Logbook

Chinese receiver news: Kchibo KK-S7600L

2010-08-03T13:35:00.001+04:00

Dual conversion receiver with sync detection andseparate SSB/USB
LW, MW, SW and FM bands
500 memory cells for SW, 500 for LW, 500 for MW and 500 for LW. Cells organized in 50 pages with 10 in each pagу (I have no idea how to utilize 500 memories in LW or FM bands)
Electronic volume control with 64 levels
Wide/narrow filters
PLL with 1 kHz minimal tuning step
Clock, 2 timers, calendar and sleep timer
Key lock
External antenna connector
RF gain control (?)
Audio line input
77mm 8Ohm 3W speaker
LCD and keyboard backlight with 10-sec off-timer
External power supply (included) 9V 1A

Two interesting features:
it has IR remote control with 4m range

And it uses two 18650 Li-Ion rechargeable cells as standalone power source

http://www.5bcl.com/Article/Class14/200704/1767.html

Sangean published "Key selling points" PDF for its new ATS-909X

2010-08-02T10:06:00.000+04:00

The updated version of ATS-909, Sangean ATS-909X is coming, and Sangean released "Key selling points" PDF for it. You can download it here: http://www.sangean.com/news/files/Key_Selling_Points_of_ATS-909X.pdf

Es at Belgorod, Russia

2010-06-05T22:28:00.000+04:00

got a 45 minutes of Es in Belgorod, Russia.
some FM stations from Italy received in 87,5-91.4 MHz, all without RDS (excluding one "PUNTO") at 1800-1845UTC
One station identified as "Radio Capital" at 88.6 MHz

Topol-M in moscow

2010-05-13T22:30:00.001+04:00

Topol-M mobile intercontinental ballistic missile launcher in Moscow

Two new small degens: DE18 ultraportable and DE800 FM radio with SD/MMC and MP3 player and remote

2010-04-15T14:48:00.000+04:00

The first is DE18 - the supercessor of DE11.
Radio has 87-108 (or 64-108) MHz FM, 522-1710 kHz MW and 2.3-23 MHz SW and 225 memory cells.

Second is DE-800 - FM 87-108 MHz only radio with SD/MMC card slot, MP3 player and IR remote

Here is link to operating manual in Chinese.

Hi-res Degen DE-1106 photo

2010-03-16T12:07:00.000+03:00

Copied from www.5bcl.com

The receiver has non-operative electronic volume controls again :(
This is significant for me, I will wait for Sangean ATS-909X (XR)

Tecsun PL-380 exposed

2010-03-15T16:55:00.000+03:00

Unboxing Tecsun PL-380 (in chinese)
http://www.5bcl.com/Article/Class14/201003/3668.html

Looks too simple

BAD chinese receiver news: Redsun RP3100 abandoned finally

2010-03-05T09:44:00.000+03:00

Radioscanner.ru forum member Windk emailed Redsun Electronics with a question about RP3100 and got an answer:

"We already stop development RP3100 (big size),but we'd like to go for a smaller size one.

Kind regards

Jackie/Redsun"

So we will have one more Degen DE-1103 clone instead of cheap large portable tabletop with big LCD and perfect sound.

Herculodge: new Sangean ATS-909X will be available in 2010

2010-02-15T11:33:00.000+03:00

Herculodge reader Tom writes that he called Sangean and they confirmed that ATS-909X (updated ATS-909) will be available in 2010.

Chinese receiver news: small bunch of Tecsun PL's

2010-01-31T13:09:00.002+03:00

Two new models in Tecsun PL appeared on the well-known site 5bcl.com

The first is Tecsun PL-750 Stereo - similar to Tecsun PL-750 but with dual stereo speakers

The second is a portable Tecsun PL-800 in similar to -750 design

LW MW log 25-jan-2010

2010-01-25T20:23:00.005+03:00

Got a sleepless night, clear AM band and good propagation :)
Receiver used: Radioshack DX-398 with built-in ferrite bar antenna
All times UTC, frequencies kHz

0007 1035 44444 [RUS] Family radio program for children (at local time 03:00?!)
0010 855 33333 ~~[ITA] Music (RAI 1? Cant confirm this freq)~~[RO] R.Romania Actualitati
0013 828 33333 [RUS] Orthodox radio of Saint Petersburg
0014 747 44444 [UNID] 2xMale speakers+phone partcipant, music
0017 756 45444 [UNID] jazz music
0019 774 33333 [UNID] jazz music
0021 720 23222 ~~[ITA] RAI 1 same as 855 above (unconfirmed)~~[RO] R.Romania Actualitati
0022 630 44434 ~~[ITA] RAI 1 same as 855 and 720 above (unconfirmed)~~[RO] R.Romania Actualitati
0028 603 24322 ~~[ITA] RAI 1 same as 855 720 630 above (unconfirmed)~~[RO] R.Romania Actualitati
0031 567 22332 ~~[ITA] RAI 1 same as 855 720 630 603 above (Bologna/Budrio 20 kW or Caltanisetta/St.Anna 20kW or both) with QRM from NDB "KS"~~[RO] R.Romania Actualitati with QRM from NDB "KS"
0032 558 33333 ~~[ITA] RAI 1 same as 855 720 630 603 567 above (unconfirmed)~~[RO] R.Romania Actualitati
0033 1341 23332 [UNID] classic music
0034 1179 34333 [UNID] chillout music
0036 1107 33233 [ARAB] muslim, male speaker, speech
0037 1089 33233 [ENG] Talkradio UK
0038 1008 33333 [UNID] music with QRM from NDB "LO"
0040 972 32333 [ARAB] Pakistan??
0042 936 34333 [UNID] male speaker
0046 909 31231 [UNID] male speaker with QRM from NDB "SX"
0047 900 22222 [UNID] male speaker
0048 819 33333 [UNID] male speaker
0050 648 33333 [EN] BBC WOrld Service male speaker (Orford Ness, UK)

0059 225 33333 [PL] Polskie Radio 1
0101 279 43433 [BY] First National Radio Channel (Minsk, Belarus)
0103 288 32443 NDB "OB"
0104 405 24322 NDB "SM"
0111 1278 23222 [UNID] music
0115 1422 22222 [UNID] Classic music Jóhann Sebástian Bach
0119 531 44444 [ARAB] unid
0122 549 2 stations at similar levels with fading, classic music and speech
0123 594 NDB "OO"
0122 657 NDB "DO"
0126 675 33333 [UNID] classic music

Tecsun PL-200 (Eton E100) repair: replacing volume control resistor

2010-01-22T11:47:00.002+03:00

After about four years my Tecsun PL-200 got a problem. Volume control produces noises and cracks, and volume becomes unstable.
The volume control resistor needs to be replaced.
After disassembling receiver I found 7-pin resistor on the analogue PCB, which needs to be replaced

After unsoldering it from PCB I found only one label on it - "B203"

By googling for "B203 resistor" I found spare with p/n R1001G22B1 from Chinese supplier named Song Huei. This is dual-section variable resistor. In PL-200 it has resistance about 20 kOhms of each section (my measures shows 17.9 kOhms on one and 18.2 kOhms on another section). But here in Moscow only two nearest values available - 2x10 and 2x50 kOhms.
I observed PCB and found that both sections of resistor are shortened in parallel.

As you can see pin pairs 1-2 and 3-4 are shortened. So, this dual-section resistor in fact works as single-section 10kOhm resistor and I can use 2x10 kOhm spare after cutting off one section. So I got spare (noticed above) for 15RUR (about 1/2 USD). The disadvatage is that spare has smaller and thinner knob and knob unchangeable

To exact replace I need to cut off two pins of one section

And solder spare resistor back to the PCB

Volume control after such repair becomes not so convenient as before due to smaller knob, but it works perfectly. And now some receiver shots after repair and assembly

Saint FM (St Helena island) online

2010-01-15T17:11:00.000+03:00

Today I found Saint FM official site, FM station that broadcasts over St Helena Island.
Here is link to listen live to. Abacast plugin required to listen to broadcast. Quality is not perfect and volume changes some times per minute but overall comfortable to listen.

Uniwave Di-Wave 100 DRM on sale now

2009-11-21T23:36:00.001+03:00

Link to original message in R A D I O A C T I V I T Y blog

Receiver available for 249€ in thiecom.de online shop

Chinese receiver news: second chance of Degen DE-1106, Tecsun PL-750 and Kchibo KK-D6110

2009-11-14T23:04:00.000+03:00

Links originally found in the Herculodge
The supercessor of Degen DE-1103, Eton E5 and Grundig G3 possibly appeared on the chinese web.
Here is Link to specs PDF on Muse europe site of similar receiver, possibly rebadged 1106.
Two links to chinese sites with photos and discussion: one two.

Radio features 700 mem, separate upper/lower side band, sync AM detection and RDS on FM.
Radio has no letters on numeric keys, so I think that radio does not support text labels for memory cells again :(

Also I have found some photos of the Kchibo KK-D6110

And Tecsun PL-750 poster

Less than a hour for start of Radio St. Helena transmission

2009-11-14T20:21:00.000+03:00

stay tuned!

1800 - 1930 UTC to New Zealand (via short path)
2000 - 2130 UTC to JAPAN (via short path)
2200 - 2330 UTC to Europe
2330 (Sat.) - 0100 (Sunday) UTC to North America

http://sthelena.se/radioproject/

2009 Radio St. Helena day

2009-08-24T22:45:00.001+04:00

Radio St. Helena goes on-air at Sat 14 November 2009.
More in the Shortwave Central post http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/2009/08/radio-st-helena-slated-for-annual.html

Monitoring airband on MAKS-2009

2009-08-22T11:19:00.001+04:00

With modified chinese $7 FM receiver :)

GPS Enabled Weather Radar

2009-08-19T16:19:00.000+04:00

GPS Enabled Weather Radar: "Summary: Weather application that uses your built-in GPS to pull radar images from 3rd party weather services

Found in: weather, forecast, radar, gps

Download GPS Enabled Weather Radar

Mobile friendly download

Tecsun PL-310 photos

2009-08-17T11:53:00.001+04:00

Photos of the new small Tecsun's digital receiver found on Tecsun forum http://bbs.tecsun.com.cn/0002.asp?open=138342

Found in Herculodge blog

Collection of links about Su-27 and Su-27UB collision & crash

2009-08-17T10:47:00.006+04:00

Two jets from russian pilotage group "Russkie Vitjazi", Sukhoi Su-27 with one pilot and Su-27UB with two pilots collided and crashed at Sun, 16-aug-2009 13:00MSK (09:00UTC). One pilot dead, two survived and five injuired on the ground. Su-27 crashed into field, one crashed into village.

Audio recording of airband frequency 125.25 MHz AM before, during and after collision http://www.radioscanner.ru/files/download/file8881/16092009.rar (russian). Collision happens between 5:50 and 6:26 on record
Audio recording of rescue operation (first part) http://dump.ru/file/3246672 (russian)
Audio recording of rescue operation (second part) http://dump.ru/file/3246672 (russian)
Collision photos http://pompeya.livejournal.com/463951.html
Su-27 crash site photos in village http://www.rian.ru/photolents/20090816/181117527.html
http://allynx.livejournal.com/382989.html
Collision aftermath photo http://www.radioscanner.ru/uploader/2009/0c13f9fb4b4d.jpg
Su-27 crash and rescue operations photos http://kpoxaxa.livejournal.com/31724.html
One pilot found, video http://rian.ru/video/20090816/181159256.html
Su-27 (first photo) and Su-27UB crash sites, photos http://drugoi.livejournal.com/3019760.html
Su-27 falling (doesnt work for me) http://www.vesti.ru/videos?vid=239824
Su -27 after collision photo http://www.radioscanner.ru/uploader/2009/16092009f4.jpg
Su-27UB after collision photo http://photos.streamphoto.ru/e/5/f/52e037e2a40b9fe53eacebd08db9bf5e.jpg
Video from road near Su-27UB crash site http://rutube.ru/tracks/2258741.html?v=c1db44c411ee02132e3baf57f47c7067
Video compillation on BBCRussian.com http://www.bbc.co.uk/russian/multimedia/2009/08/090817_v_rufighter_down.shtml
Crash sites photos of both planes http://kostyukov.livejournal.com/55645.html

I will add links to this post, stay tuned.

Possible two new top Sangeans: ATS-909X and ATD-909XR

2009-08-02T14:15:00.000+04:00

Originally found in Herculodge blog.
Images found in album of Flickr user Jelyce

ATS-909X not a foto, just a drawing

ATS-909XR is in real photo, taken on the LV CES 2009:

I does not like design and materials of 909XR. I'm thinking that top radiophile's receiver must be strong, solid and brutal, but not the "iRadio".

VEF Spidola-231

2009-07-30T09:26:00.004+04:00

VEF Spidola 231 first run from Constantin Boulatnikoff on Vimeo.

This VEF Spidola-231 made in 1980. It stored for a years in village house, has broken telescopic aerial and battery compartment damaged by acid. I got another radio on domestic auction for $10 for spares, replaced side scale, antenna, and battery compartment. This is first testing after final assemblage. Radio powered by external AC power supply, which causes interference.

VEF-202 first run

2009-07-29T18:13:00.003+04:00

VEF-202 testing from Constantin Boulatnikoff on Vimeo.

After years of storage in kitchen (case removed)

На спичке лежит варикап

2009-07-24T15:40:00.002+04:00

И мне таких 3 штуки запаивать