Tag Archives: Shortwave Radio

WBCQ purchases World Harvest Radio (WHRI)

WBCQ’s Ampegon antenna at the Monticello transmitting site.

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Benjamin, who shares the following news tip via Radio Insight:

Family Broadcasting Corporation is selling shortwave Christian “World Harvest Radio” WHRI Furman SC to Allan Weiner for $1.25 million. Weiner also owns shortwave Talk “The Planet” WBCQ Monticello ME as well as Talk/Rock 780 WXME/98.3 W252DW and Classic Country “Kixx 94.7” WBCQ-FM Monticello. The seller owns multiple Christian television stations as well as Christian AC “Pulse-FM” 103.1 WHME South Bend IN, 96.9 WHPZ Bremen IN, and 92.1 WHPD Dowagiac MI.

Click here to read this item at Radio Insight.

Rob Sherwood’s presentation: “Transceiver performance for the HF/DX operator”

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul, who shares the following video of a recent presentation by Rob Sherwood (NC0B) for Ham Holiday Oklahoma.

I love Rob’s presentations because not only is he an authority on testing receivers and transceivers, but he also has a very pragmatic approach to operating radios. Rob speaks to the importance of using pre amps, attenuators and adjusting your receiver for band conditions. I’ve been with lifelong ham radio operators and SWLs who never use pre amplification, attenuation, or adjust their RF gain control–these are very powerful tools, especially during the noisy summer months.

If you’ve never seen one of Rob’s presentations before, I highly recommend checking out this one:

Thanks again for the tip, Paul!

Click here to check out Rob Sherwood’s home page and receiver test data table.

Giuseppe’s reception of the LRA36 test broadcast

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Photo from the Argentine Antarctic Base (LRA36) – Source: RAE

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Giuseppe Morlè (IZ0GZW), who shares the following:

Dear Thomas

Here is the link of to video regarding the transmission of LRA 36 in USB mode Saturday July 25, 2020 from 17.00 UTC on 15.476 MHz.

A good result if I think it was almost impossible to listen to it with the sun still high … the place where I listen, in Formia, Italy, is really excellent.

73. Giuseppe Morlè iz0gzw.

Thank you for sharing this, Giuseppe! I’m always impressed with the DX you catch there at your location in Formia! Grazie e ciao!

Joint RAE and LRA36 Radio Nacional Arcangel San Gabriel test transmission today July 25, 2020

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Adrian Korol, who shares the following announcement:

RAE Argentina to the World, broadcasting from Antarctica

RAE will join a trial transmission by LRA36 Radio Nacional Arcangel San Gabriel, broadcasting from Base Esperanza, in the Argentine zone of Antarctica.

This Saturday, July 25, between 17:00 and 21:00 UTC, the Antarctic station will perform a series of tests on the 15476 kHz frequency (19-meter band), Upper Side Band, via a Collins HF80 transmitter and a rhombic antenna.

RAE Argentina al Mundo will put on the air two 30-minute programs, one in Spanish and the other in English, hosted by Fernando Farias, focusing on the history of RAE and LRA36 with historical files and information that listeners, DXers and radio amateurs alike will appreciate. On the Spanish-language show, Fernando is joined by RAE’s director Adrián Korol.

Let’s recall that last Saturday, July 18th, the first test USB transmissions were carried out with excellent results amid optimal broadcast conditions .

Damian Tranamil, LRA36 operator and technician, answered afterwards more than a hundred reception reports from all over the World.

Many listeners said they had the chance to pick up a station from Antarctica for the first time, while others said they were thrilled to be able to receive Arcángel San Gabriel’s signal for the first time in 20 years.

Accurate reception reports will be verified with an electronic QSL card (eQSL). They are to be sent to : [email protected]

We also appreciate listeners sending clips of them receiving our broadcast, or tagging us when they post on social media.

China Radio International: Jim seeks help understanding language schedule and transmitter locations

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Jim Meirose, who asks:

Each day in NJ I am hearing China Radio International in German on 9.570 MHz. It “fades in” up out of the noise about 2 pm EDT, and strengthens until the broadcast signs off just before 3 pm (1800 UTC).

Two things: first, I have found on a couple of websites that a broadcast from CRI on 9.570 does run daily and signs off just before 1800 UCT, but–the listings say it is in English. What I am hearing is in German.

I would like to find someone who can explain the discrepancy in languages between the listings and what I hear.

Second, I would like to know for sure where the transmitter for this broadcast is located. I know CRI broadcasts not only from Beijing but from Albania, Cuba, and possibly others. Can someone tell me the answer?

Thanks very much.

Per your request, Jim, I’ll toss your question out here to the experts in the SWLing Post community. Please comment if you can help Jim with his inquiry!

Can you help Carlos identify this 1982 polytone broadcast?

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Carlos Latuff, who writes:

I have a tape with a recording I made in 1982 while listening to shortwave.

I’m not really sure if I caught some kind of polytone numbers station. Could you or your readers be able to identify it?

Post readers: If you can help Carlos identify this transmission, please comment!

John’s mystery book: “Better Shortwave Reception” by William Orr (W6SAI)

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Herein lies one of the wonderful things about our SWLing Post community….

Yesterday, we posted a message from John (KC8RZM) asking readers to help identify a vintage radio book that had meaningful impact on his life. Within a few hours, SWLing Post contributor, Bob LaRose (W6ACU), came to the rescue with the following comment:

I’ve got a copy of the book! – “Better Shortwave Reception” by William Orr, W6SAI. My “First Edition” is dated 1957. It has both cartoons as you mentioned. It was probably the earliest SWBC book I had, that’s why I remembered it.

Bob also scanned some of the pages and images to share with John and the SWLing Post community. Bob notes:

I scanned the well-worn front cover, three of the cartoons inside and another page that readers may find interesting – the Auroral Zones from the East and West Coasts.

I probably got this book in 1959 or 60 and kept it all these years, along with my early vintage WRTV Handbooks. (The rest of the Handbooks from about 1970 on were given to Ray Robinson of KVOH for reference purposes).

I always liked the Auroral Zone map because when I first started DXing on the East Coast in 1959 at the height of the Solar Cycle there were frequent solar storms that totally disrupted reception of the many European stations that transmitted to North America at that time. The map clearly shows why the VOA picked Tangier and Manila for relay stations!