On the media's "The divided dial" series about shortwave

A friend alerted me to an interesting series of programs about shortwave from WNYC Studios.

"Season Two of On the Media’s Peabody-winning series The Divided Dial is the untold story of shortwave radio: the way-less-listened to but way-farther-reaching cousin of AM and FM radio. The medium was once heralded as a utopian, international, and instantaneous mass communication tool — a sort of internet-before-the-internet. But like the internet, it also took a turn for the chaotic. And like AM and FM talk radio, it also went hard to the right, with extremists and cults still finding a home on the shortwaves".

THE DIVIDED DIAL EPISODE 1: Fishing In The Night

THE DIVIDED DIAL EPISODE 2: You Must Form Your Militia Units

THE DIVIDED DIAL EPISODE 3: World's Last Chance Radio

THE DIVIDED DIAL EPISODE 4: Wall St. Wants Your Airwaves

First I've heard of The Shortwave Modernisation Coalition which proposes to use shortwave for high speed trading.

I think there is a role for shortwave broadcasting but today I think it should broadcast a hard to jam, easy to receive digital data format.

The silencing of Voice of America - ABC RN program

Thanks to Thomas at The SWLing Post for drawing this to my attention. ABC Radio National, of which I'm a past contributor, has a documentary program called Rear Vision and this week they have a program about the demise of VOA which most of us will be familiar with from our lifetime of shortwave listening.

It's a really well done program with archival material that triggered great nostalgia as a long term listener.

You can listen here. 

"The US funded international news network Voice of America started broadcasting into Germany in 1942. 

It now broadcasts in nearly 50 languages to  more than 350 million people around the world. 

But in March this year,  US President Donald Trump signed an executive order dismantling the US Agency for Global Media - the independent government body that oversees Voice of America.

Now, Voice of America has been silenced for the first time in 83 years. 

Guests:

Patsy Widakuswara is Voice of America's White House Bureau Chief and lead plaintiff in VOA's legal case against the Trump Administration.

Dr Nick Cull is Professor of Public Diplomacy at the University of Southern California, Annenberg, and he specialises in the historic role of communication in foreign policy. 

Dr Kate Wright is Associate Professor of Media and Communications at the University of Edinburgh and co-author of Capturing News, Capturing Democracy: Trump and the Voice of America by Kate Wright, Martin Scott & Mel Bunce

Produced and presented by Kirsti Melville".

Great work!

Sideband receiver project in Silicon Chip magazine

Fantastic to see a serious ham radio construction project in the June edition of Silicon Chip magazine.  The project by Charles Kosina, VK3BAR, is a general coverage sideband shortwave receiver covering 3-30MHz.

The VFO is an Arduino nano and Si5351. IF is at 9Mhz and uses a crystal filter board sourced from AliExpress. Interestingly there is RF preselection using electronically switched capacitors and a varactor diode.

Audio output is an LM386. There's AGC and the radio even has squelch.

What is, perhaps, missing is AM reception. 

It is wonderful to see such a project in Silicon Chip. 

Tech talk on ABC Radio

The competition for our smartphone dollars is about to enter a new round. Google is previewing Android 16 this week and Apple will preview iOS 19 next month. 

Peter Marks, a software developer and technology commentator from Access Informatics, joined Chris Taylor on Nightlife to discuss the latest news in technology. 

https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/nightlife/nightlife-tech-talk-with-peter-marks/105315754 

It was good to meet Chris Taylor who's filling in while Philip Clark is on leave. Chris was one of the Chaser gang and I fondly remember watching VHS cassettes of CNNNN when I worked at CNN 25 years ago.

QRP-Labs QMX excellent for portable operations

I've been staying in Tasmania this week, on the north coast, near Devonport and naturally I wanted to bring some sort of radio gear along. The QRP-Labs QMX recently added the ability to transmit sideband. I've had a few contacts with this and reports are good. The QMX (and QDX) are particularly good at FSK modes like WSPR I think due to the direct synthesis rather than audio mixing.

My travel case is quite small and fits everything I need including a pill bottle microphone.

The station was set up overlooking the ocean with a 29' wire pretty much just resting on some bushes.

Operation was on 40m at first but 20m was the standout. I was heard as far away as Europe in the first transmission.

I'm embaressed to admit that the very compact tuner was purchased from China and is clearly a copy of the QRP Guys' Ununtenna Plus. I have ordered the real thing which they say has much better quality toroids in it. The design is good and it's the most compact antenna tuner I can carry with me.

The QMX has a built in tuning mode with SWR display but I find nulling the LED on the tuner is easier.

At first I tried operating inside the house with the wire running out through a metal sliding glass door but I couldn't get it to tune. I think the close coupling to large metal earth threw things off. Operating outside was pleasant and signals were very good.

Moorabbin Hamfest a blast again this year

The Moorabbin & District Radio Club Hamfest must be one of the biggest in Victoria and it's always a good excuse to pick up some parts and catch up with friends.

My feeling was that it was a bit smaller than last year but still worth a visit. I purchased a Bird power meter with a fault (but it came with the needed part). A few pushbuttons and a vintage morse key being sold from an SK estate by Drew. A few impressions of the show:

The in-line power/SWR meter I bought was said to be faulty due to a burnt out diode. The Seller supplied me with a replacement and said he hadn't got around to fixing it.

When I got it home, I opened it up and tested both diodes and they seem to be OK. Attaching a transmitter and it seems to work. I'm not too concerned about calibration so I'm happy with the purchase. It came with 2x N to BNC adapters which are probably worth what I paid for the whole thing.

I headed off early to visit VK3ZZC who's unwell at the moment. We wish him all the best for a speedy recovery. Great to catch up with Drew VK3XU, Peter VK3YPG, Nigel VK3DZ, Dave VK3ASE, Peter VK3YE, Chris VK3AML, Jim VK3ZKK, and others.

Technology talk on ABC Radio

Artificial Intelligence continues to revolutionise our lives. Predictions from experts state that AI will likely automate or transform 50% to 60% of jobs. 

How long until it takes over our lives or jobs completely? 

Also self-driving trucks on the road and we bid farewell to Skype.

Peter Marks, a software developer and technology commentator from Access Informatics, joined Philip Clark on Nightlife to discuss the latest news in technology. 

https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/nightlife/nightlife-tech-talk-with-peter-marks/105261180 

AI in FreeDV presentation at the Bendigo Technology Festival

The Bendigo Amateur Radio and Electronics club today held their first Bendigo Technology Festival. It was an ambitious affair with information and sales tables and a series of technology talks.

The Macedon Ranges Amateur Radio Club had a table with information for potential new members. 

ALARA, WIA and many others had tables and there was quite a bit of gear for sale at excellent prices.

I presented a talk on how AI is being used in the new versions of FreeDV.

Congratulations to the organisers and I hope they do it again.