Category Archives: What’s On Shortwave

STF Radio International this weekend via KBC

Last week, I received an email from STF Radio International, a new venture that broadcasts digital modes over shortwave (similar to VOA Radiograms). I asked for a description of their mission–here’s their reply:

“STF Radio is primarily a narrowcasting project, a means to deliver specialized content to specific audiences in remote locations. And due to the nature of shortwave, we’re inviting the world to listen in.

The (possible) series of special multimedia broadcasts will continue the exploration of new possibilities with aging technology. We are currently preparing a 1-hour program for broadcast later in April. Depending on audience response, there may be additional programs throughout the year.

We will continue running tests leading up to the 1-hour show. The second round of tests will begin soon, with another segment of digital modes confirmed for this weekend on The Mighty KBC, same time/frequency as last weekend.”

If you would like to decode STF Radio International‘s broadcast, tune in The Might KBC on 7,375 kHz, April 6, 2014 from 00:00 – 2:00 UTC (Saturday evening in North America). STF indicates that their broadcast will be between 01:30 – 2:00 UTC.

The latest information about STF Radio broadcasts can be found on their website: http://stfradio.com

International SW Disaster Test: June 4-5, 2014

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SWLing Post reader, Mehmet Burk, has just published information about the upcoming international disaster test on shortwave radio, coordinated by the High Frequency Coordination Commission (HFCC) for the International Radio for Disaster Relief project.

Mehmet has details of this June 4 – 5 international radio event on his website: Relief Analysis Radio.

The Voice of Korea and an inspirational story

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Many thanks to Frank, a contributor at the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive, for this recording of the Voice of Korea’s English language service.

Frank recorded VOK from his home in Europe on March 27, 2014, on 7,570 kHz, starting at 21:00 UTC, using a Kenwood R-5000 receiver and a Wellbrook ALA 1530+ antenna.

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Of course, the Voice of Korea is all about broadcasting hard-core propaganda–a type of broadcast I find incredibly fascinating. But let there be no mistake, to live in the DPRK is to live under one of the world’s most oppressive regimes. If you want to hear a moving, inspirational story about one North Korean woman’s escape from the DPRK, check out Hyeonseo Lee’s: My escape from North Korea, a TED Talk:

Remember, you can subscribe and download the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive collection (free!) as a podcast via iTunes or the SWAA RSS feed.

WBCQ celebrates Radio Caroline this weekend

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(Source: WBCQ)

WBCQ celebrates the 50th anniversary of the first broadcast of Radio Caroline with special programming

On March 28, 1964, Radio Caroline began broadcasting on 199 meters (1520 KHz) from the MV Caroline , anchored off the coast of England. Radio Caroline went on to revolutionize radio and popular music in the United Kingdom and the world, and influenced an entire generation.

WBCQ will be airing special programming celebrating the legacy of Radio Caroline and offshore free radio starting Friday night, March 28, 2014, at 8:00pm US eastern time (0000 UTC Saturday) on 5.110, 7.490, and 9.330 MHz with Allan Weiner Worldwide. Special programming will continue on 5.110 MHz following Allan’s show this evening and for the next week.

Also check out the special Radio Caroline broadcast from IRRS this weekend.

Radio Caroline shortwave special Friday/Saturday via IRRS

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(Source: RadioCaroline.co.uk)

Many thanks to Andrea Borgnino (@aborgnino) for this tip via IW0HK:

This is the schedule of 16 Gwendoline Street and its special sixty minute program on Radio Caroline’s on the air on March 28-29, 2014 on IRRS-Shortwave and Medium Wave frequencies:

Fri March 28, 2014:
19:00 UTC / 20:00 UTC on 7120 Shortwave & 1368 kHz Medium Wave 22:00 UTC / 23:00 CET on 1368 kHz Medium Wave

Saturday 29 March, 2014:
00:30 CET (23:30 UTC on previous day) on 1368 kHz Medium Wave 06:30 CET / 05:30 UTC on 1368 kHz Medium Wave 10:00 CET / 09:00 UTC on 9510 kHz Shortwave & 1368 kHz Medium Wave 22:30 CET / 21:30 UTC on 1368 kHz Medium Wave

Audio will be also available on streaming at:

http://mp3.nexus.org:8000/irn.mp3.m3u

or at:

http://mp3.nexus.org (IRRS / EGR audio link)

Click here to read our previous post regarding Radio Caroline’s 50th anniversary.

VOA Radiogram: Battle of the 100 wpm modes, this weekend!

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If you like the VOA Radiogram, don’t miss this weekend (March 29-30)–a one year mile marker for the VOA Radiogram service on shortwave radio.

I’ve copied details of the broadcast below, but please bookmark or subscribe to the VOA Radiogram website to see the results of the 100 wpm battle and details of all future broadcasts.

(Source: VOA Radiogram)

This weekend, 29-30 March 2014, will be program 52 of VOA Radiogram. This means that VOA Radiogram has survived one year of shortwave broadcasting.

VOA Radiogram has been successful because of its audience: tuning in, decoding, experimenting, and sending in reports.

We will mark one year of VOA Radiogram with a “battle of the 100-word-per-minute modes.” The same VOA News story will be transmitted using four modes that have a speed of more-or-less 100 words per minute.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 52, 29-30 March 2014:

1:51 MFSK32: Program preview

3:28 PSKR125 (110 wpm): VOA News re Ethiopia

7:42 MT63-1000L (100 wpm): Same VOA New story

12:34 Thor25x4 (100 wpm): Same VOA News story

17:58 MFSK32 (120 wpm): Same VOA News story, with image

23:55 MFSK32: US international broadcasting FY2015 budget

25:58 MFSK32: Closing announcements, with image

Each mode will be preceded by 5 seconds of silence, followed by the RSID, 5 more seconds of silence, and the RSID again.

Please send reception reports to [email protected]

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule

(all days and times UTC)

Sat 0930-1000 5745 kHz

Sat 1600-1630 17860 kHz

Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz

Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz

All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

(Many shortwave broadcast frequencies will change on 30 March with the beginning of the A14 season, but the VOA Radiogram frequencies stay the same, for the time being.)

The Mighty KBC, via Germany, will again transmit a minute of MFSK64 Saturday at about 1230 UTC on 6095 kHz and Sunday at about 0130 UTC on 7375 kHz. (KBC’s change from 7375 to 9925 planned for this weekend has been postponed until May.) STF Radio International will also have a minute of digital modes during the same hour (simultaneous MFSK32 streams at 1500 and 2100 Hz).

The Mighty KBC to remain on 7,375 kHz until May ’14

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DJ Eric van Willegen, “Uncle Eric” hosts The Giant Jukebox.

I’ve just heard from The Mighty KBC that they will not move to their summer frequency of 9,925 kHz until May 2014.

Until then, you will still hear the KBC’s Giant Jukebox show on Sundays (Saturday evening in the Americas) at 00:00 UTC on 7,375 kHz. Note that this only applies to KBC broadcasts to North and South America.

If you’ve never heard The Mighty KBC’s Giant Jukebox, listen to what you’re missing!