Messages

1

General Radio Discussion / Re: Pirates helping communities during COVID?

« on: April 06, 2021, 0252 UTC »

While not technically a pirate, I was made aware of several temporary tis style stations licensed through Ntia for information about covid testing locations and directions.  Most were associated with hospitals, churches, and community centers.

+-RH

2

Equipment / Re: Interesting Chinesium SI4732 Shortwave/Air/FM

« on: April 02, 2021, 0356 UTC »

Why the interest in this, form factor perhaps?  I would guess this is the chipset used in all the Chinese cc radio clones?

+-RH

3

Other / Re: OTHR on 40 Meters 2339 UTC 29 March 2021

« on: April 02, 2021, 0349 UTC »

I'm sure you know this, but the 7200--7300 Khz spectrum is only available to amateur radio users in ITU region 2, North and South America.  The rest of the world recognizes this segment as a broadcast band.
...just in case some folks don't know that.

+-RH

4

MW Free Radio / Re: Radio Italiano / Throwback 90s ? 0025 UTC 31 Mar 2021

« on: April 02, 2021, 0331 UTC »

Frequency?

+-RH

5

General Radio Discussion / Re: Supreme Court sides with FCC in loosened Media Ownership rules

« on: April 02, 2021, 0329 UTC »

I also heard through the grapevine that ihateradio is making large cuts to engineering and programming.  Some engineers are now tasked with keeping 50 or more signals on.  There is also rumors that the format lab is back again with a new twist....audio will now originate from a system at the transmitter.  All stations running the same format will run the same log, coast to coast.

This comes on the coat tails of a UK company now controlling almost half of the company.  The end is nigh.

+-RH

6

SDR - Software Defined Radio / Re: Requesting an SDR Recording of WWFD-AM Radio, Frederick MD

« on: March 19, 2021, 1841 UTC »

An AM allocation includes 10 KHz of modulation each side of carrier.  Per the NRSC 5 description of mode MA3, there are two modes; standard mode which includes the primary and secondary digital sidebands (18.4KHz total), and a reduced digital mode which includes only the primary digital sidebands (9.81 KHz total).

This is outlined in NRSC 5 found here. https://www.nrscstandards.org/standards-and-guidelines/documents/standards/nrsc-5-d/reference-docs/1012s.pdf

+-RH

7

Equipment / Re: Looking for Linear Power Supply

« on: March 11, 2021, 0100 UTC »

I saw the pics...I wouldn't put that on the air if I were you.  It also isn't built with enough heatsink to be reliable.

8

The RF Workbench / Re: Help with 22m beacon kit from Black Cat Systems

« on: March 11, 2021, 0000 UTC »

My money is on a bad IC.  It probably got zapped when you built it...I've had similar happen with CMOS devices.

+-RH

9

Equipment / Re: Looking for Linear Power Supply

« on: March 10, 2021, 2339 UTC »

here are the Specification :

Power Input       =  30-100 Watt SSB
Output Power    =  800 Watt
Voltage              =  17-20 Vdc
Transistor          =  8 units IRFP150N  ( Many in Ebay for $ 2 each )
Frequency         =  2 Band 3,5-14 Mhz,
                              3.8Mhz = 600 Watt , Peak
                              7 Mhz = 800 Watt.  Peak Power
                              11 Mhz = 500 Watt, Peak
                              14 Mhz = 300 Watt , Peak

Oh god no...

Do the innerds look like this?


Another piece of sound advice...don't buy semiconductors off ebay.  Many times the devices are restamped versions of smaller devices and they will fail prematurely...especially if the come from overseas.

+-RH

10

Equipment / Re: Looking for Linear Power Supply

« on: March 10, 2021, 2335 UTC »

I think we're more interested in the amplifier itself, i.e. why the strange voltage requirement.  Most stuff is going to expect either 12 or 24VDC for supply.  I've never seen anything RF related that required 18-20VDC.
+-RH

11

Equipment / Re: Looking for Linear Power Supply

« on: March 10, 2021, 1847 UTC »

Commonly available 24V smpsu's all over eBay.

If you think they're manufactured in any other place than CH, think again! They aren't made in the US..

Despite the bad rep it mainly down to ignorance as they are in the main absolutely fine.

Try and stick with a branded version like; JCPOWER or MEANWELL.

Just parrallel up what you need 3x500W or 2x750W or whatever.

24V will adj down to 18V.

Btw, you're looking for a power supply for your linear, not a linear power supply as that's an analogue, i.e. not switching lump with a massive transformer etc.

Str.

Agreed.  Why the strange voltage?  Most switchers are adjustable to some degree, but 18 is not a standard voltage.  A 24V supply should have enough range to drop to 21V or so, but that's about it.

+-RH

12

Shortwave Pirate / Re: Ball Smacker Radio 4030 AM 0158 UTC 6 Mar 2021

« on: March 06, 2021, 0218 UTC »

Got 'em here @ 0217z with a female vocal.  Listenable when above the noise.
0230 Sounds like Aerosmith 'Come Together'
Following a period of rapid deep fades, making a comeback with what shazam is calling Parliament's 'Together'.  About S6 now.
0254 Janet Jackson 'Together Again' S7, to deep fades under the noise.
0309 'We Belong Together' Randy Newman per shazam.

Thanks for the show!

+-RH

13

Software / Re: audio editing software

« on: March 04, 2021, 1931 UTC »

there was only one studio copy of Outhouse Radio ever made because i prefer live and on the fly.
closest thing you'll find is some of the of air recordings posted on the net by various dxers .
to me sitting back and broadcasting a prerecorded show was a bit on the boring side(relays are a different animal) . but that's me not you , so have fun no matter how you do it ...
 

It does turn into a one person drinking game pretty quickly.  Not much to do but listen to the generator hum and watch meters move and lights flash.

+-RH

14

Software / Re: DRM heavy childbirth 02 Mar 2021

« on: March 04, 2021, 1926 UTC »

Of course, signal measurements are rather meaningless without some SNR or noisefloor measuring.  S9 for me likely would not be enough due to my high suburban noise floor.  Likewise in a quiet rural setting s5 may be enough.

Not to be too snarky, but S9 is -73dbm.  Therefore S9+20 is -53dbm.

+-RH

15

Software / Re: DRM heavy childbirth 02 Mar 2021

« on: March 03, 2021, 0023 UTC »

This is why I am perfectly happy to watch DRM fall on its face.  Either open source both transmission and reception, or kill it.

+-RH