Happy National Radio Day - 2019!

How ironic is it that my last post, from April, was about radio!  That post was to celebrate World Amateur Radio Day - which is primarily about broadcasting (the ham radio variety).  Today is about the receiving king - listening to programming broadcast over the airwaves!

To quote from last year's post:

National Radio Day is a time for communities across the country to celebrate radio. The goal is to strengthen the radio ecosystem, highlighting all kinds of radio, but especially stations that focus on local service. We want to ensure that amazing noncommercial stations are included in the national conversation.

Given that physical radios - as well as old school over the air broadcasts - are starting to fade away (the scary trend in Europe is to abolish the FM service) it's all the more important to support your local radio station!
_______________________________________

So celebrate by tuning in!  My plan is to fire up the shortwave radio (old school) :D

Radio Humperdoo 6930 Khz USB North American Shortwave Pirate Radio

Received this neat eQSL from Radio Humperdoo - broadcasting "under the influence" for a reception report I sent them over the weekend.  It's a Halloween inspired theme (and from the email message, a new design for them). 

It's that time of year again, which mean more Halloween themed pirate broadcasts :D

Thanks Radio Humperdoo!

Radio GaGa North American Shortwave Pirate Radio eQSL

It's been a couple of years since I've posted a pirate radio eQSL!  I was testing out a new web based SDR located in Milford, PA, and tuned into Radio GaGa's show on 6925 KHz USB this weekend. I couldn't resist sending in a reception report :D

I was pleasantly surprised to receive a reply within 24 hours!  They put on a great show, which included Neil Young, Eric Clapton, CCR, The Who, and David Bowie to list a partial playlist.

Thanks Radio GaGa!

Happy National Radio Day - 2018!

Happy National Radio Day!


From the National Radio Day page:


National Radio Day is a time for communities across the country to celebrate radio. The goal is to strengthen the radio ecosystem, highlighting all kinds of radio, but especially stations that focus on local service. We want to ensure that amazing noncommercial stations are included in the national conversation.

Given that physical radios - as well as old school over the air broadcasts - are starting to fade away (the scary trend in Europe is to abolish the FM service) it's all the more important to support your local radio station!

Celebrate by tuning in today :D

2018 World Amateur Radio Day!

Happy World Ham Day!

New for this year - from my end of the radio spectrum - is a brand new call sign - NI4A (from my previous KC2RVY).  I had wanted a vanity call for years, but since my license was up for renewal last year I finally did the paperwork.

Here is the official statement from the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) on its 93rd anniversary:


Every April 18, radio amateurs worldwide take to the airwaves in celebration of World Amateur Radio Day. It was on this day in 1925 that the International Amateur Radio Union was formed in Paris. Amateur Radio experimenters were the first to discover that the short wave spectrum — far from being a wasteland — could support worldwide propagation. In the rush to use these shorter wavelengths, Amateur Radio was “in grave danger of being pushed aside,” the IARU’s history has noted. Amateur Radio pioneers met in Paris in 1925 and created the IARU to support Amateur Radio worldwide. Just two years later, at the International Radiotelegraph Conference, Amateur Radio gained the allocations still recognized today — 160, 80, 40, 20, and 10 meters. Since its founding, the IARU has worked tirelessly to defend and expand the frequency allocations for Amateur Radio. Thanks to the support of enlightened administrations in every part of the globe, radio amateurs are now able to experiment and communicate in frequency bands strategically located throughout the radio spectrum. From the 25 countries that formed the IARU in 1925, the IARU has grown to include 160 member-societies in three regions. IARU Region 1 includes Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Northern Asia. Region 2 covers the Americas, and Region 3 is comprised of Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific island nations, and most of Asia. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has recognized the IARU as representing the interests of Amateur Radio. Today, Amateur Radio is more popular than ever, with more than 3,000,000 licensed operators! World Amateur Radio Day is the day when IARU Member-Societies can show our capabilities to the public and enjoy global friendship with other Amateurs worldwide

So to all my ham friends out there - get on the air today!

World Radio Day - 2018

Today is World Radio Day!

A brief description/history:

The date of 13 February, the day the United Nations radio was established in 1946, was proposed by the Director-General of UNESCO. The objectives of the Day will be to raise greater awareness among the public and the media of the importance of radio; to encourage decision makers to establish and provide access to information through radio; as well as to enhance networking and international cooperation among broadcasters.

The consulted stakeholders also proposed ideas for the programme of celebration: extensive use of social media, annual themes, a dedicated website enabling virtual participation, special radio programmes, radio programmes exchange, a festival involving key partners, and so forth.

On 14 January 2013, the United Nations General Assembly formally endorsed UNESCO’s proclamation of  World Radio Day. During its 67th Session, the UN General Assembly endorsed the resolution adopted during the 36th session of the UNESCO General Conference, proclaiming 13 February, the day United Nations Radio was established in 1946, as World Radio Day.
__________________________________________

So find some time to go old school today - and listen to a radio broadcast :D

Happy National Radio Day!

Easy way to celebrate National Radio Day - listen to some radio programing today :D

It doesn't matter what kind - AM/FM/SW/Pirate Radio/Scanners/CB/Hams rag chewing...

In fact, if you're a ham - no reason not to get on the air and broadcast a little :D

Anyway you do - celebrate radio!

2017 World Radio Day

Today is World Radio Day!  While I associate this with Shortwave Radio (and Ham Radio) - celebrate with any radio - including AM/FM!

Here's the link to the official World Radio Day page - that includes a map with links to local events.

Skyline Radio Germany shortwave pirate radio 6229 khz (via SDR) QSL Card

 

This fantastic QSL Card arrived this morning from Skyline Radio Germany!  It's a rare thing around here to get back to back QSL Cards in the mail (yesterday one arrived from Xenon Transmitting Company - XTC).  This one was a complete surprise because when I submitted a reception report an automated email reply came back that said we'd hear back when the data was confirmed.  Somehow that made me assume an eQSL was coming.  So this was a double surprise (the confirmed reception, and the Card itself)!

I tuned in to their broadcast, from Germany, on 6229 kHz, via the SDR at Twente in the Netherlands.

Thanks Jan!

XTC - Xenon Transmitting Company - British shortwave pirate radio QSL Card

This fantastic QSL Card arrived in today's mail from XTC - Xenon Transmitting Company!  I tuned in to their broadcast last month - and received an eQSL after submitting a reception report.  This old school - real - QSL Card was an excellent surprise (together with an information sheet/brief history of the station and some stickers)!

Thanks again Matt!!

Radio Alice Netherlands shortwave pirate radio 3905 khz (via SDR) eQSL

I received this fantastic eQSL from Radio Alice this morning! It was actually a pair (the second in the form of an awesome old school record label).  I tuned in to their broadcast from the Netherlands on 3905 kHz, via the SDR at Twente.  They were playing some great post-Beatles music on that particular show, including John Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance" and Paul McCartney's "Mrs. Vanderbilt" :D

Many thanks Herman!

Hobart Radio International (relayed by Radio Spaceshuttle) shortwave pirate radio 6304 khz eQSL

I received this great eQSL last night from Hobart Radio International.  The Hobart "DX Extra" program was relayed via Radio Spaceshuttle.  I tuned in on 6304 kHz via the SDR at Twente in the Netherlands.  It was actually an older episode of DX Extra (from the Summer) - but even so, always worth a listen!

Many thanks Rob!

Wild West FM German shortwave pirate radio 6281 khz (via SDR) eQSL

This fantastic eQSL arrived this morning from Wild West FM!  I tuned in to their broadcast from Germany on 6281 kHz via the SDR at Twente in the Netherlands.  Propagation conditions were tough and made this an especially difficult catch.  Programming was mostly music (country western).

Many thanks Wild West FM!

Radio Monique Netherlands shortwave pirate radio 6285 khz (via SDR) eQSL

I received this great eQSL from Radio Monique this morning - following their test on 6285 kHz.  The test was more of a tribute to David Bowie since the programming consisted of Bowie songs, and the announcer mentioned his death on Sunday.  In a coincidence, when I tuned in to their broadcast back in September, one of the song's played was "Rebel, Rebel!"

Thanks Radio Monique for tribute to David Bowie!

The Crystal Ship North American shortwave pirate radio 7530 khz eQSL

This great eQSL arrived last night from The Crystal Ship!  I've tuned in to TCS many times since last summer, but this reception on 7530 kHz, on my Sangean ATS 909 receiver, was very different.  I was during daylight hours and it used only the radio's telescopic antenna (instead of the long wire antenna).  They had a very powerful signal, coupled with great atmospheric conditions!  In the email, John Poet mentioned that they were using a different relay station for this broadcast (which may go a long way to explaining the awesome reception)!

Many thanks John!

Baltic Sea Radio Finnish shortwave pirate radio 6980 khz LSB (via SDR) eQSL

This fantastic eQSL arrived this morning from Baltic Sea Radio! I tuned in to their broadcast, from Finland, on 6980 kHz LSB via the SDR at Twente in the Netherlands.  They were playing some great rock classics, including Aerosmith's "Back in the Saddle" and Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline."

Many thanks DJ Sailor!

Swedish DX Federation "SDXF" Fall shortwave broadcast 6175 khz (via SDR) QSL Card

This real "old school" QSL Card was waiting for me in my real "snail" mailbox from the Swedish DX Federation today!  It's from their Fall special broadcast in September (I received one for their Summer broadcast back in October).  As I've said many times, nothing beats receiving a real QSL Card from a broadcaster!  I tuned in to their show on 6175 kHz, via the SDR at Twente in the Netherlands.  The program was in Swedish, but it was impossible to mistake the Ramones, "Do you Remember Rock n' Roll Radio?" :D

Many thanks SDXF!

Radio Anthony Polish shortwave pirate radio 6265 khz USB (via SDR) eQSL

This excellent eQSL arrived this morning from Radio Anthony.  I also received an eQSL from Radio Anthony last summer.  This time I heard his broadcast, from Poland, on 6265 kHz Upper Side Band (the other broadcasts had all been in AM) via the SDR at Twente in the Netherlands.  Among the songs played was the Hall & Oats classic "Out of Touch" and Haddaway's "What is Love" - fun stuff!

Many thanks Anthony!

Pirate Radio Boston North American shortwave pirate radio 6925 khz Holiday Special eQSL

This great Holiday Special eQSL arrived last night from Pirate Radio Boston!  I tuned in to their holiday special on 6925 kHz on my Sangean ATS 909 receiver.  Not only was it a morning broadcast, but the signal was so strong that I heard the show using just the Sangean's telescopic whip antenna - not the long wire antenna!  The show itself consisted of some great holiday classics, "Run, Rudolph Run," Holly, Jolly Christmas," and caroling music!

Many thanks Charlie Loudenboomer - for both the eQSL and excellent holiday show!

Radio Komintern Russian shortwave pirate radio 6990 khz (via SDR) eQSL

This great eQSL arrived from Radio Komintern today!  I tuned in to their broadcast, from the city Rossosh, in the Voronezh region of Eastern Russia, on 6990 kHz via the SDR at Twente in the Netherlands.  Programming consisted of various selections of Russian music.

Many thanks Sergei