Category Archives: What’s On Shortwave

Radio in the field: SWLing on the coast of the St. Lawrence river

Yesterday, the weather was gorgeous here in Québec, thus a prime opportunity to find a beach, start a new book and, of course, play radio!

I found a fantastic spot on the north bank of the St. Lawrence river near Baie-St-Paul, Québec. There were only a few folks at the beach, so it was all very peaceful.

I found a picnic table perched on the edge of the beach shaded by an apple tree–a perfect spot to relax, play radio and start a new book: Dark Voyage by Alan Furst.

I brought two portables: the C. Crane CC Skywave SSB and the recently acquired Panasonic RF-B65.

I had not checked to see if propagation was good, but tuning to WWV on 10 MHz and 15 MHz confirmed that signals were travelling. In fact, as I started tuning around–first with the CC Skywave SSB, then with the Panasonic RF-B65–I discovered some of the best propagation I’ve experienced in ages!

I did a relatively quick scan covering the 31 through 19 meter bands. Some signals were absolutely booming in.

I jotted down some of the broadcast details on a make-shift log and recorded a few videos.

Note that after making the first video, I discovered I had limited space on my phone, so most of the clips are quite short:

Here are the stations I logged in the clear:

All in all it was a brilliant afternoon and the short band scan reminded me that there is still so much content to be found on the shortwaves.

You just need a little propagation, and some time to listen and explore!

Post readers: Have you snagged any elusive DX recently? Please comment!

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June 13: Spectres of Shortwave film screening and simulcast via German Shortwave Service

Spectres of Shortwave /
Ombres des ondes courtes

June 13 juin
Film Screening / Projection @ 7pm / 19 h
Cinémathèque Québécoise
Montréal, Québec

Radio Simulcast @ 23:00 UTC in Europe
German Shortwave Service – 3895 kHz

A film about radio waves, relationships, landscape, and loss.
This experimental documentary film about the Radio Canada International (RCI) shortwave radio towers, presents the site through four seasons, leading up to, and including, its demolition in winter of 2014. Images captured on 35mm film accompanied by personal stories from by people who lived with the site, interwoven with field recordings made by placing contact microphones onto the towers themselves.

Screenings of this film are accompanied by a radio simulcast, so that while viewers watch the film on a big screen in one part of the world, listeners can hear the sound track over radio waves in another part of the world. This Montreal screening is accompanied by a shortwave simulcast in Germany.

1 hour 53 minutes, colour, 5.1 sound
www.spectresofshortwave.net
http://www.amandadawnchristie.ca
Cinémathèque website and info
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Dean records Voice of Korea’s Panmunjon Summit coverage

Alan Roe’s A18 season guide to music on shortwave

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Alan Roe, who notes that he has now compiled his Music on Shortwave listing for the A18 broadcast season.

Alan, thanks so much for keeping this excellent guide updated each broadcast season and for sharing it here with the community!

Click here to download Alan Roe’s A18 Shortwave Music Guide version 1.0 (PDF).

Alan Roe’s updated B17 season guide to music on shortwave

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Alan Roe, who notes:

I have now updated my Music on Shortwave listing for the B17 season, and attached version 2.0.

Alan, thanks so much for keeping this excellent guide updated each broadcast season and for sharing it here with the community!

Click here to download Alan Roe’s B17 Shortwave Music Guide version 2.0 (PDF).

Skywave Radio Schedules now on the Google Play store

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Skywave Schedules App will allow you to search a comprehensive, regularly updated, database of shortwave radio broadcasts.

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Cap, who has just notified me that his shortwave radio schedules app for Android–Skywave Radio Schedules–is now available via the Google Play store.

You might recall that Cap first shared this app in Beta form and invited us to share feedback and comments. Cap has spent weeks incorporating our suggestions and making changes in the background–Skywave Radio Schedules feels refined and responsive. Best yet? It’s free and has no ads. Amazing.

Cap does note that you should uninstall any previous versions of this app before installing it from the Google Play store.

Thank you, Cap! Great job making this app a reality.

Click here to view Skywave Radio Schedules on the Google Play store.