Due to budget cuts, the American Forces Network (AFRTS) has decommissioned their Key West, Florida SW frequencies of: 5446, 7811, 12133 kHz

Since the Navy provides the shortwave service as a supplementary or backup service for their ships that don’t have the Navy’s Direct-to-Sailor (DTS) capability, I’m not terribly surprised they’re downsizing. Even so, the AFN still maintains their Guam and Diego Garcia transmitters as they recognize that the, “[s]hortwave service is also an option for land-based listeners in remote locations that do not have access to local or satellite-delivered AFRTS full Satellite Network (SATNET) services.”

AFN/AFRTS Shortwave Frequencies (note: all broadcasts are in USB)

• Diego Garcia:
  • 12,579 kHz daytime
  • 4,319 kHz nighttime
• Guam:
  • 13,362 kHz daytime
  • 5,765 kHz nighttime

Personally, I’m a little saddened by the cuts as the Key West facility was the easiest for me to hear in the US, though I routinely hear Guam and Diego Garcia. Not familiar with the AFRTS?  Check out our recent post.

Thanks to Kim Elliott for the tip.