Frank shares updates about the SWL Contest 2024 and 2025

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Frank SWL (F14368), who writes:

I’ve written three articles about the next contest project in January 2025, a list of our sponsors for 2024, and a list of listeners who worked this contest 2024. Check them out here:

https://icomjapan.blogspot.com/

Frank also shared the following banner for the 2025 contest:

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Carlos’ Shortwave Art and recording of NHK (September 15, 2024)

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares his radio log art of a recent NHK broadcast.


Carlos notes:

Sounds like old news…but it’s not!

Part of NHK news bulletin about typhoon nr. 14 approaching Japan. Listened via shortwave in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Click here to view on YouTube.

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Clear Channel Stations: Dan’s gateway into the world of DXing

Many thanks to Dan Greenall, one of our dedicated Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributors, who shares the following guest post:


Clear channel BCB stations – My Introduction to the world of DXing

by Dan Greenall

Sometime in the mid 1960’s, I acquired a Japanese made AM only transistor radio similar to the one pictured.

I was entering my teenage years and living in southern Ontario, Canada in relative proximity to the U.S. border, and was immediately fascinated that I could receive American stations from places such as Buffalo and Rochester NY as well as Detroit MI with amazing clarity.

Before long, I discovered that signals from much further afield would begin to come through at dusk and throughout the night time hours. Although I was unaware at the time, many of these would be from so-called “clear channel” stations, those operating on frequencies with the highest level of protection from interference from other stations.

In addition, many of these stations ran a full 50 kw of power.  Signals from the Atlantic seaboard to the Midwest could often be heard at near local strength if I turned my radio to just the right angle.  At this point, I was beginning to learn about the directional properties of the built-in ferrite rod antenna.  It gave me great pleasure to be able to listen to their local ads, newscasts, or a far away sporting event from the comfort of my home.

I recall listening regularly to WOWO in Fort Wayne IN on 1190 for their play by play announcements of the Fort Wayne Komets hockey games.  Then there was a station identifying as WFAA in Dallas.  That was back when they shared 820 kHz with WBAP whose famous cowbell you can hear in one of the audio clips below.

By the end of 1969, a friend of mine had encouraged me to try shortwave, and I “borrowed” my parents Philips kitchen radio for a few months, but that is another story. I wonder how many others got “hooked” in this manner?

A few brief recordings of clear channel stations that I made in the early 1970’s are presented here. Many, but not all, of the stations heard in the last two links are from clear channel stations. Reception for these recordings was made using a Realistic DX150A or a Hallicrafters S-52 receiver hooked up to an outdoor long wire antenna.

KFI Circa 1971:

WOAI Circa 1973

KSTP Circa 1970s:

Vintage AM Radio Airchecks 1973:

Vintage AM Radio Airchecks 1973 Part 2:

As a sidebar, the National Radio Club has put out a number of books showing the daytime/nighttime directional antenna patterns of AM broadcasting stations in the USA and Canada.

I gave up my copy from 1973 a number of years ago, but you can find this one and others online. I found this very useful.

For example, it is easy to see why I was more likely to hear WBT Charlotte NC on 1110 kHz from my listening post in southern Ontario, Canada, rather than KFAB Omaha, NE.

The links below will take you to the 1973, 1975 and 2018 versions of these books.

https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Radio-Logbooks/NRC_Logs/NRC-Pattern-Book-First-1973.pdf

https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Radio-Logbooks/NRC_Logs/NRC-Night-Pattern-Mapbook-2nd-1975.pdf

https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Radio-Logbooks/NRC_Logs/NRC-Pattern-Book-8th-2018.pdf

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The Asheville Radio Museum’s Vintage Radio Market, Saturday, September 14, 2024

If you happen to be in or near Asheville, North Carolina area this Saturday, I would encourage you to check out the Asheville Radio Museum’s Vintage Radio Market this weekend at AB Tech Community College.

Click here for full details and photos.

I’ve been a member of this wonderful museum for many years and volunteer for them as often as I can. We’ve just moved into a bigger area on the third floor of AB Tech’s Elm building and staff will be giving tours tomorrow morning as well.

In addition to the tailgate flea market, I helped prepare over 60 items that we’re selling in order to support the museum’s mission. We set the prices low so that we can clear our storage space for upcoming radio donations.

The SWLing Post has a very international readership, so I know only a small fraction of you may be able to check out the Vintage Radio Market, but since this museum is so near and dear to my heart, I just had to share details here! Thank for reading!

Cheers,

Thomas (K4SWL)

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The Falling Sky: Can you identify this commercial transceiver?

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Tracy Wood, who writes:

Thomas / SWLing:

You might be hearing “Yãnoma” or “Yanomamö” spoken on the HF bands. Here’s cinematic proof.

A movie has just been released about the Yanomami people’s struggles against cattle farmers and gold miners invading their tribal lands in Brazil and Venezuela. The film is called “The Falling Sky” or “A Queda do Céu” in Portuguese. It’s directed by Eryk Rocha and Gabriela Carneiro da Cunha.

This is a multinational production with resources from Brazil, Italy and France. The movie title is taken from a 2013 book by anthropologist Bruce Albert interviewing Davi Kopenawa, shaman and spokesman for the Brazilian Yanomami people.

This film is being shown at the AFI Latin American Filmfest in Silver Spring, Maryland. “The AFI Latin American Film Festival is one of North America’s largest and longest-running showcases of Latin American cinema.”

https://afisilver.afi.com/silver/laff/

This rig is an older Icom HF commercial transceiver. I have yet to figure out the model number. Any guesses readers?

Tracy

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Yagi Aftermath: Carlos’ Shortwave Art and recording of Voice of Vietnam (September 11, 2024)

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares his radio log art of a recent Voice of Vietnam broadcast.


Carlos notes:

Excerpt from the news bulletin of the “Voice of Vietnam” radio on Typhoon Yagi, September 11, 2024.

Click here to view on YouTube.

(Original in Spanish and translation for English follows)

“…En la reunión del Gobierno sobre la elaboración de leyes, celebrada este miércoles, el primer ministro Pham Minh Chinh pidió a los ministerios, ramas y localidades que movilicen a todo el sistema político para actuar y adoptar todas las medidas necesarias para responder y superar las consecuencias, especialmente las inundaciones y deslizamientos de tierra provocados por el tifón Yagi.

También invitó a redoblar los esfuerzos para buscar soluciones, por todos los medios fluviales, terrestres y aéreos, para acceder y satisfacer las necesidades básicas de las zonas aisladas, con alimentos, bebidas, agua y medicinas.

Según el Departamento de Manejo de Diques y Prevención y Control de Desastres Naturales (Ministerio de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural), debido al impacto del tifón Yagi y las inundaciones posteriores a esta tormenta, hasta la una y media del 11 de septiembre se registraron 296 personas muertas o desaparecidas.

Mientras tanto, la comunidad vietnamita en el extranjero también ofrece apoyo activo a sus compatriotas en el país. La Embajada de Vietnam y asociaciones vietnamitas en Japón lanzaron ayer una campaña para recaudar donaciones de apoyo a las personas afectadas por el tifón Yagi…”

“…El presidente venezolano, Nicolás Maduro, expresó su solidaridad con el Gobierno y el pueblo de Vietnam ante los graves daños humanos y materiales provocados por el súper tifón Yagi, y envió su más sentido pésame a los familiares de las víctimas de la catástrofe natural. En declaraciones al canal Venezolana de Televisión (VTV), el ministro del Poder Popular para las Relaciones Exteriores de Venezuela, Yván Gil Pinto, transmitió el mensaje del presidente Maduro al Gobierno y pueblo vietnamitas, enfatizando que su país seguirá monitoreando los acontecimientos tras el paso del tifón y está dispuesta a apoyar la nación indochina para superar las consecuencias provocadas por Yagi…”

“…Por otra parte, la Dirección Nacional de los Comités de Defensa de la Revolución de Cuba (CDR) mostró su confianza en que con el esfuerzo de todo el pueblo Vietnam se recuperará de los daños causados por el tifón Yagi. En el mensaje de condolencias dirigido al presidente del Frente de la Patria de Vietnam, Do Van Chien, la mayor organización de masas cubana expresó su profundo pesar ante la pérdida de vidas humanas y daños materiales provocados por esta catástrofe meteorológica en el norte vietnamita. A través de su misiva, los CDR transmitieron sus más sentidas condolencias al pueblo y Gobierno de ese país hermano, así como a los familiares y allegados de las víctimas. El mensaje reafirmó la solidaridad y hermandad del pueblo cubano con el pueblo vietnamita.

Hasta el momento, Yagi dejó tras su paso un saldo de más de 140 víctimas mortales y otros 59 desaparecidos en Vietnam, además dañó miles de hectáreas de cultivos y árboles e infraestructuras en varias localidades…”

—————————————————-

“…At the Government meeting on lawmaking held on Wednesday, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh called on ministries, branches and localities to mobilize the entire political system to act and take all necessary measures to respond to and overcome the consequences, especially the floods and landslides caused by Typhoon Yagi.

He also called on them to redouble efforts to find solutions, by all river, land and air means, to access and meet the basic needs of isolated areas, with food, drinks, water and medicine.

According to the Department of Dike Management and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), due to the impact of Typhoon Yagi and the floods following this storm, 296 people had died as of 1:30 a.m. on September 11 or missing.

Meanwhile, the Vietnamese community abroad is also actively supporting their compatriots at home. The Vietnamese Embassy and Vietnamese associations in Japan launched a campaign yesterday to collect donations to support those affected by Typhoon Yagi…”

“…Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro expressed his solidarity with the Government and people of Vietnam in the face of the serious human and material damage caused by Super Typhoon Yagi, and sent his deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the natural disaster. In statements to the Venezuelan Television channel (VTV), the Minister of People’s Power for Foreign Relations of Venezuela, Yván Gil Pinto, transmitted the message of President Maduro to the Vietnamese Government and people, emphasizing that his country will continue to monitor the events after the passage of the typhoon and is willing to support the Indochinese nation to overcome the consequences caused by Yagi…”

“…On the other hand, the National Directorate of the Committees for the Defense of the Cuban Revolution (CDR) expressed its confidence that with the effort of all the people Vietnam will recover from the damage caused by typhoon Yagi. In the message of condolences addressed to the president of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, Do Van Chien, the largest Cuban mass organization expressed its deep regret at the loss of human lives and material damage caused by this meteorological catastrophe in northern Vietnam. Through its letter, the CDR transmitted its most heartfelt condolences to the people and Government of that sister country, as well as to the families and friends of the victims. The message reaffirmed the solidarity and brotherhood of the Cuban people with the Vietnamese people.

So far, Yagi has left behind a balance of more than 140 fatalities and another 59 missing in Vietnam, in addition to damaging thousands of hectares of crops and trees and infrastructure in several localities…”

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Hurricane Francine: US Coast Guard Radio Recording and Weather Radiofax Images

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Carlos Latuff, who shares the following recording of a USCG National Weather Service broadcast along with NOAA radiofax weather maps. Carlos notes:

Part of National Hurricane Center’s Tropical Weather Outlook Text, Hurricane Francine warning, broadcasted by US Coast Guard at Chesapeake, VA. Listened at Urca Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 13089 kHz, Sept 11, 2024, 23h15 UTC.

Bonus: Three NOAA’s radiofax on Hurricane Francine (and Tropical Depression Seven) via USCG Boston, and received at Urca Beach, Rio de Janeiro, in the same evening.

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