Tag Archives: shortwave

Mark’s rekindled interest in shortwave radio

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Mark Lane, who writes:

Hi Thomas,

I just wanted to thank you for a great website, I have been interested in SW since I was a boy and used to listen to my grandfather’s world radio. I cannot remember the make or model now but it was an amazing experience.

After all these years, at the age of 44, my interest perked again and I happened across your site.

Like a lot of people I was wondering “is there anything left to listen to on SW now we are truly in the ‘digital’ age”? After reading the content on your site and the blog I made up my mind, jumped onto eBay and after a number of failed attempts at winning any auctions I managed to bag a near mint Sony ICF 2001D [photo at top of page]!

I did get rather over excited and probably paid a bit too much for it, but too be honest I don’t care. I have already had a good couple of evenings trying to bag some far off stations and I am still trying to figure out all the buttons on the thing.

Then this past weekend, my daughter (15) asked about the radio and I showed her what I had been doing–she was hooked and kept asking me to try for some more stations. We spent the whole evening with the help of a couple of other websites trying to track down more distant stuff.

I have to say the 2001D is now my prize possession and my daughter was messaging her friends telling them all about the wonders of SW.

All I can say is keep up the good work and let’s hope SW does continue for as long as possible I will certainly be listening in until the airwaves go quiet, I trust that won’t happen for some considerable time.

Regards
Mark Lane
Worcester UK

Mark: thank you so much for sharing your message! It’s an honor to know that the SWLing Post played some part in your renewed interest in shortwave radio. The community here is simply amazing and I learn a lot myself from so many reader contributions.

Being a father of two daughters, I can say that there’s no better feeling than to know that a little radio listening time also translated into quality father and daughter time!

You just made my day!

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Madagascar World Voice now broadcasting on shortwave

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(Source: Radio World)

World Christian Broadcasting launched its second shortwave station, Madagascar World Voice, on Easter Sunday in late March.

The nonprofit organization is based near Nashville, Tenn. Station KNLS launched in 1983.

President/CEO Charles H. Caudill announced the launch. “More than 10 years of planning and work have gone into making Madagascar World Voice a reality,” he said in a statement.

[…]WCB said the new Madagascar World Voice airs 13 hours daily in Arabic, African English, International English, Mandarin Chinese, Russian and Spanish. The signals will reach Africa and the Middle East, and most of Europe and South America.[…]

Read the full article at Radio World online.

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Mike H, who shares the following Summer A-16 schedule for Madagascar World Voice:

MADAGASCAR   Summer A-16 of WWCB Madagascar World Voice
0100-0200 on  9665 MWV 100 kW / 040 deg to SoAs English
0200-0300 on  6190 MWV 100 kW / 250 deg to SoAm Spanish
0300-0400 on  6150 MWV 100 kW / 265 deg to SoAm Spanish
0400-0500 on  9480 MWV 100 kW / 295 deg to CeAf English
1800-1900 on  9570 MWV 100 kW / 355 deg to EaEu Russian
1800-1900 on 17640 MWV 100 kW / 310 deg to CeAf English
1900-2000 on 11945 MWV 100 kW / 355 deg to N/ME Arabic
1900-2000 on 13710 MWV 100 kW / 340 deg to EaAf Arabic
2100-2200 on 11615 MWV 100 kW / 325 deg to WeEu Chinese
2200-2300 on  9455 MWV 100 kW / 055 deg to EaAs Chinese
2200-2300 on 11770 MWV 100 kW / 325 deg to NoAf Arabic

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Paul’s DXing location in Galena, Alaska with sample logs and an update of music broadcast

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul Walker, who shares the image above and the following:

How about a video [from Galena, AK]? Here’s one I shot on the evening of April 15th while DXin’g and apparently logging Radio Bandeirantes 9645 kHz in Brazil:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7fnLA9aYvA

Looks like a beautiful DX location you’ve got there, Paul. You’ve obviously found ways to mitigate receiver overload from the broadcast station with the number of loggings you’ve been posting as of late.

Indeed, Paul recently forwarded the following sample of logs from this very DXing spot. Paul writes:

Unless otherwise noted, all loggings were from a Tecsun PL-880 with an 80 foot long wire 5 feet up in a tree. My location is Galena, Alaska which is a village of 500 people about 300 miles east of Nome, Alaska and 300 miles west of Fairbanks, Alaska.

Comments questions or thoughts always welcome!

I was able to log Channel Africa broadcasting in French on 15235 kHz, two mornings last week.

This recording was made on Friday April 8, 2015 at 8:45 AM Alaska Daylight Time/1645UTC. I would rate the signal about 6 1/2 out of 10 with good audio, some light fading and no interference.

Audio here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAvB-s7GeG4

This recording was made on Wednesday April 6, 2015 at 8:37 AM Alaska Daylight Time/1637UTC. The signal was about a 6 out of 10 with moderate fading, a little more then the recording made on April 8th.

Audio here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vylScGVsYfM

Radio Thailand 9390 kHz

This recording was made on Saturday April 9, 2015 at 10:36 AM Alaska Daylight Time/1836UTC. I would rate the signal about 7 1/2 to 8 out of 10 with good audio, some light fading and no interference.

Audio here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=31&v=nKwKakToMNs

Voice of Indoneisa 9526 kHz

This recording was made on Saturday April 9, 2015 at 10:36 AM Alaska Daylight Time/1836UTC. I would rate the signal about 4 1/2 out of 10 with ok audio, some light to moderate fading and some interference.

Audio here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06ZvqXEVhyE

Voice of Vietnam 9625 kHz

This recording was made on Saturday April 9, 2015 at 9:00AM Alaska Daylight Time/1700UTC. I would rate the signal about 4 out of 10 with fair audio, some light to moderate fading and little interference.

Audio here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39s2HNJmHEs

All India Radio 11620 kHz

This recording was made on Saturday April 10 , 2015 at 1:29PM Alaska Daylight Time/2129UTC. I would rate the signal about 6 out of 10 with GOOD audio, some light to moderate fading and no interference.

Audio here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89QJHdZyVKU

Note: This was by FAR the best reception I’ve ever had of AIR. Their audio is usually pretty piss poor with poor quality and low modulation. Plus, their signal just isn’t that good usually.

I have also logged Voice Of Korea on 2850, 3320, 6100, 6400, 12015, 7220, 11910, 11935, 11735, 15105, 15180, 13760, 13650, 7580, 9650, 9875, 9445, 9665, 9425, 6170 and 3250 kHz.

Radio Algerienne Holy Quran and Radio Saudi are fairly regular visitors here and at times, pretty strong.

6160 kHz via Vancouver is heard several times a week…sometimes just barely, and other times, like a few days ago, nearly like a local.

The upper bands, 15 and 17 MHz seem to do real well here, especially by day, even smack in the middle of the day. I’ve heard RFI and DW via Issoudun right around lunch time in the 15 MHz area of the band.

I get Zanzibar on 11735 kHz from time to time…usually at least at fair levels.

CFRX 6070 is heard just about nightly, sometimes poor and barely audible but many times at least poor to fair and listenable. Now and then it’s pretty strong and listenable.

That is an impressive number of stations you’ve logged. It appears one of your easiest catches is Voice of Korea–I’m not surprised since you’re certainly within their broadcast footprint.

New Music Show and Contest

Many of you know that Paul also hosts an occasional music show via shortwave. Paul recently set times and frequencies for the next show–he notes:

I will be on WRMI, 7570 kHz from 0400-0600UTC Saturday June 2nd, Which is 12 midnight to 2 AM Eastern/9 PM to 11pm Pacific on Friday June 1st.

More oldies and rock n roll music with some country thrown in. I’m working on a CONTEST with some cool radio prizes and even bigger…. I am ironing out the technical details and going to try and do the 2 hot show live from my studio in Galena, Alaska.

My target audience this time with be the West Coast of the US and Canada. I expected the Midwestern US to get a good signal from the 315 degree beam towards Vancouver, Canada as it has to pass over the Midwest to get to the West Coast.

Contest details and QSL information to be released before the show!

I’ll plan to re-post this announcement, with any updates, closer to the broadcast date of June 2, 2016.

Thanks again, Paul, for sharing some of your radio world!

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Paul seeks your input for upcoming broadcasts

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SWLing Post contributor, Paul Walker, is seeking your input for his next shortwave broadcast. Paul writes:

Thomas, I will be doing another shortwave broadcast in about 2 months and I need some input from your readers, particularly those in the US.

I will likely broadcast just on WRMI this time, but instead of an East Coast target area on 11580khz, I am going to aim for the Midwest & West Coast via 5850khz or 7570khz.

It appears the signals which are on 2300UTC to 1400UTC daily have the same beam at 315 degrees towards Vancouver, Canada. They both appear to cover the Midwest fairly well as hitting the west coast.

I would love to hear from readers if there is an actual difference in the two signals despite the same power and beam. Maybe one channel has adjacent channel interference or something.

If folks could check either frequency as close as possible to 0500UTC/12midnight eastern and note conditions on both signal and the differences between the two, I would appreciate it. (0500utc/12midnight eastern wlll likely be the time of my next broadcast.

One friend already reported slightly better audio processing and slightly better modulation. […]I want to know what my target audience in the Midwest & Western US thinks.

Thanks,
Paul

Please feel free to comment if you can assist Paul.

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Reminder: Paul’s music show “The Classics Experience”

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Paul Walker at KIYU Alaska.

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul Walker, who sends this reminder about his music show on WBCQ, WRMI, and Channel 292 this Friday and Saturday:

“The Classics Experience”, 2 hours of oldies and a smattering of country airs this week.

Tune into WRMI 11580khz, ~~8pm to 10pm eastern Friday/0100 to 0300utc Saturday~~ [CORRECTION: 0100 to 0300 UTC Friday, 8-10 pm EST Thursday].

I’ll be on WBCQ 5130khz AND 9330khz (YES, A SIMULCAST!) Friday 10:05pm to 12:005AM (0300 to 0500utc)

I’ll also be on Channel 292, 6070khz Friday from 2205 utc Friday to 0005 UTC Saturday ( 10pm to 12midnight UK time)

No political or religious rants and no personal opinion.. just music and stuff like that.

QSL Address:

Paul Walker
PO Box 353
Galena, AK 99741

with $2 US appreciated to cover costs of postage, envelopes and stamps. If I get enough response, I will likely get some REAL qsl cards printed rather then just send out letters (The place i get stuff printed at has a minimum of 25 or 50 cards, I forget which

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Can you help Chris ID this station?

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SWLing Post contributor, Chris Smolinski, would like your help to ID a Spanish language station. Chris notes:

“I record the 6800-7000 kHz band every night with my SDR, looking for pirates, but sometimes I also stumble on other interesting transmissions. The other night (UTC March 8) I picked up a curious station on 6974.5 kHz AM, starting at 0119 UTC, off at 0137. It was a mix of music and possible IDs by an OM in Spanish. There is what sounds like a four character call sign as part of the ID, and mentions of what could be the Dominican Republic. My guess right now is this was some sort of a relay of a domestic MW or FM station.

I have two recordings here, perhaps someone can pick out the callsign or other parts of the ID? Not the best audio quality, but you know how that goes:”

Audio Clip 1