Tag Archives: Dan Greenall

KTWR Guam: Dan suggests you log a piece of radio history…today!

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dan Greenall, who writes:

Hi Thomas

Regarding your recent post on June 5: https://swling.com/blog/2025/06/twr-guam-to-end-broadcasting/

KTWR, Trans World Radio has recently announced they will be ending their shortwave broadcasts from Agana, Guam by October 31, 2025. However, unlike some stations that have vanished somewhat abruptly, there are still a few months remaining to log this station before they are gone from the airwaves forever. As well, with the help of various SDR’s located around the globe, this task should not be too difficult. The attached recording was made this past weekend on June 8, 2025, through the use of a Kiwi SDR located in northern Thailand on a frequency of 11965 kHz. At first, there is just background noise, but then, you will hear their transmitter come onto the air and power up for a few seconds. Their interval signal is played a number of times followed by sign on in English at 1100 hours UTC.

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73

Dan Greenall, Ontario, Canada

Dan says it’s, “Just like the good ol’ days on 60 meters.”

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dan Greenall, who writes:

Hi Thomas:

One of the benefits of DXing in 2025 is the ability to tune into a signal far from your listening post, yet still get strong, generally clear reception, all by simply finding a suitable receiver much closer to the station’s transmitter site. Well, sometimes it is not quite that simple. For example, the selection of Kiwi SDR’s from which to choose, is far less in Africa and South America than what is available in Europe or the USA.

Tonight, I came across a decent signal on 4775 kHz while listening on a Kiwi located in Lima, Peru. Just after 2300 UTC (when I began this brief recording), the announcer began rattling off a bunch of station call letters and frequencies in Spanish. This was followed by “Transmite Radio Tarma. Desde Tarma, Peru en America del Sur.”  The program that followed was called “Antena Deportiva”, or Sports Antenna in English. This program can be found listed on their website.

Recording:

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Tarma, Peru is nestled in the Andes Mountains somewhat northeast of Lima. According to Short-wave.info, their power is listed as 1 kw.

73

Dan Greenall

London, Ontario, Canada

Thank you for sharing this, Dan! Readers, if you’d like an up-close look at Radio Tarma, check out this post from our archives by our friend and vagabond DXer, Don Moore!

Dan Tunes into Tibet: “Hello Xizang” in English

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Greenall, who writes:

Many years ago, I used to enjoy listening to distant stations that broadcast a regular English language program to Eastern North America (where I live). They would generally have a newscast and commentary, which was often followed by a daily feature that would help a listener better understand what life was like in other parts of the world.

This type of programming is harder to find these days, but I was recently pleasantly surprised to find that the Tibet Autonomous Region of China (or Xizang in Chinese) has had a couple of daily broadcasts in English for some time. The programs are called “Hello Xizang”. According to their website, Hello Xizang “covers everything from social issues to traditional culture. It brings you news, stories and in-depth reports happening in Xizang. Check it out to gain an insight into modern Xizang and feel the pulse of contemporary Xizang.”

Hello Xizang is an hour long program in English between 0700 and 0800 UTC, and again from 1600 to 1700 UTC (most convenient time for me). A few frequencies to try are 4905, 4920, 6200 and 7255 kHz.

This schedule may not work too well for listeners in North America but quality reception can be had through the use of various SDR’s located closer to the transmitter site. I often use the Kiwi SDR of VE3HLS (Ken) who has retired in northern Thailand, from which I made the attached recording of their switch over from Tibetan to English programming:

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Happy Listening!

Dan Greenall, Ontario, Canada

Pure AM Radio Nostalgia: Vintage Aircheck Recordings from the 1970s by Dan Greenall

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dan Greenall for once again sharing a remarkable collection of vintage off-air AM radio recordings. In this post, he shares recordings made from his home and during his travels across North America and the Caribbean.

Dan writes:

Hi Thomas

Judging by the interest on my Internet Archive page, vintage AM radio audio clips from the 1970’s are among the most popular files. In addition to the one posted on the SRAA in September 2023, here are the remaining ones I have to take you back 50 years.

VOA Marathon 1973

The Voice of America station from Marathon Key, Florida is heard signing off on its frequency of 1180 kHz. This recording was made while on vacation in West End, Bahamas in December 1973. Reception of the station in much of North America was tough due to the signal being south beamed to Cuba. However, at least one listener in New Zealand managed reception as evidenced by the attached QSL image from 1972.

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ZNS3 Bahamas 1973

ZNS3 radio on 1060 kHz from Freeport, Bahamas is heard with a station identification jingle. The recording was made while on vacation in West End (near Freeport) on Grand Bahama Island in December 1973.

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Bermuda AM/FM airchecks 1975

Brief airchecks from 5 local radio stations recorded while visiting Bermuda in March 1975. They are as follows:
ZBM1 1230 kHz
ZBM2 1340 kHz
ZBM-FM 89.1 MHz
ZFB1 960 kHz
ZFB-FM 94.9 MHz

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WVMT Burlington VT 1975

Brief aircheck from radio station WVMT in Burlington, Vermont on 620 kHz recorded in March 1975 in Montreal, Quebec. Starts with “Mandy” by Barry Manilow, station ID, then into NBC news.

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XERF Ciudad Acuna, Mexico 1971

Short audio recording of radio XERF on 1570 kHz as received in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada in November 1971.
“This is radio station XERF in Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila, Mexico. This is Paul Kallinger, your good neighbor along the way.”
Used a Hallicrafters S-52 communications receiver and a longwire antenna.

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KPCR Bowling Green, MO 1973

KPCR radio in Bowling Green, Missouri as heard in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada on 1530 kHz during an overnight DX test on December 17, 1973. They only ran 1000 watts, but 50 kw WCKY in Cincinnati was off the air that night. Used a Realistic DX150A receiver and a longwire antenna.

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KFDI Wichita, KS 1974

A brief aircheck from KFDI Radio 1070 in Wichita, Kansas as heard in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada on February 22, 1974. Receiving equipment was a Realistic DX150A using a longwire antenna.

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WDXR Paducah, KY 1974

WDXR radio in Paducah, Kentucky is heard signing off for their broadcast day. This recording was made circa 1974 while they were operating on 1560 kHz. Receiver location was Ancaster, Ontario, Canada and equipment was a Realistic DX150A and longwire antenna.

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WANN Annapolis, MD 1974

A brief aircheck of WANN radio in Annapolis, Maryland heard here signing off for their broadcast day. The recording was made circa 1974 while they were operating on 1190 Khz, A lucky catch for me since WOWO in Fort Wayne, Indiana was usually heard on 1190. Receiver location was Ancaster, Ontario, Canada, (40 miles SW of Toronto) and equipment used was a Realistic DX150A and a longwire antenna.

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WCPC Houston, MS circa 1974

One of the easiest ways to log the state of Mississippi on the AM broadcast band in the 1970’s from my location near Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, was WCPC in Houston, MS on 940 kHz around local sunset. Here they are giving a station ID as heard on a Realistic DX-150A receiver and a long wire antenna.

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XEMO Tiajuana, Mexico circa 1971

Here is a brief English language aircheck from radio station XEMO in Tiajuana, Mexico as received in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada (a distance of 3392 km or 2108 miles) circa 1971. They were broadcasting on their frequency of 860 kHz. At the very end, there is a quick “X E M O Tiajuana Mexico” in Spanish.

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WGR Buffalo, NY 1973

Here is a brief aircheck/jingle from radio station WGR in Buffalo, New York on 550 kHz as recorded in 1973 at Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. That same year, the song “Get Down” by Gilbert O’Sullivan reached number 7 on the Billboard Top 100, and WGR aired it regularly as heard here in the second recording, Most of the time they would just ID as “GR-55”.

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Vintage AM radio airchecks 1975 recorded from Bermuda

These brief vintage AM broadcast band airchecks were recorded in March 1975 while vacationing in Warwick, Bermuda at the Belmont Hotel.
1. ZDK, Antigua, West Indies 1100 kHz
2. WKAQ, San Juan, Puerto Rico 580 kHz
3. Radio Paradise, Basse Terre, St. Kitts, West Indies 1265 kHz
4. WHN, New York, NY 1050 kHz
5. WKBR, Manchester, NH 1250 kHz
6. WRKO, Boston, MA 680 kHz
7. CFBC, St. John, NB, Canada 930 kHz

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KKJO St. Joseph, MO 1973

In the wee hours of October 28, 1973, this DX recording was made of radio station KKJO in St. Joseph, MO broadcasting on 1550 kHz in the AM broadcast band. My receiving post was some 800 + miles distant in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. I was using a Realistic DX150A communications receiver hooked up to a long wire antenna. You can hear the station fade gradually in and out a number of times during the recording, but fortunately faded in around the 2:49 mark to catch their station ID and announcement about returning to Central Standard Time. Paul Simon’s “Kodachrome” is heard at first, and Art Garfunkel’s “All I Know” afterward, 2 very popular songs in 1973.

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KRLD Dallas, TX 1974

KRLD in Dallas, Texas on 1080 kHz was not heard often at my listening post in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada during the 1970’s. WTIC in Hartford, CT was normally received on this frequency instead. Here is a recording made in early 1974 when KRLD managed to make it through. My receiver was a Realistic DX150A hooked up to a longwire antenna.

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Vintage AM radio airchecks 1973 part 2

Here are a few more airchecks from the AM broadcast band recorded in 1973 at Ancaster, Ontario, Canada unless otherwise noted below.

1. WLW Cincinnati, OH 700 kHz
2. WIRK West Palm Beach, FL 1290 (recorded in West End, Bahamas)
3. WINZ Miami, FL 940 (recorded in West End, Bahamas)
4. WSMB New Orleans, LA 1350 (recorded in West End, Bahamas)
5. WDBO Orlando, FL 580 (recorded in West End, Bahamas)
6. WPOM Riviera Beach, FL 1600 (recorded in West End, Bahamas)
7. KFYR, Bismarck, ND 550
8. KWAM Memphis, TN 990
9. WPTR Albany, NY 1540
10. WOKY Milwaukee, WI 920
11. WIBC, Indianapolis, IN 1070
12. WPDX Clarksburg, WVA 750 (special DX test early hours of Feb. 18, 1974)
13. WMAQ Chicago, IL 670
14. WBT Charlotte, NC 1110
15. WNOE New Orleans, LA 1060
16. WSM Nashville, TN 650
17. WJR Detroit, MI 760

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73

Dan Greenall, Ontario, Canada

Click here to view all of Dan Greenall’s Archive.org contributions and click here to browse his collections on the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive.

Dan Records New International Service from Rádio Nacional da Amazônia

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dan Greenall, who writes:

Hi Thomas:

The SWLing Post reported the start-up of an International Service from Radio Nacional da Amazonia in Brazil back on March 27.

Since then, I had been intending to give a listen, and finally, last night (April 18 UTC) I was able to do so. It is only a brief 10-minute segment in both English and Spanish and runs roughly from 0150 to 0200 UTC:

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I made the recording (above) on 11780 kHz through the use of a Kiwi SDR located near Rochester, New York. It was a bit of a tease, I think. 15 minutes in each language would be nice.

73

Dan Greenall, Ontario, Canada

Silent Signals: Recordings from Shortwave Stations Affected by Recent Shutdowns

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Tuning controls on one of the 500 kW Continental Electronics transmitters at the Edward R. Murrow Transmitting Site. Click to enlarge.

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dan Greenall, who shares the following recordings and writes:

Hi Thomas

As a result of recent actions by the Trump administration, a number of shortwave stations have recently gone silent. Whether or not this will change is anybody’s guess, but the situation is currently looking grim.

I am providing links to some recordings that I have recently uploaded to the Internet Archive of a few of the affected stations. These recordings were made through the use of remote SDR’s in order to provide optimal quality. I used to particularly enjoy the programs of Radyo Pilipinas and Radio Thailand world service. Have a listen here to potential radio history.

Radio Marti February 15, 2025 in Spanish:

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Voice of America (Africa) via Botswana transmitter January 19, 2025:

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Radyo Pilipinas via VOA Tinang Philippines December 10, 2024:

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Radio Thailand via Udon Thani December 17 and 23, 2024:

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Finding the Kookaburra on Shortwave—Past and Present

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Photo by Matthew Willimott via Unsplash

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Greenall, who writes:

Hi Thomas

I still have warm memories of tuning into Radio Australia on 9580 kHz at sunrise during my early days of shortwave listening. They would sign on with their Waltzing Matilda interval signal and the sound of the kookaburra bird.

While doing some listening on the SDR of my friend Ken (VE3HLS) who has retired to northern Thailand, I have discovered you can still hear the kookaburra on shortwave by tuning into Reach Beyond Australia. Their broadcast to Myanmar in Burmese from 1500 to 1530 UTC on 11900 kHz can be very well heard on this Kiwi. There is a brief English announcement at sign and sign off, as well as a few seconds of “kookaburra chatter.”

Attached are two recordings, the first at sign on (March 7, 2025) and the second at sign off (December 1, 2024).

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Also I’ve included a link to Interval Signals Online where you can find the old Radio Australia sign on.

https://www.intervalsignals.net/

73

Dan Greenall VE3HLC, London, Ontario, Canada