I’ve been offline for quite a while. My work has taken me to a different part of the world which is not permitting me easy access to amateur radio. While I try to figure out a better solution to my current situation, I picked up a Grundig YB300PE. It is a very basic shortwave radio with only AM capability. I set up the supplied external antenna and have had some success listening to the major shortwave broadcasters. I found a great site for schedule information; the NASWA WWW Shortwave Listening Guide. The interface is easy to use but the latest date of the database says June 2006. That might be an issue. I also ordered one of my favorite annual publications: Passport to World Band Radio
My next goal will be to get a radio that gives me LSB/USB/CW receive capability. I want to be able to develop my CW listening skills using live QSOs.
I’ve not had the ability to do casual internet web surfing for the past few months, so I am catching up with my favorite amateur radio web sites.
Long Delayed Echoes – Jeff Davis, KE9V, consistently has insightful, original, and well written posts. The true highlight are his podcasts.
KB6NU’s Ham Radio Blog – Dan Romanchik, KB6NU, is the advocate for amateur radio. Heavily involved in his local club, Dan also fires up his HF rig on a daily basis and enjoying CW ragchews.
Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU, has a regular column that appears on arrl.org called Surfin’. He highlights interesting amateur radio related websites and ties them to his own experiences.
Gary Hoffman, KB0H, has an arrl.org column called The Amateur Amateur. Always humorous but always on point with good advise and hard lessons learned (and sometimes relearned).
B. Scott Andersen, NE1RD, has an excellent site called the 100 Pound DXpedition. In his own words: The “100 pound DXpedition” describes my quest to do these DXpeditions with a minimum of equipment and maximum fun. Scott’s posts are wonderfully detailed and I learn something every time I visit his site.
Thank you to the above individuals and everybody else out there who is posting their thoughts, experiences, and amateur radio musings… it is allowing me to keep my amateur radio interest going even though I can’t get in front of a rig.