Topics

136

Huh? / Letter: AM Stereo Fans Must Present a Unified Front? RW rip...

« on: February 04, 2024, 2017 UTC »

https://www.radioworld.com/columns-and-views/readers-forum/letter-am-stereo-fans-must-present-a-unified-front    Well, as long as it's not an emminece front. AM Stereo was a clear case where capitalism failed, and failed miseribly. Where it may have to seccede today is within Open Source, and there are Part 15'ers out there just running with C-QUAM AM Stereo. Is it perfect??? No, but for the most part that format did work, and to a degree, it still does. Today, SDR tech could be the game changer, since that's how many today are hearing AM Stereo, probably for the first time, is via web-based Kiwi-SDR's. I can believe that AM Stereo can be done via SDR tech on the transmit side as well. Just my take here, but is seems that hobbyists could succede where corporations have failed. Don't get me wrong, I'd like to see capitalism succede, but can capitalists actually learn from this experience? (Thank you Boomer, for pointing this out to me!)    (Huh... My Spell-Check isn't working, again.)

UPDATE 2/13/2024: Then, there's this...   https://www.radioworld.com/columns-and-views/readers-forum/letter-its-too-late-for-am-lets-talk-about-digital-radio     Eh... Not a good way to commemorate World Radio Day, is it?

137

Huh? / What Makes a College Radio Station Work? Another RW rip...

« on: January 30, 2024, 1935 UTC »

https://www.radioworld.com/columns-and-views/guest-commentaries/what-makes-a-college-radio-station-work   Uh-huh... Boomer, found this RW as well.

138

Huh? / Shortwave 2.0??? Radio World rip...

« on: January 23, 2024, 2049 UTC »

RX TEXT messages with shortwave listening? Well, FM stations kind of do that with RDS. Sounds like this could be adapted to domestic Medium Wave Broadcasting as well.   https://www.radioworld.com/columns-and-views/guest-commentaries/why-we-need-shortwave-2-0
Yeah... Boomer came upon this for me.

139

Huh? / 13Q: A Top 40 Radio Story?

« on: January 16, 2024, 1825 UTC »

https://shapingopinion.com/13q-top-40-radios-last-dance/     Hey... When AM radio was consider, something. Boomer FWR that to me on 1320Khz in Pittsburgh, PA. A fun read & listen.    In contrast, the station that was in my area, WLSV 790AM, just went from the boards, to a CBS Volumax, to STL, and on-air. And, that was it. Some muddy audio there, fo' sure. Enjoy...

140

The RF Workbench / Using cheap, second-hand, car stereos for high performance DX'ing? YES!!!!

« on: January 12, 2024, 2000 UTC »

For decades, I've used cheap, trashed, second-hand, car radios / stereos, for AM and especially FM, DX'ing. Apparently, I'm not the only one doing that. https://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=433522   Boomer and I were kicking that idea around and he found that post out there. Well, when you can get a second-hand AC Delco car stereo, for free, with great sensitivity, and especially selectivity, spec's, and be a kick-ass DX'er for using it, why not?!? Even, back in high school, one dude home brewed his own boombox from a car stereo, a pair of 6 X 9 speakers, a lead-acid battery, and a wooden case. And, it didn't cost him over $400.00 to do it, like what a Panasonic 'RX-5000 series' box cost. Back then, he was seen as weird for doing it. Today, I can look back and say that was pretty forward think there.

141

Weather / MLK, jr Week good for low-band DX'ing?

« on: January 11, 2024, 2131 UTC »

Oh yeah... That cold snap, for most of the week of MLK, jr. Day Week, is definitely going to suck, but on the plus side it should be decent to quiet down the lower HF, MW, and LF, bands. (I hope...) Go check out how much better 60kHz pulses of WWVB come in when those temperatures drop. See??? Take the good with the bad.

142

Huh? / WBCQ Relies on High-Power Shortwave Antenna! Radio World rip.

« on: January 10, 2024, 2152 UTC »

https://www.radioworld.com/global/wbcq-relies-on-high-power-shortwave-antenna     THANKs, to Boomer for FWR that to me.

143

Huh? / 2024 Stations' Format Changes, where you are?

« on: January 02, 2024, 2042 UTC »

With 2024, I've got to ask, what formats are changing around where I live, or where y'all live?  https://radioinsight.com/blogs/262047/format-changes-i-would-like-to-see-in-2024/    Here??? The Charleston / Huntington, WV market needs another Country, or Sports, format, like Michael Lindell, the My Pillow dude, needs a pillow fight. (Yeah... Just my $0.02 worth...)

144

Amateur Radio / Winter, of Amateur Radio stuff to look forward to? Uh-huh....

« on: January 02, 2024, 2016 UTC »

Already, looking FWR to The ARRL VHF Sweepsteaks.  https://www.arrl.org/january-vhf    Then, Winter Field Day, which seems to be growing.https://winterfieldday.org/    And then, the always fun AM Rally!!!  http://www.amrally.com/   This year, that could be much more fun on 20M, 17M, 12M, 15M, and especially 10M, AM. However, 6M and 2M AM can also be fun as well, albeit more local. So, if Southern thunderstorms rear their ugly, noisy, heads this AM Rally, chances are, this year, moving to the higher bands will be a nice escape from that. And, when F2 is open from 20M, on up, barefoot power, even QRP, is all it takes. 

145

Equipment / SWL'ing mentions Radio Jay Qodosen SR-286. And, the review.

« on: December 30, 2023, 1905 UTC »

https://swling.com/blog/2023/12/tef6686-dsp-chip-and-the-qodosen-sr-286/#     And, the Radio Jay review,   https://radiojayallen.com/qodosen-sr-286-am-fm-sw-high-performance-portable/    INFO on a new type of DSP chip used.

146

The RF Workbench / Radio World's article on Crystals!

« on: December 27, 2023, 1959 UTC »

We all use them, in one form, or another.   https://www.radioworld.com/columns-and-views/roots-of-radio/crystals-whats-going-on-in-there    Boomer, FWR that to me.

147

Part 15 AM and FM Station Operation / Pacifica Network welcomes & interviews Part 15 AM'er in Fairmont, WV! And???

« on: December 23, 2023, 1930 UTC »

https://pacificanetwork.org/pacifica-network-welcomes-am-station-wefr-in-fairmont-wv/      Good, to see others running with this.

UPDATE 1/1/2024:  Geez... I just hope that I didn't add to this op's on / off arguments on Part 15 station publicity and operations. But, goto https://part15.org/   , check-out the POSTS, and there's back & forth controversy upon the legits of a Part 15 op. What I don't like is when others insist to tell you how to run your station. People could suggest, but don't tell me what I can and can not do. There's a reason that I've not been a member of Part15.org, and that's certainly one of them. 

148

Amateur Radio / It pays to listen to HAM's? It was this time.

« on: December 19, 2023, 0325 UTC »

I go to bed at night with a Sangean ATS-803A. When I think that C2C AM has a guest that sucks, I'll plug-in the W.O.G. antenna and fall asleep listening to HAM's on 75M and 160M. I tuned-in to the 3878kHz group, late Thursday night, and heard them talk about this big flu epidemic going around. Whelp... A day later my household was sick, very sick, and incredibly fast oncoming. Now, has anyone in the mainstream news media picked-up on this? We've heard zilch here.
UPDATE 12/21/2023 :  Actually, FOX News had the new COVID strain in the news late, late, Monday night. Then, CBS News that day afterwards.

149

Huh? / “Attempt to Pass AM for Every Vehicle Act in Senate Falls Short”

« on: December 09, 2023, 2146 UTC »

https://swling.com/blog/2023/12/attempt-to-pass-am-for-every-vehicle-act-in-senate-falls-short/      Really??? Actually, and even a bit reluctantly, I see Rand's point that we shouldn't force manufacturers to do this, but should be a consumer-based demand decision. Suggest, but not force.

150

Huh? / Another neat link on broadcasting, and more.

« on: December 05, 2023, 2059 UTC »

Anyone, ever heard of this site before?    https://commonfrequency.org/     Ran into that at    https://www.radiosurvivor.com/   .