The SWLing Post

By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM Okay, okay, I can almost predict what you will be thinking: it's not the most expensive piece of gear in your listening kit. But for me, headphones or earbuds that pipe the audio from my SW receiver or scanner directly into my ears is one of my most valued pieces of [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Nick Hall-Patch, who has kindly provided a translation of this article from the Japanese-language publication PROPAGATION by the Totsuka DXers Circle (TDXC). In this piece, Satoshi Miyauchi explores how WavViewDX can revolutionize SDR analysis by making propagation and reception conditions instantly visible-and shares some remarkable reception examples. Ultra" Convenient, [...]

Many thanks toSWLing Postcontributor, Istvan Biliczky, who shares the following announcement: The countdown has begun! The largest SWL contest of the year is coming soon. Get your radios and antennas ready, make a contest plan, and find the lowest power and most distant stations! You can find the contest rules and detailed description here: https://www.topdx-radioclub.com/top10dx.html

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Fred Waterer for sharing this video from the YouTube channel Today I Found Out" about the origins of the SOS distress signal: How Did SOS' Become The Universal Distress Signal? Three dots. Three dashes. Three dots. Even if you don't know a single other letter of International Morse Code, [...]

Greetings all SWLing Post community, here's what Imaginary Stations crew are putting on air next week. There'll be another telephone tribute via shortwaveradio.de called Skybird Telegraph & Telephone Co. 3 on Saturday 8th November 2025 at 1200 hrs UTCand then again on Sunday 9th November 2025 at 1000/1400 hrs UTC on 3975 kHz and 6160 [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Paul Jamet, who writes: I read the article about Radio Europe transmitting to Western Europe on 6130 kHz. Here are two recordings: One made from my balcony with the XHDATA D-808 and a 3m wire antenna. Recording with my smartphone near the speaker. There's fading after 1 minute. Note [...]

Many thanks toSWLing Post contributor, Alan Roe, who shares his B-25 (version 1.0) season guide to music on shortwave. Alan provides this amazing resource as a free PDF download. Click here to download Music on Shortwave B-25 v1.0 (PDF) Alan has also created at-a-glance, single-page PDF programme grids for BBC World Service, CGTN Radio, Radio [...]

Noted by Bob Colegrove In the Northern Hemisphere the nights continue to get longer as we approach the winter solstice; we gain an hour of early evening darkness on Sunday, November 2nd; the summer atmospheric disturbances are nearly gone; propagation is better. It's time to set aside the activities of summer and once more dive [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Ian Millett (N3CVA), who writes: Thomas, This was posted to the RNZ website at 2 pm NZ time November 1. RNZI announces start of Pacific Cyclone Watch Service https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/577507/rnz-pacific-cyclone-watch-service-activated A photo of a shortwave radio in a news article on Radio New Zealand International's online Pacific page (see screenshot [...]

Fans of Radio Canada International's SWL Digest will be delighted to hear that Ian McFarland has teamed up with Colin Newell for a new podcast episode, SWL Digest 2025. It's a nostalgic nod to the classic RCI program and a welcome chance to hear Ian's familiar voice once again! Listen here: https://colinscafe.com/podcast/swl-digest-2025-episode-1/

Many thanks toSWLing Postcontributor James Salmon, who shares the following announcement: New Month - New Programme! Out now - the November edition of Sunny Jim's Trance Journey'! Join me on another musical journey powered by melodic electronic music, & keeping shortwave alive with new music! WRMI - 9955kHz Wednesdays throughout November - 21:00 EST / [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributorDon Moore-notedauthor, traveler, and DXer-who shares the following post: The Missouri and OklahomaSecure Nets By Don Moore Don's traveling DX stories can be found in his bookTales of a Vagabond DXer[SWLing Post affiliate link].If you've already read his book and enjoyed it, do Don a favor and leave a review [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Nick Hall-Patch, who has kindly provided a translation of this article from the Japanese-language publication PROPAGATION by the Totsuka DXers Circle (TDXC). In this piece, Kazu Gosui introduces WavViewDX, an impressive SDR file playback and analysis tool developed by Reinhard Wei of Germany. About WavViewDX, SDR File Playback Software [...]

Deutsche Welle (DW) reports that Radio Free Asia (RFA) has temporarily halted its broadcasts due to the ongoing U.S. government shutdown, which has disrupted operations at the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM). The pause affects several RFA language services and follows similar impacts on other U.S. international broadcasters. You can read the full story [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Paul Jamet, who shares the following message: Hello Thomas, The future of RSI is uncertain! Read:https://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/2025/10/radio-slovakia-internationals-future.html I spoke on the phone with RSI's French service, and during the program Entre Nous - Courrier des auditeurs" on Sunday, October 26, 2025, the presenters asked listeners to respond and write to [...]

Greetings all SWLing Post community, here's what Imaginary Stations crew will sending up into the atmosphere next week. There'll be another telephone tribute via shortwaveradio.de called Skybird Telegraph & Telephone Co. 2 on Saturday 1st November 2025 at 1200 hrs UTCand then again on Sunday 2nd November 2025 at 1000/1400/2200 hrs UTC on 3975 kHz [...]

Many thanks toSWLing Postcontributor and noted political cartoonist,Carlos Latuff, who shares the followingillustrated radio listening report of a recent NOAA broadcast. Carlos notes: Hurricane Melissa, NOAA HF Voice Broadcast via USCG Chesapeake VA, 13089 kHz USB Click here to view on YouTube. The radiofax of destruction: Hurricane Melissa approaching Jamaica. NOAA Surface Analysis, NW Atlantic. [...]

Hello listeners! I have some news about a new weekly broadcast of VORW Radio International for listeners in East Asia and beyond! Beginning Thursday the 30th of October and continuing every Thursday - my radio program will now be heard across East Asia thanks to a 300 kW Transmitter in Paochung, Taiwan. The broadcast is [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dan Greenall, who writes: Hi Thomas I just heard on the latest program of Wavescan that the Voice of Hope Africa from Lusaka, Zambia is now off the air. It has been a few months since I heard them on a KiwiSDR from that area so I guess that [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Mario Filippi, who shares the following review: Raddy RF750 Plus AM/FM/SW/NOAA Radio by Mario Filippi I purchased one of these tiny radios several months ago. It's my daily go-to AM broadcast band radio. So far, it performs excellently on AM. Using the rotatable ferrite antenna, I've received stations as [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Mark Hirst, who writes: This gem arrived in the charity shop where I volunteer yesterday, a radio made in the USSR (Minsk) in around 1975. It was in fantastic external condition, although after checking it out discovered that the band changing control on the right hand side had been [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dan Greenall, for sharing the following guest post: Algeria on Shortwave - Then and Now by Dan Greenall In the early 1970s, Radiodiffusion-Television Algerienne ran a modest shortwave service (no English) mainly for North Africa, the Middle East,and Europe. A copy of their schedule from the 1972 World Radio [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributorDon Moore-notedauthor, traveler, and DXer-who shares the following post: A Cheap and Simple Noise Filter By Don Moore Don's traveling DX stories can be found in his book Tales of a Vagabond DXer [SWLing Post affiliate link]. If you've already read his book and enjoyed it, do Don a favor [...]

Many thanks toSWLing Postcontributor,Michael (BD4AAQ)who shares the following guest post: WT2 Mini Handheld With Everything Radio by Michael Ye (BD4AAQ) What Exactly Is the WT2? No exaggeration. The WT2, a recent radio developed by Choyong, includes nearly every type of radio imaginable: ham radio, traditional shortwave and medium-wave radio, internet radio and, last but not [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dennis Dura for sharing this article from Radio World which delves into the legacy of AM broadcasting in Digging Up the AM Radio Graveyard." This piece explores the so-called graveyard frequencies"-those crowded AM channels where hundreds of local stations once operated at night, all competing in a sea of [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dennis?Dura for sharing this article from Radio?World, which reveals that Tesla will eliminate AM and FM tuners from its 2026 Standard Model Y and Model 3 trims-a move the National?Association?of?Broadcasters calls a disservice to millions of drivers" who rely on broadcast radio for news, community and emergency alerts. You [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributors Dennis Dura and Frank Howell for sharing this article from Radio?World, which examines the persistent and growing problem of AM?band interference. In John?Kean Explores AM Interference Issues," Kean outlines how noise from switching power supplies, urban clutter and even future EV wireless-charging technology are threatening reception quality for AM [...]

Greetings all SWLing Post community, here's more about what the Imaginary Stations crew will be sending up to the ionosphere this week. On Saturday 25th October 2025 at 1100 hrs UTCon6160 kHz and then again on Sunday 26th October 2025 at 0900/1300 hrs UTCon6160 kHz and at 2100 UTC on 3975 kHz and 6160 kHz, [...]

Many thanks toSWLing Postcontributor, Bill Tilford, who shares the following update: The semiannual time and season changes always bring challenges to FTIOM and UBMP on 6070 and 9670, and we will be pausing our shows on those two frequencies for a month or two until things sort themselves out. We will have two transmissions of [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Fred Waterer who shares this article from Radio World that takes a closer look at how online SDR networks have transformed shortwave listening. Even for those of us who regularly use Web SDRs, it's an interesting perspective on how these global receiver networks continue to evolve and expand the [...]

Reported by Bob Colegrove Incurable DXers are always looking for new challenges. So it was, I recently did some scanning between 42 and 45 meters (~6600 to 7000 kHz). Trenton Military on 6754 kHz and the MARS net on 6913 kHz are regulars here, as are a selection of pirates above 6900 kHz. However, I [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dan Greenall, who writes: Bangkok Meteorological Radio in Thailand broadcasts marine weather several times a day on 6765.1 and 8743 kHz USB in both Thai and English. An interval tune is played between the Thai and English segments that has left me trying to put a name to it [...]

Many thanks toSWLing Postcontributor and noted political cartoonist,Carlos Latuff, who shares the followingillustrated radio listening report and QSL of a recent Radio ELWA broadcast. Update/Correction: It was discovered after posting this recording and message that it's actually Radio ELWA's 72nd anniversary year, despite a recent post on their website claiming it was their 70th anniversary. [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Larry Shmagin, who recently discovered this May 2025 interview with Katie Thornton, host of The Divided Dial series, on The Brian Lehrer Show (WNYC). Click here to listen to the show on WNYC or use the embedded player below:

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Jack Dully, who shares a Tecsun Australia article highlighting several shortwave stations including Shortwave Australia. Shortwave Australia is a non-profit station transmitting from Central Victoria in the 120-meter and 60-meter bands on 2,310 kHz and 4,835 kHz. Late afternoon and nighttime coverage typically reaches much of southeast Australia under [...]

Greetings all SWLing Post community, here's more about what the Imaginary Stations crew will be broadcasting via those airwaves this week. On Saturday 18th October 2025 at 1100 hrs UTCon6160 kHz and then again on Sunday 19th October 2025 at 0900/1300 hrs UTCon6160 kHz and at 2100 UTC on 3975 kHz and 6160 kHz. We [...]

By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM It was a remark from Sebastian Schluter in response to this post - https://swling.com/blog/2025/10/some-really-inexpensive-ways-to-perhaps-improve-your-shortwave-listening - that sparked today's post. He said: If your RFI is really high, your best weapon is a magnetic loop antenna aka small receive loop. At home, my RFI is so high that I don't benefit from [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Fred Waterer, who writes: I've subscribed to this channel for some time. This video, which dropped the other day, will be of relevance to both SWLs and HAMS: Rob does some deep dives into language. Including the surprising origins of many words in English and the lingering influence of [...]

By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM Just yesterday morning, I was reminded that sometimes really small things can make a significant difference SWLing. So here are some things that I found can make an improvement, particularly if you are using one of the modern shortwave portables with its whip antenna. Turn off as many electronics as [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dan Greenall, who shares the following guest post: The 90 metre band - Then and Now by Dan Greenall A few decades ago, the 90 metre shortwave broadcast band used to be full of interesting and challenging-to-hear DX signals. In the 1974 edition of The Complete Shortwave Listener's Handbook, [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Carlos Latuff, who writes: This is the image I received today, October 12th, at 7:10 UTC, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from the Japan Meteorological Agency, via radiofax (13988 kHz). It was supposed to be a satellite image, showing Tropical Storm Nakri (which will become a typhoon in the [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor David Iurescia for sharing the following article about one of my favorite topics, which we've covered in the past. Long before Zoom classrooms or remote-learning platforms existed, Australia was already teaching across the outback via radio. This article from Education Daily explores how the School of the Air began [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Carlos Latuff, who writes: The path of tropical storm Nakri," forecast to become a typhoon on Sunday, is shown on this weather chart from the Korea Meteorological Administration, broadcasted via radiofax and received this morning in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 0800 UTC, frequency 13570 kHz (UTC).

Many thanks toSWLing Postcontributor Terry (N5RTC), who shares the following schedules for Texas Radio Shortwave (click image to enlarge): Click here to view the entire B25 schedule for TRSW.