About

Your SWLing Post founder and curator, Thomas Witherspoon. Artwork by noted political cartoonist and DXer extraordinaire, Carlos Latuff.

The SWLing Post is a community of shortwave radio and amateur radio enthusiasts sharing shortwave radio reviews, news, broadcasting, pirate radio, numbers stations, interviews, and much more.

We aim to provide quality content in the form of:

  • Everything radio, with a focus on the HF/Shortwave portions of the spectrum
  • International broadcasting news
  • Amateur radio news
  • Interviews
  • The internet and, specifically how it influences radio broadcasters
  • The history and future of shortwave radio
  • Shortwave radio reviews

SWLingPost-DXFiend-Vintage-BackIf you have any questions or comments, please respond within the blog posts or obtain our email address (via Captcha) on our Contact page.

Contributors/Authors

The primary contributor on the SWLing Post is Thomas Witherspoon (K4SWL / M0CYI). He has been a passionate supporter of shortwave radio and international broadcasting most of his life.

Additionally, the SWLing Post has other contributors (identified in each article when applicable) and occasionally employs a professional editor.

Become an SWLing Post contributor/writer

If you would like to share your story or article on the SWLing Post, simply email us your proposal (thomas [ at ] swling.com). We’re all about sharing our passion and love of radio, so we are happy to share your articles.

If you’ve been a reader for long, you’ll see that the majority of our articles focus on the world of shortwave, mediumwave, and amateur radio. We tend to stay on-topic here.

We only ask that the work be your own original writing and that any short quotes or passages taken from other work are correctly cited and documented. In other words, we strictly prohibit plagiarism. We require the same of any images you use to support your article–either they must be your own image or you have written permission to use them.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us!

Sponsorship

We have begun a sponsorship program and will serve relevant and non-obtrusive ads on our various SWLing.com sites. In the beginning, it will be by invitation only. If you would like to promote your product, company or service on our sites, please contact us for information. Please note: if your organization is not directly associated with shortwave radio or international broadcasting, do not bother to inquire about sponsorship. We want our ad content to enhance our site offerings, not detract from the reader experience.

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38 thoughts on “About”

  1. Lexie Lopez

    Good morning,

    I was doing a google search on the Edward R, Murrow Transmitting station and came across your site. I read the post where you did a tour and looked at the photos. I’m not experienced when it comes to the radio world, I find things such as the station and antenna farm itself fascinating. The huge antennas, the huge transformers and transmitters, and how they’re built and used is all so fascinating to me. It’s kind of comical, nobody really knows this about me. I’m a normal 28 y.o. woman with an 8-5 job, few cats and a love for shopping. I thought I’d let you know that I appreciate you taking the time to blog about this and posting pics. I do live local to the site, about 15 mins away. I was wondering if the transmitting station is still used today. I’ve seen posts where the antennas were demolished, and wondering why? If you’ve answered that in a different blog post, forgive me.

    Thank you for taking the time to read my comment. I’d love to hear back from you!

    Reply ↓
  5. Tom Dietz

    Greetings,

    Thanks for all the useful information. I haven’t been a SW listener for quite a few years, but I still do have a couple of capable portables[Sangean].

    For my travels in Europe, I’d like to have a small receiver with which I can casually listen to broadcast stations, mostly for music. For example, I like Radio Swiss Classic on the Internet, so it would be nice to receive similar stations with a portable. Any suggestions?

    Reply ↓
  6. Tom Stiles

    I am no longer getting notifications when some one replies to my posts or other posts on a given article.

    Thanks,

    Tom Stiles

    Reply ↓
  7. Jim Widgren

    Can anyone tell me about anything the leather covered suitcase style radio seen extensively in the early part of the 1956 film “Storm Fear” (w/ Dan Duryea)? My gramps had one and showed me how to listen to SW airplane traffic when I was a very young lad, which started my lifelong involvement with SW radio. Thanks and Happy New Year to all! 73 de KD4YLQ

    Reply ↓
  8. Martyn Longville

    Repairing the Sony ICF-SW100E Radio
    Can anyone advise me if it is possible to repair this radio? I don’t think it is the usual ribbon cable fault as I have the later model that supposedly fixed this. It might be as simple as a battery connection malfunction but beyond my technical ability.
    Also is it worth repairing!!
    Thanks in advance if you can help.
    Martyn Wales UK

    Reply ↓
  9. John A. Minardi

    Hello,
    I have a question about a signal I hear on my shortwave radio specifically between the frequencies of 14.000 MHz and 14.500 MHz, upper sideband. It is a short burst, approximately 28ms, which is always followed by a second burst exactly 9 seconds later. If the first burst is strong in volume, the second is always weaker in volume. If the first burst is weaker, then the second burst is stronger. Really baffling to me.
     I have pictures of the signal and a recording, but I am not sure where or to who I can send them to. Can someone help with this.
    Thank you.

    Reply ↓
  10. Juergen

    Hello shortwave friend,
    have read the articles about “emergency radios”. – I’am a ham, and former technican at Deutsche Welle’s measuring and receiving station. short wave (radio) is my life ! – so the term “emergency radio” in my mind
    is firmly connected with SSB / CW !!! – Features like Solar powerd / generator are secondary. In case of emergencies – for example like the people in ukraine – gathering additional informations outside from everywhre is essentiel ! – I’ve some small Degen (like) SSB Transistorradios, Batteries, Accus, Solarpanels,
    crank generator. So i can power the radio – and some other devices, maybe a transmitter, lamp, or so.
    I coudn’t find any “emergency radio” that was equiped with SSB /CW mode !
    73
    Juergen
    KW4KE

    Reply ↓
  11. Ronald Hofmeister

    I need a part for my Sony CRF-320K, CRF-330K Radio. I need the Complete Power Transformer Assembly the European Released One that has the Power Switch for 100/240 Volts. It’s that Square Brass Box. Does anyone have that for sale?

    Reply ↓
  13. SWLterry

    Radio Tamazuj, South Sudan, Outstanding signal here in northeast Texas. 7.315 mhz 0400/0430 GMT. very clear ID at 0430 with man singing ” Radio Tamazuj” three times . I use an Alpha delta ” Dx Ultra” sloper on a variety of collectible vintage Shortwave rigs. I also have an ” Eavesdropper” Dipole/Sloper .
    This report was via my Yaesu FRG7 , and my 1936 RCA model 9K3 multiband console that I have had since 1967. Its had several rejuvenations with as many NOS tubes and parts as possible. An old reliable friend of my youth, Who now has a place of honor in my front room.

    Reply ↓
  14. Bill Fleming

    Who or where do I send radio reception reports to, for Pirate Stations to get a reception card?

    Happen to pick up two today
    A Forest Service type station(at least that what they were talking about) at 9.395, sounds like a Pirate.
    6:30PM EST

    &

    Radio Free Whatever @ 6.950 5:45PM

    1/1/23

    Thanks

    Reply ↓
    1. Jerry Monroe

      Have heard Radio Free Whatever multiple times this winter very loud, great fidelity, eclectic mix of tunes, might be in New England soemwhere. Have just signed up for the the SWLing post, am long time Ham, even longer forever SWLer AM BCBer here.

      Reply ↓
    2. Rod Taylor

      Does anyone know what became of Geoffrey Roberts? I lost contact with a few years back and his web page and email address that I had no longer work. Could someone email me at [email protected] on his status and/or a way of contacting him if he is still alive. Thank you!

      Reply ↓
  15. Robert J. Smith

    Can anyone identify the source of continuous piano music being heard in Northern New England with no station ID after midnight on 1600 kHz ? Many thanks.

    ?

    Reply ↓
  16. Jim Meirose

    am hearing every morning between 5 am EST and 6 am, on 4.806 Mhz, what sounds like a time clock station along the lines of WWV or CHU, except it makes no voice announcements. It just ticks continuously for as long as I have been able to listen (about 2-3 hours). Before 5 am it is not heard. Don’t knot if that’s because that area of the band doesn’t open to NJ USA until that time, or if it is off the air until then. Can find no reference to this anyplace. Have you any info?

    Reply ↓
  17. James Ritchie

    Can anybody identify 7460khz, heard this evening, 0430 UTC?. Maximum signal strength via Eton E1 from Eavesdropper antenna and Palomar noise filter. Thank you.

    Reply ↓
  18. Sharad

    Namaste.
    I have HOROLOGE H-198. By default it has increment of 10. My place follows 9 Hz stepping.
    I will be happy if anybody guides me how to stop stepping of 10 Hzs and start steping of 9 Hzs?

    Reply ↓
    1. James Ritchie

      Can anybody identify 7460khz, heard this evening, 0430 UTC?. Maximum signal strength via Eton E1 from Eavesdropper antenna and Palomar noise filter. Thank you.

      Reply ↓
  19. Robert Martin

    I would like more info on the NEW QSX-40 Xcvr (All Band,All Mode Unit) sounds interesting. Please send me any info on price,availble dates,etc. It just might be good deal also. Thanks again-have a grate day

    Reply ↓
  20. Donn Hilton / VA7DH

    Hi Ed, it sort of depends on what you want to hear. An amplifier with a tuned front end is best for most sensitivity and clearer results. You will be plagued with a lot of electronic noise from people in your apartment plus any nearby industrial stuff. The tuned front end will help reduce the noise and the amplifier will boost the signal. If you wish to tune in shortwave then you have a complication because it starts at the top of the broadcast band and runs up to 30 MHz. What sort of an antenna to use is another question. Some people use a telescopic whip but not too often indoors. Some make up a wooden frame they hang on the back of a bedroom door with a bunch of brads on it and then wind rectangular turns of wire on. That can work pretty well but takes some fiddling . You may want to have a bunch of tap points on the turns to adjust for frequency as each turn will have inductance. A combination of that and a tuned amplifier may give you the sensitivity and noise rejection you need. Google for tuned antennas and you will probably. Here’s one example
    https://pa0fri.home.xs4all.nl/Ant/Active%20antenna/Active%20receiving%20%20loop%20antenna%20eng.htm
    Good luck.

    Reply ↓
  21. James Patterson

    I live down under the rest of the world.It’s a country called NewZealand.The Country is made up of two large islands in the South Pacific .You will see it on a world map,down under Australia.
    Ive been SW listening for many years.I started with SW listening of overseas english speaking stations,of countries arround the world.I then moved on to SSB DX listening on the HF bands of utility stations,eg Marine,military Air etc.All was very good untill about 5-10 years ago I noticed propagation,and receiption fadeing terribly with a lot of extra “Hash” interferance more than ever.The SW stations I used to listen to have all but either faded,or stopped transmitting,most are now all Asian speaking only, on frequencies that did have English speaking stations.Utility SSB stations have faded right out making my hobby very difficult to enjoy,infact my old log book of stations that were very strong and clear,I can not receive anymore,or are extremely faded in the distance.
    Is anyone else experianceing this problem anywhere else arround the world.I understand that WiFi and other interferances can effect SW listening,but down under here in NZ,it’s almost a waste of time owning my expensive radio receiving equipment that Ive owned and used for many years,is just collecting dust,not been able to receive all I used to.I have a 100 foot long line antenna that used to pull in all my listening pleasure.Ive rechecked all connections etc,but no change.Very loud Hash is the main problem over all HF frequencies along with stations that may have lowered their transmit power,or sun spots,but I dont understand why I can not receive the strong receiption I DXed to over the past years.All replies are wellcome thanks.

    Reply ↓
    1. Sam

      James,
      I just discovered the SWLing Post after hearing VORW on 9395. I agree with your
      comments. Have had similar experience. It is the “bottom” of the sunspot cycle which may account for poor reception. I also have a long wire antenna. I am now assembling a magnetic loop antenna to see if I can improve reception.

      Reply ↓
    2. Jim Meirose

      It is the bottom of the sunspot cycle. While there is certainly more terrestrial noise the big culprit is sunspots. Lots of broadcasters have gone away because of the rise of the internet, but not all. But there are still times of day when things open up and there’s a lot to hear, but those openings are short and happen at random times on unpredictable frequency ranges.

      Reply ↓
    3. David

      Hi James, for SW over the years indeed a lot of stations have faded, and there are still out there a lot of broadcast, but I find it sometimes difficult to grab. I think one of the issues is also power of the transmission. You can year some locals with low power transmission, but when you are faraway from that country it’s almost impossible to hear them due to their low power transmission. I can still pick up some SW stations from Brazil time to time here in the US and some times I am able to pick up out of Australia from the US northeast. There is a lot of traffic per what I know in Africa, since many of countries there use SW, but for the most it seems to be low power transmissions. I also hear sometimes in other languages and I am not able to identify the stations. I think there are still a lot of potential out there and a lot of stations to listen to, but I do understand your point since sometimes I go by the same feeling. Keep Dxing!

      Reply ↓
  22. Ed Casco

    I would appreciate some guidance from listeners
    out there on choosing an antenna for SWL. I live on
    the top floor of an apartment building, but have a
    clear view of the Pacific Ocean 3 miles away. Per my
    landlord, no wires are allowed on the roof, or
    anything positioned outside a window, so my choices
    are limited. I have researched the pros and cons of
    various antennas and have come down to 3: an
    Active Loop Antenna, an Active Antenna, and an
    Amplified Loop Antenna. The cost range is from $20
    to $180. I’m wondering which would be more
    effective and/or suitable for a World Band Receiver
    like a Tecsun PL-880 or Sangean ATS-909. I look
    forward to each Comment. Thanks.

    Reply ↓
  23. warie blip porbeni

    Frans Vossen,An Mulders, Liz Sanderson and Frieda Van Wijck were presenters of the ” Brussels Calling” programme on Radio Vlaanderen International. I am the founder and principal coordinator of Radio Zeater Club. i will like to connect with people that were shortwave radio listeners and Dxer from anywhere in the world.

    Reply ↓
  24. James Patterson

    Has anyone reviewed and tested out the Tecsun S-2000 yet?I would like to know how they compare with the other Tecsun portables ei PL 600 etc.Are they worth the extra expence or are they really just a “Glorified ” version in a much bigger case.I see they have fast and slow tuning,ideal I guess for tuning in upper and lower side band.The portables dont have that as far as I know.So over all,how does the S-2000 measure up against the other Tecsun portables? Thanks.

    Reply ↓
    1. Mark

      Hi James, the s2000 is not worth the money, it looks and feels cheap its way overpriced and overloads easily with external antenna.

      Stay away from the newer dsp radios such as the tecsun pl880,990x and the s8800 they are dirt especially on ssb they suffer from bad sound and distortion. The p680 is much better analogue radio, tecsun just can’t get dsp right.

      You’d be better off with the sdr play or airspy sdr. But if you do want a radio the pl680 is really good.

      Forget about long wire antennas the bonito ma305 whip is astonishingly good for its tiny size and outputs just enough signal without overloading a portable radio.

      Reply ↓
  25. CARLOS A M

    Dear Mr (s):

    I am a Brazilian and make an collection postage stamps from around the world.
    Respectfully I ask of your lordship and Radio Servia 1fm verify the possibility to send me postage stamps of the Servia and other countries in the region.
    Stamps can be used or not useds.
    Would also welcome listeners addresses this station that live in Servia and the countries of the region, always to exchange used or not postage stamps.
    I thank your attention. That’s all. A hug from Brazilian friend:

    Carlos Matos
    Rua Barao Pouso Alegre 300
    36400-000 – C. Lafaiete – MG
    Brazil – South America

    Reply ↓
  26. ENRIQUE TRENCO

    QUISIERA SABER COMO ADQUIRIR EL LIBRO DE FRECUENCIAS PARA EL AÑO QUE VIENE 2016 DE LAS EMISORAS DE RADIO ONDA CORTA , SU PRECIO , ETC.

    SALUDOS CORDIALES

    Enrique
    EA5 FBX

    Reply ↓

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