Coffee and Radio Listen
By Martín Butera
(Danilo Nonato)
By Martín Butera
(Danilo Nonato)
Brazilian coffee, one of the most consumed beverages in the world, Brazil is the second largest consumer in the world, has a long history in world exports. Brazil received the first coffee seeds in 1727. The idea of this column is to know the reality of Brazilian and South American radio listeners in general. They are conversations sharing a cup of coffee, with another radio listener.
Sharing a cup of coffee means having a moment to talk, to spend a moment of quality, to enjoy it, a moment of relaxation, of pleasure. Meet and learn from other radio listeners from the South American continent.
Danilo Nonato is one of the most interesting radio listeners in Brazil, with a YouTube channel of more than 2,000 subscribers, containing interesting reviews of receivers, antennas, station visits and much more ...
He is a native of the city of Ouro Preto, a Brazilian municipality located in the state of Minas Gerais, in the southeast region of Brazil.
The following interview is an adaptation of the interview in Portuguese to English, those who want to hear the full interview in the original language can do so through the following Podcast
MB: What was your first contact with the radio?
My first contact with the radio, I would have been about 5 years old, my mother listened to AM, I had a radio receiver of about 7 bands of Brazilian called "Motoradio".
She told me that when I was little I was very naughty and cried a lot and when my mother turned on the radio, I calmed down. At 7 years old, I started to play with the buttons and to go from AM to the shortwave bands SW1, SW2, SW3, and others ... I remember that the first radio station I heard was Radio Nederland, But it wasn't until I was 15 and 16 that I bought my first receiver and I had an idea of what it was like to be a radio listener or DXsista . At that time, of course, we didn't have internet and the little information to learn from the hobby was through newsletters edited by other radio listeners, I remember receiving several in Portuguese, which were published in Brazil.
MB: Do you remember the first letter you received?
I have it very much in mind, it was from the BBC, I remember it was a postal QSL that had a photograph of Queen Elizabeth. It was a joy to receive a letter from another part of the world, as well as a country so rich culturally and interesting. This was also a double joy, because the week after receiving the letter, they greeted me on the air by radio, it was an incredible feeling.
MB: Do you think it is important to confirm reception reports with QSL cards?
I have many QSLs, today I no longer feel is so important. I like listening to the radio, for example to North Korea beyond its controversies or The Voice of America from Botswana. Also, the most common, Radio Martí or Radio Havana Cuba. Listening to these stations today from their places of origin in their language, is what I love.
Thanks to listening to shortwave, I have met several cultures, religions, I knew of languages, culinary, radio is much more than a card.
MB: Are you also a radio amateur?
I wanted to ask why did it attract you more to listen than to talk on the radio? I think that when you listen, you learn much more from everyone. Today, Brazilian ham radio is going through a very good time, there is a lot of activity, listening to the Brazilian radio amateurs. I think it is vital to learn about science and technology, that's why I always like listening more.
MB: Today you are a great reference in South America and even worldwide, about radio listening in the mountains. Can you tell me about that?
It started with the need to find the reception with the least possible interference and I started to climb mountains, it was something incredible I have videos with receptions for example of The Buzzer (UVB-76) with full signal. I live in a mountainous area where there are beautiful mountains from 1,500 to 1,800 meters high, in addition to the contact with nature and pure air, made me rediscover the radio from another side, a new side.
MB: What equipment and antennas do you use for your listening?
I have many different receivers, when I go to the mountains I like to take the receivers as original and simple as possible, as sometimes I have a homemade loop, but my idea is almost not to use external antennas and try to get the best possible performance of the receiver in its original state.
MB: What messages can you give to British DX Club members?
I can give this message: our hobby did not die. While there is a broadcasting station and a receiver on the other side then radio is alive. The message I can leave is that they interact with the stations either by e-mail or by letter, but let us know that we are on the other side.
Photo: Martín Butera, having coffee with Danilo Nonato
Videos of Danilo Nonato PY4014SWL Danilo Nonato listening from the "Pico do Itacolomi" mountain, with its beautiful view of the mountains and its city: https://youtu.be/WQhGIweDfV8
Danilo Nonato listening to UVB-76 from the mountains: https://youtu.be/NrX1d06P-tE
You can watch many interesting videos of Danilo Nonato, on his YouTube channel, do not forget to like and subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOrACK6ZZUbmfppqiZD4dpA