Chris Smolinski W3HFU
@hfunderground.com
Software, mostly radio, also audio. Radio, mostly pirate and shortwave. Ask me about genealogy or lowcarb/keto at your own risk.
Chief bit mangler at https://www.blackcatsystems.com/
I also run a little site known as hfunderground.com
Chief bit mangler at https://www.blackcatsystems.com/
I also run a little site known as hfunderground.com
Shortwave pirate radio station Sternradio is on 6960 AM with a very good signal here in Westminster MD USA at 2109 UTC. They recently sent a waterfall ID, then went back to playing music.
www.hfunderground.com/board/index....
www.hfunderground.com/board/index....
January 2, 2026 at 9:10 PM
Shortwave pirate radio station Sternradio is on 6960 AM with a very good signal here in Westminster MD USA at 2109 UTC. They recently sent a waterfall ID, then went back to playing music.
www.hfunderground.com/board/index....
www.hfunderground.com/board/index....
Perfect for a cold winter day - a bowl of homemade French onion soup.
January 2, 2026 at 8:12 PM
Perfect for a cold winter day - a bowl of homemade French onion soup.
Good news! We're just 20-30 years away from fusion reactors. Bad news! We've been 20-30 years away from fusion reactors for the past 75 years.
January 2, 2026 at 5:15 PM
Good news! We're just 20-30 years away from fusion reactors. Bad news! We've been 20-30 years away from fusion reactors for the past 75 years.
Box 272 of my quest/personal challenge to build complete Liberty and Buffalo nickel collections just from circulation via coin roll hunting.
Another fun box! I found a Buffalo nickel I needed: semi key 1913-D Type 2, after acid dating. I also found a 1943-S silver war nickel...
Another fun box! I found a Buffalo nickel I needed: semi key 1913-D Type 2, after acid dating. I also found a 1943-S silver war nickel...
January 2, 2026 at 4:47 PM
Box 272 of my quest/personal challenge to build complete Liberty and Buffalo nickel collections just from circulation via coin roll hunting.
Another fun box! I found a Buffalo nickel I needed: semi key 1913-D Type 2, after acid dating. I also found a 1943-S silver war nickel...
Another fun box! I found a Buffalo nickel I needed: semi key 1913-D Type 2, after acid dating. I also found a 1943-S silver war nickel...
Yes, we were mostly left to our own devices. They literally had to run PSAs on TV reminding parents they had children and might want to find out where they were.
January 1, 2026 at 10:53 PM
Yes, we were mostly left to our own devices. They literally had to run PSAs on TV reminding parents they had children and might want to find out where they were.
It won't take long to install my new window shade...
January 1, 2026 at 9:11 PM
It won't take long to install my new window shade...
Box 271 of my quest/personal challenge to build complete Liberty and Buffalo nickel collections just from circulation via coin roll hunting.
Hat trick! 1910 Liberty nickel, 1918 (after acid dating) Buffalo nickel, and 1943-P silver war nickel. Also a penny...
Hat trick! 1910 Liberty nickel, 1918 (after acid dating) Buffalo nickel, and 1943-P silver war nickel. Also a penny...
January 1, 2026 at 4:34 PM
Box 271 of my quest/personal challenge to build complete Liberty and Buffalo nickel collections just from circulation via coin roll hunting.
Hat trick! 1910 Liberty nickel, 1918 (after acid dating) Buffalo nickel, and 1943-P silver war nickel. Also a penny...
Hat trick! 1910 Liberty nickel, 1918 (after acid dating) Buffalo nickel, and 1943-P silver war nickel. Also a penny...
Box 270 of my quest/personal challenge to build complete Liberty and Buffalo nickel collections just from circulation via coin roll hunting.
Zilch. Nada. Nothing...
Zilch. Nada. Nothing...
December 31, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Box 270 of my quest/personal challenge to build complete Liberty and Buffalo nickel collections just from circulation via coin roll hunting.
Zilch. Nada. Nothing...
Zilch. Nada. Nothing...
A few of the 11 meter freeband SSTV images I received yesterday on 27700 USB here in Westminster MD USA with a dipole antenna, #Airspy Discovery SDR receiver, and decoded with my Black Cat SSTV app for Windows & macOS.
www.blackcatsystems.com/software/sst...
www.blackcatsystems.com/software/sst...
December 31, 2025 at 11:30 AM
A few of the 11 meter freeband SSTV images I received yesterday on 27700 USB here in Westminster MD USA with a dipole antenna, #Airspy Discovery SDR receiver, and decoded with my Black Cat SSTV app for Windows & macOS.
www.blackcatsystems.com/software/sst...
www.blackcatsystems.com/software/sst...
Two recently received #eQSL cards from shortwave pirate radio station Valley Girl Radio for their recent Christmas Show broadcasts - thanks!
December 30, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Two recently received #eQSL cards from shortwave pirate radio station Valley Girl Radio for their recent Christmas Show broadcasts - thanks!
Box 269 of my quest/personal challenge to build complete Liberty and Buffalo nickel collections just from circulation via coin roll hunting.
This was a fun box. Nothing I needed, but I found a semi key 1939-S, a 1943-S silver war nickel, a 1947-S with some steps still visible...
This was a fun box. Nothing I needed, but I found a semi key 1939-S, a 1943-S silver war nickel, a 1947-S with some steps still visible...
December 30, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Box 269 of my quest/personal challenge to build complete Liberty and Buffalo nickel collections just from circulation via coin roll hunting.
This was a fun box. Nothing I needed, but I found a semi key 1939-S, a 1943-S silver war nickel, a 1947-S with some steps still visible...
This was a fun box. Nothing I needed, but I found a semi key 1939-S, a 1943-S silver war nickel, a 1947-S with some steps still visible...
Box 268 of my quest/personal challenge to build complete Liberty and Buffalo nickel collections just from circulation via coin roll hunting.
I found a 1937 Buffalo nickel, two Bermuda nickels, and a George VI Canadian nickel - they rarely turn up here. And it was an ender! ...
I found a 1937 Buffalo nickel, two Bermuda nickels, and a George VI Canadian nickel - they rarely turn up here. And it was an ender! ...
December 29, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Box 268 of my quest/personal challenge to build complete Liberty and Buffalo nickel collections just from circulation via coin roll hunting.
I found a 1937 Buffalo nickel, two Bermuda nickels, and a George VI Canadian nickel - they rarely turn up here. And it was an ender! ...
I found a 1937 Buffalo nickel, two Bermuda nickels, and a George VI Canadian nickel - they rarely turn up here. And it was an ender! ...
Box 267 of my quest/personal challenge to build complete Liberty and Buffalo nickel collections just from circulation via coin roll hunting.
I found a 1925 Buffalo nickel, a 1943-P silver war nickel, a 1 franc from Belgium, and a Canadian nickel...
I found a 1925 Buffalo nickel, a 1943-P silver war nickel, a 1 franc from Belgium, and a Canadian nickel...
December 28, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Box 267 of my quest/personal challenge to build complete Liberty and Buffalo nickel collections just from circulation via coin roll hunting.
I found a 1925 Buffalo nickel, a 1943-P silver war nickel, a 1 franc from Belgium, and a Canadian nickel...
I found a 1925 Buffalo nickel, a 1943-P silver war nickel, a 1 franc from Belgium, and a Canadian nickel...
Box 266 of my quest/personal challenge to build complete Liberty and Buffalo nickel collections just from circulation via coin roll hunting.
I found a 1936-D Buffalo nickel, which I needed! Also a 1943-P silver war nickel, and four (a record for a box) proofs...
I found a 1936-D Buffalo nickel, which I needed! Also a 1943-P silver war nickel, and four (a record for a box) proofs...
December 27, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Box 266 of my quest/personal challenge to build complete Liberty and Buffalo nickel collections just from circulation via coin roll hunting.
I found a 1936-D Buffalo nickel, which I needed! Also a 1943-P silver war nickel, and four (a record for a box) proofs...
I found a 1936-D Buffalo nickel, which I needed! Also a 1943-P silver war nickel, and four (a record for a box) proofs...
You search muddy fields, I search boxes of rolls of coins. In the last nickel box I searched, one of the rolls had a dime, and another had a cardboard disc :)
(The 1943 nickel top left was minted during WWII, the USA used silver during the war as the nickel was needed for the war effort)
(The 1943 nickel top left was minted during WWII, the USA used silver during the war as the nickel was needed for the war effort)
December 27, 2025 at 1:11 PM
You search muddy fields, I search boxes of rolls of coins. In the last nickel box I searched, one of the rolls had a dime, and another had a cardboard disc :)
(The 1943 nickel top left was minted during WWII, the USA used silver during the war as the nickel was needed for the war effort)
(The 1943 nickel top left was minted during WWII, the USA used silver during the war as the nickel was needed for the war effort)