Messages

136

Equipment / Re: What are you using for SWLing?

« on: June 10, 2020, 0246 UTC »

I was trying to listen to Radio Korea this afternoon on my XHDATA and other HF receivers on 15575 Khz.
But there was nothing, just noise. Antenna I was using were outside long wire in the garden, and indoor loop and builtin telescopic antenna on the radios. None of them were picking any signals on the freq. and yet it is supposed to be on AIR on the freq at the time.

Propagation on SW overall has been horrible the past several years. Just because a station is broadcasting does not mean you will be able to hear it.

I gave up on SW two years ago after hearing nothing but static (and Radio Havana) night after night after night. Some nights even WWV didn't come in, and in all my life I've never experienced that. And I have better radios than I had when I was a kid...

I haven't touched my SW radios in months. No reason to. When propagation picks up in a year or two, then I'll tune back in. But that's just me.

PS -- Don't expect miracles from a new radio -- even an SDR can only hear what is propagating.  Some guys are hearing more on SW if they're farther south of the auroral zone, and yes, a really good outside antenna can probably help, too.

137

Equipment / Re: Please recommend some good MW and LW DX radios

« on: June 10, 2020, 0239 UTC »

Your 803A is a good MW receiver... You just need an external loop antenna to boost signals to the radio. The DX-392 is similar.

Even a very good MW radio can receive signals better with an external loop antenna.

So I would get a MW loop antenna before getting a new radio, for MW.

LW is a different issue, because there aren't many Longwave loop antennas available to buy. You would have to build one. All you need is a frame (a plastic crate will do), 30 meters of wire, and a 365 pf tuner capacitor.

Using a long-wire antenna with either the 803A and DX-392 (for Longwave) is not a terrific idea, unless you have very good static electricity protection, because the RF transistors on those two radios can zap easily from thunderstorms, or even you touching the radio's whip antenna with your hand during the winter and zapping it with static discharge.

138

MW Loggings / Re: XEUT 1630 AM 0412 UTC 16 March 2020

« on: April 01, 2020, 0251 UTC »

It's always cool to hear XEUT, because of the great music they play. Unfortunately, they don't make it up the coast with good signals all that often.

139

General Radio Discussion / Re: Radio during and post pandemic

« on: March 20, 2020, 2040 UTC »

Not making light of the situation, I understand that radio stations and companies -- like other companies and jobsites -- are concerned for the health of their employees, as well as their industry.

But it also looks like IHeart's digital delivery center idea was right on time....

140

General Radio Discussion / Re: New Tecsun Portables to be last?

« on: March 07, 2020, 1138 UTC »

I think Eton is a re-badge of Grundig, at least with some of their products.

141

General Radio Discussion / Re: Oakland A's leave radio, what would Charlie Finley think?

« on: February 25, 2020, 0256 UTC »

I guess the Sacramento station that they will be on covers the Bay Area fairly well -- supposedly most of the East Bay is within the contours of their 'local' quality signal. At least theoretically. Not being a Bay Area person, I don't know how well the station reaches the Bay Area in the real world....

142

European MW Pirate Radio / Re: Bad channels MW at night 22 Feb 2020

« on: February 25, 2020, 0254 UTC »

Glad to hear that -- at least in some respects -- MW is alive and well in Europe.

143

General Radio Discussion / Re: Pirate Act Passes Senate

« on: February 18, 2020, 0452 UTC »

If you are a pirate in the “Top 5” markets (whatever they are) you should pay careful attention.

Top 5 radio markets = New York, L.A., Chicago, San Francisco (Bay Area), Dallas-Fort Worth.

144

Amateur Radio / Re: 7.055MHz LSB Indonesian pile ups.

« on: February 06, 2020, 0316 UTC »

When prop was better I used to hear some of these guys in the morning (West coast US time)... a few Malaysians, too.

Not recently, though.

145

Propagation / Re: Grey line map (real time)

« on: February 05, 2020, 0906 UTC »

^^^^^ Fair enough, thanks for the explanation.

146

MW Loggings / Re: KCMY 1300 AM 0400 UTC 23 Jan 2020

« on: February 04, 2020, 0430 UTC »

Carson City has been coming in to the Western WA fairly well ever since the Seattle station went off the air, although KAPL from Ashland, OR often dominates, as does KLER from Idaho.

147

Amateur Radio / Re: Best Band/Frequencies to Start on CW?

« on: February 04, 2020, 0426 UTC »

I used to hear plenty of slow (5-12 wpm) CW on the tech/novice portion of 40 meters almost on a nightly basis. I know there are slow key nights. There is some slow key CW organization that has them periodically.

148

Propagation / Re: Grey line map (real time)

« on: February 04, 2020, 0423 UTC »

I use one of the online ones. A solar propagation site has one that works.

http://www.spacew.com/www/realtime.php

While the grayline may be correct, don’t be fooled by the rest of the data at the map link above.  It has been a long time since we have seen a SSN of 86.

"SSN"? I don't even see a reference to an SSN (whatever that is) on the page anywhere. It has the grey line, radio auroral zones, and MUFs delineated and mentioned, and that's about it.

And I've found the grey line useful, as well as the auroral radio zone demarcation (the green lines at the top of the map). And -- for the most part -- I've found them accurate enough for SWLing.

149

General Radio Discussion / Re: The Ultimate Pride Of China Portable Shortwave Radio for $9.59

« on: January 25, 2020, 0323 UTC »

I'd lay money down it's DSP. And that could be a mixed bag. I bought a DSP AM/FM headset radio a couple years ago for $10 and it sucked. But we all know DSP can make cheap radios work well, too.... It all depends on the design and QC department of whichever company or factory is making the product.

150

Propagation / Re: Grey line map (real time)

« on: January 21, 2020, 0234 UTC »

I use one of the online ones. A solar propagation site has one that works.

http://www.spacew.com/www/realtime.php