Author Archives: Thomas

Carlos’ Illustrated Radio Listening Report and Recording of CGTN (July 25, 2025)

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares the following illustrated radio listening report of a recent CGTN broadcast.


Carlos notes:

Thailand-Cambodia conflict, via CGTN Radio (CN), NHK (JP) and Radio Nacional (BR)

Click here to view on YouTube.

Carlos’ Illustrated Radio Listening Report and Recording of NHK (July 24, 2025)

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares the following illustrated radio listening report of a recent NHK broadcast.


Carlos notes:

Dangerously hot today in Tohoku, Kanto, and Kinki – take precautions against heatstroke
NHK, 11965 kHz, listened in Porto Alegre.

Click here to view on YouTube.

Dan takes us on a South Pacific Tour!

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Greenall, who writes:

In years gone by, many Pacific island nations relied on shortwave radio to air their programs across the vast expanses of ocean. These included countries such as Kiribati, Tahiti, Fiji, Saipan, New Caledonia, the Marshall Islands, Cook Islands, and Papua New Guinea. There are recent reports that the latter is seriously looking at a return to shortwave by 2030. https://swling.com/blog/2025/05/papua-new-guinea-plans-shortwave-comeback-by-2030/ Even in Hawaii, the licence of World Harvest Radio KWHR expired in 2009.

While the above nations can no longer be found on shortwave, a handful of other stations are still operating in 2025 and make excellent DX targets for listeners around the world. If you prefer optimal quality reception, choose to listen through a remote SDR closer to the transmitter site.

Click on the various links below to hear samples of audio from some of the remaining broadcasters located in the South Pacific region.

Radio New Zealand 

Audio Player Audio Player

Radio Vanuatu

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Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC)

Audio Player

T8WH Hope Radio (Palau)

Audio Player Audio Player

KSDA Adventist World Radio (Guam)

Audio Player Audio Player

Trans World Radio (Guam)

Note: this one is scheduled for closure by the end of October 2025

Audio Player Audio Player

Sit back, relax and enjoy the tour!

73

Dan Greenall, Ontario, Canada

This is wonderful! Thank you for taking us on the tour, Dan! We always appreciate your recordings, QSLs, and insights!

Taking the checkered flag at Indy by racing and radio

By Brian D. Smith, W9IND

It’s Brickyard 400 week in Indianapolis, and the checkered flag awaits – not only for NASCAR drivers, but also for radio enthusiasts who’ve contacted all three of the 2025 special events staged by amateur radio station W9IMS. From now through the end of Sunday (Race Day), hams and SWLs who’ve already bagged the station during the two previous races at Indy can claim their Checkered Flag Award by working or tuning in W9IMS a third time.

The special events’ organizer, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Amateur Radio Club, also offers new and unique QSL cards for each race, providing collectible consolation prizes for those who don’t complete the clean sweep (and welcome extras for those who do).

The month of May witnessed the first two steps toward the colorful certificate with a full week of special event operation devoted to each major race at the Speedway – the IndyCar Grand Prix and the venerable Indianapolis 500. Then came a two-month wait for the third race, the Brickyard 400, which will go green on Sunday, July 27. This week’s special event will continue through the end of Race Day, with midnight in Indy (0400 UTC Monday) marking the end of on-air activity for W9IMS until May 2026.

W9IMS operates almost exclusively on 20 and 40 meters (and occasionally 2 meters on Race Day morning for fans in the stands and locals). Preferred frequencies are 14.245 and 7.245 SSB, plus or minus QRM, and 146.52 simplex FM.

A few tips on locating W9IMS:

  1. Check DX Summit (www.dxsummit.fi) for spots listing the current frequency or frequencies of W9IMS. You can customize your search by typing “W9IMS” in the box at upper right.
  1. Go to the W9IMS web page (www.w9ims.org) and look for the heading, “2025 Operating Schedule.” Click on the “NASCAR 400 at the Brickyard” link, which opens into a weeklong schedule of individual operators and their reserved time slots. Although operators frequently get on the air at unscheduled times, your odds of catching the station improve significantly during hours with a listed op.
  1. Prime time for weeknight operations is 6 to 10 p.m. in Indy (2200-0200 UTC). That’s also your most likely shot at finding W9IMS active on two bands. However, operators may continue till 11 p.m. or later if band conditions allow. It can also be fruitful to check DX Summit during mornings and early afternoons.
  2. Remember that the published schedule can be shortened by adverse circumstances, such as local thunderstorms, a lack of calling stations, and solar anomalies. Don’t wait till the final hour to look for W9IMS.
  3. But if you still haven’t worked W9IMS by the final weekend, don’t give up too soon. Toward the end of the special event, W9IMS ops often call for “only stations that haven’t worked us this week” and/or switch to contest-style operations, exchanging just signal reports to put more calls in the log.
  4. Keep in mind that both hams and SWLs are eligible for QSL cards and the certificate. So if your ham station isn’t able to work W9IMS by Sunday night, you can combine your two previous QSOs with an SWL report to fulfill the requirement for three credits. Just copy down the basic details – such as date, frequency, UTC, and the callsigns of several stations you heard W9IMS working. SWL reports count as credits too, although the certificate will likely feature your name instead of your call.
  5.  Still have questions? Email w9ims@w9ims.org for answers.

Carlos’ Illustrated Radio Listening Report and Recording of Rádio Nacional (July 21-22, 2025)

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares the following illustrated radio listening report of recent Rádio Nacional broadcasts.


Carlos notes:

Obituary: Preta Gil and Ozzy Osbourne, via Radio Nacional and Radio CBN, both Brazilian stations.

Click here to view on YouTube.

Carlos’ Illustrated Radio Listening Report and Recording of Radio Nacional and the Voice of Vietnam (July 21, 2025)

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares the following illustrated radio listening reports of recent Radio Nacional and Voice of Vietnam broadcasts.


Carlos notes:

Brazilian Supreme Court backs ankle monitor, social media ban for former president Bolsonaro

Click here to view on YouTube.

Carlos notes:

Urgent mobilization in the face of the arrival of Typhoon Wipha

Click here to view on YouTube.

August 2025 Schedule Updates: From the Isle of Music & Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill Tilford, who shares the following update:

From the Isle of Music, August 2025

July’s program will be the third of several episodes featuring the best of Cubadisco 2025, Cuba’s most important discographic awards. This is the best of the best of Cuba’s new releases.
Friday, August 8:
6070 kHz at 1700 UTC
3955 kHz at 2100 UTC
Sunday, August 10:
9670 kHz at 1700 UTC using booster beam E to eastern Europe and Eurasia (repeat of August 8 episode).

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, August 2025

In August we will present music from Syria and the Syrian diaspora.
Friday, August 15:
6070 kHz at 1700 UTC
3955 at 2100 UTC
Sunday, August 17:
9670 kHz at 1700 UTC using beam E (repeat of August 15 episode).

**In addition to direct radio reception, we do honor reception reports using remote SDRs as long as the whole program is described and which SDR is specified.