Category Archives: What’s On Shortwave

23 January 2015: A Friday morning 31 meter band scan

This morning, I tuned around the 31 meter band and was surprised with favorable propagation out of Asia (see spectrum waterfall above–click to enlarge).

I started logging a few stations, but the effort quickly turned into a full band scan/survey. I logged everything I could easily hear between the 9,390-10,000 kHz portion of the 31 meter band.

I logged 52 stations and omitted eight that I considered too weak for good copy.

I used my WinRadio Excalibur SDR connected to a large horizontal delta loop wire antenna.

The number of broadcasts originating in or targeting China is pretty phenomenal: the 31 band is your oyster, if you speak Chinese.

31 Meter Band 1200 – 1300 UTC, all frequencies in kHz

9390 Radio Thailand Malaysian (1200Z) then English (1230Z)
9410 China National Radio 5 Chinese
9430 FEBC Radio Chinese
9440 China Radio International Cambodian
9460 China Radio International English
9475 Radio Australia English
9490 Voice Of America Korean
9500 China National Radio 1 Chinese
9515 China National Radio 2 Chinese
9530 Voice Of America Chinese
9540 China Radio International Chinese
9550 China Radio International Vietnamese (covered by CRI Cantonese distortion)
Note the blowtorch CRI signal on 9,570 kHz which was blanketing the surrounding spectrum with noise.
9570 China Radio International Cantonese (transmitter spewing distortion 50 kHz wide)
9580 Radio Australia English (covered by CRI Cantonese distortion)
9590 China Radio International Russian (covered by CRI Cantonese distortion)
9600 China Radio International English
9620 China National Radio 6 Chinese
9635 Voice of Vietnam 1 Vietnamese (slightly below freq)
9640 Radio Havana Cuba Spanish
9645 China Radio International English
9655 China Radio International Chinese
9660 Radio Taiwan International Chinese
9680 Radio Taiwan International Chinese
9700 Lower Sideband communication (UNID)
9710 China National Radio 1 Chinese
9720 China Radio International Filipino
9730 China Radio International English
9735 Radio Taiwan International Indonesian
9740 BBC English
9745 Guanghua zhi Sheng Chinese
9750 Radio Kuwait Arabic
9730 China Radio International English
9770 KBS World Radio Chinese
9775 China National Radio 2 Chinese (vy weak)
9785 China Radio International Laotian
9790 Voice Of Islamic Republic of Iran Pashto
9810 China National Radio 2 Chinese and All India Radio Telugu
9820 Radio Havana Cuba Spanish
9825 Voice Of America Chinese
9830 China National Radio 1 Chinese
9840 Voice of Vietnam English
9850 Radio Habana Cuba Spanish
9855 China Radio International Chinese
9860 China National Radio 1 Chinese (vy weak)
9880 KSDA-AWR Guam Korean (vy weak)
9900 Radio France International Chinese
9920 FEBC Radio Bahnar (w/Jamming)
9940 Reach Beyond Australia (HCJB) Indonesian
9955 Radio Slovakia International English (via WRMI/WRN)
9975 KTWR Guam Chinese
9990 Radio Farda Persian
10000 WWV Fort Collins English

I recorded two broadcasts during the scan–both at 12:30 UTC: Radio Thailand (9,390 kHz) and Radio Slovakia (9,955 kHz). I will post them soon.

Revised B14 Radio Australia schedule

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Click to enlarge.

I just received the revised B14 RA schedule (above–click to enlarge) which shows the reduction of broadcasts this year. The Brandon, QLD transmission facility has been closed and Radio Australia has also moth-balled the newest Continental transmitters at Shepparton.

For comparison click here for the current English HF schedule (PDF).

For what it’s worth, I’m still grateful to see that RA will continue their broadcasts on 9,580 kHz–a staple frequency in my part of the world.

Test Transmissions from Radio Revival Sweden, Thursday, January 22

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Many thanks to Jonathan Marks for sharing this release from Radio Revival Sweden:

Dear Listeners,

Radio Revival Sweden will be testing on Thursday, January 22 as follows:

6035 kHz AM 5 kW 1200 – 1500 UTC

9815 kHz A3H 10 kW 1200 – 1300 UTC

9865 kHz A3H 10 kW 1300 – 1400 UTC

9875 kHz A3H 10 kW 1400 – 1500 UTC

Please listen in and tell us how you are receiving our signal. Regular transmissions will follow this weekend and you are of course welcome to book airtime.

Good listening & 73s

Ronny Forslund
Radio Revival Sweden

Reception reports can be sent to radiorevivalsweden (at) hotmail.com. RSS doesn’t have a printed QSL card but have mentioned that they will respond by email.

Shortwave Radio Recordings: Special Radio Netherlands broadcast via WRMI

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Last week, I received a message from Peter De Groot, who announced a special broadcast of Radio Netherlands Worldwide (RNW).

RNW has been off the air for more than 2.5 years, so we can assume this was not sponsored by RNW.

Though scheduling (and the fact I forgot to start a spectrum recording–!) interfered with my ability to listen to the first broadcast on January 17, I was able to catch the January 18 broadcast at 01:00 UTC on 7,570 kHz. The show was relayed by WRMI.

The broadcast came in so strong, when I heard the interval signal, it instantly transported me back to the days when Hilversum targeted eastern North America. Gave me chill bumps.

I was able to record the entire program but did not include the WRMI station ID before and after the special.

For your listening pleasure, one full hour of Radio Netherlands Worldwide via WRMI in Florida USA–click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below. Enjoy:

This recording was made with my Elad FDM-S2 hooked up to a large horizontal delta loop antenna.

Note: I will reach out to WRMI to see if the person or group behind the broadcast plans to issue QSL cards.

Orchestral music on shortwave?

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Photo: Thomas Fries / License: cc-by-sa-3.0 de

SWLing Post reader, Eric (w4OTN/3), asks:

Years ago I loved tuning in Radio Bulgaria and listening to their orchestra play. The ether would deliver the beautiful music to my ears with some fading at times but I loved listening to it. That is, of course, until they stopped broadcasting. I’ve tried to find an alternative without success.

I wonder if you know of any shortwave station that still broadcast orchestras?

Thanks,
Eric W4OTN/3

Any suggestions for Eric? Please comment with details!

Special Radio Netherlands broadcasts starting January 17 and 18, 2015

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Peter De Groot writes:

A series of special Radio Netherlands broadcasts will begin on January 17th and 18th, 2015. Presenters will be John van den Steen, Jerry Cowan and Tim Thomasson. See frequencies and times below:

0100 to 0200 UTC on 7,570 kHz

0100 to 0200 UTC on 11,790 and perhaps 13700

Peter sent no more information than this, so I’m not sure where the transmissions will originate. Since RNW is no longer on the air, I’m certain these broadcasts aren’t coming from Hilversum.

Hopefully, someone will attempt to record these broadcasts in case I’m not in the broadcast footprint. Would like to add this to the SW Radio Audio Archive.