Messages

1

SDR - Software Defined Radio / Airspy HF+ Ranger | Next-Gen Model?

« on: April 15, 2024, 2222 UTC »

Skimming the Airspy HF library source code, a mention to an "AIRSPYHF_BOARD_ID_AIRSPYHF_RANGER_REV_A" was landed then removed on the same day in February.

https://github.com/airspy/airspyhf/commit/e1dcc17956157b15885a284d9c9b42ba5de7dc51
https://github.com/airspy/airspyhf/commit/39f06a4934a0707a35496cfabce45cfaf5c60d92

No more info found, though i did not dig much further than a couple of web searches.

There is at least one revision of the original Airspy HF+ Dual, plus there are at least two hardware revisions of the Airspy HF+ Discovery. The Airspy HF+ "Ranger" would appear to be something different.

enum airspyhf_board_id
{
   AIRSPYHF_BOARD_ID_UNKNOWN_AIRSPYHF = 0,
   AIRSPYHF_BOARD_ID_AIRSPYHF_REV_A = 1,
   AIRSPYHF_BOARD_ID_AIRSPYHF_DISCOVERY_REV_A = 2,
   AIRSPYHF_BOARD_ID_AIRSPYHF_RANGER_REV_A = 3,
   AIRSPYHF_BOARD_ID_INVALID = 0xFF,
};

2

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Radio Illuminati 6870 AM 2327 UTC 13 Apr 2024

« on: April 13, 2024, 2342 UTC »

Music at 2338z. OTA at 2341z. SIO 332 via Airspy HF+D and 31' vertical. Decent carrier but modulation is largely in the current noise floor here.

Thanke for the broadcast! :)

3

European Pirates and Private Stations / Re: Indy Radio 6931 AM 1643 UTC 12 APR 2024

« on: April 12, 2024, 2351 UTC »

Music at 2347z, along with the beeps. SIO 222 via Airspy HF+D and 31' vertical. Rough copy, but it is there. Some band noise and static crashing, plus pekies on 6930 LSB.

Thanks for the broadcast! :)

4

SDR - Software Defined Radio / Re: SDRSharp v1.0.0.1920 Preview Release

« on: April 12, 2024, 2040 UTC »

As per.....

https://groups.io/g/airspy/topic/upcoming_sdr_r1920_and_third/105400117

Since a few days, the "minimal" build of SDR# is no longer minimal per se. It finally brought all the features of the Telerik enabled UI (r1919) plus a ton of fixes and enhancements. The most important aspect is the performance jump - a direct consequence of ditching Telerik UI in favor of a set of high performance hand crafted controls. The resource utilization is believed to be the lowest for equivalent DSP quality and UI. Carl of RTl-SDR Blog highlighted that some of the very old plugins from the 18xx era started working again, which is an unexpected positive side effect. Thus, I invite you to give it a spin, try your plugins and report privately if necessary: info @ airspy dot com.

Download: https://airspy.com/downloads/sdrsharp-x86-next.zip0

5

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: 77LJS 6950 USB 2156 UTC 10 APR 2024

« on: April 10, 2024, 2255 UTC »

Music at 2253z. SIO 222 via Airspy HF+D and 31' vertical. Tough copy as it is competing with considerable static crashing from regional storms here.

Thanks for the broadcast! :)

6

General Radio Discussion / Re: What radios are remaining domestic HF listeners using?

« on: April 10, 2024, 1848 UTC »

A 5v USB connect solar panel in the 4-6 watt range is $20 or less. Add whatever affordable USB-powered/rechargeable receiver. Like ~$40 total. :)

At a slightly higher price, I am partial to the Tecsun PL-330 for a current-generation SSB-capable HF radio. Lots of features for a decent price. On the downside its SSB tuning does have its highpass audio filter set rather jhigh, like most SI473x-based SSB receivers, thus do not expect much bass response like for listening to SSB pirate radio.

The Tecsun PL-368 is about the same radio but in a neat vertical handheld format. It seems to be quite popular with outdoor enthusiasts.

If you do not care about SSB support, then the prices really come down. Some of even the more affordable models even support the NOAA VHF weather band, Bluetooth, MP3 playback via SD card, and/or more.

7

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Bad Dog Radio 6930 USB 0117 UTC 07 APR 2024

« on: April 07, 2024, 0205 UTC »

Music at 0203z. SSTV at 0205z. SIO 444 via Tecsun PL-330 and 15' active loop in a window. Decent to good copy.

Usual evening 6931 carrier from Indy Radio at my QTH noted as well.

Thanks for the broadcast! :)

8

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: AN ID RADIO 6920 USB 0035 UTC 7 APR 2024

« on: April 07, 2024, 0147 UTC »

Music at 0145z. SIO 445 via Tecsun PL-330 and 15' active loop in a window. Easy copy with strong modulation.

Rocking the hoot. ;p

Thanks for the broadcast! :)

9

Equipment / Re: Best MWDX antenna?

« on: April 07, 2024, 0142 UTC »

Tossed this small recharable hi-z preamp on the 15' loop in a window currently feeding my Tecsun PL-330.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=High+Impedance+Amplifier+Donut+Antenna

Bought mine on AliExpress for ~$16. eBay was just easier to search on my tablet.

It is designed for impedance matching instead of any appreciable gain. Not sure it helps much on MW in a very quick skim of the band, but seems to be doing decent on HF in my limited testing.

An ETM scan of HF BCB bands returned 93 possible stations at 0139z. Noted an image at 2360, but that could just as well be the portable radio. Otherwise I have been listening to MRI, Wolverine Radio, and even some 75m amateur radio as I type this post. Not bad for a portable and indoor antenna IMHO.

Probably would be a decent addition to a small loop or wire antenna for portable HF listening at the beach, park, etc.


Received the LZ1AQ-based HFDY loop kit as well. Wanted to make sure the preamp board works. Deployed the kit in a window, set it to be a shielded loop, and powered it via a 9v battery. Hooked up to my Tecsun PL-330.

A skim of MW is pointing towards decent potential.

I will need to hookup a SDR to check LW.

At ~0500z....

Various European ops working 40m DX and whatever contest.

An op in the Canary Islands working 80m.

On a lark since the HFDY does not have a lowpass filter, an ETM scan of FM BCB band returned 82 possible stations compared to 67 on the radio's own whip.

10

European Pirates and Private Stations / Re: Channel 292 9670 AM 0003 UTC 7 APR 2024

« on: April 07, 2024, 0010 UTC »

Music at 0009z. SIO 534. S9+20 peaks via Airspy HF+D and 31' vertical. ECSS USB tuning. Some band noise and occasional static crashing, though otherwise a decent to good copy with strong modulation.

Thanks for the broadcast! :)

11

European Pirates and Private Stations / Re: Indy Radio 6931 AM 1606 UTC 06 APR 2024

« on: April 07, 2024, 0007 UTC »

Indy Radio waterfall carrier and intermittent faint modulation at 0005z. Along with the beeps as well. Airspy HF+D and 31' vertical.

12

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Wolverine Radio 6955 USB 0056 UTC 6 APR 2024

« on: April 07, 2024, 0004 UTC »

0002z - Music. SIO 545. S9+ via Airspy HF+D and 31' vertical. Easy copy and strong modulation as usual.

0044z - Music. SIO 445 .Tecsun PL-330 and 15' active loop in a window. Still an easy copy even on a portable and indoor antenna.

Thanks for the broadcast! :)

13

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Radio 48 via Mix Radio International 6875 USB 2200 UTC 6 APR 2024

« on: April 07, 2024, 0001 UTC »

Music at 2359z. SIO 545. S9+ via 31' vertical and Airspy HF+D. Usual wide audio and waterfall graphics for MRI. Easy armchair copy.

Thanks for the broadcast! :)

14

The RF Workbench / Re: ICOM AD-55 power supply output voltage adjustment

« on: April 04, 2024, 1601 UTC »

I have seen unregulated 12vDC wall warts at 17-18 volts unloaded, and some models can reportedly hit 20+ volts. o.0

Anyway, about the original AD-55(A), at least for the version shipped with earlier R75 models....

Alas, the linear "transformer" version of the AD-55A floor brick power supply (USA versions) is unregulated and provides way too much voltage even fully loaded (which we measured at 17.65 volts which is way over specs.). So the set runs very warm to near HOT after awhile as the internal voltage regulator has to burn this excessive voltage off.

Source: https://www.qsl.net/n9ewo/icr75.html

Later production R75 models shipped with the AD-55S-12 switching power supply.

15

General Radio Discussion / Re: What radios are remaining domestic HF listeners using?

« on: April 04, 2024, 1258 UTC »

Lots of portables out there. There is a reason C. Crane, Degen, Kaito, Tecsun, Sangean, etc. keep turning out new models.

That said think more like inexpensive portables offering AM shortwave reception instead of more radio enthusiast-oriented models. Look at basic models from Retekess, Radiwow, and related (re-)brands. There are various basic shortwave-capable portables for around $10 to $15 even on the US marketplace via Amazon, eBay, etc.

Some of those models are even decent performers. For an example check the reviews for the ~$10 XHDATA D219. Single-chip ICs like the Si4825 have really pushed down SWL radio manufacturing costs.

On a personal note, think I paid around $15 for a tiny Kaito WRX-911 several years ago. It is just a very basic single-chip, single-stage superhet. It worked okay enough for receiving many of the large SWL BCB stations, especially with a 10'-15' wire simply clipped to the antenna.