Category Archives: Shortwave Radio

Dan’s digital archive of QSL Cards

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

Hi Thomas

In addition to digitizing many of my old SW and BCB audio files, I have begun setting up some of my QSL galleries on the internet archive in order to help preserve radio history. I am sending along a few links that perhaps old timers and newcomers alike might find of interest.

SWBC stations (sorry, only scanned one side so far)

https://archive.org/details/radio-tampa-tokyo-japan-1987

Utility stations

https://archive.org/details/zhh-st.-helena-inside-view

Time signal stations

https://archive.org/details/vng-australia-1971

BCB stations (mostly my own except for a few very old historic ones that I bought from eBay)

https://archive.org/details/ckoc-hamilton-on-1983

Small Sample from Dan’s QSL Collection:

Do not adjust your set

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FastRadioBurst 23 here letting you know of our shortwave outings this week. On Sunday 5th May 2024 at 0900/1300 hrs UTC on 6160 kHz and then at 2000 UTC on 6160 kHz and 3975 kHz we have a show called Test Cards on Radio which is beamed to Europe via Shortwave Gold.

This show is a must for fans of test cards and TV trade test transmissions alike and will feature all kinds of frequency tones for screen calibration purposes, an exclusive interview with Stooky Bill (*subject to availability) and test card related music from around the world. So rotate your rooftop antenna, adjust your brightness and vertical hold and tune in on Sunday.

Our second show is a special WRMI edition of Test Cards on Radio (2) on our new day of  Wednesday 8th May 2024 at 0200 UTC on 9395 kHz. We’re talking more test card musical classics and the worldwide exclusive play of the debut single from the band Horizontal Polarization called “Take me back to the good old days of 525 line Television” (*subject to availability). It’ll be an exciting show so tune in. If you want to know more about both shows and see some great test cards see the trailer below.

For more information on all our shows please email [email protected] and check out our Mixcloud page here.

Frans puts his new KiwiSDR2 on the air and online

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Frans Goddijn, who writes:

Dear Thomas,

Last week I bought & installed the new KiwiSDR receiver and shared it on the web so anyone can use my setup.

I posted a blog about it:

https://kostverlorenvaart.blogspot.com/2024/04/kiwisdr2-radio.html

Excellent, Frans! Thanks for sharing!

Readers, you can check out and use Frans’ KiwiSDR 2 online by clicking here. As you can see in the photos above, he is in an urban area and uses indoor loop antennas. 

Replacement power supplies for WJ-8711A/HF-1000A series receivers

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Photo by Paolo Viappiani

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dean Bianco, who writes:

Inspired by Chuck Yarbrough ‘s YouTube video, I ordered one of the newly-manufactured replacement power supplies for the WJ-8711A/HF-1000A series from WJ Systems, a new company run by noted WJ master technician Stephen Pappin. For those of us who own one (or more) of the dozen or so variants of these now-classic early DSP receivers, these new PS’s can provide an extension of their useful lifespans. These units are direct substitutions for the flawed Condor switching supplies, the Achilles heel of an otherwise fine general coverage radio. Nearly all of the original Condors have lived past their useful, in-spec lifespans and have become (or soon to become) malfunctioning ticking time bombs that will summarily go off the rails (pun intended) and spike all kinds of nasty voltages that will destroy your pricey beauty forever. While admittedly there are other inevitable EOL issues endemic to the 87xx series, e.g., expired time-keeping battery RAM and aging encoders making it harder to find spare parts, a well-cared for receiver can enjoy a much-welcomed rejuvenation and keep the grim reaper of radios at bay for a while!

The official website for WJ Systems is: www.wj-systems.com

Chuck Yarbrough’s YouTube videos demonstrating the installation and testing of the new power supply:

Part 1 of 2:

Part 2 of 2

Thanks!

Dean

Thank you for sharing this, Dean!  This is a brilliant upgrade for an iconic receiver!

We’re a garage band, we come from garageland

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Hi, FastRadioBurst 23 here letting you know of a couple of our shows this week. On Sunday 28th April 2024 at 0900/1300 hrs UTC on 6160 kHz and then at 2000 UTC on 6160 kHz and 3975 kHz we have The Shortwave Garage Sale beamed to Europe via Shortwave Gold. Pull open that garage door, crank up your shortwave radio to 11 and enjoy our rousing Garage and Psyche special. Why not even get into some overalls and lie down on one of those mechanic’s creeper things and really get into the garage vibe!

On our new day of  Wednesday 1st May 2024 via the services of WRMI  we bring you another episode of WMMR – Mystery Mix Radio at 0200 UTC on 9395 kHz. Who knows what DJ Frederick will play but we promise you it’ll be interesting and fun.

We are still looking for some financial help to cover our production and transmission costs for our shows on shortwave so here’s our fundraising video below. We’d love to keep our show on the air for the rest of the year and we are looking for donations (no matter how small as everything helps) to keep our shows bouncing off that ionosphere. Remember, radio connects us all!

For more information on the shows please email [email protected] and check out our old shows here.

May 2024: From the Isle of Music and Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot

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

From the Isle of Music, May 11, 2024 Broadcast:

The main feature will be special guest Kiki Valera with some of his new son cubano album “Vacilón Santiaguero”.
Broadcast times: May 11: 0900-1000 UTC 9670 kHz &
1900-2000 UTC 3955 and 6070 kHz

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, May 18, 2024 Broadcast:

The main feature will be special guest Eugene Pao, Hong Kong’s foremost jazz guitarist, with some of his new album “Jazz at Lincoln Center”, recorded live during a tour of the US.
Broadcast times: May 18 0900-1000 UTC 9670 kHz &
1900-2000 UTC 3955 and 6070 kHz

Both programs will feature additional music to round out the hour.
It’s great to be back on Channel 292!