The Media Network Vintage Vault 2024-2025

MN.07.03.1996. The AOR 7030 Review

·32 min·3 clips

While your friends are out having fun, you're alone listening to shortwave—discover what exciting hotspots they're missing.

The episode opens with a direct address to shortwave listeners, contrasting their solitary hobby with others' social lives. It begins with news updates, debunking an internet rumor about BBC World Service splitting its English service while confirming a £13 million efficiency review. The show moves to Belgium, where Radio Vlaanderen Internationale is participating in a NATO exercise with special military broadcasts. A new book, 'Who's Who in British Radio' by Paul Rusling, is promoted. Listener Tim Hendel, who is blind, provides feedback on the Sony ICF-1000T review and requests accessibility criteria for future reviews. An interview with Michael Cummins details a unique St. Patrick's Day shortwave project from County Mayo, Ireland, broadcasting in six languages including Irish to Europe and North America using hired 250 kW transmitters. The main segment is a comprehensive review of the AOR 7030 receiver, tested in Northern Finland, Hilversum, and a Dutch lab. The review praises its design and features but criticizes its synchronous detection mode for increasing audio distortion and notes discrepancies in manufacturer specifications. It compares pricing in Europe and North America, advising listeners to consider alternatives. The episode concludes with tuning suggestions from Arthur Cushon in New Zealand, reporting blocked broadcasts in Fiji and Cook Islands, Maori protests affecting Radio New Zealand station sales, and frequency changes. A propagation report from Mike Bird in Melbourne notes quiet solar activity with expected coronal hole activity.

As heard by us

A measured AOR 7030 review set against BBC World Service news, listener mail, and shortwave conditions.

Media Network frames the AOR 7030 review as part of a news-led shortwave hour, opening with BBC World Service's efficiency review and Radio Vlaanderen Internationale's NATO peacekeeping cooperation in Belgium, then moving through listener mail from Auckland and the earlier…

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Why you'd press play

If you like shortwave gossip with a fact check, this is for you.

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