Post-human radio is an open-ended laboratory vis á vis radiofrequencies and radio related technologies. Inter alia it involves DIY experimental instruments and probes, DIY antennas, ham radio operation, QRP, RF packet sniffing, direct ELF/VLF sensing, radars, SWLing (shortwave listening), reel-to-reel tape recorders, a morse-code controlled synthesizer, microwave transceivers, SAR imaging, and other. Post-human radio manifests in a number of different fashions; most notably as an audio-based improvised performance piece, but also with a series of bespoke instruments, micro-compositions, a diary of SWLing (shortwave listening) and QSOs (amateur radio contacts), field radio-walks, and other.

Roto-ctor (that is, rotating inductor) is an experimental instrument comprising a DIY ferrite-core rotating induction coil, a geared motor, a motor driver, bespoke circuity, a foot pedal, and a dedicated power supply. The instrument captures the magnetic component of electromagnetic waves and pre-amplifies it so that it can be reproduced or recorded. It can also transmit unmodulated or modulated signals. Reception and transmission of signals can take place with the coil in a fixed place or while rotating at a speed controlled by a dedicated motor driver. The instrument is typically employed so as to amplify naturally occurring EMF and electrosmog in the ELF, SLF, ULF, and VLF frequency ranges, as well as transmit audio signals locally (that can be received by special DIY loop antennas). Doing so while on rotation introduces all sorts of modulation effects.

Roto-ctor has been a very challenging instrument to make, demanding solutions in rather complex mechanical, electrical, and electronic problems. The following video presents the making of the instrument.

Antena mono-chord is another instrument created by the artist in the context of this project. The instrument is a wearable radio receiver that can be played in a ‘monochord’ like fashion and so as to improvise with FM and SW radio receptions.

Vorticular Radio is a DIY experimental instrument placing rudimentary parts of an early 20th century radio receiver (DIY variable capacitors and coils, mineral crystal detector) with unstable into intentionally unstable electronic circuit. The result is a radio receiver that can be easily made self-oscillate and behave in unpredictable fashions.

The emergence and proliferation of online streaming services, social media, and mobile communications over the past decades have had a significant impact on radio, both technologically and culturally. Radio is much less popular than it once was for listening to music or news broadcasts and is almost extinct as a daily means of communication. Concurrently, radio technologies are experiencing unprecedented expansion, with analog-era radio traditions seamlessly blending with digital modes, computer networks, software-defined technologies, and so forth. Radio Care workshop aims to introduce the general public to the richness of invisible radio noises that can be immediately explored and listened to. The workshop is devoted to a hands-on exploration of human or more-than-human radio broadcasts as well as to rediscovering (often in a media-archaeological fashion) the makings of radio. Participants are guided to explore different bands of the radio spectrum and listen to the signals, interferences, noises, and modulations found within, as well as to build their own DIY antennas, capacitors and coils, AM radio receivers, ‘crystal’ radios, and other experimental apparatuses.

The artist has produced several different antennas in the context of this project and for different purposes.

‘Alfred’; a coil dipole resonant at 20 and 17 meters.

‘EMFME’; a handheld 300m long loop antenna.

Switchable L-matching network.

A DIY 9:1 Unun for end-fed antennas.

Part of the artist’s longwire (~40m) end-fed Antenna.

#43 ferrite filters on a LMR200 coaxial

DIY tapped coil.

‘Vivaldi’ antenna.

Vivaldi Antenna making of