The Eton Satellit; is it any good? Moving on to ABC Northern Territories 2325 kHz...

Hi there, wonderful to copy a signal from Tennant Creek on ABC's lowest shortwave band frequency - and one for which the use of SYNC and SSB was appropriate, as a test of those functions and to maximise discernibility. The audio quality on SYNC doesn't seem as clear on the Eton as it does on the Sony ICF-2001D, but it does work, as does SSB. Having said that, a data set of one reception video using SYNC isn't statistically significant, so definitely more to come before my mind is made up. 

It's worth remembering that simply hearing ABC Northern Territories on 120 metres with this little Eton is amazing, given it's (unfair) reputation, thus I certainly wasn't expecting such great things from it! 

Recorded at the woods in Oxford UK on 22/01/17 at 18:56 hrs UTC using a 50 metre longwire. Thanks for watching.

The Eton Satellit; is it any good? Rádio Nacional de Angola 4950 kHz...wonderfully clear signal

Hi there, my clearest reception of Angola to date, using a 50 metre longwire and another vindication of this excellent portable receiver. Rádio Nacional de Angola can be a very challenging DX target, particularly at home, where more often than not, modulation is very low and thus discernible audio difficult to capture. Here on a DXpedition, the Eton really pulls in a strong signal with very clear audio and again, I wasn't anticipating such strong performance. Recorded at the woods in Oxford UK on 22/01/17 at 19:17 hrs UTC using a 50 metre longwire. Thanks for watching.

The Eton Satellit; is it any good? Let's start with ABC Northern Territories on 120 metres...

Hi there, the Eton Satellit has had mixed reviews since it's launch, with particular focus on poor SYNC audio and inferior raw sensitivity - at least when compared to it's older, bigger 'Satellit' siblings. As a result, some hobbyists and commentators have questioned whether it's even worthy of the 'Satellit' branding.

As most of you know, I own some very capable portable receivers and on the basis of what I recorded with the Eton over the weekend, in terms of raw sensitivity, this little radio might be up there with the very best portable radios ever made. Here is wonderful reception of ABC Northern Territories from Katherine on 120 metres, which tops all of my previous receptions. If the Eton can do this, then clearly it isn't suffering from intrinsic poor sensitivity and I would need convincing that a vintage Satellit would be much more capable. 

More videos to come to further demonstrate the sensitivity and various other aspects of the Eton's performance. Recorded at the woods in Oxford UK on 22/01/17 at 18:52 hrs UTC using a 50 metre longwire. Thanks for watching. PS Goodbye to ABC on shortwave, you'll be missed.

MW DX with 200 m Beverage: WTAM 1100 kHz, Cleveland, Ohio (presumed)

Hi there, although no ID is heard from this US news broadcast, WTAM is the most likely candidate with a 24/7 TX power of 50 kW on 1100 kHz. This would have been a PF if identified, so a pleasing catch nevertheless. Thanks to Matthias for his input. Recorded in Oxford UK on 10/10/16 at 02:00 hrs UTC using an Elad FDM DUO. Thanks for watching.

Sony ICF-SW77 vs ICF-SW55 vs Tecsun PL-310ET: Rádio Clube do Pará 4885 kHz, Brazil

Hi there, another station that can often be quite difficult to hear well in Europe, particularly indoors, but one which the Sonys manage to copy ok. Although clearly struggling again with this weak signal, the Tecsun PL-310ET actually produces some audio, so job well done. Recorded in Oxford UK on 29/12/16 at 22:05 hrs UTC using a Wellbrook ALA1530 active loop antenna. Thanks for watching.

 

MW DX with 200 metre Beverage: CKAC 730 kHz Montreal, Quebec, heard in Oxford, UK

Only the second time I'd copied CKAC, the first being an hour earlier on the same morning. Again, tricky to hear well because of adjacent QRM, but the Elad mostly deals with it very well in USB. Recorded on 10/10/16 at 02:57 hrs UTC using an ELAD FDM DUO. Thanks for watching.

MW DX with 200 m Beverage: WUNR Brookline, 1600 kHz, Newton, Massachusetts

Hi there, only the second time I've copied WUNR, so nice to catch them on the Beverage. A difficult signal to hear well due to severe adjacent channel QRM, but that's where the Elad and it's myriad of filtering options comes into it's own. Recorded in Oxford UK on 10/10/16 at 02:59 hrs UTC using an Elad FDM DUO. Thanks for watching.

My latest post on SWLing Post....

DXpedition antenna testing: the Bonito Boni whip and a 240 metre barbed wire fence

240 metre barbed wire fence vs Boni whip: Voice of Africa 9505 kHz, Sudan..the whip wins yet again!

Hi there, the Boni whip does it again, delivering a stronger signal than the barbed wire fence with this signal from Sudan. My £100 investment is starting to look like a good deal now! Recorded in Oxford UK using a Sony ICF-SW55 receiver on 14/01/17 at 16:44 hrs UTC. Thanks for watching.

240 metre barbed wire fence versus Boni whip : AIR National Channel 9380 kHz..the whip wins again!

Hi there, the whip trounces the barbed wire fence again, this time the target is the signal from All India Radio National Channel on 9380 kHz (TX Aligarh, 250 KW). Very nice to see the whip coming into it's own on a DXpedition! Recorded in Oxford UK on 14/01/17 at 16:39 hrs UTC using a Sony ICF-SW55 recevier. More videos in this series to come. Thanks for watching.

Bonito Boni whip versus 240 metre barbed wire fence: Voice of Indonesia 9525 kHz

Hi there, this is the first in a series of tests comparing the effectiveness of the 240 metre barbed wire fence as an antenna, to the very compact Bonito Boni whip. Whilst the fence delivers some very respectable DX with the Tecsun PL-310ET, in this reception video there is only one winner - the Boni whip. Great to finally demonstrate excellent performance of the whip on a DXpedition and for me personally, quite surprising as to how much stronger the signal from Indonesia was on the whip. Recorded in Oxford UK on 14/01/17 at 16:28 hrs UTC using a Sony ICF-SW55 recevier. More videos in this series to come. Thanks for watching.

Ready to start testing the Bonito Boni whip out in the field

Hi there, a short video to share my completed set up of the Boni whip out in the field. Sony ICF-SW55 clipped to the barbed wire fence. Reception videos to follow. Thanks for watching.

My latest upload to SWLing Post...

Urban DXing: testing the Bonito Boni whip against a 30 metre longwire & the Wellbrook ALA15030

Setting up to compare the Bonito Boni whip performance to a 240 metre barbed wire fence

Hi there, I thought this would be an interesting experiment. Having established the effectiveness of the whip against the Wellbrook ALA1530 active loop and a 30 metre longwire in an urban environment, I turned my thoughts to how it would perform in a quiet location, up against one of my established ad-hoc antennas! A further test in the woods will follow, but for now, here is my DXing set up for comparing the whip to the barbed wire fence!. The results which are to follow, are quite surprising. Thanks for watching.

Urban DX antenna test #5: Comparing 30 metre longwire to Boni whip on LW

Hi there, here is the fifth and final video in this series comparing the Bonito Boni whip to a 30 metre longwire in an urban environment. This time the target signal is Polski Radio on 225 kHz longwave and finally the Boni whip produces clearer audio than the longwire. Despite a significant increase in noise floor, the SNR appears to improve a little. The Wellbrook reception at the end of the video is a final calibration as to what is possible with an H field antenna in a noisy urban environment. Thanks for watching.

Urban DX antenna test #4: Comparing 30 metre longwire to Boni whip on MW

Hi there, here is a comparison of the longwire and Boni whip on medium wave. Watch how the signal from CFRB Newstalk 1010 Toronto 1010 kHz is buried under noise with both, until it miraculously appears at the end of the video when the Wellbrook is connected. What can you say? In a QRM-laden environment, neither a longwire or Boni whip is going to deliver serious DX. The H field Wellbrook, however, does the business. One more video in this series to come, with an example on LW, where the situation is a little different, then on to a comparison in the field between the whip and barbed wire fence...also interesting results! Thanks for watching.

Sony ICF-SW77 vs ICF-SW55 vs Tecsun PL-310ET: Radio Aparecida 11855 kHz, Brazil

Hi there, my best reception of Radio Aparecida to-date on the ICF-SW77, although I didn't realise at the time! The ICF-SW55 also performs very well, particularly on the narrow audio bandwidth filter, however, the Tecsun (understandably) struggles with this weak signal, but I think brief audio is heard once the narrowest filter has been selected. Recorded in Oxford UK on 29/12/16 at 20:29 hrs UTC using a Wellbrook ALA1530 active loop antenna. Thanks for watching.

Urban DX antenna test #3: Comparing 30 metre longwire to Boni whip

Hi there, the third reception video in this series of tests, comparing the Bonito Boni whip with a 30 metre longwire in an urban environment and then, as usual, a check on how the signal is heard with the Wellbrook ALA1530. In this example of the signal from Myanmar Radio 5985 kHz, there is no audio with either the longwire or Boni whip, only the ALA1530 manages to resolve some audio from their weak modulation. A LW and MW example to come, where, in one instance, the Boni whip prevails against the longwire. Conclusion: on SW, there is no advantage to the whip over a longwire, but no disadvantage either. Thanks for watching.

 

Urban DX antenna test #2: Comparing 30 metre longwire to Boni whip

Hi there, the second comparison video in this series, this time using the large signal from CRI on 6020 kHz. Again, there's little difference in SNR performance between the 30 metre longwire and Boni whip. More to come. Thanks for watching.

 

Urban DX antenna test #1: Comparing 30 metre longwire to Boni whip

Hi there, following my one-on-one tests of the Bonito Boni whip and Wellbrook ALA1530, it became very apparent quite quickly and perhaps not unexpectedly that the Bonito E field antenna couldn't get near the performance of the Wellbrook. That led me to plan another set of tests out at the 'DX' woods and check the performance delta in a very quiet environment. In the meantime, a number of friends and fellows expressed an interest in compariing the Boni whip to a cheap piece of wire, so here is the first of a series of reception videos doing just that, with a final check of the signal at the end using the Wellbrook. The signal is Radio Nacional Brazilia 6180 kHz and I think you'll agree there's no difference to the audio obtained with the longwire or whip, only the Wellbrook produces something half reasonable on what was a night of very poor reception conditions. Hope you enjoy it.