Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, John Cooper, who shares the following:
In today’s mail I received a big surprise. Not one, but two QSLs verifying BBC program transmission reception reports from Ascension Island that I sent them in 2014. At that time I was working on a NASWA Dx Award for verification of 50 SWBC Countries. I was able to verify Ascension Island through another station that BCed through their transmitters in 2015.
I guess it just goes to show you should never give up on hoping you can get a confirmation. I didn’t even do any follow ups because I was told BBC didn’t verify anymore. Apparently Babcock/BBC will if you give them time. It makes me wonder where the reception reports were hiding over the past three years?
That is certainly a long delay! Frankly, I’m impressed you received a response from the BBC–as you mention, they seem to no longer issue QSLs. What a great surprise.
Post readers: Anyone else have a long-delayed reply from a broadcaster? Please comment!
As verie-signer for the Babacock Woofferton “Transmission Test” that airs on all the HF bands from time-to-time I would like to confess to regrettably having a 2 yr delay when wefirst started. I am pleased to report that the fastest since has been three minutes!
73
Dave G4OYX
A copy of our QSL document is enclosed below
Hello,
Thank you for your report and I confirm the details are correct. These transmissions were to fault-find on a 250/300 kW sender at the UK HF transmitter station at Woofferton.
These duration of these tests can be variable as the engineers can sometimes need a long time to establish a fault or they may interrupt the test, make an adjustment and resume. This is particularly so if the fault is of an intermittent nature.
Babcock, Woofferton is the only remaining UK HF sender broadcast station and also is the only one with this transmission test audio and email address.
The audio is contained in a file play-out system and incorporates non-copyright music and voice announcements from one of the engineers, Martin 2E1EKX at the transmitter site.
Thanks for your interest.
73
Dave G4OYX,
(Retired) Senior Transmitter Engineer Woofferton 1982-2012.
Check out the video presentation of Woofferton on
https://www.youtube.com/user/wooffertonuk
There is also the history of WOF on
http://www.bbceng.info/Technical%20Reviews/technical_reviews.htm
Thomas,
I sent a report to WLO in Alabama on 10/11/2012 and received a QSL on 3/3/2015 along with a nice handwritten letter from the new Chief Engineer apologizing for the long delay. Apparently his predecessor didn’t bother with them. And I’ve received quite a few that take over a year sometimes from hams.