Tag Archives: Shortwave Radio

Curating a list of endangered shortwave stations

That’s my minivan parked in front of the RCI Sackville transmitting station in June, 2012. The site was closed by the end of 2012 and towers demolished shortly thereafter.

Recently, my friend and fellow archivist, London Shortwave, and I engaged in a discussion about creating a curated list of “endangered” shortwave radio stations.

The idea being we could use such a list to focus our efforts and those of the archiving community on recording broadcasters that were most likely to disappear in the near future.

London Shortwave published an excellent post about this on his blog.

Please click here to read his post.

We quickly put this page on the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive as a starting point.

We need your help to curate this list!

Please comment either on London Shortwave’s blog, or on this post, and suggest any additional broadcasters we may have missed. Please include a link to news item(s) which may indicate the broadcaster faces closure.

Of course, this list and the categories are subjective–we’re simply using our best judgement in this process. Often, broadcasters can shut down with little or no notice.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Radio Vanuatu on target for nationwide coverage under new leadership

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(Source: Radio New Zealand via Mike Terry on the WRTH FB Page)

The recently appointed chair of the board of the Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation is confident nationwide coverage will be achieved by Radio Vanuatu soon.

The new government recently replaced the old board following concerns over the lack of the public broadcaster’s ability to reach the outer islands.

Its new chairperson Johnety Jerety said transmission had deteriorated over the years, mostly because of poor maintenance.

He said under the government’s hundred day plan nationwide coverage had to be implemented by July 1st.

But Mr Jerety said part of the problem was that people were buying cheap radios.

“They’re not compatible to meet the standard for our transmission system within here so that is why most of the ni-Van [indigenous people] within the islands are not able to have the coverage received throughout the island.”

Johnety Jerety said they were now advising people to buy short-wave radios that are compatible.

Read this article on Radio New Zealand’s website.

This article is a little vague, but I assume when the new chairperson, Johnety Jerety, is claiming that the problem with reception has to do with “cheap radios” perhaps he means receivers that don’t cover Vanuatu’s nighttime frequency of 3945 kHz? Almost all radios with shortwave should receive their 7260 kHz frequency. Of course, perhaps he simply means that fewer and fewer listeners are purchasing shortwave radios?

Vanuatu is certainly being heard around the world–indeed, only two days ago, SWLing Post contributor, Paul Walker, was over the moon when he snagged Vanuatu on 7260 kHz from Galena, Alaska. Paul wrote:

I bagged my most wanted shortwave station ever tonight!

Radio Vanuatu on 7260!!!! Heard something under a bunch of Asian hams. [Q]uite good considering they are only running 1.5 kw out of their licensed 10 kw (that’s what they told me after the cyclone awhile back).

Great catch, Paul!

I’m happy to read that Vanuatu is investing in their station once again.

Follow all Vanuatu updates using the tag: Radio Vanuatu

Voice of Justice broadcasts to North America?

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Richard Langley, who comments:

It seems that the VOIRI “Voice of Justice” broadcast to North America may have been axed.

[I] did a quick search on that phrase in the [Shortwave Radio Audio Archive] but came up empty.

Might be nice if someone with a personal band archive could extract an example of that program and put in on the SRAA.

Can anyone confirm this for Richard? A VOIRI recording would make a nice addition to the archive, where we’re attempting to collect samples of as many shortwave broadcasters as possible.

Can you help Paul ID this station?

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul Walker, who is seeking your help. Paul writes:

Well, I think I have an ID but I also think I’m wrong.

I had weather in english by a female computerized voice on 6518.80USB. Heard on 04/10/16 at 910PM AKDT (0510UTC 04/11/16) in Galena, Alaska using a Tecsun PL880 and 80 foot longwire.

Here’s the audio, all 7 minutes and 3 seconds worth:

Click here to listen on YouTube.

It was fairly clear and pretty steady here in the middle of central Alaska.
It was giving weather for the Caribbean and apparently the only hit I can find online for either both from Eibi and Google says that 6518.80 USB belongs to Punta Carretas, Uruguay.

If that’s really what I heard, A.) It was strong and B.) Why was it in english?
I suspect I didn’t really have them and it was from somewhere else. This signal is just to be good to be Uruguay, but a DX says they are the only things that come up in a search for 6518.80 USB but the times I heard them don’t match.

If you can help Paul, please comment!

Vintage advert: The 1938 Bush S.W.45

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Click to enlarge.

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Christopher Brennen, who shares this retro advert (above) from Retropia.

I’m very curious what it must have been like to tune the Bush S.W.45. Seems the big selling feature was its ability to reliably tune closely-spaced stations. The ad claims:

“[T]he Teleflic comes to your assistance by giving you the equivalent of a dial 12 feet long, every station with its own number!”

I’m sure this was a brilliant innovation at the time.

I found this image of a fully-restored S.W.45 in an album by Photobucket user Retired2000:

http://i1085.photobucket.com/albums/j436/retired2000/Vintage%20Bush%20SW45%20radio/Fullyrestored.jpg

Indeed, he did an amazing job restoring this radio–check out the full album here.

I love the S.W.45’s dial. From a distance, the graphics almost look like sci-fi–like a panel on the star ship Enterprise.

Thanks again, Christopher!

Car Shortwave Radio

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Tonight on Allan Weiner Worldwide (WBCQ 7490 kHz coming in beautifully on my FRG-7) Allan mentioned a shortwave radio converter for car radios. The package uses a small box which plugs into the cigarette lighter socket and can either use an antenna made for the converter or an antenna supplied by the user. The unit can display frequencies through the FM RDS display, and has a key-fob controller for scanning and saving stations into memory.

Here are some of the features listed by the manufacturer:

FEATURES OF THE BST-1

Excellent sensitivity – 0.5 microvolt at the antenna connector will stop the preset scan and provide a very listenable signal.
Automatic Gain Control – Keeps audio levels constant for weak and strong stations.

Full Shortwave band coverage – tune to any 5 kHz spaced AM channel from 2.3 to 26.1 MHz. The frequency coverage is actually from 150 KHz to 30 MHz but with reduced sensitivity when operating outside of the shortwave bands, especially below 1.8 MHz. This extended frequency range lets you listen to the 10 and 160 meter ham radio bands as well as CB channels. If you are close to the transmitting antenna, you can even hear airport beacons in the 200 to 400 KHz radio-location band.

DSP (digital signal processor) selectivity – Sharp 3 kHz for speech or wider bandwidth for Hi-Fi music.

Noise Blanker – A digital noise blanker greatly eliminates any spark plug noise from car engine that can disrupt reception.Built-in crystal controlled FM transmitter – Has RDS to display 5 digit tuned shortwave frequency and preset channel number/ “S” meter on the vehicle’s FM radio.

Four BST-1 broadcast FM frequencies can be selected by the Key Fob Controller so you always have a clear FM channel to use. Programmed with 88.3, 88.5, 88.7, and 88.9 MHz – one of these channels will always be clear to listen for the BST-1’s FM transmitter.

If you know Morse code for the numbers 0-9 (very easy to learn), you can use the Key-Fob to activate a Morse code annunciation of tuned frequency. This aids in operation if your FM receiver doesn’t have RDS display or if you can’t look at the display on the FM radio while driving.

Key-Fob command for instant selection of WWV channels – 5,10,15, and 20 MHz for accurate time and signal propagation checks.

High or Low sensitivity selection by the Key Fob – Optimum performance can always be obtained during conditions of very strong signals.

Rugged construction – Designed for automotive use.

Memory storage of up to 100 preset channels- After changing channels, the preset channel is shown on the RDS display for 3 seconds and then the display switches to show the “S” meter.

The BST-1 can be manually tuned to any 5 KHz channel in the turning range and if desired, that new frequency stored in preset memory (up to 100 presets). Note that the BST-1 radio is AM reception only so 5 KHz tuning intervals are optimum since all International Shortwave stations are on 5 KHz channels. A digital AFC (Automatic frequency control) circuit in the BST-1 is used to automatically compensate for stations that are slightly off (+/- 150 ppm) the exact 5 KHz channel.

Pre-programmed- The BST-1 is ready to start listening right away. Comes with 50 popular U.S. and International shortwave stations as well as WWV at 5,10,15 and 20 MHz.

Easily add or delete preset channels using the Key Fob controller.

For a starting price of $179.50 (as of this writing) plus shipping, this is an intriguing possibility for having shortwave radio in the car. 73, Robert

Robert Gulley, AK3Q, is the author of this post and a regular contributor to the SWLing Post. Robert also blogs at All Things Radio.

Slight change to Paul’s Channel 292 broadcast

1 Reply

SWLing Post contributor, Paul Walker, who hosts a radio show on WBCQ and Channel 292, writes:

My WBCQ broadcast has changed, slightly. It will be on 9330, still, but 5110 has moved to 5130 khz.

[Also] to avoid a collision with Vaitcan Radio on 6070 khz, which is on 2140-2200, my Channel 292 broadcast moves from its originally scheduled airtime of 2100-2300 UTC to 2205-0005 UTC.

Thanks for the update, Paul!