{"id":66782,"date":"2026-08-11T17:27:42","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T21:27:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=66782"},"modified":"2026-08-11T17:27:42","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T21:27:42","slug":"radio-bonaire-1530-a-mediumwave-station-built-for-emergencies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2026\/08\/radio-bonaire-1530-a-mediumwave-station-built-for-emergencies\/","title":{"rendered":"Radio Bonaire 1530: A Mediumwave Station Built for Emergencies"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to SWLing Post<\/em> contributor Dan Greenall, who writes:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Hi Thomas<\/p>\n

Radio Bonaire 1530 went on the air July 27, 2026.<\/p>\n

According to its website,<\/p>\n

“Radio Bonaire 1530 is your source of information during emergencies, specifically for residents and visitors of Bonaire. Thanks to an off-grid system and continuous broadcasting, you stay informed at all times, even during power outages or other emergencies.” <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

It continues:<\/p>\n

How did the idea come about?<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n

During the major, prolonged blackout of 2023, all sorts of things went wrong.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The FM transmitters located at Subi Rincon had no audio; the studio also had no power, so nothing was being sent to the FM transmitters.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Most FM stations had already gone off the air, and those still broadcasting had no sound. Eventually, these stations also went off the air as their backup power ran out.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

For many, the internet was also inaccessible because the Wi-Fi modems in their homes had no power.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Phones could still be used for quite a while; however, making calls was virtually impossible because everyone wanted to do so at the same time. But after 36 hours, the telephone connections also failed one by one.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

In response, a few amateur radio enthusiasts put their heads together. Some already had experience setting up so-called LPAM transmitters in the Netherlands\u2014LPAM stands for Low Power AM on the medium wave band. These LPAM transmitters achieved a remarkably wide range despite their low power output (400 watts).”<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

You can find more information on their web page at: https:\/\/bonaire1530.nl\/en\/<\/a><\/p>\n

I came across the station last night, purely by chance, while doing some random tuning on a KiwiSDR located, where else, but on Bonaire. Here is a recording that I made around 0400 hours UTC.<\/p>\nhttps:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Bonaire-1530-SND.bon_.twrmon.net_2026-08-11T03_56_55Z_1530.00_am.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

While most of the announcements (about the 3:20 mark) are in (presumed) Dutch, there is a brief one and a jingle in English.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dan Greenall, who writes: Hi Thomas Radio Bonaire 1530 went on the air July 27, 2026. According to its website, “Radio Bonaire 1530 is your source of information during emergencies, specifically for residents and visitors of Bonaire. Thanks to an off-grid system and continuous broadcasting, you stay informed at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[373,433,3],"tags":[10271,11170],"class_list":["post-66782","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-am","category-mediumwave","category-news","tag-dan-greenall","tag-radio-bonaire"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-hn8","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":61626,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2025\/01\/bridging-two-worlds-shortwave-listening-meets-amateur-radio\/","url_meta":{"origin":66782,"position":0},"title":"Bridging Two Worlds: Shortwave Listening Meets Amateur Radio","author":"Thomas","date":"January 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"When the SWL and Amateur Radio hobbies meet by\u00a0 Dan Greenall Many of us who are also amateur radio operators, got their start in the hobby through simply listening to shortwave radio, or perhaps, to stations in the AM or FM broadcast bands.\u00a0 I suppose it is then inevitable that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Guest Posts"","block_context":{"text":"Guest Posts","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/guest-posts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/YN1Z-Nicaragua-1978.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/YN1Z-Nicaragua-1978.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/YN1Z-Nicaragua-1978.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/YN1Z-Nicaragua-1978.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/YN1Z-Nicaragua-1978.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4172,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/10\/building-rnw-bonaire\/","url_meta":{"origin":66782,"position":1},"title":"Video: Building RNW Bonaire","author":"Thomas","date":"October 21, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: Jonathan Marks) This black and white film was made in 1968 at the moment when Philips shipped two 300 kW transmitters from the factory in the Netherlands to the island of Bonaire, then part of the Netherlands Antilles. The film had no sound - I just thought the music\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":32072,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/05\/twrs-boniare-mw-station-now-most-powerful-in-western-hemisphere\/","url_meta":{"origin":66782,"position":2},"title":"TWR’s Boniare MW station now most powerful in Western hemisphere","author":"Thomas","date":"May 15, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: Radio World) TWR\u2019s Bonaire Facility Gets 440,000 Watt Makeover In an era when most operators are reluctant to spend even very modest sums maintaining AM broadcast facilities, a southern Caribbean Island medium-wave broadcaster has \u201cgone for the gold,\u201d rebuilding its transmission facility and boosting power nearly five-fold from 100\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/TWR-Bonaire-Trans-World-Radio.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/TWR-Bonaire-Trans-World-Radio.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/TWR-Bonaire-Trans-World-Radio.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/TWR-Bonaire-Trans-World-Radio.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3786,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/06\/glenn-hausers-calendar-of-shortwave-radio-specials-and-farewells\/","url_meta":{"origin":66782,"position":3},"title":"Glenn Hauser’s calendar of shortwave radio specials and farewells","author":"Thomas","date":"June 19, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Since I'm travelling, I was very pleased to find that Glenn Hauser outlined the many special broadcasts and farewells over the next couple of weeks. Frankly, there are so many, I've had trouble keeping them organized in my calendar. (Source:\u00a0Glenn Hauser - DX Listening Digest, via SW Programs) CALENDAR OF\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/RadioListening-300x190.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":33511,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/08\/fabiano-provides-an-english-transcript-from-the-final-shortwave-transmission-of-radio-trans-mundial-rtm\/","url_meta":{"origin":66782,"position":4},"title":"Fabiano provides an English transcript from the final shortwave transmission of Radio Trans Mundial (RTM)","author":"Thomas","date":"August 9, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor,\u00a0Fabiano Barufaldi, who kindly volunteered to translate an important conversation between the RTM Director of Communication and the Director of Studios and Technical Affairs in the final shortwave broadcast of Radio Trans Mundial (RTM). Click here to read our original post and listen to recordings\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Radio-TRansmundial.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":34024,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/09\/radio-world-whos-got-the-biggest-meanest-am-flamethrower\/","url_meta":{"origin":66782,"position":5},"title":"Radio World: “Who\u2019s Got the Biggest, Meanest AM Flamethrower?”","author":"Thomas","date":"September 16, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: Radio World) More broadcasters than you might realize are helping keep the ionosphere warm (and the power companies happy) In the May 9 issue of Radio World, I reported on a recent power upgrade at TWR\u2019s Bonaire AM facility that brought that station close to the half-megawatt level (440\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_20160903_085705777.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_20160903_085705777.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_20160903_085705777.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_20160903_085705777.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66782","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66782"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66782\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":66785,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66782\/revisions\/66785"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66782"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66782"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66782"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}