Modulating

For those of you who have followed my “Adventures In Amplitude Modulation” posts here at Beware of the Blog, I want to let you know that the regularity of these posts here is over. And frankly, my weekly posts on BOTB will not continue as well. I’m looking to take on another project or two, and (especially given my tendency to be a bit of a long winded blogger) I won’t have the time to keep up a weekly grind here as I have.

Nonetheless, I might get together at least one more “Amplitude Modulation” post in the coming weeks, as soon as I can spend some quality time away from my RF infested apartment and roam the world again with one of my portable radios. And I'm leaving my options open to add futher entries in this series when I have the time and have a good scan to offer. Actually, I’m a bit gassed up to take my radios into the countryside after finally getting my 2007 edition of “Passport To World Radio.” I really should have purchased one of these a while ago. In working up these posts it would have saved me a LOT of internet hours stalking station ID’s. While the web is quite an amazing tool for figuring out a reception log (and international broadcasters can and do change frequencies without notice), it’s still much better to have a book like this in front of you when you’re slipping up or down the dial. If you have anything more than a passing interest in shortwave radio it would be a good idea to pick up your own copy of “Passport.”

While I’ve had a lot of fun posting here, it’s been especially rewarding for me personally to publicly delve into my own fascination with DXing. It’s also given purpose to my habit/hobby of recording dial scans, and perhaps along the way I've informed some folks about radio beyond FM, local stations (and the new broadcasting technologies). In over thirty posts I’ve learned a lot and offered some people who will never turn on a shortwave radio (or hunt distant signals out of the atmosphere) a chance to hear what it sounds like to pick up overseas broadcasts the old-fashioned way. And what’s great about this blog (and the way WFMU operates in general) is that all the posts and the accompanying audio will remain available (and subject to search engine hits) for some time to come.

I have yet to find anybody online who is posting realtime dial scans or random shortwave tuning recordings. It’s always baffled me that there isn’t more interest in such things, but through this series I’ve been able to share what I hear with headphones in the middle of the night with you. And it was nice you didn't laugh.

And some of my favorite posts in this series? Well, this one comes to mind right away, where I pulled in foreign language broadcasts from Botswana and Oman and came across an English language clandestine broadcast (“Radio Nile”) from Madagascar supporting Sudanese rebel forces. I always savor coming across sublime Middle-Eastern music via shortwave, and your can hear some extended captures of that kind of thing on these three posts. And in this entry I finally recorded a decent read of Iran’s “Voice of Justice” in English (received in Jersey City!).

As far as medium wave scans, these three posts might be worth checking out. They feature recorded radio from the shore of Lake Michigan a mere two and a half weeks before September 11, 2001, when the biggest story in America was Gary Condit's dead intern. I recall someone on the WFMU message board once accused me of assigning homework in this series. Well, here's an extra credit assignment-- Can you figure out which WFMU air personality was caught by a dial scan recording (under more commercial conditions) which was included in this post of those three? I’ll give you a clue. It’s not Irwin.

Also, if you’re interested in my take on why AM and shortwave broadcasting may be an antique technology but remains a unique and worthy media option, you can read some of my mutant passion along those lines in the first two posts here and here.

As far as other topics I’ve explored in these pages, I believe Air America is going to survive, at least for a while. From what I’ve heard there’s a very likely buyer or two in the wings, and the name and the legacy (such as it is) will prevail, at least into the next year. And yes, thankfully Franken will probably exit AAR very soon. In general, look for Air America to trim down, and become more of a content provider than a radio network. Also it seems that Marc Maron is serious about getting another radio gig. He filled in for Sam Seder December 1 with partner Jim Earls, and it really sounded like they have the desire and hunger to get their program back on the air again. I hope so.

As far as other talk hosts I’ve written about here– Lionel continues to pick up affiliates and ratings conquests. The “Lionel Show” continues to be one of the least predicable talk shows you’ll come across these days and I heartily recommend it. In the NYC area it now runs on WOR (710 AM) from 9 PM until 11 weeknights (with the third hour carried by many affiliates). Free podcasts can still be found here. And as far as the late Mr. Lassiter, fans should keep up with the “Bob Lassiter Airchecks” site. George tells me there’s more radio history to be posted there soon. It’s already quite an extensive archive. Download and enjoy

That'€™s it for now. Thank you for listening, reading, and occasionally adding your comments. Talk to you soon.  

Comments

[steverin0]

I am really disappointed that the series is ending. It was always a high point of my day when a new installment was posted. I want to thank you for witty, insightful writing, for introducing me to the shortwave world and for reintroducing me to the hobby of medium wave dxing. My first experience with receiving radio signals from far-off lands (Texas IS pretty far from Illinois) was when I was probably seven or eight. I was driving in the Chicago area with my father at night in his late-60s Chevy Impala, and we were listening to a station somewhere in the Lone Star State. I remember the thrill that I got, knowing that we were hearing something most people in our area could not. Now, thanks to you and the Degen DE1103 that I purchased on your recommendation, I am experiencing that thrill again. I look forward to your occasional return - thanks again.

[ralph]

I, too, am sorry to see the series coming to an end. I had a blast putting together my contribution, and have recently taken to dragging my Eton E1-XM to the beach with my Kiwa loop with a thought to putting together a post for you with recordings of European mediumwave stations heard here in New Jersey. (I was just at the beach yesterday, in fact, although conditions were such that I didn't hear anything.)

I'm not aware of any current blogs posting recordings, but my friend Myke Weiskopf has a blog that's been dormant for most of 2006 where he was posting invididual receptions (rather than bandscans). I've considered putting together a podcast of such catches, but haven't really had the time....

Anyway, good luck, Professor. I'm sure you'll resurface somewhere, and I look forward to that. :-)

[K.]

So sorry to see you go, P. Your words will be missed.

[Dale Hazelton]

Thanks, Professor, for these posts. I was so excited when the first one appeared here. You resparked interest in dusting off my various sets and giving broadband and shortwave another listen. To me shortwave is another venue/outlet/option for information and music, that sadly most people just will never experience. Hopefully it won't go the way of the dodo if digital broadcasting actually happens. People take radio in general for granted, but no one realizes how people like Edwin Armstrong were regarded for inventing the regenerative circuit. Or how Morse Code operators of the day were considered Gods, pure and simple, and could command a great salary. A good read is "Empire of the Air" (http://www.amazon.com/Empire-Air-Who-Made-Radio/dp/0060182156), I don't know if it has anything to do with the Ken Burns documentary, but at all of a buck and change, it's worthwhile. Hope to hear from you again soon Professor. Best.

[Rufus]

Say it ain't so. Keep coming back with some dial scans when you can - they're one of my favorite things about BotB. Thanks to you, I'm thinking about getting a Degen sometime soon.

[tdevine]

I found this wonderful piece of the WFMU blog a month ago, and have read every single post! I to have turned on shortwave after a long period of hiding it in my closet. I have XM and Sirius, and of course internet radio. But like your posts center around, there is something magical about AM and shortwave DXing. Some of my favorite shortwave stations are WBCQ, WRMI, Radio Cuba (especially when they have latin jazz), Radio Canada, BBC, and interesting enough China Radio International. I listen to each for different reasons, and of course just listen as I find them haha. On AM it's usually the music stations that draw me in. AM-740 is awesome, as is WSM-650. But talkers like WOR (thanks for pointing me to Lionel), WBZ, and WLW keep my attention. All-News radio interests me also, like WCBS and WBBM. Too bad WTOP had to drop of AM, but since I'm in the DC area that's alright.

My radio is mainly a Radio Shack DX-398, but as a amateur radio operator I also other radios with AM/SW capability. Sorry to see the blog dropping off, and hopefully we can read another "AM/Shortwave Radio" Series soon. Cheers, and good DX.

[James W]

Hey Perfesser, sorry to see you go. Like the above commenter, I have read and enjoyed every one of your broadcast and mediumwave band related blogs. They were most certainly something to look forward to every week. You know what's more fun than a barrel of simians? Commencing a bandscan at the very beginning of the Blue Pages (Passport) in the dead of night with snow on the ground in deepest winter in an electrically quiet environment. You might even hear a flea-flicker from Oceania as did I some years back. I already miss your blog. Don't stay away too long now you hear?

[doug]

Professor, you're bumming me out. Your elegant and homespun tales of DX magic have been a wonder to behold, and I will miss your charm.

In other news, I just got my hands on a Redsun RP2100 and it's a sweet little thing. To the skies!

[Janet]

Loved the whole series! Very inspiring -- thanks a lot!

[Susan]

Dear Professor,

I started listening to shortwave a few years back, and I was dismayed by all the "Christan Kooks" as you call them, on the airwaves. And I hate to think that international people are listening to such hate. No wonder they don't like us Americans when they hear stuff like that.

Speaking of mediumwave, I live in New York City and can get a Toronto AM station. Nice.

Susan

[syneloi]

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