Covid-19 lockdown check-in

[The Minsky Moment]

Wiki has a good summary of the state of the state broadcasters, it's pretty brutal: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_shortwave_radio_broadcasters

Losing Radio Netherlands was the biggest blow; they were probably the best in terms of programming and not hard to get to North America.
Canada, Australia, Russia all also gone. 
The big players like DW and RFI still broadcast on SW but far less than they used to.
Romania is still hanging in there though.  They've always been a power in the SW world.  Got to be good at something.

In North America Cuba is still very active on SW and some of the programming is quite good.

[mongers]

Wiki has a good summary of the state of the state broadcasters, it's pretty brutal: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_shortwave_radio_broadcasters

Losing Radio Netherlands was the biggest blow; they were probably the best in terms of programming and not hard to get to North America.
Canada, Australia, Russia all also gone. 
The big players like DW and RFI still broadcast on SW but far less than they used to.
Romania is still hanging in there though.  They've always been a power in the SW world.  Got to be good at something.

In North America Cuba is still very active on SW and some of the programming is quite good.

Thanks, so for a time at least this non-internet form of contact with the outside world is a quite tangible 'connection'.

No doubt a bit of a contrast with your family's and many others previous engagement with the world.

[derspiess]

I took out the old Sony ICF-2010, a mid-80s design that arguably was never matched in a portable.  Picked up Radio Exterior (Spain) from Noblejas  with great reception (they played a Bowie song for some reason)  and a broadcast from the big Saudi transmitter out of Riyadh. 

Unfortunately most of the big state broadcasters are either gone or a lot less active.  Most of the SW signals are dominated by evangelical programs.

Not quite what it used to be then-- dang.  My grandpa was a big radio enthusiast.  He would tune into various SW stations and tell us where the stations were located based on the listings he had.  He didn't speak any foreign languages, but developed a thing for Spanish-language female vocal songs.  When he wanted to scare me he'd tune to the Russian Woodpecker (which we discussed here before) or even worse-- some Russian-language broadcast.  The Russians always sounded so mean & aggressive

[The Larch]

I agreed with my mom to shop this afternoon at the same time in the same supermarket, so it was nice to have some face to face communication, even if at a distance. 

[The Minsky Moment]

Not quite what it used to be then-- dang. 

The last Sony model was the 7600, not quite the radio as the ICF-2010 but a lot more compact. When Sony announced they were halting production a couple years ago and exiting SW entirely I ran over to B&H to grab one.  End of an era.

There are still Chinese manufacturers making decent radios.  Tecsun, Eton and CCrane most notably.

The big thing now in the hobby are software defined radios that connect to a PC.  Usually with a much broader available spectrum, monitoring and recording options etc.

[derspiess]

My handheld is a cheap off-brand I got from Woot.  But it picked up enough stations to keep me busy.

[derspiess]

Gov. DeWine is signing an order to allow restaurants to do mixed drinks (and I guess wine and beer as well) to go or for delivery.  Limit 2 per meal.

[DGuller]

Gov. DeWine is signing an order to allow restaurants to do mixed drinks (and I guess wine and beer as well) to go or for delivery.  Limit 2 per meal.

I'm sure his last name is completely coincidental.

[mongers]

Not quite what it used to be then-- dang. 

The last Sony model was the 7600, not quite the radio as the ICF-2010 but a lot more compact. When Sony announced they were halting production a couple years ago and exiting SW entirely I ran over to B&H to grab one.  End of an era.

There are still Chinese manufacturers making decent radios.  Tecsun, Eton and CCrane most notably.

The big thing now in the hobby are software defined radios that connect to a PC.  Usually with a much broader available spectrum, monitoring and recording options etc.

That sony radio of yours looks like the bees knees.

I should certainly look into the SDFs, just need to get rid of other stuff on the list.

[Admiral Yi]

Gov. DeWine is signing an order to allow restaurants to do mixed drinks (and I guess wine and beer as well) to go or for delivery.  Limit 2 per meal.

O-hio!

[KRonn]

A lot of people out walking in my neighborhood, more so than usual. People very friendly even if they don't know each other. We all keep our distance of course. Seems like a camaraderie to some extent, we're all in this together.  I do know all my neighbors anyway, and when we talk we've asked if we can do anything for each other, food or supplies.

[mongers]

A lot of people out walking in my neighborhood, more so than usual. People very friendly even if they don't know each other. We all keep our distance of course. Seems like a camaraderie to some extent, we're all in this together.  I do know all my neighbors anyway, and when we talk we've asked if we can do anything for each other, food or supplies.

KRonn, I was just about to post something along the lines of the camaraderie you describe.

Here in this modest small market town of 10,000 people I come and go, unnoticed and largely anonymous, but because there's much less traffic about and nearly everyone is abiding by the social distancing rules, I've noticed a need for people to acknowledge each other, especially as they exchange courtesies over establishing the 6 ft distance from each other.

So people are saying hello to me as I cycle or walk by, I find myself exchange thumbs ups with other walkers, fishermen, car drives as we give each other due distance on the little roads hereabouts.

This evening on a short trip into town, to see the shop opening times for the next few days and be able to plan tomorrow hunter-gathering expedition, I came across a guy walking his dog on the other side of the road and we exchanged a few words about "the strange world we're now living in."

Strange times.

[PDH]

Gov. DeWine is signing an order to allow restaurants to do mixed drinks (and I guess wine and beer as well) to go or for delivery.  Limit 2 per meal.

Pfft, Newsom passed that in the early days of the Shelter in Place here.  What good is delivery without a couple of stiff cocktails?

[KRonn]

A lot of people out walking in my neighborhood, more so than usual. People very friendly even if they don't know each other. We all keep our distance of course. Seems like a camaraderie to some extent, we're all in this together.  I do know all my neighbors anyway, and when we talk we've asked if we can do anything for each other, food or supplies.

KRonn, I was just about to post something along the lines of the camaraderie you describe.

Here in this modest small market town of 10,000 people I come and go, unnoticed and largely anonymous, but because there's much less traffic about and nearly everyone is abiding by the social distancing rules, I've noticed a need for people to acknowledge each other, especially as they exchange courtesies over establishing the 6 ft distance from each other.

So people are saying hello to me as I cycle or walk by, I find myself exchange thumbs ups with other walkers, fishermen, car drives as we give each other due distance on the little roads hereabouts.

This evening on a short trip into town, to see the shop opening times for the next few days and be able to plan tomorrow hunter-gathering expedition, I came across a guy walking his dog on the other side of the road and we exchanged a few words about "the strange world we're now living in."

Strange times.

Very nice, isn't it? It's an attitude of working together, looking out for each other. Innovative things as today I saw a bunch of cars at my neighbor's  house. Parents with kids with happy birthday signs going off to another kid's house to wish happy birthday. Everyone keeping their distance while getting together. Finding ways for the kids to socialize a bit while doing it safely.

[derspiess]

Gov. DeWine is signing an order to allow restaurants to do mixed drinks (and I guess wine and beer as well) to go or for delivery.  Limit 2 per meal.

Pfft, Newsom passed that in the early days of the Shelter in Place here.  What good is delivery without a couple of stiff cocktails?

I know, but we have a full bar here to work with. In any case, the wife is stoked and doesn't know where she wants to order from first