna supplied by the user. The unit can display frequencies through the FM RDS display, and has a key-fob controller for scanning and saving stations into memory. Here are some of the features listed by the manufacturer: FEATURES OF THE BST-1 Excellent sensitivity – 0.5 microvolt at the antenna connector will stop

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Amateur radio

A Lifetime of Amateur Radio

03/10/2016

I just read an online story about a Cleveland man who has been a ham since World War II and is still going strong. Jack Goldfarb, W8WGO, lives in University Heights, Ohio and has been a licensed amateur radio operator since 1941. He still uses a Morse Code key he has had for 70 years! His story is well worth the read and may be found here. UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Jack Goldfarb is what's known as an amateur radio operator. It's a shame he's stuck with that descriptive handle for ham radio enthusiasts because, after one has done what

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AM Radio, Radios

How Hard Are You Willing To Work?

03/09/2016

For some reason I have never been much into FM DXing, and I am not sure why. The best answer I can come up with is the FM signal, because it is so much higher in the RF band, never has a chance to travel very far even with the best of conditions. Of course I am not referring to special propagation conditions like ducting or the like, but just day-to-day listening opportunities. I am an "AM man" through and through. To be fair, I have never given FM DXing much of a chance because usually the best DX you

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Uncategorized

Ragchewing

02/29/2016

Ragchewing is a great part of the amateur radio hobby which seems at times to be fading away. With so many contests and special event stations and pileups for DX stations, it is easy to get in the "quick in, quick out" mode without really enjoying a vital part of the hobby. I was fortunate to have two extended conversations today (the only two contacts I made), one for an just under an hour and the other for about 20 minutes. The longer of the two was with a ham in Vermont, and we talked about everything from radios and

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Shortwave, Shortwave Soapbox

Radio Romania International

02/23/2016

I had an enjoyable experience on the radio this evening as I caught part of a broadcast from Radio Romania International on 6020 khz ~04:30 UTC. They were reading letters and emails from folks around the world giving reception reports and general comments concerning their love of shortwave radio. I was thrilled to hear these comments of course, but what really intrigued me was the sentiments expressed were almost universal. By this I mean the people writing about their love of radio came from every part of the globe, and from very different backgrounds, but all had the same appreciation

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History and Significance, Homebrewing, Radio Kits, Radios, Reviews and Views, Shortwave

TEN-TEC 1253 Regenerative Radio Build

02/16/2016

This build review of the TEN-TEC 1253 comes from an article I wrote some years ago for Monitoring Times. This was quite an interesting project to build, as it was my first real radio kit. I tried to take my time (unlike the model airplanes I built as a kid which always ended up with missing parts and "extra" glue - or was that extra parts and missing glue?!) in an effort to really understand the building stages. My reward was a radio which worked great from the start, and which will always hold a near and dear place in

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Amateur radio, Antique Equipment, Boat Anchors, Radios, Shortwave

WWII Promotional Piece for Hallicrafters

02/05/2016

Here's an interesting 15 min. video demonstrating the Army Signal Corps using an Hallicrafters SCR-299. While certainly a promotional piece for Hallicrafters, this has great footage and captures a bit of the excitement of radio expanding into new frontiers. There is a discussion of how the radio was modified for military conditions as well as some innovations which were implemented to make such a system mobile. I think what intrigues me most about these types of pieces is the sense of a common purpose -- the nation was at war and everyone was pitching in. Yes, Hallicrafters was a business

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Uncategorized

Not Quite Radio Related, But Cool Anyway!

01/29/2016

A Robot which solves Rubik's Cube While not directly radio related, this was too amazing not to share (so forgive me in advance! There is an Arduino involved, if that helps?!) The video above is of a robot which can solve Rubik's Cube in about 1 second. I will not embarrass myself in telling how long it takes me to solve it . . . . It is, however, easy to see how radio hobbyists could find these Arduino boards quite intriguing! 73, Robert

Antique Equipment, Boat Anchors, Homebrewing, Radios

A Restoration Project

01/17/2016

As a kid I tried to learn about electronics the old fashioned way - tear something apart and try to put it back together. Unfortunately I did not have someone overseeing my explorations, and so very little was actually learned! If amateur and shortwave radio itself is an attempt to recapture something I really enjoyed when I was young, tinkering with electronics is even more so a fulfillment of something I sought as a child. Electronics, as it applies to the radio hobby, is almost as magical as the signals these radios receive. Antennas grab signals as they course through

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Digital Modes, Milcom Radio, Reviews and Views, Utility Radio

A Review of Multipsk Software

01/11/2016

Multipsk Software - A Review Here is a link to a review of the digital mode software MultiPsk (~3.5 meg PDF file) which I wrote for The Spectrum Monitor published in the September 2015 issue. I highly recommend either the free or the registered version of this software because it can decode almost anything on the airwaves. The registered version is about $45 as I recall, and it is the best money I have ever spent for software, and I have been around computers and software for a long time!! The free version will do a lot, in fact much

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FTA Satellite, Radios, Shortwave

I Would Have Written this Yesterday, But . . .

01/07/2016

I find it amazing sometimes how dependent we have become on the Internet. I have been involved with computers since around 1981, and with the Internet almost since its beginnings (no, I did not invent it, nor was I acquainted with Al Gore at the time!). I remember downloads taking about an hour for 800K, and that was considered rather fast for the time. Imagine if we had to wait that long today?! I recently upgraded service to another company which gives me 50 Mbs, or about 6 megs/second download speeds where possible. That's 360 megs per minute as

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Amateur radio, Boat Anchors, Radios

A Fascinating Interview with Bob Heil

12/28/2015

Eric over at QSO Today has posted an interview with Bob Heil K9EID, the genius behind Heil Sound microphones for both amateur and professional audio use. The interview is really Bob just talking about how he got into amateur radio, how his amateur radio background influenced his incredible career(s), and how amateur radio really needs BUILDERS and ELMERS! I found the whole thing fascinating as well as motivating. I could almost say it was life-changing, but maybe that is just me. Anyway, I hope you give a listen. Here is the info from the QSO Today site: Bob Heil, K9EID,

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Amateur radio, Batteries, Radios, Shortwave, Utility Radio

An Eclectic Christmas Morning

12/25/2015

As I sit here listening to radio broadcasts from around the world on Free-to-Air Satellite I am reminded again of the great gift that is Radio. If you will forgive a little bit of personal nostalgia, radio has been for me a true gift, ever since I was a boy. I will not go into my past too much (we all have our stories), but when I was 8 years old I got my first radio on Christmas. It was a General Electric clock radio with a big AM dial, circa. the late 1960s. I spent many, many hours seeking

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