X-rays and comedy on shortwave

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Greetings all SWLing Post community, here’s what Imaginary Stations crew are putting out on air next week. We’ve got a comedy special called CMDY via shortwaveradio.de on Saturday 22nd November 2025 at 1200 hrs UTC and then again on Sunday 23rd November 2025 at 1000/1400 hrs UTC on 3975 kHz and 6160 kHz and 2200 on 3975 kHz.

There’s stuff to hopefully make you laugh and cheer you up over the hour. Tune in and have a bit of a titter via the shortwaves!

On Wednesday 26th November 2025 at 0300 UTC on 9395 kHz via WRMI we bring you X-Raydio. The show will explore audio from unusual musical formats and features a piece on Bone Music by Stephen Coates from The Real Tuesday Weld (who hosts a great radio show called The Bureau of Lost Culture on Soho Radio, London) and a flexi disc mix by Shane Quentin (from the excellent The Garden of the Earthly Delights show on CRMK). Tune in your shortwave radio (or an online SDR) to X-Raydio for something a little bit different for your airwaves!

XHDATA Black Friday/Cyber Monday Deals

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Hi Folks!

Here are some discounts for popular XHDATA radios in time for Black Friday. Please note the dates listed for each item so you get the best deal.

Promotion Period: November 20 – December 1

Products & Links:

D808 (Black) – Black Friday Deal: $84.24
Amazon link: https://amzn.to/4oOsPi0

D220 (Orange) – Black Friday Deal: $9.35
Amazon link: https://amzn.to/4pgYiJs

D221 (Orange) – Black Friday Deal: $15.88
Amazon link: https://amzn.to/44dwMo7

D221 (Green) – Black Friday Deal: $15.88
Amazon link: https://amzn.to/4oIMDDz

D219 1k (Green) – Black Friday Deal: $13.59 (Promotion Period: November 28 – December 1)
Amazon link: https://amzn.to/48njBU4

Many thanks to XHDATA for their continued support of Thomas’ blog and its readers!
Robert K4PKM

Please note that these are Amazon affiliate links that support the SWLing POst at no cost to you.

The XHDATA D-219 Shirt-Pocket Radio

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The XHDATA D-219 is a shirt-pocket radio which performs quite well, especially given the low price point of ~$13. Paul Jamet has already done an excellent review of this radio (even the same color as mine!) which can be found here. I encourage you to check out Paul’s excellent review, as I am only going to add my experience with the review radio I was sent by XHDATA.

As I typically do, I tested the radio stock – no additional antenna support or boost. Like any portable, a clip-on wire would likely boost performance, but I test radios in their basic state when promoted as a portable radio like the D-219.

Reception was quite good from the solid antenna and (presumably) internal ferrite. AM stations were plentiful and loud; FM stations were also solid and plentiful to my rural location. Shortwave radio was surprisingly good considering the use of the telescopic antenna. The antenna is made well, rotatable, and solid enough for any typical handling.

The side tuning dial is sensitive but very controllable, with slight adjustments bringing in new stations. For such a small radio, I had no difficulty reading the analog-style display, and the front slider moved between bands easily.

On/Off switch, DC 5V input, and headphone jack along with Kickstand

I appreciate that the radio runs on two standard AA batteries, and has a fold out kickstand. It does also have a DC 5V input (power cable not included), but I did not test it for noise/birdies as again, to me a portable radio will not, under normal circumstances, be tethered to an outlet (did I mention I hate wires?!).

With headphones plugged in the audio is strong and clear, mono, but coming in both sides for that middle of the head effect. Of course, it also works with a single earbud with a mono or stereo plug on the end. Audio without the headphones is also good – as I have noticed with many of the newer Chinese radios, miniaturization allows more room for speakers, and the D-219 does not disappoint.

At this price-point it is hard to find fault with the radio. Within its reasonable limitations, it performs way above what one might expect, as do many of the new radio offerings. Analog looks with digital precision – what’s not to like?! Besides, being a retro kind of guy, I like these portable radios for on-the-go listening!

73, Robert K4PKM

Carlos’ Illustrated Radio Listening Report and Recording of CGTN (November 17, 2025)

Paul Reviews the Radtel RT-880G

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by Paul Jamet

Looking for a versatile radio?

Which radio listener hasn’t dreamed of owning a portable multi-band receiver allowing them to explore the widest possible radio spectrum?

For nearly a year now, walkie-talkies have appeared on the market which, beyond the classic VHF–UHF functions, also allow listening and transmitting on CB (27 MHz) as well as listening to LW/MW/SW bands (LSB/USB/CW). The RADTEL RT-860 has won over those who have tested it.

Read here: Dan Reviews the Radel RT-860

The arrival of the Quansheng TK-11 — available in three versions — has caused quite a stir on social networks. Then, almost at the same time, the RADTEL RT-880 and RT-880G (G for GPS) appeared, also sold under other names such as iRadio UV98.

Among all these available models, I chose — as a radio listener, especially when I’m traveling — the RADTEL RT-880G. My choice is explained mainly by its antenna connectors (SMA-Female and SMA-Male), its large color display, its GPS module, its thousand memory channels, and the possibility of simultaneously monitoring three VHF/UHF frequencies. This device is highly customizable, but its user manual would deserve to be much more detailed and explicit.

The RT-880G comes with a “standard” 18 cm antenna for VHF-UHF bands, which is also used for FM station reception. I haven’t yet tested the device on the 27 MHz (CB) band, for which a dedicated antenna is preferable. No antenna is provided for LW/MW/SW listening.

For listening to LW/MW/SW bands, the device is often shown with small donut-type loop antennas (10 cm diameter).

However, for easier transport, I simply chose this small telescopic SMA-Male antenna, 48 cm long (weight: 20 g): to which it is possible to clip a wire antenna, such as the SONY AN-71, which can prove very useful.

I also used an antenna normally intended for CB, the ABBREE 27 MHz telescopic antenna (130 cm), admittedly heavier (weight: 78 g) and bulkier, but which gives very good results for the HF band.

The purpose of this contribution — which concerns only listening — is to arouse curiosity among mobile (or stationary) listeners, to invite those who own this walkie-talkie to come here and share their experience, and to collect your comments. It is therefore not a full review of the RT-880G, but simply an illustration of what it offers for listening to LW/MW/SW bands.

For LW/MW/SW bands, the RT-880G allows you to set the:

step to 1 – 5 – 10 – 50 – 100 – 500 – 1,000 – and 9 kHz],
bandwidth [0.5 – 1.0 – 1.2 – 2.2 – 3.0 – 4.0],
AGC (Automatic Gain Control)
BFO – (Beat Frequency Oscillator) – used for fine tuning SSB reception (the minimum step being 1 kHz).

Sample Recordings

Local park where some of the recordings were made.

Here are a few audio files that will help you form an opinion. The recordings were made with a smartphone placed near the receiver. The recordings were made using a smartphone placed near the receiver. The sound quality is quite good, even surprising. Continue reading →

Carlos’ Illustrated Radio Listening Report and Recording of CGTN (November 15, 2025)

Good Listening from Brazil on Shortwave in 2025

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by Dan Greenall

Fifty years ago, there were dozens, if not hundreds, of Brazilian shortwave signals to hear on shortwave. As with the rest of the world, this is no longer the case. However, especially with the advent of remote SDRs to assist with the enjoyment of the DXing hobby, there are still a number of stations broadcasting from Brazil that are well worth a listen, even if you don’t understand Portuguese. Here is a sampling of what can be heard in 2025.

Radio Nacional da Amazonia 6180 and 11780 kHz

This is perhaps the easiest station to hear for overseas listeners. They run high-powered transmitters and have been widely reported in many parts of the globe. The station began a short daily broadcast in English and Spanish in late March, but I’m not sure if this is still going, as I haven’t checked recently. Here is a recording from April 18:

The transmitter power used by the next two stations is unknown, so the use of a remote SDR to hear them well may be required. Overseas listeners can look for them anyway, but note that their schedules seem to be irregular. Broadcasts consist mostly of popular music with frequent station ID’s in Portuguese between selections.

Radio Ancora (free radio?) Bahia, Brazil 6200 kHz

Recording 1 – September 13, 2025 at 2337 UTC:

Recording 2 – September 13 at 2358 UTC:

Recording 3 – September 14, 2025 at 0223 UTC:

Online presence here: https://ancoraonline.wshost.com.br/timetable

Radio Casa (free radio?) Amparo, Brazil 5900 kHz

Recording 1 – September 16, 2025 at 2020 UTC:

Recording 2 – September 16, 2025 at 2015 UTC:

Recording 3 – September 24, 2025 at 2200 UTC.

Online presence here: https://radiocasa.net/

The last two stations should be audible to DXers outside Brazil.

Radio Inconfidencia, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 6010 and 15190 kHz

With 5 kW of power, Radio Inconfidencia gives a full identification in Portuguese at the top of most hours that includes callsigns, frequencies, and location. It is on the air around the clock.

Radio Inconfidencia full ID recording – September 16 at 2158 UTC on 15190 kHz:

Radio Inconfidencia second recording – September 15 at 2353 UTC on 15190 kHz:

Radio Voz Missionaria, Camboriu SC 5940 and 9665 kHz

Using 10 kW of power from the south of Brazil, Radio Voz Missionaria should be heard, at least on occasion, in many parts of the world. This station also operates 24 hours a day.

Recording – Radio Voz Missionaria – April 23 at 2357 UTC on 9665 kHz: