Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares the following illustrated radio listening report of a recent CGTN broadcast.
Carlos notes:
More than 1,200 dead from floods in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand – CGTN, NHK, Kyodo News
Click here to view on YouTube.
Today’s Kyodo News Morning Edition radiofax: Indonesia’s death toll surpasses 600
by Dan Greenall
This region consists of the western part of Asia from Turkey to Iran including the Arabian Peninsula and Egypt. Decades ago, most of the countries had a shortwave broadcasting service that made intriguing DX targets for listeners like me. Some were relatively easy to hear, while others provided more of a challenge as they did not offer broadcasts to North America (where I live) or programming was not in English. Here are a few recordings that I made over the years and have uploaded to the internet archive.
Click on titles to access Internet Archive pages with additional information.
TURKEY 1970
EGYPT 1971
LEBANON 1971
IRAQ 1971As 2025 draws to a close, only a few countries from the Middle East seem to be consistently logged by the shortwave listener.
The high powered transmitters in Turkey and programming in a variety of languages provide worldwide listeners a great opportunity to tune into this part of the world. A musical interlude accompanied by frequent identifications precedes their transmission. This recording was made on July 31, 2025 at 0254 UTC leading up to 0300 sign on in English on 7275 kHz. Reception was made using a remote SDR in the UK:
The Al Dhabbiyah tramitter site in the United Arab Emirates is used by a number of international broadcasters including FEBA Radio, IBRA Media and the BBC. This recording of FEBA made on June 24, 2025 captures their sign off just prior to 0230 UTC on 9540 kHz on a KiwiSDR in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia:
IBRA Radio Ibrahim is noted using the same interval signal on June 19, 2025 around 1700 UTC also on 9540 kHz. A remote SDR in Kenya was used to make this recording.
Another relay transmitter is located at Al Seela in Oman and is largely used by the BBC for broadcasts into Asia. This recording, made November 20 at 2328 UTC on 11645 kHz, shows them being received by the KiwiSDR at Haida Gwaii, British Columbia off of Canada’s west coast. The effects of an over-the-pole signal path is evident here:
Other stations may emerge on occasion. For example, early in 2025, a station called Republic of Yemen Radio was being heard on 11935 kHz reportedly broadcasting in Arabic from a transmitter in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Reception was quite good in February using a remote SDR in Addis Ababa, however, in later months the transmitter seemed to develop a bad hum or buzz. You can listen to recordings made in February and then in April by following this link to the Internet Archive.
I would encourage all listeners to report reception of new stations broadcasting from this region to the SWLing Post so others might have the opportunity to try and tune in for themselves.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Paul, who writes:
Hi Thomas, while watching this documentary from the BBC telling how people Northern Ireland survived the Blitz in World War 2. I spotted this glitch. The picture is from a scene when Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain declared war on Germany.
It will be noted that the radio’s dial has an FM band. FM broadcasting commenced in the UK in 1955.
Cheers
Paul
Christchurch,
New Zealand
You’ve a keen eye for detail, Paul. Thanks for sharing.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares the following illustrated radio listening reports of two recent NHK broadcasts.
Carlos notes:
China’s President Xi speaks with President Trump by phone, stressing his position on Taiwan, NHK, 11815 kHz.
Click here to view on YouTube.
Kyodo News Morning Edition, radiofax received in Porto Alegre (Nov 25)
Carlos notes:
US president Trump advises Japan PM Takaichi not to provoke China on Taiwan, NHK, 11815 kHz
Click here to view on YouTube.
Prime Minister Takaichi seeks to calm party leader debate over Taiwan, saying “the existential crisis is a comprehensive judgment”.
Today’s Kyodo News Morning Edition, radiofax received in Porto Alegre.
Greetings all SWLing Post community, here’s what Imaginary Stations crew are putting out into the shortwaves next week. We’ve another “Guess what the theme is” with the Mystery Mix Radio show (WMMR) via shortwaveradio.de on Saturday 29th November 2025 at 1200 hrs UTC and then again on Sunday 30th November 2025 at 1000/1400 hrs UTC on 3975 kHz and 6160 kHz and 2200 on 3975 kHz.
As usual, it’s a show of an unknown theme that you the listener, will have to guess what it is. There’ll be a special e-QSL for the lucky winner, and no, we will not give any clues away (or is that a double bluff and we have given away a vital clue?) Tune in and have some fun guessing on shortwave.
On Wednesday 3rd December 2025 at 0300 UTC on 9395 kHz via WRMI we bring you WFCR, the one and only Flying Carpet Radio. The show is an exotic journey through the skies on a flying carpet made from an assortment of carpet tiles and bits of (thrown out for the binman), old floor matting. It may not look like the best looking travelling device, but it doesn’t half work. So expect all sorts of exotic and worldly sounds, underlaid with the warmest vibes as ever.
More on Flying Carpet Radio below:
For more information on all our shows, please write to us at [email protected] and check out our old shows at our Mixcloud page here.
FastRadioBurst23
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Carlos Latuff, who writes:
I was listening to the news on the radio when I was caught by surprise with this earthquake alert!
NHK earthquake alert, listened in Porto Alegre, Nov 25, 2025, 09h09 UTC:
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill Tilford, who shares the following update:
December continues with 3955 kHz only, and since it is the season for various holidays in multiple countries, both programs will be “surprise packages” of musical goodies for those who need a break from regular holiday programming. Dates and times are as follows:
From the Isle of Music December 2025
Friday, December 12, 2025, :3955 kHz, 1800 CET (1700 UTC), repeat 2300 CET (2200 UTC)
Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot December 2025**
Friday December 19:3955 kHz, 1800 CET (1700 UTC), repeat 2300 CET (2200 UTC)
**UBMP times subject to change, check the Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot Facebook Page, https://www.facebook.com/UncleBillsMeltingPot/ for confirmation.
Happy Holidays to all.