Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Richard Cuff, who notes that Radio 4 is having a special all-day New Year’s program to celebrate the 100th anniversary of The Shipping Forecast.
Author Archives: Thomas
Brazilian Navy Weather Bulletin via PACTOR/FEC
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Carlos Latuff, who writes:
Decoding weather bulletin broadcasted in the PACTOR/FEC system by the Brazilian Navy radio station in Rio de Janeiro. Received today at Parque Marinha in Porto Alegre, 12710 kHz (USB), 21h45 UTC.
Rediscovering the Golden Age of Utility DXing
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Greenall, who writes:
Hi Thomas
Back in the 1970’s, I used to enjoy hunting for “utility” radio stations outside the regular SWBC bands. When I came across a copy of the Utility DXer’s Handbook from 1971 recently on eBay, I couldn’t resist purchasing it. I have since made a page on archive.org for it to help preserve this unique piece of radio history. Anyone interested can follow this link and take a look at the world of utility radio as it was over 50 years ago.
Also, I have included links to some of the recordings and QSL’s from these stations that I have set up on the Internet Archive.
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- The Utility DXer’s Handbook (1971)
- Vintage PTT stations 1970’s part 1
- Vintage PTT stations 1970’s part 2
- Vintage PTT stations 1970’s part 3
- A.T. and T. voice mirrors 1970’s
- Cable and Wireless voice mirrors 1970’s
- Tropical Radio Telegraph Company voice mirrors 1970’s
- France Cables and Radio Company (Africa) 1970’s
- French Telecommunications Service 1970’s
- Utility Radio QSL cards
- Utility Radio QSL letters
- Prepared Form Card (PFC) QSL’s
Wow, Dan! What a utility DXing treasure trove you’ve created on Archive.org. Thank you for sharing these resources and recordings with us!
Carlos’ Illustrated Radio Listening Report and Recording of La Union (December 27, 2024)
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist Carlos Latuff, who shares an illustrated radio listening report of a recent La Union (Paraguay) broadcast.
Carlos notes:
Part of Radio La Union talk show (in Spanish). News about three men attacked by bees in Encarnacion, Paraguay, leaving one dead. Listened in Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Texas Radio Shortwave’s January-March 2025 program schedule
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Terry Colgan of Texas Radio Shortwave, who writes:
Hi – Here’s our program schedule for the first three months of 2025. We’re continuing to air monthly programs over Channel 292, Rohrbach, Germany, featuring Texas musicians (except in January).
We kick off the New Year with an hour of programming from Swedish pirate station Radio Igloo. It’s been a long time since they’ve been widely heard in North America, and we hope they receive a good response to the program. TRSW and Radio Igloo will issue separate QSLs for correct, detailed reception reports.
We’ve changed the time of our MixCloud streams to make them more accessible to worldwide fans of music by Texas artists and old-time radio shows. Previously, the stream time favored North American enthusiasts. We offer different QSL designs for reports on the MixCloud streams.
Musikalischer Frühschoppen: A special DRM broadcast on December 27, 2024
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Alan, who shares the following announcement from the DRM Consortium:
DRM SW transmissions from Germany after Christmas
On 27 December, SE-TA 2, a private German shortwave radio station, will be on air with a 4-hour moderated music programme “Musikalischer Frühschoppen” from the Waldheim, Germany, transmitter.
The frequency will be 6195 kHz.
The two-hour programme will be played twice in succession within the 4-hour transmission windows. The DRM transmission will be in two different configurations:
09-11 UTC 16 QAM in MSC Mode B
11-13 UTC 16 QAM in MSC Mode C
Both featuring xHE-AAC audio, Journaline, DRM TextMessages with DL+ information, stations logos and Slideshow images.
Alan Roe’s 2024 Holiday Programmes on Shortwave (Version 4.0)
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Alan Roe, who once again has published an update to his excellent Holiday Broadcasts on Shortwave schedule.
Alan notes:
Attached is version 4.0 of the “Holiday Programmes on Shortwave 14 Dec 2024 to 1 Jan 2025” PDF ready for you to upload to your SWLing.com site if you wish, and when you have time.
This is (probably) the final version of this compilation for the 2024 holiday season.
many thanks and 73
Alan Roe
Click here to download Holiday Broadcasts on Shortwave 2024 Version 4.0 (PDF).
Thank you so much for sharing your guide, Alan!



