Chris Smolinski W3HFU
hfunderground.com
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
Box 247 of my quest/personal challenge to build complete Liberty and Buffalo nickel collections just from circulation via coin roll hunting. I completed the Jefferson series with box 238.

Nothing I needed, but at least I found two Buffalo nickels: 1917 and 1929...
November 26, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Box 246 of my quest/personal challenge to build complete Liberty and Buffalo nickel collections just from circulation via coin roll hunting.

Nothing I needed, but at least I found two Buffalo nickels: 1936 and 1937...
November 25, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Facebook's "Suggested for you" and "Are you interested in this post?" algorithms need a little tweaking.
November 24, 2025 at 9:29 PM
November 24, 2025 at 5:11 PM
The Great Pyramid makes an excellent support structure for a medium wave discone antenna.
November 24, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Another episode of Why We Can't Have Nice Things:
November 24, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Box 245 of my quest/personal challenge to build complete Liberty and Buffalo nickel collections just from circulation via coin roll hunting. I completed the Jefferson series with box 238.

Wow this was bad...
November 24, 2025 at 3:34 PM
A big thank you to shortwave pirate radio station D. B. Cooper Radio for sending me this #eQSL for their broadcast earlier this morning!
November 24, 2025 at 2:37 PM
I just received this eQSL from shortwave pirate radio station Radio Paisano for their broadcast on Columbus Day last month. Thanks!
November 22, 2025 at 6:51 PM
This is the perfect opportunity to point out the Gell-Mann amnesia effect! This is when you notice a news media source (ABC, BBC, CBC, NYC, WaPo, whatever) is completely wrong about a subject you're well versed in, but then immediately forget that when you read the rest of the newspaper or watch...
November 22, 2025 at 4:49 PM
A $200 bagI'm treating as boxes 243 and 244 of my quest/personal challenge to build complete Liberty and Buffalo nickel collections just from circulation via coin roll hunting. I completed the Jefferson series with box 238...
November 22, 2025 at 3:56 PM
November 22, 2025 at 3:28 PM
I haven't decoded anything on 14230 recently, but lots of activity on 27700 in the 11 meter band.
November 21, 2025 at 10:06 PM
With the weekend coming up, here's what we have to listen to on 14230 while we're trying to decode #SSTV transmissions.
November 21, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Yes, sadly we are.
November 21, 2025 at 4:10 PM
November 19, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Box 242 of my quest/personal challenge to build complete Liberty and Buffalo nickel collections just from circulation via coin roll hunting. I completed the Jefferson series with box 238.

Nothing I needed, but I found a 1943-P silver War nickel...
November 19, 2025 at 4:53 PM
November 18, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Soon there will be chicken wings
November 17, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Box 241 of my quest/personal challenge to build complete Liberty and Buffalo nickel collections just from circulation via coin roll hunting. I completed the Jefferson series with box 238.

Nothing I needed, but I found a 1920 Buffalo nickel and a Canadian Nickel...
November 17, 2025 at 3:50 PM
November 17, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Box 240 of my quest/personal challenge to build complete Liberty and Buffalo nickel collections just from circulation via coin roll hunting. I completed the Jefferson series with box 238...
November 15, 2025 at 4:26 PM
100% true. I was a 5:30 AM driver when I commuted 1988-2003. I suspect a majority of us were Gen-X. Another reason not to mess with us.
November 13, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Box 239 of my quest/personal challenge to build complete Liberty and Buffalo nickel collections just from circulation via coin roll hunting. I completed the Jefferson series with box 238.

Nothing I needed, but I found a 1945-P silver war nickel...
November 13, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Yet another X class solar flare. Yet another CME aimed right at Earth. G4 geomagnetic storm watch for Nov 12th and 13th. Aurora possible at lower latitudes.
November 11, 2025 at 4:18 PM