Messages

136

FM Free Radio / Re: Isn't it rather easy to get caught?

« on: October 12, 2012, 2206 UTC »

Coming in very late to the discussion, but I kind of like the tethered weather balloon idea. 

Unfortunately, these days there's a shortage of helium so it can be very expensive any more.  Unless you wanted to try flammable hydrogen, a weather balloon might be more trouble than it's worth.

On the other hand, if you live in a windy location a large kite and a very light transmitter/mp3 player payload might be feasible. 

137

Equipment / Re: POLL: What type of antenna do you use?

« on: October 12, 2012, 2117 UTC »

My primary SWL antenna is a random wire about 150 feet long or so fed through a 9:1 balun.  It's in kind of an inverted-U fashion.  The weatherproof box holding the balun is about 15 ft. up the side of the garage just under the eave, and from there one side of the balun transformer goes straight down to ground, and the other goes up about 10-15 feet near the top of a tree, then over about 100 feet to another tree, fed through a pulley and down about 20-25 feet with a window weight providing ballast.

For years I used a 5 band ham trap vertical which worked well until we moved, when the spot I chose for it on the north side of the house where the big power lines run caused quite a bit of noise to overpower all but the strongest signals on the bands.  I took the vertical down when I put the random wire up.  I've been thinking about putting the vertical back up next to the garage and building a switch box to choose between the wire, the vertical, or both.  Still not sure if I'm going to do that or not, but I still have the vertical laying idle behind the garage.

For our covered patio, I have a 50' end fed antenna for general SWL/QRP ham use. 

138

TV DX Loggings / I miss analog TV!

« on: October 12, 2012, 2111 UTC »

Just gotta say I miss analog TV and picking up TV channel 2 on my Icom R75 on 59.750 MHZ a few years back.  Best TV DX I had was hearing a station located in Eastern Virginia.  Funny how the Sporadic-E was that day, I could hear two different stations by switching between a vertical and horizontal antenna, and only one station was audible on either antenna.

139

Equipment / Re: What Radio Did you start your listening hobby with?

« on: October 11, 2012, 2043 UTC »

My very first SW radio was a Racal RA6790/GM receiver which I was tasked to tune the HF spectrum by my Uncle Sam when I was a guest at one of his many worldwide resorts, this one being Clark Air Base in the Philippines.  Unfortunately they wouldn't give me one of my own to play with, so my own very first SW receiver was a Sony boom box with SW coverage that I bought at the BX.  I soon grew frustrated with the lack of SSB/CW reception, though I could easily pick up Radio Australia.  

So when I transferred to England I bought a Sony 7600, the first model that tuned in 5 KHZ steps.  I eventually upgraded to a Sony 2010 which I still own to this day.  I've owned several other receivers, including a RS DX394 (big mistake, will never own another), Icom R71a, and currently use an Icom R75 and a Target HF3S.  I can also use my Kenwood TS-140 ham rig as a third receiver.  I also have an old Hallicrafters S-38B which I play with from time to time, and an old Zenith Transoceanic 3000-1 (transistorized version).  I also have a RS DX-402 portable AM/SSB receiver that I couldn't pass up at a hamfest for $35.  It makes a nice portable to take traveling when I don't want to risk damaging the 2010.

Currently I have the R75, TS-140, and HF3S as well as two scanners sitting on my radio desk with audio outputs connected through a switch box to my headphones and computer sound card input.

140

HF Beacons / Re: Update the beacon list

« on: October 11, 2012, 2016 UTC »

When was OK busted?  That explains why I can't hear it any more.

141

North American Shortwave Pirate / Deliverance Radio

« on: October 09, 2012, 0004 UTC »

Deliverance Radio on 2345 6925 USB with dueling banjos, pig squealing, commercials for EIEIObonics and Squeal like a Pig alarm.

142

Shortwave Broadcast / Re: Crazy preacher 13620 kHz am 2205 UTC

« on: October 08, 2012, 2040 UTC »

Crazy preacher?  Isn't that a bit redundant?    

Are you referring to the guy who screams a lot, and even when he's not screaming you can't understand a word he says?  Anyone know that guy's name?  I've made a recording of part of one of his broadcasts (because I was sure he was going to stroke out at some point) but never did catch his name.

143

HF Beacons / Re: "OK" 3449.9

« on: October 08, 2012, 2037 UTC »

I haven't heard OK since I moved about 3 years ago (and had some radio down time until getting the shack setup in the new house).  I only moved about 30 miles so I should still be able to hear it if it hasn't moved and is still active.  I'll keep an ear out for it to see if I can hear it again.  From this thread it looks like this beacon is intermittent.