Just in time for the Rockwork Cliff DXpedition in a couple of weeks, the new Kiwi SENZ sports network is the replacement for the old TAB Trackside network. It starts operations on July 19th, and the list of frequencies and locations is attached. The FB home page is at (20+) SENZ | Facebook

Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA)

Paul,

First, I hope you get well soon and don't' have serious Covid complications. As for in-home challenges I enjoy getting out into the yard where reception is best and updating my logs whenever I can.

Jay

Thanks. That sounds like a good idea.

On Thu, 15 Jul 2021, 19:10 DX Pedro, <pmm.andrade@...> wrote:

Well firstly, sad to ear that. Hope you recover well and swiftly.

Secondly: why dont you order stuff online and try and make a few antennas? thinking of a passive loop here and then try and use it to find more magic on the ether. ;)

// pedro andrade

On Thu, Jul 15, 2021 at 5:36 AM Paul Blundell <tanger32au@...> wrote:

I am stuck at home for a while due to sickness and Covid related issues. What are some good at home radio challenges to set for myself?

Paul

Paul……..I hope you make a quick recovery and get well soon! Look after yourself down there Paul.

73..ROB VA3SW

Robert Ross

London, Ontario CANADA

On Jul 15, 2021, at 05:11, DX Pedro <pmm.andrade@...> wrote:

Well firstly, sad to ear that. Hope you recover well and swiftly.

Secondly: why dont you order stuff online and try and make a few antennas? thinking of a passive loop here and then try and use it to find more magic on the ether. ;)

// pedro andrade

On Thu, Jul 15, 2021 at 5:36 AM Paul Blundell <tanger32au@...> wrote:

I am stuck at home for a while due to sickness and Covid related issues. What are some good at home radio challenges to set for myself?

Paul

Well firstly, sad to ear that. Hope you recover well and swiftly.

Secondly: why dont you order stuff online and try and make a few antennas? thinking of a passive loop here and then try and use it to find more magic on the ether. ;)

// pedro andrade

On Thu, Jul 15, 2021 at 5:36 AM Paul Blundell <tanger32au@...> wrote:

I am stuck at home for a while due to sickness and Covid related issues. What are some good at home radio challenges to set for myself?

Paul

I am stuck at home for a while due to sickness and Covid related issues. What are some good at home radio challenges to set for myself?

Paul

[Edited Message Follows]
[Reason: Quoted font too small!]

On Wed, Jun 16, 2021 at 05:46 PM, Paul Blundell wrote:

Thanks for that. I will looking at ordering soon.

On Thu, 17 Jun 2021, 06:43 Michael Schuster, <schuster.ma@...> wrote:

The Shenzhen Hanrongda HRD-747 is now spotted in the wholesale supply channel at US$53, minimum order 2 pieces.

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/HRD-747-Portable-All-Band-Mini_1600253429230.html

First comments I've seen on a production unit show lots of issues.

See the comments on this 20m/40m daytime bandscan at 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3pdeYAqlMg

 

millinchip2

1 day ago (edited)

I have had the device for 5 days now. Here is the lowdown. There are a number of software bugs causing serious issues. 1: Air band has no gain. No coverage whatsoever. It is caused I think by a setting that cannot be turned off. The setting is 2MIX. You can turn on that 2MIX setting on short wave which also disables short wave but on short wave you can reset it back to “off” by taking out the battery. No such luck with Air band. It stays on permanently with the air band. I am not sure what the setting does as it’s function or use is not mentioned in the manual. If somebody has any ideas on how to fix this or what that setting does, let me know. 2: There is no bandwidth selection on SSB. 3: There is interference that sounds like a whine on SSB when you have a florescent energy saving bulb on in the same room. Points to bad internal shielding. I thought the radio was faulty until I switched off the light and it stopped. 4: On Upper side band, voice transmission is high pitched and fine tuning does not normalise it. Lower side band is fine. Looks like I got the buggy pre-release version. Damn. If they get these issues sorted and put a bit of aluminium shielding around the main signal chips, it could be a great little radio. In fact it's still a great little radio if you don't need Air band. --It can tune in Shortwave stations with the clarity of the Tecsun PL-330. --Narrow VHF is good. -- FM Stereo is great. As good as anything out there. --Nobody broadcasts on CB here So I can't comment on CB. --Same with the weather band. --Nobody uses UHF here either. --AM is pretty good. Comparable to the Tecsun. --The speaker is a little tinny but I knew that before I bought it. -- The battery will probably last months before recharging.

 

I ordered mine on Retekess oficial aliexpress store. got it in portugal in about 4/6 days from spain.

// pedro andrade

On Tue, Jul 13, 2021 at 4:44 AM Paul Blundell <tanger32au@...> wrote:

I ordered mine from here over the weekend: https://www.ebay.com.au/usr/egodeals?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2754

On Tue, Jul 13, 2021 at 9:40 AM Frank Standford <dxer2k1@...> wrote:

My order was cancelled, what would be the best seller on eBay to use?

--

Paul

I ordered mine from here over the weekend: https://www.ebay.com.au/usr/egodeals?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2754

On Tue, Jul 13, 2021 at 9:40 AM Frank Standford <dxer2k1@...> wrote:

My order was cancelled, what would be the best seller on eBay to use?

--

Paul

Thanks, that does not sound too good as the airband would be the main reason I would get one.

Paul

On Wed, Jul 14, 2021 at 6:49 AM Michael Schuster <schuster.ma@...> wrote:

On Wed, Jun 16, 2021 at 05:46 PM, Paul Blundell wrote:

Thanks for that. I will looking at ordering soon.

On Thu, 17 Jun 2021, 06:43 Michael Schuster, <schuster.ma@...> wrote:

The Shenzhen Hanrongda HRD-747 is now spotted in the wholesale supply channel at US$53, minimum order 2 pieces.

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/HRD-747-Portable-All-Band-Mini_1600253429230.html

First comments I've seen on a production unit show lots of issues.

See the comments on this 20m/40m daytime bandscan at 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3pdeYAqlMg

 

millinchip2

1 day ago (edited)

I have had the device for 5 days now. Here is the lowdown. There are a number of software bugs causing serious issues. 1: Air band has no gain. No coverage whatsoever. It is caused I think by a setting that cannot be turned off. The setting is 2MIX. You can turn on that 2MIX setting on short wave which also disables short wave but on short wave you can reset it back to “off” by taking out the battery. No such luck with Air band. It stays on permanently with the air band. I am not sure what the setting does as it’s function or use is not mentioned in the manual. If somebody has any ideas on how to fix this or what that setting does, let me know. 2: There is no bandwidth selection on SSB. 3: There is interference that sounds like a whine on SSB when you have a florescent energy saving bulb on in the same room. Points to bad internal shielding. I thought the radio was faulty until I switched off the light and it stopped. 4: On Upper side band, voice transmission is high pitched and fine tuning does not normalise it. Lower side band is fine. Looks like I got the buggy pre-release version. Damn. If they get these issues sorted and put a bit of aluminium shielding around the main signal chips, it could be a great little radio. In fact it's still a great little radio if you don't need Air band. --It can tune in Shortwave stations with the clarity of the Tecsun PL-330. --Narrow VHF is good. -- FM Stereo is great. As good as anything out there. --Nobody broadcasts on CB here So I can't comment on CB. --Same with the weather band. --Nobody uses UHF here either. --AM is pretty good. Comparable to the Tecsun. --The speaker is a little tinny but I knew that before I bought it. -- The battery will probably last months before recharging.

 

--

Paul

On Wed, Jun 16, 2021 at 05:46 PM, Paul Blundell wrote:

Thanks for that. I will looking at ordering soon.

On Thu, 17 Jun 2021, 06:43 Michael Schuster, <schuster.ma@...> wrote:

The Shenzhen Hanrongda HRD-747 is now spotted in the wholesale supply channel at US$53, minimum order 2 pieces.

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/HRD-747-Portable-All-Band-Mini_1600253429230.html

First comments I've seen on a production unit show lots of issues.

See the comments on this 20m/40m daytime bandscan at 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3pdeYAqlMg

 

millinchip2

1 day ago (edited)

I have had the device for 5 days now. Here is the lowdown. There are a number of software bugs causing serious issues. 1: Air band has no gain. No coverage whatsoever. It is caused I think by a setting that cannot be turned off. The setting is 2MIX. You can turn on that 2MIX setting on short wave which also disables short wave but on short wave you can reset it back to “off” by taking out the battery. No such luck with Air band. It stays on permanently with the air band. I am not sure what the setting does as it’s function or use is not mentioned in the manual. If somebody has any ideas on how to fix this or what that setting does, let me know. 2: There is no bandwidth selection on SSB. 3: There is interference that sounds like a whine on SSB when you have a florescent energy saving bulb on in the same room. Points to bad internal shielding. I thought the radio was faulty until I switched off the light and it stopped. 4: On Upper side band, voice transmission is high pitched and fine tuning does not normalise it. Lower side band is fine. Looks like I got the buggy pre-release version. Damn. If they get these issues sorted and put a bit of aluminium shielding around the main signal chips, it could be a great little radio. In fact it's still a great little radio if you don't need Air band. --It can tune in Shortwave stations with the clarity of the Tecsun PL-330. --Narrow VHF is good. -- FM Stereo is great. As good as anything out there. --Nobody broadcasts on CB here So I can't comment on CB. --Same with the weather band. --Nobody uses UHF here either. --AM is pretty good. Comparable to the Tecsun. --The speaker is a little tinny but I knew that before I bought it. -- The battery will probably last months before recharging.

 

here is a thumbnail sketch regarding Medium Wave/Broadcast Band (MW/BCB) DXing. Disregard the reference to Yahoo Groups as the group is now here on Grousps.io. 

this second link is about the activities of one of the more published members in the group with his addition to radios and building and testing of Ferrite addiction to MW DX and building and testing of Ferrite Sleeve Loop antennas! published - he writes about his adventures _here_ rather than me that is much more relaxed in my listening activities with my less than ultralight (shirt pocket sized) radios.

73,

kevin

kc6pob

On Tue, Jul 13, 2021 at 5:26 AM Paul Blundell <tanger32au@...> wrote:

What do you want to know?

On Tue, 13 Jul 2021, 18:51 Frank Standford, <dxer2k1@...> wrote:

What is the best place to get some background on the hobby and the group?