Tag Archives: Bill Tilford

August 2025 Schedule Updates: From the Isle of Music & Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill Tilford, who shares the following update:

From the Isle of Music, August 2025

July’s program will be the third of several episodes featuring the best of Cubadisco 2025, Cuba’s most important discographic awards. This is the best of the best of Cuba’s new releases.
Friday, August 8:
6070 kHz at 1700 UTC
3955 kHz at 2100 UTC
Sunday, August 10:
9670 kHz at 1700 UTC using booster beam E to eastern Europe and Eurasia (repeat of August 8 episode).

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, August 2025

In August we will present music from Syria and the Syrian diaspora.
Friday, August 15:
6070 kHz at 1700 UTC
3955 at 2100 UTC
Sunday, August 17:
9670 kHz at 1700 UTC using beam E (repeat of August 15 episode).

**In addition to direct radio reception, we do honor reception reports using remote SDRs as long as the whole program is described and which SDR is specified.

July 2025 Schedule Updates: From the Isle of Music & Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill Tilford, who shares the following update:

From the Isle of Music, July 2025
July’s program will be the second of several episodes featuring the best of Cubadisco 2025, Cuba’s most important discographic awards. This is the best of the best of Cuba’s new releases.
Friday, July 11:
6070 kHz at 1700 UTC
3955 kHz at 2100 UTC
Sunday, July 13:
9670 kHz at 1700 UTC using booster beam E to eastern Europe and Eurasia (repeat of July 11 episode).

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, July 2025
In July we will recognize the national days of Canada and the United States with music and comedy from both places, but it will not be standard patriotic fare in either case.
Friday, July 18:
6070 kHz at 1700 UTC
3955 at 2100 UTC
Sunday, July 20
9670 kHz at 1700 UTC using beam E (repeat of July 18 episode).

*For those who were avoiding 3955 due to mixing product issues at the station, we have been informed that this has been fixed.
**In addition to direct radio reception, we do honor reception reports using remote SDRs as long as the whole program is described and which SDR is specified.

April 2025 Schedule Updates: From the Isle of Music & Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill Tilford, who shares the following update:

There are some schedule changes for April 2025 in From the Isle of Music and Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot:

From the Isle of Music, April 2025 (NOTE NEW SCHEDULE)
April’s program will feature a tribute to one of the giants of Cuban timba, Paolo FG, who recently passed away in a tragic accident. We hope to have some special guests.

Friday, April 11:
6070 kHz at 1700 UTC
3955 at 2100 UTC
Sunday, April 13:
9670 kHz at 1800 UTC using beam E (repeat of April 11 episode).

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, April 2025 (NOTE NEW SCHEDULE)
April’s program will feature mainly music from Lesotho with some helpful recommendations from its embassy in the US and will air as follows:

Friday, April 18:
6070 kHz at 1700 UTC
3955 at 2100 UTC
Sunday, April 20:
9670 kHz at 1800 UTC using beam E (repeat of April 18 episode).

**In addition to direct radio reception, both programs honor reception reports using remote SDRs as long as the whole program is described and which SDR is specified.

March 2025 Schedule Updates: From the Isle of Music & Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill Tilford, who shares the following update:

From the Isle of Music, March 2025

March’s program will be a Cuban dance party featuring some of our favorite charanga orchestras:

Friday, March 7:
3955 kHz at 2200 UTC

Saturday, March 8:
3955 kHz at 1800 UTC simulcasted with 9670 kHz using beam E-F (repeat of March 7 episode).

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, March 2025

March’s program will feature mainly music from Corsica and will air as follows:

Friday, March 14:
3955 kHz at 2200 UTC

Saturday, March 15:
3955 at 1800 UTC simulcasted with 9670 using beam E-F (repeat of March 14 episode).

**In addition to direct radio reception, we do honor reception reports using remote SDRs as long as the whole program is described and which SDR is specified.

January 2025 Schedule Updates: From the Isle of Music & Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill Tilford, who shares the following update:

From the Isle of Music & Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot January Schedule

From the Isle of Music:
January’s program will feature retro Cuban music from the 1950s and 1960s and will air as follows:
(NEW) Friday, January 10:
3955 kHz at 2200 UTC
Saturday, January 11:
(NEW) 3955 at 1800 UTC simulcasted with 9670 using beam E-F (repeat of January 10 episode).

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot:
January’s program will feature mainly Kurdish music and will air as follows:
(NEW) Friday, January 17:
3955 kHz at 2200 UTC
Saturday, January 18:
(NEW) 3955 at 1800 UTC simulcasted with 9670 using beam E-F (repeat of January 17 episode).

In addition to regular radio listening, both shows honor reception reports using websdrs provided that the report covers the entire program and specifies which remote sdr was used. All QSLs are eQSLs, and we will probably send an acknowledgment only for partial reports.

73,
Bill

December 2024 Schedule Updates: From the Isle of Music & Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill Tilford, who shares the following update:

A couple of schedule adjustments start in December to get away from interference from other stations:

From the Isle of Music, December 14, 2024
We will finish 2024 with a potpourri of recent news (and related songs) in Cuban music plus some buried musical treasures.
Times & Frequencies are:

    • 0400-0500 UTC 9670 kHz with beam R towards eastern North America but usable in parts of Europe, North Africa and Eurasia
    • 1800-1900 UTC 9670 kHz with beam E-F towards South Asia but usable in Europe, North Africa and parts of the Middle East and Eurasia
    • 2200-2300 UTC 3955 & 6070 kHz (omnidirectional for Europe and beyond)
      All transmissions from Channel 292, Rohrbach, Germany

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, December 21, 2024
This month, we will feature music from Greenland and sneak in a couple of surprises along the way.
Times & Frequencies are:

    • 0400-0500 UTC 9670 kHz with beam R towards eastern North America but usable in parts of Europe, North Africa and Eurasia
    • 1800-1900 UTC 9670 kHz with beam E-F towards South Asia but usable in Europe, North Africa and parts of the Middle East and Eurasia
    • 2200-2300 UTC 3955 & 6070 kHz (omnidirectional for Europe and beyond)
      All transmissions from Channel 292, Rohrbach, Germany

Happy Holidays and Thanks for all you do for radio!

Revised B24 Schedule: From the Isle of Music and Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill Tilford, who shares the following announcement:


Due to a surprise appearance by CRI at 1800 UTC, the originally-scheduled transmissions of FTIOM and UBMP at that hour are being pushed back to 2200 UTC. The revised schedule is as follows:

From the Isle of Music, second Saturday of every month.
From the Isle of Music, November 9, 2024
We will take a break from Cubadisco 2024 nominees to recognize the centenary of the founding of the iconic Cuban dance band Sonora Matancera, through which many Cuban greats such as Celia Cruz passed during their careers. This will feature both vintage recordings and a recent tribute album by current Cuban musical stars.
Times & Frequencies are:

  • 0400-0500 UTC 9670 kHz with beam R towards eastern North America but usable in parts of Europe and Eurasia
  • 1700-1800 UTC 9670 kHz with beam E-F towards South Asia but usable in Europe and parts of Eurasia
  • REVISED 11/5: 2200-2300 UTC 3955 & 6070 kHz (omnidirectional for Europe and beyond)

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot: the third Saturday of each month
Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, November 16, 2024
This month, we will feature music from São Tomé and Príncipe with a side helping of something involving turkeys.
Times & Frequencies are:

  • 0400-0500 UTC 9670 kHz with beam R towards eastern North America but usable in parts of Europe and Eurasia
  • 1700-1800 UTC 9670 kHz with beam E-F towards South Asia but usable in Europe and parts of Eurasia
  • REVISED 11/5: 2200-2300 UTC 3955 & 6070 kHz (omnidirectional for Europe and beyond)