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blugu64 posted:It's honestly alot better then texting at the wheel. Keep in mind that these guys live and breath morse and that with a nice iambic key; it does alot of the work for you. Not that it's the smartest idea, or even a good idea; but it's easier then texting, and you don't have to take your eyes off the road to do it. I suppose from a biopsychological point of view that makes sense. So much CW is broken up into extremely rhythmic abbreviations, making the short-term thought chunking process more streamlined than with text, you don't have to look at anything, and you only need to tap one button.
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Nov 15, 2007 20:28
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welp, chaulk up another G5 Grundug for this thread at the standard price, radio habana was coming in fine on saturday night, but i don't think they have sunday programming? RCI sounds good on multiple frequencies, and i got Bulgaria, netherlands deutsch-welle, and a couple others earlier tonight around 22:00UTC
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Nov 19, 2007 01:05
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Slippy posted:welp, chaulk up another G5 Grundug for this thread at the standard price, radio habana was coming in fine on saturday night, but i don't think they have sunday programming? RCI sounds good on multiple frequencies, and i got Bulgaria, netherlands deutsch-welle, and a couple others earlier tonight around 22:00UTC Added, and congrats. Yesterday I was at the Arizona Science Center and noticed (as I was approaching from the parking lot) a bunch of SW transmitters on the roof of the building. As I went through the exhibits, I was constantly wondering what was up and was thinking of asking a docent when I suddenly found the answer. They had a constantly manned Ham transmitting station, where docents with licenses did full demonstrations in how to operate and send CW, teach about equipment, tell how to fill out reception reports, etc. They even give classes to help people get their licenses. They also had a wall full of QSL card displays. It was pretty loving :iamafag:. I'm starting to seriously consider quitting the voyeuristic SWL game and getting a ham license.
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Nov 19, 2007 01:12
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Okay, I've seen this thread for months, finally decided to read it all since I've been a (somewhat) SW radio enthusiast for ages. It still amazes me (and I guess y'all out there too, hence the thread length) that I can pick up radio from so far away, be it AM or SW. Anyway, one question, one comment. Comment...I did 20 years in the US Navy, and whenever I was going on a cruise that would take me overseas, I would always take my little Sony SW radio (ICF-SW10) with me to see what I could pick up. Two broadcasts I remember (both in 1991) vividly. The first was when I was in the Persian Gulf riding a small ferry boat from my ship, the USS Nimitz, to shore. I was able to pick up a broadcast from Australia, not sure was station. The other was when the ship was in the Indian Ocean (on the way back to the US). I picked up from Africa the 'Voice of Russia,' it was broadcasting music that sounded a lot like country-western. Question...my Sony ICF-SW10 has no antenna jack. I understand I can alligator clip antenna/stereo wire/wire to the antenna attached to the radio for better reception. What size/gauge wire? My other SW radio is a Sony ICF-J40. It is interesting to me, because it has only a headphone jack and a place to attach an antenna (not a jack, just a spot to hook up a wire); that's all. No external power connection. Makes me wonder if Sony meant the radio to be distributed worldwide, so didn't allow for external power.
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Nov 19, 2007 01:45
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AstroZamboni posted:I'm starting to seriously consider quitting the voyeuristic SWL game and getting a ham license. It's well worth the price of admission.
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Nov 19, 2007 02:50
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gcroix posted:Question...my Sony ICF-SW10 has no antenna jack. I understand I can alligator clip antenna/stereo wire/wire to the antenna attached to the radio for better reception. What size/gauge wire? Size/guage doesn't matter as much as length. Any cheap speaker wire (about 60 feet will do) with a couple of inches of insulation stripped off of the end for connection.
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Nov 19, 2007 03:31
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For those interested, WNYC's program "On the Media" ran a segment this week about border blasters. Available here for streamed listening or downloading.
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Nov 19, 2007 07:35
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TetsuoTW posted:For those interested, WNYC's program "On the Media" ran a segment this week about border blasters. Available here for streamed listening or downloading. Very cool! I'm adding that link to the OP. Edit: Added a bunch more on regular pirate radio while I was at it. AstroZamboni fucked around with this message at 15:22 on Nov 19, 2007 |
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Nov 19, 2007 15:15
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Okay, here's a weird one for everybody. Somewhat off topic, but oh freakin' well. I'm going to be flying to my dad's place a couple of states away for the holidays. He lives WAAAAAYYYY out on the outskirts of a suburb of buttfuck nowhere in rural Colorado. I plan on taking my E5 with me, but I've been advised to take anything expensive I may have as carryon because lost luggage is a much worse problem than it ever was before. The E5 was 150 bucks, so I'm not going to risk it getting lost. I haven't been on an airplane since May of 2001. As such, I'm not exactly used to the new draconian security measures on planes. Does anybody know what kind of problems I may encounter, carrying an electronic device with a shitload of buttons on a plane?
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Nov 20, 2007 05:34
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AstroZamboni posted:Does anybody know what kind of problems I may encounter, carrying an electronic device with a shitload of buttons on a plane? Don't worry about it. I carry my little HammyTalky on airplanes all the time. 5 Watts of transmitter goodness, just keep it in your bag and you'll be fine. I don't get any questions about it, I just like bringing it with me as its small and I can chat with other hams while I'm on business trips in the evenings after work. For reference it's pretty much this 
blugu64 fucked around with this message at 06:23 on Nov 20, 2007 |
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Nov 20, 2007 06:21
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Cool. Good to know.
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Nov 20, 2007 15:10
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AstroZamboni posted:I haven't been on an airplane since May of 2001. As such, I'm not exactly used to the new draconian security measures on planes. Does anybody know what kind of problems I may encounter, carrying an electronic device with a shitload of buttons on a plane? Basically, they sum up their advice to this: be grey  . Their best tips, as far as I can tell (I haven't flown commercially since 2000 and charter since 2003, so take this as you will), are these:Passport posted:* Before entering the terminal, and certainly before entering the security area, preset the radio to a popular FM music station, then keep batteries inside the radio so you can demonstrate that it actually works. Don't mention world band or shortwave unless queried, as anything unfamiliar arouses suspicion.
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Nov 21, 2007 02:33
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If you're asked about stations, cite something that's usually safe, like the BBC in London, and avoid potentially "flagged" stations like Radio Pakistan or Radio Havana Cuba.
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Thanks for the info. I'll be sure to set it to my local "Cool Jazz" station to be as entirely under the radar as possible.
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Nov 21, 2007 03:25
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AstroZamboni posted:Thanks for the info. I'll be sure to set it to my local "Cool Jazz" station to be as entirely under the radar as possible. Man up and set it to the air traffic controller. I dare you. (bring some vaseline, it'll make the search alot uhh smoother)
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Nov 21, 2007 04:09
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blugu64 posted:Man up and set it to the air traffic controller. I dare you. (bring some vaseline, it'll make the search alot uhh smoother) I'll stick some razor blades up there to give them a special surprise. Or we can see how much damage a RapeX condom does to a hand.
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Nov 21, 2007 04:23
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Quick question - is it common for ham operators to just send out their signal in CW on loop? I ask 'cause I've stumbled onto a signal at 7059k sideband broadcasting this in CW: -.../...-/..---/.-/.--. which if I'm not mistaken is BV2AP. This is then followed by a long tone that sounds like a dial tone, after which it repeats. It's done this for about half an hour now. I googled up BV2AP, and it's apparently the callsign of a ham here in Taipei, all of a couple of kilometers up the road from me, but it's a surprisingly lovely signal for someone so close, hence my wondering.
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Nov 21, 2007 18:20
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That could be some sort of low-wattage beacon, but gently caress knows why he would be transmitting like that. Its bad form for hams to leave something like that mucking up a frequency for no good reason, and is all kinds of gently caress-all illegal here in the states. If he tried doing that here the FCC would be busting down his door.
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Nov 21, 2007 18:45
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Thanks for the info. I guess it's just lucky for him that laws in Taiwan are generally just strong recommendations then.
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Nov 22, 2007 12:00
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TetsuoTW posted:Quick question - is it common for ham operators to just send out their signal in CW on loop? I ask 'cause I've stumbled onto a signal at 7059k sideband broadcasting this in CW: Sure it's not data? I think an obvious callsign every few minutes is a requirement here in the UK if you want to send data on ham freqs...
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Nov 22, 2007 12:48
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TetsuoTW posted:Quick question - is it common for ham operators to just send out their signal in CW on loop? I ask 'cause I've stumbled onto a signal at 7059k sideband broadcasting this in CW: What it could be is a propagation beacon. Hams will sometimes setup a beacon at their location so that other hams who know of it can find it and if they can hear it then they know they should be able to hear other transmitters in the general area. nmfree can probably explain this better then I as I'm still a newbie at HF Ham radio. I've been a 2 meter hero for too long.
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Nov 22, 2007 15:39
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meltie posted:Sure it's not data? I think an obvious callsign every few minutes is a requirement here in the UK if you want to send data on ham freqs... blugu64 posted:What it could be is a propagation beacon. Hams will sometimes setup a beacon at their location so that other hams who know of it can find it and if they can hear it then they know they should be able to hear other transmitters in the general area. nmfree can probably explain this better then I as I'm still a newbie at HF Ham radio. I've been a 2 meter hero for too long.
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Nov 22, 2007 18:49
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Last night I picked up a couple of beacons with a repeating pattern of CW with a tone, sounding similar to what you describe. Unfortunately, I don't know morse, so I can't tell you what it said. I know some of the "desert transmitters" talked about on the last couple pages that I've picked up follow a similar format, which makes me think "illegal beacon to gently caress with people." The problem is, why would he advertise his registered callsign? 
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Nov 22, 2007 21:30
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Built a new radio desk as MDF Wal-Mart poo poo furniture doesn't play well with 40 pound radios containing more steel than a Volkswagen. Shack pix!   Roll call, left to right: Icom PCR100 with 10.7 MHz IF out and discriminator out Uniden 396 Icom PCR100 (stock) Alliance U110 rotator (VHF/UHF) atop Kenwood AT-230 tuner - 440 preamp is peeking out to the left of the tuner Icom 735 with intact plastic door (this is rare :P) Icom 271A with an MFJ VHF/UHF cross needle meter on top, and my Icom 208H for the packet node/scanning poo poo Compaq laptop off to the right that handles PSK31/packet/PCR100/programming duties Desk cost me about $32. Lowe's and Home Depot will do a couple of cuts for free. Plan your desk intelligently - I only needed two 2x2' caps and three cuts in a single 4x8 sheet for this - and look for miscut lumber in the bargain bin. All the studs/legs/reinforcements for this ran $0.51 per, and they were all at least 4 feet (i had to cut them all). I can jump up and down on any part of this without flexing or any nastiness. Love it. Edit: You'd be perfectly right if you think that operating that old 271 is a complete pleasure to the eyes, ears and hands. I find myself getting caught up in simplex way too late at night. Currently bidding on an Icom 471, if I can pull that poo poo off, I'll be one happy satellite op. Jonny 290 fucked around with this message at 23:28 on Nov 23, 2007 |
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Nov 23, 2007 23:23
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Add another $101.00 for an E5 to the tally Zamboni!
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Nov 24, 2007 07:11
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Added, thanks for listening!
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Nov 24, 2007 17:51
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TetsuoTW posted:Hopefully nmfree can chime in, 'cause this sounds both promising and interesting. It was the only such signal I hit on last night, and it's the first time I've hit it, so it's obviously not a common thing. If I stumble on any others, here or in my occasional travels around the island, I'll see what they turn out to point to.  , it's not technically illegal to operate a beacon on 40m, it just can't be automated in any way. It's still pretty rude, though, so I'm surprised that anyone would do that. I don't know the laws in your particular region, however, so  Just as an aside, if anyone is interested in propagation beacons, check out https://www.propnet.org they operate a network of beacons that they use to check band openings and general propagation conditions. You don't even need to be a ham to participate, you only need to be able to receive to participate.
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Nov 24, 2007 22:01
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So I was listening to my ETON E5 around 0800 to 0845 GMT or UMT or whatever the radio guidebook thing is based off of. I think I may have been getting election result reports from Australia, though I can't be certain. There was much discussion of Prime Ministers and voting and early results. I also picked up a California station playing ranchero music, and also something on one freq. that only lined up to a broadcast time for a Russian station, though it sounded like English and the book said it was broadcast in Russian or Other, I forget which. Good times, I'm going to see about getting some extra antenna wire this weekend, see what else I can pick up.
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Nov 24, 2007 23:45
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So I'm listening to a rather... unusual music program on WBCQ (2300 UTC Saturday on 7415 kHz). I go to their homepage, and on their station chronology page, there's this gem: quote:November 6, 2001: William Cooper, host of Hour of the Time on WBCQ, is killed in a shootout with police officers at his home in Eager, Arizona. Reading a little more of his website, it's mostly  IRSblack helicopterszionist conspiracy stuff, but it reminds me why I continue to be a SWL after all these years: you're just not going to find this stuff on 97.2 FM.
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Nov 25, 2007 00:37
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nmfree posted:So I'm listening to a rather... unusual music program on WBCQ (2300 UTC Saturday on 7415 kHz). Holy poo poo, I used to spend lots of time in Eager. Creepy!
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Nov 25, 2007 00:56
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I got Coast to Coast AM on 3040 KHz, from Victoria, BC. 1:30 AM.
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Nov 25, 2007 10:33
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nmfree posted:Doing just a little poking around on quote:Just as an aside, if anyone is interested in propagation beacons, check out https://www.propnet.org they operate a network of beacons that they use to check band openings and general propagation conditions. You don't even need to be a ham to participate, you only need to be able to receive to participate.
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Nov 27, 2007 08:24
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Jonny 290 posted:
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Nov 27, 2007 16:28
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TetsuoTW posted:I've checked on the signal at odd times in the past few days, and I think it may be always on and automated, but it's very tightly locked to the frequency (move 1k up and it's barely there, 1k down and it's gone entirely), for whatever that's worth.
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Nov 27, 2007 20:50
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porktree posted:Looks like a sweet setup. We need more pics of peoples stations. Hooray for radio porn. Agreed! More radio porn! I, for one, am getting a Yaesu FT-817 for Christmas. Low power radio (QRP) rocks! I'd link a pic of my station, but at the moment it consists of a messy desk. Here's a link to the rig: http://www.rigpix.com/yaesu/ft817.htm IonClash fucked around with this message at 01:48 on Nov 28, 2007 |
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Nov 28, 2007 01:40
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If I have access to a camera anytime soon I'll take a pic of my listening post, AKA my bed under my window with an E5 and a fuckload of slinkies hanging from the ceiling.
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Nov 28, 2007 02:00
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Saw this around, and I thought some might be interested: Tour of Redsun factory Also, according to the Passport blog, there is a company selling rebranded Redsun radios at a significant discount. The problem is, which radio it actually is, and Heartland America is tacking on a bunch of unnecessary charges, so watch out if you decide buy one, I guess.
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Nov 28, 2007 04:33
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I recorded this a few days ago. I have no idea what it is but take a look. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lshDKkoKOZ0 Sorry for the poor audio quality I was having a hard time getting it in clearly. I am sure it's something mundane, but I would like to know!
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Nov 28, 2007 05:10
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Thought I'd pass on this info:quote:Radio St. Helena is celebrating its special DOUBLE ANNIVERSARY year 2007 with a very special Radio St. Helena Day 2007 world-wide shortwave broadcast.
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Nov 28, 2007 10:58
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Capnbigboobies posted:I recorded this a few days ago. I have no idea what it is but take a look. I couldn't determine any of what was being said except for a few numbers and a couple of phonetic alphabet letters, but it sounded like either a Ham QSL party (I picked one up a few days ago) or some sort of aeronautical transmission. If you could provide a bit more information about what was being said, I may be able to help. That video was hard to understand.
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Nov 28, 2007 15:26
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AstroZamboni posted:I couldn't determine any of what was being said except for a few numbers and a couple of phonetic alphabet letters, but it sounded like either a Ham QSL party (I picked one up a few days ago) or some sort of aeronautical transmission. If you could provide a bit more information about what was being said, I may be able to help. That video was hard to understand. Ya really sorry about the poor quality. What was mostly said over and over was stuff like ALPHA, BRAVO blah blah. There was bad interference from some Asian station so it made it really hard to make out.
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Nov 28, 2007 15:51
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