This summer I decided to participate in the SWL 2024 contest. This contest was organized by Franck F0DUW . Aim was to log as many broadcasters in each metre band. I had a slow start as I was very busy in June with Sporadic E receptions, but in July/August I focused a bit. In the end I was able to log 425 broadcasters. This was not only more than enough to qualify for the “Diamond” certificate, but it also makes clear that shortwave isn’t dead!
Certificate for participating in the 2024 SWL contesti
I plan to give more information about what I heard in a future post, but that will take a little bit of time. Stay tuned!
Thanks to Franck for organizing. On his facebook page he announced that there will be another contest starting January 1st, 2025.
In June this year the German service of Radio Taiwan executed some test transmissions to determine the best frequencies broadcasting from Tamsui
“Sie Hören ein 10-minutige Testsendung von Radio Taiwan International…. von der Sendeanlage Tamsui”.
And it made sense for them to perform these tests because their signal on 11995 kHz was excellent, whereas on 9545 kHz the quality was average at best. Worse, on 7250 kHz I didn’t manage to receive them at all…
My reception reports were awarded with an “old school” paper QSL… which is fitting for an “old school” request for listeners to report on reception quality! Thank you RTI!
QSL card from Radio Taiwan International for test transmissions in German
Cruisin’ the Decades is a program created by Brad Savage. On a weekly basis the 60 minute program brings one songs per decade, from 1920 to 2020. A very nice concept. Cruisin’ the Decades is broadcast via many stations. On shortwave I’ve heard the Cruisin’ the Decades show via Channel 292 Germany and WRMI Miami. Apparently there is also a slot with WBCQ Monticello.
The email QSL below is for the reception of this program via Channel 292, Rohrbach in Germany (6070 and 9670 kHz).
QSL email from Brad Savage to confirm reception of Cruisin the Decades via Channel 292
A nice colorful eQSL from Radio Joey on 6395 kHz. All I can tell you is that Radio Joey is a pirate station from The Netherlands (as shown on the QSL) which also shows the hotmail address.
A beautiful eQSL from Radio Sylvia, Hamburg, broadcasting via Channel 292, Rohrbach on 6070 kHz. It’s not a program that is heard every week, but if it is on it is definitely worth listening to as they play music which is a bit different from the main stream. Or as they say it themselves:
The station started broadcasting back in 1977 as a pirate. We were active for many years on FM, medium wave and shortwave. In 1984 Radio Sylvia was raided by the German authorities and we were sentenced to heavy fines. After that we changed our name to Radio Scorpio and were relayed on a regular basis by Belgian, Scottish and Irish shortwave stations.
In 2009 we restarted Radio Sylvia as an internet station. We are now broadcasting 24/7 with studios located in Hamburg, Germany. In addition to our online activities, shortwave transmissions are conducted as well on every first Saturday of a month on 6070 kHz from 18:00 to 24:00 CET and on 3955 kHz from 18:00 to 20:00 CET. So we hope you’ll tune in again on 7th September.
Our aim has always been (and still is) to provide a musical alternative to the “official” pop music radio stations. We focus on non-mainstream music and also support little-known bands and artists worldwide.
You can view the full history, our aims and all station details on our website www.radiosylvia.de.
KSKO is definitely not one of the typical broadcasters on shortwave. The program of this public local station from McGrath, Alaska is broadcast across Europe every Friday 21-22h UTC with 50 kW via Spaceline in Kostinbrod, Bulgaria.
The program is their regular program, with local sponsors, quiz, music and DJ. The only thing which is different is greeting their European audience. And why do they do this? Well, as they said themselves in the show: “Just because…”. But I do suspect that the alaskaradionerd email address of verie signer Paul Walker explains a lot. Thank you Paul for offering European radio enthusiasts to familiarize themselves with Alaska Public Radio KSKO!
A traditional QSL postcard from Radio Cuckoo on 6295 kHz. Radio Cuckoo is a pirate station broadcasting from Ireland using a home-built tube transmitter. They broadcast popmusic from the 80-ies. Reception quality suffered from some noise, but the way “Cuckoo” was pronounced made it easy to catch the identification.
I received their new QSL (see below) as well as their old QSL card plus sticker within a week after sending my report to radiocuckoo(at)yahoo.com . Thank you Dave!
This weekend, August 31, it was exactly 50 years ago that Radio Noordzee went off the air. The Dutch authorities signed the Straatsburg Treaty against piracy forcing Radio Noordzee off air. Radio Veronica, another Dutch offshore station, stopped on the same day.
There were quite a few shows on various relay stations like Channel 292 and a couple of pirate stations to commemorate all of this. Radio Northsea Nijmegen rented three hours of time on Channel 292 in which the last hours of Radio Noordzee were replayed. Michel Boon was so kind to confirm my reception report with a nice eQSL.
This week I received an email from Stig Hartvig Nielsen from WMR to verify my reception on 5930 kHz. The station is broadcasting from Bramming in Denmark. Unfortunately, as mr. Nielsen explains in the email below it doesn’t contain any detail. That said, the station offers QSLs for a small compensation, so that will be my next step.
WMR can be received in good quality here. They offer a nice selection of “world music”, which is a good alternative for listening to long lost tropical band stations.
no detail e QSL from WMR, Bramming, Denmark on 5930 kHz
It is not the first time I received a QSL from World Music Radio. Years ago I heard them via the Meyerton transmitter in South Africa:
1997 QSL from WMR broadcasting via Meyerton, South Africa, also signed by Stig Hartvig Nielsen
Dear P. J. Reuderink
Thanks very much for your reception report to World Music Radio (WMR)! It is very kind of you to reach out to my small radio station. I am pleased to verify your report; please find attached the WMR eQSL for 2024.
WMR no longer issues full detail eQSL’s. A printed full detail QSL card, however, is available – if you send your report by mail to me at Hovedvejen 17, DK-8920 Randers NV, Denmark – and if possible enclose return postage (two duly stamped International Reply Coupons – or ten euro). An additional donation to keep WMR and Radio208 on the air will be appreciated. Please note that our PO Box in Randers SØ has been closed by PostNord. All PO Boxes in Denmark are being closed this year in this crazy country.
A printed full detail QSL card is also available if you send your report by e-mail, and at the same time make a donation of at least 75 DKK (10 euro) via PayPal to wmr@wmr.dk or paypal.me/worldmusicradio.
Reception reports using remote receivers (such as KiwiSDR’s) are not QSLed, unless it is a remote receiver in your own country set up and owned by yourself.
Now some details about World Music Radio: WMR is an independent music station with a cheerful mix of tropical, world music. The main focus is on reggae, salsa, soca, Brazilian music, and African music as well as a little Andean music and Punjabi music. I would say that at least 90 % of the music is from the Global South.
WMR commenced broadcasting on shortwave more than 50 years ago from the Netherlands and has since 1997 been owned and operated by Hartvig Media ApS, Denmark. In 2004 broadcasting from Denmark began. At present WMR is broadcasting 24 hours a day seven days a week on mediumwave 927 kHz (approx. 150 Watts from Hvidovre, Copenhagen. Currently off air), on shortwave 5930 kHz (150 Watts from Bramming), on shortwave 15700 kHz (300 Watts from Randers), and on shortwave 25800 kHz (150 Watts from Mårslet, Aarhus). Also streaming on the Internet.
Aerials used are an experimental coil aerial (“spool”) for 927 kHz (18 m above the ground), a horizontal dipole for 5930 kHz (13 m above the ground), a three element yagi beamed South for 15700 kHz (30 m above the ground), and a vertical half wave dipole for 25800 kHz (110 m above the ground).
A QSL from Music Wave Radio, a pirate station on 3940 kHz. The transmitter location is a bit unclear. Some sources state that it is Belarus, with programs produced in Russia. Anyway, it is definitely not the eastern part of The Netherlands, the UK where most of my pirate QSLs come from.
e QSL Music Wave Radio on 3940 kHz
When I listened Music Wave Radio was broadcasting Russian pop and rock music. Shazam helped me out to identify some titles and artists, but I still had to decipher them from cyrillic script. Apparently I passed the test because operator Evgeniy confirmed my reception report with in a day. I sent my report to podradio@mail.ru.
BDXC : SWL 2262 PRe VERON : NL 14228 If you want to get in touch, just leave a message on one of my posts. Please note that I don't publish email addresses of verifiers which are not part of the public domain. So if you don't see the QSL address, just leave a message and I'll get back to you.
Feel free to copy anything on this weblog. A link back to my site is appreciated.
