The recent temporary failure of an Inmarsat satellite serving the Pacific, has forced commercial aircraft to rely on the backup HF communications system used between air traffic controllers and pilots over the Pacific.

On April 16 the satellite began experiencing a service outage affecting aircraft transiting through the North and South Pacific Major World Air Route Areas (MWARA).

Increased traffic was heard on 5643, 8867, 13261, 17904 kHz in the South Pacific (San Francisco, Auckland, Brisbane, Nadi, Tahiti and 5628, 6655, 8951, 10048, 13339, 17946 and 21925 kHz in the North Pacific (San Francisco, Tokyo) areas. All frequencies listed are USB.

The services did not fully recover until April 21. The satellite had experienced a previous failure in 2008 and is 5 years past the predicted operational lifetime. Bearing this in mind, enthusiasts may discover increased HF traffic during this period of satellite uncertainty, proving that HF radio is far from obsolete.

 A celebration of how amateur radio has been serving people for over 100 years.

With over 3 million radio amateurs worldwide this day is the perfect time to tune in and connect with fellow hobbyists.

Date: Tuesday, April 18, 2023

Time : All Day

This year’s theme is “Human Security for All, HS4A” 

The theme is born from a first time partnership between the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security and the World Academy of Art and Science in conjunction with IARU, in a campaign to highlight the role that amateur radio plays in addressing the world’s most pressing needs.

Human Security measures security at the individual level. First introduced by the U.N. in 1994, the concept identifies seven interrelated dimensions of security that are essential to an individual’s wellbeing: economic, food, health, environmental, personal, community, and political.

The partners believe Amateur Radio is uniquely positioned to address people-centered, context-specific security challenges by promoting technical knowledge, practical skills, innovative technology, and the deployment of backup systems at the community level that can be called upon in times of emergency. The pandemic, climate change, natural disasters, and armed conflicts on several continents undermine our security, and respect no boundaries. Amateur Radio has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to address human security needs. It is a truly global communications medium comprising some three million radio enthusiasts connecting communities and the peoples of the world.

Every year on April 18, Radio Amateurs worldwide take to the airwaves in celebration of Amateur Radio Day. This year the IARU and its member-societies will be conducting a special two-week on-the-air event 11–25 April. Special event stations will be operating from around the world, making two-way radio contacts to call attention to the HS4A campaign. There are a number of stations involved.

Simply click this link to participate https://hs4a.iaru.org/,to read more and participate,  look for the blue participate button on the top right of the page and register.

We would love to hear if you are planning to participate.

Products we recommend for this event are the XIEGU G90 HF Transceiver, our HF Amateur Radio Dipole Antenna, and of course, our ultra-comfortable TRA communications headphones, so you can block out the world and improve your listening comfort!

 

 

 

We have received some extraordinary footage all the way from an Argentinian Antarctic base. Penguins enjoying some music being played in this very remote location from a Tecsun Radio.

In an all white landscape, typically quiet apart from the sound of cracking ice, distant seals and penguins honking.

Alejandro LU8YD captured some penguins being entertained by some music broadcast from the local FM station LRA36 Radio Nacional Arcangel San Gabriel, using his Tecsun PL360.

They have named this footage “Pinguino”. It’s interesting to see the penguins gather around and listen to this music while preening themselves and relaxing.

This a reminder of how radio is used around the world, often in extremely remote locations as a source of information and entertainment, even for the penguins!

In a time where the news cycle can be on a constant negative cycle, we thought we would share this fun little snapshot from Antarctica! 

The radio you are seeing in this video is a PL360. Here at Tecsun Radios Australia, we have recently introduced the new upgraded version of this radio, The Tecsun PL-368 DSP Handheld HF SSB Receiver with Synchronous Detection, you can read all about it here.

Speaking of Antarctica, We are excited to announce that Tecsun Radios Australia will donate shortwave radios to the Argentine Antarctic Base.

The Esperanza Antarctic base was founded in 1952 and has approximately 65 people living year-round. There are approximately 8 families with their children and a school with three levels of education. Each family has its own independent house. Scientific activities are carried out in cooperation with other countries. LRA36 is a station created in 1979 and broadcasts on shortwave on 15476 KHz USB, FM on 96.7 MHz, and streaming.

The place is located next to Caleta Choza in Bahia Esperanza north of the Antarctic Peninsula.

Tecsun Radios Australia will supply a range of Tecsun radios to those living at the Argentinian Esperanza Antarctic Base as part of an investigation into DX propagation and MW/SW monitoring in a low noise environment.

We will be supplying a mixture of PL-365s, PL880s, and other models to this community to be used in schools, family homes, communal dining rooms, warehouses, and power plants.

We expect we will receive some details on what shortwave reception is like from down there.

We look forward to sharing with you more details as to how these are put to use once they arrive at the base community.