Welcome
First off we want to thank you for joining us. Be sure to get on our SWLWSL.Com Zello Channel and join the conversation. Everything you see here will continually be updated as we learn more and try more. We are not experts but we have been around radio and tech for over 35 years. We like pushing the boundaries with comms and tech so things you learn hear could be a game changer for you if you were not one who thinks outside the box.
SWL used to me – get a radio and start tuning in broadcasts – add them to your journal and get satisfaction out of hitting those long distance stations. Well today with SWL tools and Apps and web tech we can not only hear those signals we can also hear Digital signals & we can – Decode / report / Spot & watch real time on a map / Send and receive QSL cards to people we pick up and decode!
To me that’s super exciting and I hope it is to you as well. We will give you as much info as we can on how to do this and if any of you come up with anything lets chat because we know that now that Tech has caught up with radio – These Are Exciting Times.
CJ Henderson VK2021SWL / WRYG735 owner SWLQSL.Com Scroll down to Let’s Get Digital!
NOTE:
To Our GMRS Digital People Using PSK Reporter May Conflict With FCC Rules – If You List Your Station in Psk Reporter With Your GMRS Call Sign. We Suggest Have A FREE SWL Call Sign www.swarl.org We Believe GMRS Call Signs On The Service Is Not What The System Was Made For As No Digital Modes Are On GMRS!
Ok you have come this far might as well join us on our FB page.. We have set up a page where you can post up QSL cards awards and if you try any projects that you think people may want to try here is the place to get it seen.. We only ask that you keep it all about radio or 4GLTE radio / Network radio.. No selling – no hate or racism or discrimination just radio lets make this a fun and challenging place for real radio people to gather – Here is the link enjoy! https://www.facebook.com/digital.radio.club
Join or 4GLTE Zello Channel:
FREE to all members – your choice of comms for this are -#1 Your phone just download the app and then follow instructions on how to join #2 Use a tablet with a Bluetooth Mic nice way to set up a home base or purchase one off Amazon or Ali Express for a few hundred.
We have the ANYSECU A970S 4G Zello Radio POC Push to Talk Unlocked Mobile Phone Work with Real PTT ZELLO Its $275 AUD – NOTE: We chose it because we plan on getting our Ham license and this radio will do DMR / Echolink / DroidStar and no need to buy a Hotspot.
To Join click here – Read Carefully – https://swlqsl.com/slwqsl-zello-channel/
EQSL this is a must for serious SWL’s and will enhance your SWL experience with many of the digital modes we use and enjoy. We have many projects where your eQSL card will come in handy especially communicating with other radio people & HAM operators. Above you can read replies we get from HAM operators that are glad we are listening.
Many HAMs are SWL fans – we also record some of their transmissions on our YouTube Channel so that they can really see when we heard or decoded them in real time. eQSL – Gives SWL operators an eDX Award – you receive this when you receive QSL’s from 25 – 50 – 75 – 100 countries. We give you an IDX award on SWLQSL when you reach each stage. Currently VK2021SWL I have 50 countries 25 more to my next award! CLICK SLIDE BELOW TO SEE IDX
This is what we mean by tech making the hobby even more exciting and interactive! Only $12 a year it’s a good investment in our hobby. NOTE: eQSL Tips Slide Presentation – https://swlqsl.com/eqsl-tips/
Choosing a radio is pretty important and depending on what you want to do in this hobby it’s a major decision. In the above photo of what I have (Me Personally) You Have To Set Your Own Limits On Equipment! My Radios Currently Are:
#1 XHDATA D-808 shortwave radio which is a totally awesome radio – air band – MW-LW-Upper Lower SSB – FM this thing does it all and USB charging we love it when it was new $110 AUD we picked it up for.
#2 Because I am going for my HAM license I am ordering the IC-705 I like being portable and the features for running digital modes with this radio are insane. I can also use it in the house as a base – it covers the entire Ham band & Air & built in GPS & 70cm / 2meter band it’s a not bad long term investment at $1,900 AUD works for me as I cannot put up antenna’s or towers in my area I operate stealth!
#3 The RTL-SDR Dongle is the MOST POWERFUL RADIO I OWN PERIOD!! As a full time SWL person all the decoding of digital modes are done with this dongle – I can use it with my laptop & antenna or my tablet and antenna cost $90 AUD – I Have 2 just to be safe I never want to be without it! My antenna for the house is MLA 30+ Loop Antenna around $90 (check Amazon)
For the RTL-SDR Dongle Buy From Here Don’t Get A Fake You Will Be Disappointed Like Me LOL before I knew there was a difference I got a fake and was not a happy camper…. This is the true one here – https://www.rtl-sdr.com/buy-rtl-sdr-dvb-t-dongles/
This thing can:
If This Excites You Get Ready To Have Some Fun!
Propagation
Understanding the effects of varying conditions on radio propagation has many practical applications, from choosing frequencies for amateur radio communications, international shortwave broadcasters, to designing reliable mobile telephone systems, to radio navigation, to operation of radar systems. It affects our signals we can pick up and the distances we can hear things as well.
WHAT IS PSK REPORTER IN AMATEUR RADIO?
PSK stands for phase shift keying modulation. It is a digital amateur radio mode most commonly used in HF and sometimes at higher frequencies. PSK Reporter is an amateur radio signal reporting and spotting network.
The website https://pskreporter.info/ was started by Philip J Gladstone, N1DQ in 2014. It is named as “Digimode Automatic Propagation Reporter”. The website shows a dynamic map of the world where the receivers and transmitters of PSK are at any given moment. It allows amateur radio operators to see where their signals are being received. Though it supports other digital modes as well, most of the traffic currently registered are from. We Use It With Many Modes – Works Alongside or HDSDR / WSJT-X give it a go…
NOTE: To Our GMRS SWL FAns if you use PSK Reporter To Test Your Antennas You Need To Be Aware Your Station Shows Up On PSK Reporter & Everyone Can See It. To Make Sure You Are Not Breaking Any GMRS FCC Rules We Suggest Use A FREE SWL Call Sign Just To Be Safe. Psk Reporter is for digital radio and GMRS does not use Digital Modes!
APPS For Those Going Small – Just A Tablet & Radio
This is where tech has caught up with radio – we will start listing here some of the cool tools you can use in the field with just a radio and tablet. Before we upped our game this was how we did digital FT8 and we exported the contacts to our email then sent QSL cards out to the operators we picked up. We used to put our videos of this up on our YouTube & a few Hams would check it out and send me comments! Let us know what you do and if you find something we have not tried yet always let us know so we can add it. Contact Via our Channel or Private FB Group Links Top Of Website!
- MMSSTV https://swlqsl.com/listing/sstv-via-a-handheld-radio-and-phone-app/
- DroidRTTY– https://swlqsl.com/listing/droidrtty-app-for-ham-radio/
- FT8 On The Go – https://swlqsl.com/listing/ft8-on-the-go-app/
- DroidPSK – https://swlqsl.com/listing/droispsk-app-for-ham-radio/
- CW Morse Code Apps – https://swlqsl.com/cw-the-original-digital-mode/
- DMR Listen Globally On The Go https://swlqsl.com/listing/listen-to-dmr-globally-easily-with-brandmeister-hoseline/
Here we will keep updating as we try and find new things to enhance your digital experience. The main thing is to be able to do as many things as we can without internet and on the go. True we use some websites for reporting but most of the resources we try to put out work off grid!
- FT8 – WSPR JT4 MSK144 Echo – Using WSJT-X & how to set your station online to be seen globally and in real time see how far your antenna is picking up signals. Go Here To Get Started: https://swlqsl.com/ft8-wsjt-x/
- Off Grid JS8Call Listening – Decoding With No Internet: https://swlqsl.com/listing/js8call-decoding-off-grid/
- Aircraft Radar Tracking – Receive plane info air speed / destinations / altitude & more – https://swlqsl.com/listing/aircraft-tracking/
- Decode DMR & P25 This one is cool good luck – https://swlqsl.com/listing/decoding-dmr-with-rtlsdr-dongle/
- Decoding GPS & Launch Your Own Tiny Ground Station For Tracking Low Earth Orbit Satellites (Great Fun) – https://swlqsl.com/listing/tinygs-satellite-tracking-station/
- Did You Ever Hear A Digital Mode & Wonder Which One It Is? Hope This Helps – https://swlqsl.com/digital-signal-sounds/
- VB Audio Cables – For many of the digital modes you will need VB cables to get your device to talk to your computer – You can download VB Cable from https://vb-audio.com/Cable/
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