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Question on radios. I'd like to upgrade from my E5. I'm looking at the G3 and G6. I was waiting on the G3 but I've been reading a lot of bad reviews. I mainly want to get access to the aircraft bands, and maybe easier SSB tuning, so if there is some shortcoming in some other areas then my trusty E5 can pick up the slack. So I ask you all, which is the better radio?
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Jan 25, 2010 03:07
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Illegal Clown posted:Question on radios. I'd like to upgrade from my E5. I'm looking at the G3 and G6. I was waiting on the G3 but I've been reading a lot of bad reviews. I mainly want to get access to the aircraft bands, and maybe easier SSB tuning, so if there is some shortcoming in some other areas then my trusty E5 can pick up the slack. So I ask you all, which is the better radio? For the price tag is won't get any better then the E5. The G6 is a decent radio that trades features like the wide/narrow bandwidth switch and audio fidelity for a smaller size and air band. If the air band is really a focus I would highly recommend an inexpensive police scanner over a shortwave with air band. Two reasons are a scanner will perform better and have squelch so there isn't annoying static between transmissions. If sideband is a big deal I don't find any inexpensive portables are really an improvement over another. I have a Sony ICF-2010 which is supposed to be the golden crown of shortwave portables but its sideband is nothing compared to tuning sideband on a modest amateur radio HF transceiver. I have the Degen 1103 (basically the E5 with horrible interface) and I would say it performs about 85% as well as my much more expensive Sony ICF-2010. From what I've read the G3 and G6 won't perform any better then the E5 you already have. In positive news the latest production of the G3s are a huge improvement over what came out last fall! I'll say go that route but make sure the seriel number of the radio is like 1000+ to make sure it's current (aka fixed from most bugs). Good luck!
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Jan 25, 2010 04:38
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It's good to know the G3 is better now. I like my E5 very much but wish it had a few other features. My biggest fear was that I would get something else with the features but not do the other things as well as my older one. It's also an option to just buy a radio that just does the other features, and maybe even better, and keep my E5 for everything else. It's something to consider.
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Jan 25, 2010 05:19
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I have the G6 and have been very pleased with it so far. In my place (second story apartment in a house in the middle of Jersey) I get better reception with the built in whip antenna than I do with the random wire I have strung up, but that's because I haven't built a properly tuned antenna yet. If you're in/near a major metro area, be prepared to catch a lot of FM interference when running through the air bands. It may not be much of an issue if your local airports are running at frequencies that aren't a harmonic of the local stations. SSB is fantastic on this thing although it just has an SSB button; It doesn't differentiate between USB and LSB. When in SSB mode you can tune either by 1 KHz steps in 'fast' tuning or smaller increments that aren't listed on the display in 'slow' tuning so you can really dial in the signal. EDIT: Got beaten to the punch on the G3 commentary. BigHustle fucked around with this message at 05:28 on Jan 25, 2010 |
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Jan 25, 2010 05:25
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If you've been surfing the dial and picked up a shortwave station with oldies/classic rock music then you probably caught test transmissions from Tennesse's new and 3rd (!!!) shortwave station WTWW (We Transmit WorldWide). For the past few weeks its been testing on 5755, 9475 and 9480 running up to 100,000 watts. The station is basically KAIJ moved to Tennessee and will broadcast Christian bullshit soon enough. Tennessee, wasting more shortwave spectrum then any other state! Some Youtube vids of their transmitter and listener reception; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhCM8R8bx8Q <- Transmitter work Reception Shots http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43q5qMTP9jE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIRnAh1txK8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPNPgi6J2kg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tp9pL6tktA Also checking my usual midnight broadcast of Radio Nowhere fucked around with this message at 16:21 on Jan 28, 2010 |
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Jan 28, 2010 16:12
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Radio Nowhere posted:If you've been surfing the dial and picked up a shortwave station with oldies/classic rock music then you probably caught test transmissions from Tennesse's new and 3rd (!!!) shortwave station WTWW (We Transmit WorldWide).  because I know better than their program director, and then get  at the state of shortwave broadcasting today.
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Jan 28, 2010 21:19
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nmfree posted:I wonder if they realize that their listenership would literally triple if they just played oldies/classic rock all the time instead of yet another preacher program. Then I remember that there's no chance in hell of that happening, get all There's been a few times I've thought about renting a timeslot to play something worth listening to. (naa, it'd be a call in conspiracy show obviously, with Summer Breeze by Seals & Croft for an intro song) blugu64 fucked around with this message at 00:04 on Jan 29, 2010 |
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Jan 28, 2010 23:22
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blugu64 posted:There's been a few times I've thought about renting a timeslot to play something worth listening to. I would listen to that.
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Jan 29, 2010 00:03
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nmfree posted:I wonder if they realize that their listenership would literally triple if they just played oldies/classic rock all the time instead of yet another preacher program. Then I remember that there's no chance in hell of that happening, get all Well when their audience of nothing (okay a few DXers) triples what would that equal Before the 80's some US shortwave stations tried to have real formats like rock or top-40. At most these attempts lasted a few years before money ran dry (little to no advertising revenue) and they were forced to go brokered to say afloat or sell to religious groups. The only two US stations that aren't religious based are WBCQ and WRMI though they maintain quite a few religious broadcasts since they pay for the time. Both stations will sell you time if you're willing to pay and they can squeeze you into their schedule. No idea what an hour will cost but I'm thinking in the range of $100-200 an hour but it could be less. These stations are very flexible in how a show gets to them for air. There's this one show on WBCQ called "Goddess Irena" where this kooky woman phones the transmitter and the broadcast is basically her rambling on about new age stuff and playing her own music. Why she does who knows but all WBCQ cares about is she pays for it. So why let all the crazy people buy all the time on shortwave! Reach deep goons and take back the shortwaves! 
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Jan 29, 2010 14:44
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Radio Nowhere posted:Both stations will sell you time if you're willing to pay and they can squeeze you into their schedule. No idea what an hour will cost but I'm thinking in the range of $100-200 an hour but it could be less. Airtime blocks on Radio Miami International cost as little as $1.00 per minute for bulk purchases according to their website. Now we just need a name...
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Jan 29, 2010 16:07
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BigHustle posted:Airtime blocks on Radio Miami International cost as little as $1.00 per minute for bulk purchases according to their website. Now we just need a name... Buy a week and just play G3 Gong Chimes over and over again.
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Jan 29, 2010 20:16
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BigHustle posted:Airtime blocks on Radio Miami International cost as little as $1.00 per minute for bulk purchases according to their website. Now we just need a name... Guess we'd have to see what "bulk purchases" means, I bet it's at least 1 hour a week for a year (~$3,120). Not bad if goons got the money together. Only downside to WRMI is they usually throw their signal over the Carribean and South America, very little power over these great United States  Using biglads idea, spending ~$10,080 to spaz out other countries for a week could be fun. Hopefully Cuba would give their jamming of WRMI a break that week (probably not, drat you Arnie Coro!  ). BTW WRMI's program schedule is usually anti-Cuba programming and Spanish Christian yelling with some WRN programming as filler.
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Jan 29, 2010 21:21
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Radio Nowhere posted:Using biglads idea, spending ~$10,080 to spaz out other countries for a week could be fun. Hopefully Cuba would give their jamming of WRMI a break that week (probably not, drat you Arnie Coro! If all they broadcast is anti-Cuba programming, then we need to just get a week's worth of V3a recordings and play that instead of the G3 chimes.
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Jan 29, 2010 21:40
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BigHustle posted:If all they broadcast is anti-Cuba programming, then we need to just get a week's worth of V3a recordings and play that instead of the G3 chimes. No matter what you air many hours will sound much like this -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48jPh2fTNXo 7365 was an old WRMI frequency and 6030 is Radio Marti (our  ). I was reading something in DXLD that while Cuba has plenty of issues supplying goods to their people they have no problem ordering numerous transmitters to jam outsiders. Keep those transmitters burbling Cuba, save the people!  WRMI along with other shortwave broadcasters like BBC and Voice of America have been beefing up their Creole broadcasts to Haiti lately. This isn't shortwave but pretty loving cool though, the Air Force's Commando Solo flying over Haiti broadcasting AM and FM signals. http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/01/26/haiti.flying.radio/
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Jan 30, 2010 03:29
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Well this sucks, Voice of America will be shutting down their Greenville, NC site by the end of year according to Glenn Hauser. That's what I usually check to see what we're broadcasting to the rest of the world since I'm a signal hop away. The facility is also used to broadcast Radio Marti to Cuba and at the moment used to broadcast Creole programming to Haiti. Another victim of budget cuts Less depressing, what the gently caress is this! -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYfKtrgdjK8 R2D2 is calling for help on 80 meters 
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Feb 3, 2010 02:24
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Radio Nowhere posted:Well this sucks, Voice of America will be shutting down their Greenville, NC site by the end of year according to Glenn Hauser. indeed.Radio Nowhere posted:Less depressing, what the gently caress is this! -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYfKtrgdjK8
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Feb 3, 2010 02:35
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Radio Nowhere posted:
That's AOR Digital Voice, which is an implementation of AMBE. It sounds like the stations are losing synchronization, which explains the mish-mash droid sounding audio.
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Feb 4, 2010 00:39
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Radio Nowhere posted:Well this sucks, Voice of America will be shutting down their Greenville, NC site by the end of year according to Glenn Hauser. That's what I usually check to see what we're broadcasting to the rest of the world since I'm a signal hop away. The facility is also used to broadcast Radio Marti to Cuba and at the moment used to broadcast Creole programming to Haiti. Another victim of budget cuts God dammit, another one bites the dust.
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Feb 4, 2010 00:43
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First there was LPFM, now there's... LPSW? http://www.rwonline.com/article/93934 quote:In Germany, an amateur radio operator bought transmitters, an antenna plant and other equipment from the police and the armed forces, leased a large part of a former utility radio site and is now offering low-power analog transmission services to a certain range of radio stations.
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Feb 4, 2010 11:32
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nmfree posted:First there was LPFM, now there's... LPSW? Wasn't DRM (digital shortwave) being pushed as a potential LPSW service around 26 MHz ? I see the potential, with 100 watts into a antenna the size of a CB whip one could probably get coverage equivalent to a LPFM. The downsides would be the listener needs a new radio and if anyone has ever listened to 27 MHz distant skip can play havoc on even a local signal. Doing this in analog at least takes away the need for digital equipment. I guess Germany doesn't have the same shortwave broadcasting rules as the US ? Here a licensed SW broadcaster has to broadcast at least 50,000 watts. One new station in Milton, FL (hey it's not Tennessee!), WJHR, has somewhat skirted the 50,000 watt rule by broadcasting only in single sideband (15550 USB daytime if you're interested, religious poo poo). Even though PEP "peak envelope power" will be 50,000 watts the average power coming from the station will be more around 12,000 to 15,000 watts. I say why have any silly power rule still ? Seems there would be plenty of shortwave broadcasting in the US if it didn't cost so darn much for a license and the cost to run 50,000 watts! Australia has a similar LPSW broadcast going on also, a greek ethnic station at the opposite side of the dial (2 MHz) running 1,000 watts to Sydney. Seems there's no shortage of people wanting real radio stations, it's about darn time government organizations like the FCC actually do something for the people and expand the broadcast band! Wait did I say do something for the people ? Nevermind .... 
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Feb 4, 2010 14:45
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Anyone going to try and listen to the Shuttle launch? the shuttle thread says 259.700MHz AM.
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Feb 7, 2010 05:24
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blugu64 posted:Anyone going to try and listen to the Shuttle launch? the shuttle thread says 259.700MHz AM. MT's General Space Guide: http://www.monitoringtimes.com/html/Monitoring%20NASA%20and%20Space%20Communications.pdf The Goddard Amateur Radio Club simulcasts the shuttle transmissions on HF SSB: http://garc.gsfc.nasa.gov/retransmission/shuttle_faq.html
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Feb 7, 2010 08:21
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Since it's been moved to tomorrow morning, I'm debating whether I want to drive to the shore and see if I can catch a glimpse of the launch. According to the map in the shuttle thread, I should be able to see it from 3 minutes after launch until the main engine cutoff. That coupled with my G6 should make for an awesome morning.
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Feb 7, 2010 17:42
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Voice of America gets more involved in Cuban broadcasting working with Radio Marti. Who knows maybe in a few more decades these broadcasts could actually work in breaking up the evil communist regime! Now excuse me while I run to Wal-Mart to buy the cheapest products available. http://www.miamiherald.com/581/story/1472809.html?utm_source=Subscribers&utm_campaign=0de6fa41ec-TRI_02-11-2010&utm_medium=email
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Feb 11, 2010 21:23
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Apologies if this has been answered already, but does anyone know of a quality iPhone/iPod Touch app for listening to shortwave transmissions? Specifically, I'd like to listen to the shuttle transmission simulcasts.
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Feb 12, 2010 03:59
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I have a quick question as well... I put up a 46 foot run of speaker wire in my room to act as an antenna until the spring thaw hits and I can put up something on the roof. When I tune in WWV on 5000 khz, I'm also able to hear the woman from WWVH speaking her time announcement right before the male WWV voice kicks in. It's faint but clear and audible. Does this mean I'm actually catching the WWVH signal coming out of Hawaii, or is it something also coming from Colorado? For a distance reference, I'm in New Jersey.
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Feb 12, 2010 07:36
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BigHustle posted:Does this mean I'm actually catching the WWVH signal coming out of Hawaii, or is it something also coming from Colorado? What really will blow your mind is when you can get simultaneous reception of both stations on all 4 channels (WWVH doesn't broadcast on 20 MHz) at the same time. It doesn't happen often to people living east of the Rockies, but it does happen if the sunspot count and geomagnetic field are at the correct levels.
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Feb 12, 2010 09:09
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foobar posted:Apologies if this has been answered already, but does anyone know of a quality iPhone/iPod Touch app for listening to shortwave transmissions? Specifically, I'd like to listen to the shuttle transmission simulcasts. Try FStream, it's free and just add the following URL: http://www.nasa.gov/178952main_Mission_Audio_UP.asx If you want soft music to fill the silent gaps between communications try this: http://somafm.com/wma128/missioncontrol.asx 
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Feb 12, 2010 16:18
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nmfree posted:The first is correct. Never had it on all 4 but 3 is quite common (usually 5,10 and 15 here). My favorite is 5 MHz at night when it's WWV, WWVH, YVTO(Venezuela) and sometimes others. Something very tranqual about 4 or 5 time signals beeping and ticking away at each other for time dominance! 99% of the time WWV wins on the east coast but I do enjoy that rare 1% when UTC takes the backseat.
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Feb 12, 2010 16:32
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Radio Nowhere posted:There's this one show on WBCQ called "Goddess Irena" where this kooky woman phones the transmitter and the broadcast is basically her rambling on about new age stuff and playing her own music. Why she does who knows but all WBCQ cares about is she pays for it. Thanks for this recommendation; I listened last night. Y'all gotta check out her website: http://www.goddessirena1.ws/ Things got really odd, though, when, at the 0030z station ID break, there was a big wave of static (not unusual, I was in a bad spot in the house), and suddenly there was some stoned-sounding guy announcing, "And now... gonna play a band from California... they're called 'Korn'. That's... Korn, with a K..." And I'm thinking "wtf? He's spelling 'Korn'? Have I traveled back in time? Where did this metal show come from?" Goddess Irena never came back, but I don't mind a spot of metal now and again. Certainly a change from the crazy preachers. So if you're looking for  , try 7415 on Thursdays at 7:30 EST! Bonus: metal immediately followed by Overcomers Ministries at 0100z.Edit: D'oh, upon looking at WBCQ's schedule to see what's on tonight, I see that her show only runs until 0030, so a bit less mysterious. Pretty sure she said her show ran for the hour, though. Oh, Irena. JacquelineDempsey fucked around with this message at 23:38 on Feb 12, 2010 |
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Feb 12, 2010 17:25
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Radio Nowhere posted:Try FStream, it's free and just add the following URL: Thanks for the heads up, but am I doing something wrong? I added the URL but it just sits there in "Buffering". I triple-checked and I know I entered the URL correctly, have you seen this problem before? EDIT: Nevermind, I already have PocketTunes and I didn't realize I could pop the URL into it. That one's working like a charm. Thanks again for the URL! foobar fucked around with this message at 02:34 on Feb 13, 2010 |
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Feb 13, 2010 02:28
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Sorry if you guys have gone over this, or if it isn't the thread for it, but I have a question about number stations and you seem like the guys who would know best. I'm worried that this is going to be one of movie logic  type of questions but with number stations, would it be possible to measure the signal strength from several different points and get a fix on it by triangulation? Or is this some child like notation like doing "enhance enhance" on a image to make it clearer. On a more serious note. I'm interested in getting into shortwave radio, I'm about to start reading at the beginning of the thread and trying to find a good radio to start on. Originally, I wanted to see if it possible to build one (Mostly just for the satisfaction of going "Yeah, I built that ") So whats a good place to learn more on the technical knowledge of shortwave?
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Feb 17, 2010 08:19
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JammyLammy posted:Sorry if you guys have gone over this, or if it isn't the thread for it, but I have a question about number stations and you seem like the guys who would know best. Yes it's very doable to measure signal strength to figure out where a transmitter is.(see this) As far as building a radio. Get this book, and get a ham license.
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Feb 17, 2010 08:37
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blugu64 posted:Yes it's very doable to measure signal strength to figure out where a transmitter is.(see this) Not only that, but several number station transmitter sites have been found this way.
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Feb 17, 2010 08:46
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blugu64 posted:Yes it's very doable to measure signal strength to figure out where a transmitter is.(see this) Thanks, ordered  (10$ cheaper on amazon)Figured someone would have done it already through some mean, it was just some idle curiosity. Look forward to getting involved with Shortwave radio, seems like a fun hobby. Thanks for the thread AstroZamboni for getting my interested
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Feb 17, 2010 09:31
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Keep in mind, unless you're building from a kit, it's going to be a very in-depth process. That book has a chapter on radio direction finding and another on receiver and transmitter design. (at least my 2007 edition does). A really good kit/radio is the Elecraft K2, it's a $650~ dollar kit that should be able to recieve any shortwave you want to listen to, though you'll also want to get the SSB option witch is another $100 or so. Or you can buy a prebuilt Eton for 1/6th the price 
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Feb 17, 2010 10:13
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Bah, should have figured. I knew building from scratch tends to be a bit more then buying already made radios, but as I said its for the "gently caress yeah, I made it " but a $500+ increase in price might be a bit to much for the smugness. Well regardless, I'm sure it will be a good book on the tech behind shortwave regardless though.
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Feb 17, 2010 10:18
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JammyLammy posted:I'm interested in getting into shortwave radio, I'm about to start reading at the beginning of the thread and trying to find a good radio to start on. Originally, I wanted to see if it possible to build one (Mostly just for the satisfaction of going "Yeah, I built that :smug:") Here's a video overview of the 1254.
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Feb 17, 2010 11:20
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nmfree posted:If you want to read the articles, at least some (and I think most) Barnes and Nobles carry CQ in the magazine racks.
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Feb 18, 2010 11:14
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So did anyone snag the Shuttle? You can usually get it on the first few orbits if you're under the orbital path.
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Feb 18, 2010 12:04
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