The SWLing Post

Dear Listeners, Due to significant interference which has emerged from a neighboring station - causing reception issues for the existing broadcast on 9705 kHz, I have made the decision to immediately change frequencies in order to resolve this issue. This one-time newsletter is being sent in order to inform listeners of this change. Effective immediately, [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dennis Dura, who shares news from Radio World that DXing will be featured for the first time at the Midwest Regional Broadcasters Clinic (Madison Clinic") this September. The presentation will introduce broadcast engineers and industry professionals to the fascinating world of radio signal propagation and DX reception-and perhaps inspire [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Greenall, who writes: Hi Thomas, In 1976, amateur radio operators in the United States were allowed the option of using a special prefix in place of their regular one to celebrate the country's bicentennial year. Many amateurs issued special QSL cards for this bearing the new prefix, making [...]

Many thanks toSWLing Post contributor, Alan Roe, who shares his A-26 (version 3.0) season guide to music on shortwave. Alan provides this amazing resource as a free PDF download. Click here to download Music on Shortwave A-26 v3.0 (PDF) Alan has also created at-a-glance, single-page PDF programme grids for BBC World Service, CGTN Radio, Radio [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Scott Gamble, who writes: Hi Thomas - An interesting article was published in the most recent issue of Inside GNSS magazine that suggests that the US Military has been using an obscure field in GPS broadcasts to deliver encoded messages, potentially for use by intelligence agencies. The article The [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dennis Dura, who shares the following article from Radio World about the impending shutdown of Canada's iconic CHU shortwave time station. We've covered CHU's imminent closure several times here on the SWLing Post, but this Radio World piece provides a particularly nice overview of the station's history, purpose, and [...]

Hi to all SWLing Post community. Here's news of what Imaginary Stations will be bringing to those shortwave bands this week. We have the fourth programme in the Downbeat on Shortwave series via Shortwave Gold, where guest DJs Jesse Yuen and One Deck Pete bring you two 15-minute downtempo mixes each over the hour-long show. [...]

by Karl D. Forth Reading through the 1971 World Radio-TV Handbook only as a reference source was interesting, but as I started listening more I also realized I felt part of what was happening - I could hear many of the countries described, one way or another. I've always liked directories. You can often learn [...]

Many thanks toSWLing Postcontributor Terry (N5RTC), who shares the following schedules for Texas Radio Shortwave (click image to enlarge):

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul Jamet, who shares the following announcement: 24 Hours of Le Mans 2026 During the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans Automobile race, the amateur radio operators of the Sarthe Radio Club F6KFI will be in the spotlight! To celebrate the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans, the amateur [...]

By 13dka Following up on the article I recently wrote about the MLite-880, I still had a comparison with a reference radio on a proper antenna on my to-do list. I wasn't in a hurry because I got pretty fascinated with exploring what I can get out of various magmounts on my car with this [...]

by Dan Robinson The Tecsun PL-520 has been out for some time now though units have been getting into the hands of more reviewers such as myself in recent weeks. There are a number of excellent overview videos available on YouTube, so my purpose here won't be to dive into sensitivity level and similar comparisons [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, David Iurescia, who shares the following news: In 2026, Radio Bulgaria is issuing a new series of 12 QSL cards to confirm listeners' reception reports. Each card highlights a key historical moment from the history of Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) and the Radio Bulgaria programme. At the beginning of [...]

Hi to all SWLing Post community. Here's news of what Imaginary Stations will be bringing to the ionosphere this week. We have the second episode of Radio 250 via Shortwave Gold, which is full with all sorts of genres of music celebrating and bringing you more of a musical history lesson over the shortwaves. The [...]

by Karl D. Forth Many of the African nations achieved independence in the 1960s, and as they raised their new national flag they wanted to be connected to the outside world. One of the first things they often did was build an airport so they could be accessible. The second was setting up a shortwave [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, David Iurescia, who shares the following news item about a new museum dedicated to the history of media and communications technology. Located in Kansas City's Crossroads Arts District, the Media Tech Museum features more than 900 artifacts tracing the evolution of communication-from telegraphy and early radio to television, film, [...]

by Satoshi Miyauchi, JP1SCQ, with Nick Hall-Patch, VE7DXR Introduction In early November 2025, several members of our Totsuka DXers Circle in Japan (TDXC https://www.tdxc.net/abouttdxc/ ) traveled from the Tokyo area to Tanohata village in Iwate prefecture on northern Honshu island in order to take part in a medium wave (MW) DXpedition that took place on [...]

by Dan Greenall Time and standard frequency stations have been around for a long time. In my early years of DXing, there were more than 20 of them scattered all over the globe. These two pages from the 1972 World Radio TV Handbook show what could be heard back then, along with the frequencies used. [...]

Many thanks toSWLing Postcontributor, Bill Tilford, who shares the following update: From the Isle of Music, June 2026 This month, we feature three new releases - special guest Hugo Cruz will be with us to help present his second release, Figure It Out". The album also has a fascinating back story. Unless you have a [...]

Many thanks to SWling Post contributor, Rich Cuff, who shares this piece from Hackaday: So Long, CHU, And Thanks For All The Time Signals." It's well worth a read-and if you've never tuned in to CHU before, now may be your last chance. Read the full article here: https://hackaday.com/2026/05/27/so-long-chu-and-thanks-for-all-the-time-signals/ Please note, I would appreciate any [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Frank, who is once again hosting a radio contest for shortwave listeners and mediumwave DXers this summer. Frank's SWL Contest 2026 focuses on AM radio listening and is open to radio enthusiasts who enjoy logging stations, comparing reception conditions, and simply exploring the radio spectrum. If you're looking for [...]

by Carlos Latuff I found it strange to come across interference from a Chinese radio station on the BBC's shortwave broadcast. For about a month, between April and May 2026, I was monitoring this special BBC radio service, transmitted from a station in Madagascar and aimed at Sudan and Gaza in Arabic. Aside from some [...]

Hi to all SWLing Post community. Here's news of what Imaginary Stations will be bringing to the shortwaves this week. Thanks to the services of Shortwave Gold we have the first episode of Radio 250. It's all about celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the United States. There are two wonderful shows lined up with all [...]

By 13dka After all the recent buzz and watching and reading every video, review, and discussion thread/group I could find about this radio, as per usual, I knew I had to buy one in order to find out if I want one...again. This is not a review, but taking notes while getting acquainted with it [...]

Many thanks toSWLing Postcontributor and noted political cartoonist,Carlos Latuff, who shares the followingillustrated radio listening reports of recent BBC World Service broadcasts. Carlos notes: Ebola outbreak in D.R. Congo via BBC Click here to view on YouTube. Click here to view on YouTube.

Today, BBC Radio 4 will air The Sound of Soft Power, a documentary presented by Josephine McDermott exploring the history of international broadcasting and the role shortwave radio played as a tool of soft power during the Second World War and Cold War. The program features a number of familiar voices from shortwave history, including [...]

I was saddened to learn this morning (from multiple readers) that Canada's venerable shortwave time station, CHU, may soon fall silent. According to a notice posted by Canada's National Research Council, CHU's shortwave broadcasts are scheduled to end on June 22, 2026. For many listeners outside of the shortwave community, this may seem like an [...]

by Carlos Latuff I bring to the brothers-in-radio of SWLing Post a short report on my recent listening sessions of the BBC's emergency radio service, which broadcasts half an hour of Arabic-language programming from Sunday to Thursday to Sudan and Gaza on the frequency of 15280 kHz. The programming consists of a podcast entitled Middle [...]

by Dan Robinson The MLite-880 portable has been on the market for some time now. There have been a number of important developments, so it's time to update my original articles for those who already own the receiver and those who are still considering purchasing. A note to begin: I have no financial interests [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson, who shares the following article, which explores the story of Transit 5B-5 - a U.S. Navy satellite launched in 1964 that remains in orbit, continues transmitting telemetry signals, and is still monitored by amateur radio operators around the world more than six decades later. Fueled by a [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Andrew, who shares the following article from Business Insider: An AI startup asked four of the world's top language models to run radio stations. So far, they've had a rough start. Claude tried to quit after deeming 24/7 broadcast stations unethical, while Grok had a hard time getting started, [...]

By Brian D. Smith, W9IND It's back to the track for amateur radio station W9IMS. Less than 2 weeks after concluding their first special event of the year, members of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Amateur Radio Club will take to the airwaves from now through Sunday, May 24, to commemorate the legendary Indianapolis 500. If [...]

Many thanks toSWLing Postcontributor and noted political cartoonist,Carlos Latuff, who shares the followingillustrated radio listening report of a recent Vatican Radio broadcast. Carlos notes: 11.5 million people threatened by famine in Sudan, Vatican Radio, 11870 kHz Click here to view on YouTube.

Hi to all SWLing Post community. Here's news of what Imaginary Stations will be bringing to those shortwave transmitter sites this week coming. Thanks to the services of Shortwave Gold we have a few programmes this week coming.The first show is WMMR - Mystery Mix Radio. As usual, the show has a theme that you [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Markku (VA3MK), for sharing this BBC article marking the centenary of the world's first shortwave transatlantic telecommunication link between Canada and Somerset, England. Among other things, this article also highlights the historic Marconi Beam Wireless Station at Bridgwater and the challenges of early shortwave radio experimentation. Read the full [...]

I wanted to give SWLing Post readers a quick heads-up that I'll be traveling this week and attending Dayton Hamvention along with Four Days in May. Because of travel and a very full schedule, I'll likely be slower than usual replying to emails and may also post less frequently over the next week as free [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dennis Dura, who shares this article from Hackaday that explores the fascinating last gasp" innovations of vacuum tube technology long after transistors had already begun taking over the electronics industry. The article dives into late-era tube developments like compactrons, lighthouse tubes, and RCA's remarkable nuvistor-tiny, rugged, low-noise tubes that [...]

Many thanks toSWLing Postcontributor and noted political cartoonist,Carlos Latuff, who shares the followingillustrated radio listening report of a recent BBC broadcast. Carlos notes: Emmanuel Macron in Kenya: We are the true pan-africanists". BBC Afrique, 15490 kHz" Click here to view on YouTube.

Hi to all SWLing Post community. Here's news of what the Imaginary Stations crew will be sending out into the ionosphere and via those groundwaves this coming week. Thanks to Shortwave Gold, we have a transmission called JEWEL featuring an hour special on Jewel Records, from Cincinnati ran by Rusty York (more on the label [...]

Many thanks toSWLing Postcontributor Terry (N5RTC), who shares the following schedules for Texas Radio Shortwave (click image to enlarge):

by Dan Greenall A half-century ago, long before the internet, e-mail, and SDRs, I was fortunate to visit the islands of Bermuda. In addition to meeting up with a fellow amateur radio operator, whom I had contacted from my home QTH in Ontario, Canada, I was able to do some listening on the AM broadcast [...]

Many thanks to SWling Post contributor David Goren, who recently uploaded the Shortwave Shindig interval signal slideshow to his YouTube channel. David notes: For the past 22 years or so, I've helmed the Shortwave Shindig, a long form listening session celebrating the art, history and culture of Shortwave Radio. This takes place in suburban Philadelphia [...]

Many thanks toSWLing Postcontributor and noted political cartoonist,Carlos Latuff, who shares the followingillustrated radio listening report of a recent BBC Emergency Radio Service broadcast. Carlos notes: BBC Emergency Radio Service Click here to view on YouTube.

Many thanks toSWLing Postcontributor and noted political cartoonist,Carlos Latuff, who shares the followingillustrated radio listening report of a recent BBC Emergency Radio Service broadcast. Carlos notes: BBC Emergency Radio Service Click here to view on YouTube.

Many thanks toSWLing Postcontributor and noted political cartoonist,Carlos Latuff, who shares the followingillustrated radio listening report of a recent BBC ERS broadcast. Carlos notes: BBC Emergency Radio Service Click here to view on YouTube.

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dennis Dura, who shares this bit of radio nostalgia made real. Nearly 50 years after the iconic TV series WKRP in Cincinnati first aired, the call letters have officially returned-this time on a real FM station in Cincinnati. The new WKRP(FM) launched on 97.7 MHz, even featuring a familiar [...]

Hi to all SWLing Post community. Here's news of what Imaginary Stations will be bringing to the ionosphere this week. Thanks to Shortwave Gold, we have a transmission called WAIR - Always Independent Radio Featuring the sounds of indie, alternative and post -punk goodness. The show is on Saturday 9th May at 1100 hrs UTC [...]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Alfredo (EA4IMN), who writes: Hi Thomas, Greetings from EA4IMN. I recently purchased an XHDATA D-808, and got puzzled by the absence of an external jack for the LW/MW antenna. Inspired by previous work, I set to add this feature to my unit. My journey was overall straightforward, but not [...]

I wasn't able to attend the Winter SWL Fest this past weekend due to my travel schedule. As in years past, my good friend David Goren invited me to record a Meet the Archivist" segment for his annual Shortwave Shindig live event. Unfortunately, there were some technical difficulties this year, and the segment wasn't able [...]

Many thanks toSWLing Postcontributor and noted political cartoonist,Carlos Latuff, who shares the followingillustrated radio listening report of a recent BBC broadcast. Carlos notes: BBC Emergency Radio Service: Click here to view on YouTube.