Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Nigel Holmes, who shares the following:
SIBC [Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation] has ended its MF service on 1035 kHz.
Delivery on FM & HF has been retained. Audience surveys indicated HF delivery was more effective than MF. The decision will be reviewed in 2018
http://www.sibconline.com.sb/special-announcement-from-sibc-management/
Thank you for the tip, Nigel!
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Alex, has just informed me that he’s updated his website. Alex writes:
Christmas Greetings from the U.K.!
After 8 months[…] I have fully updated my website.I have added a new feature: Top 20 Stations – hour by hour – December 2017 [click to download PDF]
It is all based on my UK listening, but is relevant for most of Europe. And there is still the global BBC World Service sheet too.
Thank you Alex! We’ll check it out! Click here to view Alex’s website.
Many thanks to Al Kirton, group general manager of radio station 4KZ, who writes with an update to our post from earlier today:
We are pleased to advise that as part of our 50TH Anniversary celebrations, Radio 4KZ shortwave 5055 kHz commenced transmission yesterday afternoon. Reports have come in from as far as Monterey, California USA.
Unfortunately, during the next 2 weeks we will be running on half power at 500 watts.
Transmission is from the 4KZ (am 531 – 8kW) & 4AY (am 873 – 1 kW) site at east Innisfail in Tropical North Queensland. We use a USA made LPB 1.2 kW shortwave transmitter feeding an Inverted V antenna at about 14 metres high at the peak. The transmitter audio is via an Australian-made Crusher digital audio limiter.
The system is designed to cover the Cape York area of Queensland and the Northern outback. Fortuitous reception is available at times over a much wider area.
Transmission hours will be approximately 0500 to 2300 hours GMT (3pm to 9am Queensland time.)
We welcome reception reports. All confirmed reports will receive a 4KZ shortwave QSL card. No return postage is required.
Reports should be sent to me, Al Kirton [email protected]
Or by regular mail to: Radio 4KZ, PO Box 19, Innisfail Queensland 4860 Australia.
Excellent! I will certainly do my best to put 4KZ in the logs, but it will be a challenge doing it from the east coast of the US. Still, perhaps propagation will surprise me one evening!
For more about 4KZ on shortwave, and to follow updates, simply follow the tag: 4KZ
SWLing Post contributors, Golan and DanH, have both reminded me in comments that RadioWorld Canada has a fantastic price on the excellent Eton Satellit (the original, non-executive version).
If you live in Canada, or better yet the GTA, you should purchase directly from RadioWorld Canada on their website or in their store–only $99.99 CDN! Click here to view the product page at RadioWorld.
As DanH notes, if you live in the USA, you can also take advantage of this sale via eBay:
The price is approximately $108 US with free shipping via UPS–a fantastic value.
Click here to view this deal on eBay.
As Oxford Shortwave noted earlier today, the “brilliant” Eton Satellit is his “mainstay travel receiver.” He chooses the Satellit over other receivers in his arsenal for tropical DXing.
If you’ve been considering a Satellit, bite the bullet while RadioWorld still has stock!
The 4KZ transmitter is located in Innisfail, Australia
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Phil Brennan (VK8VWA), who notes that 4KZ started broadcasting today in Australia. Phil notes:
At last! ID for 4KZ confirmed at 0750 [UTC] Wednesday 20 December on 5,055 kHz.
Thank you, Phil–and thanks for following this development so closely over the past few weeks.
I tried tuning to 5055 kHz at my home in eastern North America, but of course conditions weren’t ideal to receive a 1,000 watt AM signal from Australia. I wasn’t ready to give up, of course, so I turned to the KiwiSDR network.
The following recording was made on December 20, 2017 starting around 11:33 UTC on 5,055 kHz . The receiver is a KiwiSDR located in Goulburn, NSW, Australia.
Click here to view on YouTube.
No details yet on where to send reception reports, but I will ask the station manager and post his reply in an update.
Post Readers: Please comment if you’ve also logged 4KZ!
(Source: Southgate ARC via Mike Terry)
Radio Caroline AM service to open
Weather and technology permitting, our programmes on 648 kHz will commence originating from the Ross Revenge at 7.00 AM on Friday 22nd December.
The changed schedule for the day will be :
7am Johnny Lewis
9am Top Fifteen
10am Ray Clark – with the official launch at midday.
2pm Kevin Turner
5pm Resume normal programmesNo doubt Bob Lawrence, Martin Fisher and Jerry Wright will personalise their evening shows to mark the day.
Of course we are delighted to have found and secured what must be the best possible AM transmission site for our service. We thank Cobra Mist Ltd for this facility whilst noting that this is a private site which cannot at this time be visited.
So, another date for the Radio Caroline calendar of events and the inevitable question. Where do we go from here?
Many thanks to SWLing Post friend “Karen” who writes:
My husband reads your website every day and is a dedicated radio geek. I’ve decided I’d like to get him an extra last minute stocking stuffer for Christmas. Any suggestions? We buy a lot from Amazon and are Prime members but any retailer that could get something delivered by Friday would work fine. Since this is a stocking stuffer, I don’t really want to pay more than about $70-90.
Thanks for your inquiry! Readers, “Karen” has kindly allowed me to post her message publicly and no that’s not her real name–!
Karen, you didn’t mention what radios he currently has, so you may double check before committing. I’ve listed a few options with links below. This list is by no means comprehensive–I just did a quick scan of a few retailers based on what’s currently a good deal and can be shipped ASAP.
Since you like Amazon and get free two day shipping via Prime, I’ll list several options there. I’d also encourage you to check with radio retailers like Universal Radio, Ham Radio Outlet and C. Crane–they, too, can ship via two or one day service, but it might be at a premium.
Just note to check the delivery date very carefully as we are down to the wire! Note that prices, especially those at Amazon, can change without notice.
Thank you for your question, Karen, and for allowing me to post your message, thus my suggestions, publicly. Since you asked specifically about Amazon, and since you get free two day shipping, I focused on Amazon offerings here. Note that my links are affiliate links and if you chose to purchase using one of these links, the SWLing Post will receive a small commission at no cost to you.
With that said, please consider purchasing from one of the radio retailers I mention above. The total price may exceed Amazon’s, but you can actually call these retailers to place orders and ask questions.
Post Readers who live outside of the US will have to check with radio retailers in their country regarding pricing and shipping on the items above. I wish I had time to list links to international options. Perhaps readers can comment with links and other suggestions?
Good luck and Happy Holidays!