Monday, September 15, 2025

REMEMBERING HCJB, QUITO, ECUADOR

 
HCJB Studio QSL

Our thanks to Ray Robinson and Jeff White for sharing this week's feature on HCJB .... great memories for shortwave listeners!

Jeff: Many shortwave listeners fondly remember the broadcasts of HCJB, the ‘Voice of the Andes’ from Quito, Ecuador, but having looked back through our archives, it appears we’ve never done a feature on that station.  So once again, to put that right, here’s Ray Robinson in Los Angeles.

Ray: Thanks, Jeff.  And yes, that is correct.  I’ve searched through all our Wavescan scripts going back to the year 2000, but there’s no trace of HCJB anywhere.  And, there’s a very interesting story to be told.

HCJB was the vision of Clarence Wesley Jones.  In the late 1920’s, he’d worked for a radio ministry in Chicago, Illinois, and, impressed by the impact it was having, felt called to establish a missionary radio ministry in Latin America.  In 1928, he travelled to Venezuela, Colombia, Panama and Cuba looking for a suitable location, but was unable to obtain the necessary government permits.

Then on September 18, 1929, Clarence Jones met Reuben Larson, who’d previously served as a missionary in Ecuador, and Reuben encouraged Clarence to consider Ecuador as a location for the radio ministry.  Reuben returned to Quito in 1930, where he and a colleague approached the Ecuadorian government requesting a license for broadcasting.  At that time, there were no radio stations in Ecuador, and there was no basis in law for granting a broadcasting license.  So, as has happened since in other countries such as Zambia and Israel, a permit was issued by personal decree of the President of the Republic.

The internationally allocated prefix for Ecuadorian call signs was HC, and so the call letters ‘HCJB’ were chosen for the station as an acronym for ‘Heralding Christ Jesus’ Blessings’ (in English), or Hoy Cristo Jesús Bendice (‘Jesus Christ’s Blessings Today’ in Spanish).

Back in the States, Clarence Jones incorporated the World Radio Missionary Fellowship in March 1931 as a non-profit to oversee the operation of HCJB, and construction of a transmitter for the station began in Quito.

Famously, HCJB’s first broadcast was at 4pm on Christmas Day, 1931, when it had the potential of being heard by the six radio receivers existing in the country at that time.  The inaugural program was broadcast in English and Spanish from a studio in the Jones' living room.  The 30 minute broadcast was powered by a home brew 250-watt, table-top transmitter on 50.26 meters (5986 kHz), with a simple, single wire antenna strung between two telephone poles.  Soon after that, they built a studio in a mud-walled, half-finished sheep shed in central Quito, and began regular broadcasts in Spanish for two hours per day.

HCJB was the first missionary radio station in the world, and it began issuing QSL cards in 1932.  A better studio and transmitter site was acquired a few years later in the center of Quito city, where in 1936 they added an RCA medium wave transmitter, and the following year replaced the shortwave unit with a 1 kW one designed and built by a local HCJB engineer.  English programs were introduced in 1937, and then in 1940, they added a 10 kW shortwave transmitter designed and built by another HCJB engineer, and this allowed them to broadcast internationally for the first time.  This transmitter was inaugurated on Easter Sunday, 1940, by the President of Ecuador.

In 1941, live programs were added in Russian, Swedish and Quechua, the predominant indigenous language of the Andes.  The frequencies in use at this time were 6050, 9745, 11775 and 15155 kHz.  By 1944, the station had aired programming in 14 languages including live programs in Czech, Dutch, French and German.  Programs in languages such as Arabic, Italian and Hebrew were recorded elsewhere and sent to Quito on large acetate-coated aluminum transcription discs.

 In 1951 HCJB acquired 45 acres of land near the town of Pifo, 20 miles east of Quito, where they constructed transmission and antenna facilities that enabled considerable expansion over the following decades.  Initially, eight curtain antennas and two dipoles were erected, and all broadcast activities were moved to the Pifo site in 1953, with two studio-to-transmitter links operating on FM.  Broadcasts in German were expanded, not targeting Europe, but rather the many post-war German-speaking communities in South America.  HCJB’s first ‘high-power’ shortwave transmitter, a 50 kW unit, was again designed and built in-house in 1956.  Here’s a recording of HCJB from 1957:


Then in 1961, HCJB launched a TV station for Quito - the first licensed TV station in Ecuador.  And in 1965, HCJB’s own hydro-electric plant at Papallacta began generating sufficient electricity to power all the broadcasts from Pifo.  Pre-recorded ‘Voice of the Andes’ radio programs in Central European languages began to be aired, and more live programming in Portuguese and Japanese was added in 1967. 

Also in 1967, three 100 kW RCA transmitters were acquired from Vatican Radio, and these were placed into service progressively between 1968 and 1970.  HCJB was then receiving hundreds of letters each week with reception reports from shortwave DXers around the world.  The correspondence department of HCJB responded to its listeners with QSL cards and Christian tracts.

photo via Radio Heritage

One fondly remembered program was "DX-Partyline", which was hosted from its inception by HCJB missionary Clayton Howard and his wife, Helen.  The program was heard for more than 40 years, twice a week, and included the reading of letters from shortwave listeners around the world as well as reception reports sent to the station. "DX-Partyline" also included shortwave radio listening tips, information on antennas, and equipment reviews.  In 1974, Clayton Howard suggested a shortwave listeners' club be created, and so ‘Andes DXers International’, (or "ANDEX") began.  Members would receive a membership certificate and membership card with the member's name and individual member number, along with Howard's signature.  A monthly bulletin was sent to members, of which I was one.  In fact, I was one of HCJB’s monitors in the UK, sending them many dozens of reception reports over the years, and I still have an HCJB pennant hanging in my studio.  ANDEX eventually had a membership in the thousands and continued as a service of HCJB until 1996.

 Besides DX-Partyline, other original radio programming produced by HCJB staff members included "Morning in the Mountains," "Musica del Ecuador," "Musical Mailbag," "Happiness Is," and “Passport”.

In the mid-1970s, HCJB constructed a secondary transmitter site halfway up Mount Pichincha, the volcano in whose foothills Quito is built.  There, they installed a 50 kW medium wave transmitter, operating on 690 kHz.  On Sunday nights they often ran DX tests, such as this one:

In 1979, a steerable ‘egg beater’ antenna was constructed, and in 1981 a 500 kW transmitter, designed by HCJB’s own engineers, was built at the facilities of Crown International in Elkhart, Indiana.


This transmitter was put into use from Pifo to try to overcome some of the Russian jamming efforts their broadcasts to Soviet bloc countries were facing.  In 1986 they acquired the Crown International facility at Elkhart, now called SonSet Solutions, and used it to modify a 500 kW Siemens single side-band transmitter to operate on SSB with a carrier, so it could be heard on AM radios


Then in the 1990’s, HCJB engineers built a number of new 100 kW transmitters using the HC-100 design, which also used operation on SSB with a carrier.  These transmitters were the ministry’s contribution to the “World by 2000” challenge, and they were of a successful design that was deployed not only in Pifo, but also at TWR in Swaziland and later at Reach Beyond in Australia.  Here’s an Id from June 1994:

Over the years, more land was bought adjoining the Pifo site, such that it eventually covered more than 200 acres.  By 1995, there were 13 transmitters and 32 antennas on the Pifo site, beaming to all corners of the globe.  The main studio compound was in downtown Quito, from where programming was fed to the transmitter site via a microwave link which replaced the earlier FM links.

A staff of over 100 people was employed in the radio ministry, and nearly double that were involved in the operation of HCJB’s medical clinics throughout the country.

 The eventual closedown of HCJB from Quito came not because of falling listenership or loss of commitment to shortwave broadcasting, but rather because of the decision of the Ecuadorian government to demand the removal of HCJB's shortwave antenna masts, which they determined would be too close to the new Quito airport then under construction.  Consideration was given to building a new shortwave station near Guayaquil, but in the end, the mission leadership in the USA decided instead to move their base of operations from Ecuador to Australia.


HCJB QSL via Teak Publishing Archives

 The station at Pifo near Quito was gradually shut down and dismantled in the mid-2000’s, and their final broadcast in English was on Saturday May 6, 2006, and on Sunday, September 30, 2009, after nearly 80 years of international shortwave broadcasting from Ecuador, radio station HCJB made its last high-power transmission.  The 50 kW medium wave transmitter on 690 kHz was shut down in 2017, but the station does continue to this day from the Mount Pichincha site, with Spanish and Quechua on 6050 kHz, using a 1 kW transmitter and a double-dipole antenna designed to reach the remote rural areas of Ecuador.

 Back to you, Jeff.

 








Jen's Eclectic Views & Real Deal audio for September 14, now available

 


Jen's Eclectic Views & Real Deal for September 14 is up and ready for downloading and listening 

Available at:


Next week, Sunday, September 21st, will feature Jen's Instrumental Madness Surf Special. More information will be available soon - stay tuned for updates later this week. Program times are 1700-21000 UTC.

Live Stream Next Week,

For your contact pleasure

Jen In The Rad

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

 Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2025 Sep 15 0137 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
#                Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 08 - 14 September 2025

Solar activity was at low levels with only C-Class flares observed. The largest flare of the period was a C7.6 from Region 4207 (N28, L=48, class/area=Cso/80 on 11 Sep) at 11/1521 UTC. No significant CME activity was observed. 

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reached high levels on 09, 13, and 14 Sep due to influences from multiple coronal hole high speed streams (CH HSS). Normal to moderate levels were observed on 08, 10, 11, and 12 Sep. 

Geomagnetic field activity reached G2 (Moderate) storm levels on 09 Sep due to sustained period of southward Bz. G1 (Minor) storm levels were observed on 14 Sep due to influences from a negative polarity CH HSS. Quiet to active levels were observed on the remaining days
of the highlight period. 

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 15 September - 11 October 2025

Solar activity is expected to be at low levels with a chance for isolated M-class flares throughout the outlook period. 

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels on 18-21 Sep and 06-11 Oct due to recurrent CH HSS influences. Normal to moderate levels are expected for the remainder of the outlook period. 

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at G2 (Moderate) storm levels on 15 Sep due to influences from negative polarity CH HSS. Active to G1 (Minor) storm levels are expected on 16 Sep, 28-29 Sep, 03-07 Oct, and 11 Oct all due to recurrent CH HSS influences. Quiet to unsettled levels are expected for the remaining days in the outlook period. 

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2025 Sep 15 0137 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
#      27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
#                Issued 2025-09-15
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2025 Sep 15     125          30          6
2025 Sep 16     120          12          4
2025 Sep 17     125          10          3
2025 Sep 18     130           5          2
2025 Sep 19     135           5          2
2025 Sep 20     135           5          2
2025 Sep 21     135           5          2
2025 Sep 22     135           5          2
2025 Sep 23     130           5          2
2025 Sep 24     125           5          2
2025 Sep 25     130           5          2
2025 Sep 26     125           5          2
2025 Sep 27     125           5          2
2025 Sep 28     130          12          4
2025 Sep 29     130          15          5
2025 Sep 30     125           8          3
2025 Oct 01     120           5          2
2025 Oct 02     115           5          2
2025 Oct 03     115          15          5
2025 Oct 04     110          12          4
2025 Oct 05     110          12          4
2025 Oct 06     115          15          5
2025 Oct 07     115          12          4
2025 Oct 08     110           8          3
2025 Oct 09     115           8          3
2025 Oct 10     115           5          2
2025 Oct 11     120          15          5
(NOAA)

Friday, September 12, 2025

AURORA ALERT! Butterfly-shaped 'hole' in sun's atmosphere could spark geomagnetic storm Sept. 13-14

Photo via Space.Com


By Daisy Dobrijevic published 6 hours ago
Forecasters warn of possible G2 geomagnetic storms as a colossal coronal hole sends solar wind racing our way.

A colossal butterfly-shaped coronal hole has opened in the sun's atmosphere and is currently spewing a fast-moving stream of solar wind toward Earth that could trigger a moderate geomagnetic storm and dazzling auroras this weekend.



The high-speed solar wind from this striking feature, spanning some 310,000 miles (500,000 kilometers) across, is expected to reach Earth around Sept. 14.

Read the rest of the story at: 


Wednesday, September 10, 2025

From the Isle of Music programming in September

 

From the Isle of Music, September 2025 
September's program will be the fourth of several episodes featuring the best of Cubadisco 2025, Cuba's most important discographic awards. This is the best of the best of Cuba's new releases (and recordings from Cubans elsewhere) and will feature the Música Bailable (Dance Music) category this month. 

Friday, September 12: 
6070 kHz at 1700 UTC 
3955 kHz at 2100 UTC 

Sunday, September 14: 
9670 kHz at 1700 UTC using booster beam H to Africa (repeat of September 12 episode). 
 Tilford Productions, LLC

Tuesday, September 09, 2025

Brazilian mediumwave news and loggings

 

Mediumwave News
Due to the migration process of Brazilian medium-wave stations to FM (76.1/107.9 MHz), which began in Brazil several years ago, on September 8th (yesterday) at noon, the 1260 kHz Radio Boa Vontade, São Paulo, was definitively deactivated.

The following Evening (las night), when I was researching which stations would now be heard on the 1260 kHz frequency in the São Paulo metropolitan area (I'm 17 km from the city of São Paulo), I was surprised by the results: Radio Cultura, São Borja (Rio Grande do Sul), Radio Gazeta, Maceió (Alagoas), and Radio Nacional, General Urquiza (Misiones region, Argentina). See the details of these receptions below.

Furthermore, a fourth station appeared for less than a minute, without identification conditions, which will now be monitored. My medium wave loop antennas will definitely handle this in the next few days.
Several stations remain on medium-wave here, even though they already operate on FM, and others are already announcing their departure from medium-wave soon (Radio Record, Super Radio, etc.).
There will be new opportunities to research what South American stations there are on these frequencies that will be vacant.

Mediumwave from Brazil
980 kHz: Radio Nacional, Brasilia DF, 29/08 2301. ‘Mauricio Rabelo, eu de cá, você de lá, Nacional, Maria do Rosário...’, Brazilian song. 35553.
1060 kHz: Radio Educadora, Piracicaba SP, 29/08 2253. Political talk, id ‘... aqui na  Educadora...’. 25422.
1260 kHz: Radio Cultura, São Borja RS, 08/09 2341. Commercials mentioning the city of São Borja, Brazilian music, and the 'Radio Cultura' identification... Cultura Geral’. 23522. **QRM: 1260 kHz Radio Nacional, General Urquiza, Argentina.
1260 kHz: Radio Gazeta AM, Maceió AL, 08/09 2354. vocal and instrumental group Roupa Nova with a well-known Brazilian song. A clear identification by the announcer: 'Gazeta AM'. 23422. **QRM: Radio Cultura, São Borja, and Radio Nacional, General Urquiza.
(Rudolf  Grimm, SÃao Bernardo, Brazil)

Monday, September 08, 2025

Texas Radio Shortwave schedule ifor September 10

 Featuring the Music of Lee Ann Womack


(UTC/kHz/relay station/target area) 

September 2025 QSL

Sept 10, 2025
       2000  on 3975 and 6160 kHz relayed from Germany's  ShortwaveRadio, to Europe.
(TRSW)

WRMI Summer Schedule Update, September 3, 2025

 

                                    WRMI Summer schedule update, September 3, 2025

The current summer color grid, which includes programming information, is available at: 

Previous schedule update July 1, 2025

All times UTC
Programming in English, French, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Slovak, Spanish

0000-0100  5010ca  5050la  5950na  7730na  9455na  15770eu
0100-0200  5050la  5800la  5950na  7780ca  9455na  15770eu
0200-0300  5010ca  5050la  5950la  7780ca  9455na  9955sa  15770la
0300-0400  5050la  5800la  5850na  5950na  15770eu
0400-0500  5850na 7570na  7730na  7780ca  15770eu
0500-0600  5850na  7570na  7730na 7780ca  9395na  15770eu  
0600-0700  5850na  7570na  7730na 7780ca  9395na  15770eu  
0700-0800  5850na  7570na  7730na 7780ca  9395na  15770eu  
0800-0900  7730na  7780ca  9395na  15770eu
0900-1000  5850ca  7730na  9395na  15770eu
1000-1100  5050na  7730na  7780ca  9395na  15770eu
1100-1200  5850na  7730na  9395na
1200-1300  7730na  9395na  15770eu
1300-1400  7730na  9395na
1400-1500  7730na  9395na  15770eu
1500-1600  7730na  9395na  15770eu  17790la
1600-1700  7730na  9395na  17790la
1700-1800  7730na  9395na  17790la  15770eu
1800-1900  7730na  9395na  17790la  15770eu
1900-2000  7730na  9395na  17790la  
2000-2100  9395na  17790la
2100-2200  7730na  9395na  17790la
2200-2300  5850na  7730na  9395na  15770eu
2300-0000  5010ca  5850na  7730na  9455na

Target Areas:
ca  Central America
eu  Europe
la  Latin America
na  North America
sa  South America

WRMI website http://wrmi.net/
Reception Reports: info@wrmi.net 
Rapid E-QSL: Send a reception report and receive an immediate e-QSL to: wrmiqsl@gmail.com
(GVH/Teak Publishing)

Encore classical music from Radio Tumbril

 

Dear Listener,
Regular Broadcast times of Encore By WRMI and Channel 292 are:
02:00 - 03:00 UTC Friday 5850 kHz WRMI to US
20:00 - 21:00 UTC Friday 15770 kHz WRMI to Europe
10:00 - 11:00 UTC Saturday 9670 kHz Channel 292 to Europe
01:00 - 02:00 UTC Sunday 5850 kHz WRMI to US and Canada
19:00 - 20:00 UTC Sunday 3955 kHz Channel 292 to Europe
02:00 - 03:00 UTC Monday 5950 kHz WRMI to the US and Canada
13:00 - 14:00 UTC Tuesday 15770 kHz WRMI to Europe, east coast of US and Iceland. (Sometimes RTTY on the lower sideband. Suggest notch out or use USB.)

Some Things to see on The Encore Website:
The Encore website is www.tumbril.co.uk where you will find:
Important information about funding of Encore - Radio Tumbril.
Up to date transmission times and frequencies.
The playlists for the most recent programmes.
An email link.
Informal reception reports as well as those requesting eQSL cards are welcome.

WRMI and Channel 292 are very generous with their air-time but Encore still costs around 100 Dollars/Euros a month to broadcast.
If you can - please send a small contribution to help Encore keep going.

THE DONATION BUTTON is on the homepage of the website - www.tumbril.co.uk - which folks can use if they would like to support Encore.

(Please don't be put off by the POWR security wall when using the PAYPAL button - it is a harmless requirement of WIX the website hosting service.)

THIS FORTNIGHT'S PROGRAMME - First broadcast on FRIDAY 5th September by WRMI at 0200 UTC on 5850, and 2000 UTC on 15770 and then Channel 292 on SATURDAY 6th September at 10:00 UTC on 9670 kHz:
Starts with a toccata by Bach for the clavier, a sonata for organ and horn by Rachel Laurin, and Valse Triste composed by Sibelius.
After that a waltz from Johan Strause II, Serenade by Franz Schubert, and a maritime tone poem from Felix Mendelssohn.
The programme ends with the only string quartet written by Germaine Tailleferre, and the second movement from Mozart's last completed work - his Clarinet Concerto.

(This bulletin is sent by Bcc to the many hundreds of listeners who have been in contact with Encore over the last nearly six years of broadcasting Encore.)

Brice Avery - Encore - Radio Tumbril - www.tumbril.co.uk
GMØTLY

Pacific Islands on Shortwave


Special thanks to Ray Robinson and Jeff White for this edition, as Wavescan delves into radio from the Pacific Islands   

With thanks to Dan Greenall, Ontario, Canada

To follow all the audio samples for this edition, go to: https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/wavescan 


Jeff: Dan Greenall in Ontario, Canada, recently posted a series of very interesting recordings on the Internet Archive website at archive.org.  He comments:

“In years gone by, many Pacific island nations relied on shortwave radio to air their programs across vast expanses of ocean.  These included countries such as Kiribati, Tahiti, Fiji, Saipan, New Caledonia, the Marshall Islands, Cook Islands, and Papua New Guinea.  And indeed, there are recent reports that the latter is now seriously looking at a return to shortwave.  But while these nations can no longer be found on shortwave, a handful of other stations are still operating in 2025 and make excellent DX targets for listeners around the world.”

Here's Ray Robinson in Los Angeles to explore what Dan has posted.

Ray:  Thanks, Jeff.

Radio New Zealand
Dan started with two recordings of Radio New Zealand on shortwave.  In both of these, you will hear the distinctive interval signal used by this broadcaster for decades.  It is the call of the New Zealand bellbird.  In this first recording, made on December 14, 2024 at 1656 UTC, RNZ Pacific is closing down a transmission on 7390 kHz.  This was made using a web SDR near Dunedin.

The second recording, made June 21, 2025 at 1659 UTC, is of RNZ National commencing broadcasting on 6135 kHz.  This signal was received via a web SDR 



Radio Vanuatu
Then Dan posted two recordings of Radio Vanuatu on shortwave, again received via web SDR's in New Zealand.  You may note that many of the words in the local Bislama language are recognizable from their English origins.  The first recording is from January 8, 2025 on 9960 kHz at 2158 UTC.

In the second recording, made at the same time and on the same frequency a few weeks later on January 29, 2025, the song ‘The Tide is High’ (made popular by Blondie in 1980) is played.

Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation

Dan said he first heard the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation back in 1971 when it was the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Service.  It was a good catch for him at the time, at his receiving post in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada.  He nabbed them again recently on June 21, 2025 on 5020 kHz using a web SDR in New Zealand.  They can be heard giving sign off announcements at about 1200 UTC, however the station was heard still playing non-stop music half an hour later.

 Audio Clip - 05 SIBC - 2025 06 21 - 1158 UTC, 5020 kHz 

T8WH Hope Radio, Palau


Dan says he first heard the station on the Pacific island of Palau back in 1992 when it was High Adventure’s Voice of Hope – Asia, KHBN, from Koror, Palau.
  At that time, his receiving post was in Thamesford, Ontario, Canada.  Palau was still being governed by the U.S.A. back then, and his QSL shows their address with a U.S. zip code.  The island gained independence from the USA in 1994, and the callsign then changed to T8WH.  The station has been through several changes of ownership, and is now operated by Hope Radio based in Morgantown, West Virginia.  Their website is hoperadio.net.  Dan has made two recordings using a web SDR located in the Philippines, both on June 21, 2025, on 15680 kHz.  The first was at 0200 UTC:

 Audio Clip - 06 T8WH Hope R, Palau - 2025 06 21 - 0157 UTC, 15680 kHz 

 and the second just half an hour later, at 0230 UTC:

  Audio Clip - 07 T8WH Hope R, Palau - 2025 06 21 - 0230 UTC, 15680 kHz 

KSDA Adventist World Radio, Agat, Guam

Then there’s KSDA, Adventist World Radio, from Agat on the island of Guam.  Dan first heard that station back in 1987 and received their QSL for his reception in London, Ontario, Canada.  The station is still active today, and he has posted two more recordings of transmissions made in June this year, heard via a web SDR located in northern Thailand.  The first is of the start of a program in Mandarin at 1200 UTC on June 7th.  The frequency was 9610 kHz:

 Audio Clip - 08 KSDA, Guam - 2025 06 07 - 1200 UTC, 9610 kHz 

The second was from two weeks later on June 21st, when they were signing off 15680 kHz (the same frequency used by T8WH on Palau) at 1627 UTC:

Audio Clip -09 KSDA, Guam - 2025 06 21 - 1627 UTC sign off, 15680 kHz 

KTWR, Agana, Guam

And of course, while we’re in Guam, we must also mention KTWR, Trans World Radio, which broadcasts from their site at Merizo, a little further down the west coast of the island from the KSDA site at Agat.

KTWR recently announced they will be closing their shortwave station on Guam after the current A25 season, at the end of October.  But, there are still a few weeks remaining to log this one before they’re gone from the airwaves forever.  And, with the help of various web SDR’s located around the globe, the task shouldn’t be too difficult.  

Again, Dan has posted two recordings made in June this year.  The first recording was made on June 8 at 1100 UTC, through the use of a web SDR in northern Thailand tuned to 11965 kHz, and captures their sign-on announcement:

Audio Clip - 10 KTWR, Guam - 2025 06 08 - 1058 UTC, 11965 kHz 

In the second recording he made on July 11, 2025, they are heard at the end of their broadcast on that same frequency, 11965 kHz, with a sign-off just 15 minutes later at 1115 UTC.  This recording was made from a web SDR in the Philippines.

 Audio Clip - 11 KTWR, Guam - 2025 07 11 - 1114 UTC sign off, 11965 kHz 

So, with shortwave stations still active in New Zealand, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Palau, and Guam, there are still some interesting catches of Pacific island stations to be made out there, and since the advent of web SDR’s, you don’t need fancy equipment or antenna setups to hear them.  And especially for the stations on Palau and Guam, if you happen to live in their target areas, try listening to them and then writing in.  Describe the program content you heard and ask questions about anything you didn’t fully understand.  You might just help persuade them there’s an audience for which it’s worth staying on the air!

Back to you, Jeff.






Jen's Eclectic Views & Real Deal audio available for September 7

 


We had issues that I couldn't connect up with so there was no promotion this week.
Next week, we are back to normal operations.
Thanks.

Jen's Eclectic Views & Real Deal for  September 7, 2025, is now up and ready for you

Jen's Cast Link.


Live Stream Next Week, Sunday, September 14th, 1700-2000 UTC 
Jen's Eclectic Views & Real Deal.
Jen In The Rad.

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

 Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2025 Sep 08 0224 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
#                Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 01 - 07 September 2025


Solar activity reached moderate levels (R1-MInor) over 04 Sep, 05 Sep, and 06 Sep. All M-class flares were attributed to Region 4207 (S29, L=045, class/area=Fhi/390 on 04 Sep). The remaining 17 numbered active regions on the visible disk in the past week were either quiet or only produced C-class events. 

Other significant activity included a CME that erupted from a filament centered near N12W04 around 04/1945 UTC. This resulted in a halo CME signature in subsequent coronagraph imagery. Initial modelling of the event suggested arrival early on the 07 Sep. Observed arrival was mid-to-late on 06 Sep. 

The proton flux at geosynchronous orbit remained below the S1 (Minor) threshold. 

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal to moderate levels. 

Geomagnetic field activity was ranged from quiet to G2 (Moderate) levels. G2 conditions observed on 01 Sep were attributed to the onset of a CME that left the Sun on 30 Aug. Total magnetic field strength reached a peak of 25 nT and the Bz component was observed as far south as -23 nT at 02/0000 UTC. Shock arrival at ACE was observed at 01/2030 UTC, marked by a solar wind speed increase from ~410 km/s to ~645 km/s. A sudden impulse was observed at Earth at 01/2101 UTC. G1 (Minor) activity was observed on 02 and 03 Sep during the waning phase off the CME. Quiet conditions were observed over 04-05 Sep. An increase in activity was observed on 06 Sep, with
a G1 period marking the arrival of a CME that left the Sun on 04 Sep. Total magnetic field strength reached an initial peak of 21 nT at 06/1407 UTC. The Bz component rotated as far south as -10 nT. The solar wind speeds increased to ~700 km/s. The Bz component rotated northward shortly after which resulted in mostly quiet conditions ov07 Sep during the waning phase of the CME. 

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 08 September - 04 October 2025

Solar activity is expected to be mostly low, with a chance for moderate (R1-R2/Minor-Moderate), over the outlook period due to multiple complex regions both on the visible disk and expected to return from the Sun's farside. 

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels over 08-11 Sep and 20-21 Sep due to multiple, recurrent CH HSSs. The remainder of the outlook period is expected to be at normal to moderate levels. 

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to range from quiet to G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels. G1 conditions are likely on 15 Sep; active conditions are likely on 08 Sep, 14 Sep, 16 Sep, 28-29 Sep, and 03-04 Oct; unsettled conditions are likely on 09-10 Sep, 17-19 Sep, and 30 Sep. All increases in geomagnetic activity are in anticipated of multiple, recurrent CH HSSs. The remainder of the outlook period is likely to be mostly quiet. 

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2025 Sep 08 0225 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services
#
#      27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
#                Issued 2025-09-08
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2025 Sep 08     135          12          4
2025 Sep 09     135           8          3
2025 Sep 10     130           8          3
2025 Sep 11     125           5          2
2025 Sep 12     125           5          2
2025 Sep 13     120           5          2
2025 Sep 14     125          12          4
2025 Sep 15     130          20          5
2025 Sep 16     135          15          4
2025 Sep 17     135           8          3
2025 Sep 18     140           8          3
2025 Sep 19     145           8          3
2025 Sep 20     145           5          2
2025 Sep 21     150           5          2
2025 Sep 22     150           5          2
2025 Sep 23     150           5          2
2025 Sep 24     155           5          2
2025 Sep 25     155           5          2
2025 Sep 26     155           5          2
2025 Sep 27     160           5          2
2025 Sep 28     155          12          4
2025 Sep 29     150          15          4
2025 Sep 30     150           8          3
2025 Oct 01     145           5          2
2025 Oct 02     140           5          2
2025 Oct 03     140          15          4
2025 Oct 04     140          12          4
(NOAA)

Sunday, September 07, 2025

Pop Shop Radio slated to celebrate 5 Years on the air

 

We will be celebrating 5 years on the air with a 250 kilowatt transmission from Woofferton, UK, airing on 11960 kHz,  9 September at 0300 UTC,  beamed to North America. 

There will be a special 5th Anniversary QSL for all shows that week,

The 250 kW show will be repeated at 10 kW from Channel 292, Germany, at 1700 UTC on 3955 and 9670 kHz.

Those shows will be different than the shows on our normal time slots!

Tony Pavick, Hope BC Canada/BDXC)


Friday, September 05, 2025

September broadcast from Radio Love Warbler RSL

 
Wooferton, UK transmitters via Wikipedia


6 September at 1900 UTC 9500 kHz - to Eastern Africa
23 September at 1900 UTC 9500 kHz - to Southeastern Africa

Address is Creative Folkestone, Quarterhouse, Mill Bay, Folkestone CT20 1BN




Thursday, September 04, 2025

Colombian Mediumwave List

 
COLOMBIA

Rafael Rodiguez, Yimber Gaviria, Ruben Medina, Jorge Nungo and Mauno Ritola have compiled a current frequency list of the Colombian mediumwave stations.


 550 HJHF Radionica Medellin Radio Nacional
 580 HJHP Radionica Cali Radio Nacional
 610 HJKL Alerta Bogota La Carinosa
 620 HJEL LV de Dios Cali Colmundo Radio
 640 HJBJ La FM Santa Marta RCN
 760 HJAJ Alerta Barranquilla RCN
 770 HJJX La FM Bogota RCN
 780 HJZG LV de Dios Cali LV del Valle
 800 HJBW La FM Bucaramanga RCN
 


900 HJDD El Sol Cucuta Fiesta
 910 HJMY La FM San Andres RCN
 940 HJTL La FM Cucuta RCN
 970 HJCI R Uno Bogota R Red - Relay 88.9
 980 HJES La FM Cali RCN
 990 HJCH La FM Medellin RCN
1000 HJAQ La FM Cartagena RCN
1020 HJFT El Sol Ibague R Red
1020 HJKS Alerta Villavicencio La Carinosa
1020 HJFQ La FM Pereira RCN
1030 HJDJ Alerta Boyaca Duitama La Carinosa
1040 HJUB R 1040 Pastro Colmundo
1050 HJTN La FM Monteria RCN
1060 HJFJ La FM Manizales RCN
1100 HJYZ Alerta Neiva R Red
1110 HJJP La FM Villavicencio RCN
1140 HJDL Alerta Medellin R Paisa
1150 HJTE La FM Quibdo RCN
1150 HJFP La FM Neiva RCN
1170 HJLP Alerta Tulua La Carinosa
1180 HJGK Alerta Santander Bucaramanga La Carinosa
1180 HJIT La FM Ibague RCN
1200 HJNF R Red/Antena 2 Cali R Red - Relay 97.5
1210 HJE65 Alerta/Antena 2 Cucuta La Carinosa
1210 HJBQ Alerta Pereira La Carinosa
1220 HJMT La FM San Gil RCN
1230 HJLK Alerta Calidad Cali R Calidad
1240 HJFG La FM Armenia RCN
1260 HJOH La FM Valledupar RCN
1270 HJAR Alerta/Antena 2 Cartagena La Carinosa
1290 HJKY La FM Girardot RCN
1320 HJMS R Uno 98.7 FM Barrancabermeja La Carinosa
1340 HJHA La FM Pasto RCN
1370 HJEQ La FM Popayan RCN
1380 HJEE La FM Tunja RCN
1380 HJEJ Esperanza Radio Palmira Armonias del Palmar
1400 HJAS Alerta Caribe Barranquilla La Carinosa
1400 HJHM Alerta/Antena 2 Calarca La Carinosa
1420 HJLE Alerta/Antena 2 Ibague La Carinosa
1450 HJNL Alerta/Antena 2 Manizales La Carinosa
1460 HJZU Alerta Pasto La Carinosa
1470 HJII Esperanza Radio Medellin AWR Colombia
(Mauno Ritola-FIN, via ARC via September 2025 Benelux-DX Club magazine)
(WWDXC/Top News 1627/04 Sept 2025)

QSL Report 2.0, September 2025

 

                                        Bringing the latest in QSLing from across the globe

Welcome to the September edition of QSL Report 2.0!  Thank you for your comments and contributions.
QSL Report 2.0 is a revival of my former QSL Report column in Monitoring Times magazine. Each issue brings you updates on QSLing trends—what worked (and what didn’t), along with special event QSLs and stations verified across amateur radio, mediumwave, pirate, shortwave, and utility bands. If you’ve received a QSL from any of these stations, share your results with the world!

Send your contributions to w4gvhla@gmail.com

Euro Free Radio
Philadelphia Radio, 1098. Full data QSL. Received in ten days for a postal report to: Philadelphia Radio, Broekweg 23A, 7891 RP Klazienaveen, Netherlands.  (Jouke van de
Galien/NLD/BDXC)

Radio Billy Beun, 1098. Full data QSL received in 13 days for postal report to Pascal Smeman, P/a Broekweg 23A, 7891 RP Klazienaveen, Netherlands (van der Galien).

Radio Eldorado, 14520 USB. Full data e-QSL in 157 days, for e-report to radioeldorado@outlook.com (Roberto Pavanello, Italy/DX Fanzine).



Mediumwave
Argentina
LT17 Radio Golfo Nuevo 540. Partial data e-letter in 25 days, for e-report to martinberrade@gmail.com . Observed during a DX Camp in Rio do Sul, Brazil. (Ariel Osvaldo Torres, Argentina/DX Fanzine FB)

LT29 Radio Venado Tuerto, 1460. Full data e-QSL. Received in 12 hours. Reception location Cabo Blanco Patagonia, Argentina. E-report to comercial@radiovenadotuerto.com (Néstor Damián Fischetto, Argentina/DX Fanzine FB).

Austria
Radio DARC via Bad Ischl, 1476. Full data e-QSL. Received in 128 days, for e-report to radio@darc.de (Jürgen Waga, Berlin, Germany/DX Fanzine)

Bulgaria
classic QSL from Bulgaria

Radio Bulgaria, 576. Full data classic style Radio Sofia QSL card. Received in 40 days from Desislava Semkovska. Received in 40 days for e-report to report@bnr.bg (Juan Carlos Pérez Montero/Spain/QSL FB)


Chile
CD128 Radio La Palabra, 1280. Full data e-verification letter from Rocio Constanza Carrasco Hernandez, Propietaria. Received in seven days for e-report to administracion@rlpfm.cl (Fischetto) 


Greece
ERT Kosmos, 1512. No-data email response from Leonidas Antonopoulos, Journalist-Head of Kosmos Radio. Received in three days, for e-report to kosmos@ert.gr (Roberto Pavanello, Italy/BDXC)

Lithuania
Polskie Radio via Viesintos, 1386. Full data e-QSL for Russian service in 85 days, for e-report to ru@polskieradio.pl (Montero) 

Luxembourg
Radio Augusta International via Junglinster, 140. E-QSL received in one day, for French report to radioaugustainternational@gmail.com (Christian Ghibaudo, France/BDXC)

Netherlands
Beilen AM, 1332. QSL card received in 53 days, for postal report to Jurrie Velhuis, Esweg 17, 9411 AA Beilen, Netherlands (van der Galien)

Spain
classic QSL from Spain
RNE Catalunya, 576. Full data e-QSL in 127 days from Mr. Catalan, for MP3 file to antonio.catalan@rtve.es (Eckhard Röscher, Germany/DX Fanzine). 

United Kingdom
Radio Panj, 1521. No-data email response from Shinda Sureela. Received in 74 days for postal report to 6 Longford Rd, Coventry CV6 6DX, United Kingdom. Email: sales@radiopanj.org (Pavanello).


Uruguay
Radio Internacional AM, Rivera 1480. QSL received via remote receiver. Full data e-QSL from Marina Josefina Paradishi, Administrator. Verification received in 25 days for e-report to adinter.rivera@gmail.com (Pradip Chandra Kundu, India/IDXC)

Shortwave
Brazil
Rádio Inconfidencia 15190. Full data e-QSL in 15 days, for Portuguese e-report to gleisonferreira@inconfidencia.com.br (Benjamin Summerville, SC)

Eswatini
TWR, 15105. Full data e-QSL in two days, for e-report to lstavrop@twr.org (Rod Pearson, FL).

Germany
QSL from HCJB Deutscheland
Radio HCJB Deutschland 5920. Full data scenery e-QSL, plus station info sheet. Received  in 65 days for e-report to info@hcjb.de (Rod Pearson, FL).

Requi Radio AM, 6070 via Channel 292. Full data e-QSL in one day for e-report with MP3 audio to http://ruquiradioam.com/formerrecepcion/(Alan Pennington, UK/BDXC)


Texas Radio Shortwave via Rohrbach Waal, 6070. Full data e-QSL in six days for e-report to texasradioshortwave@protonmail.com (Ghibaudo)

Guam
TWR Asia via Merizo, 15410. Full data  QSL, letter, and program schedule in 69 days, for e-report to asiafeedback@twr.org (Harald Suess, Austria/QSL Chasers FB).

India
Akashvani Radio 15280. Full data scenery QSL card, received by postal mail in 45 days. E-report to spectrum-manager@prasarbharat.gov.in (Sam Wright, MS).

Indonesia
classic VOI QSL 
Voice of Indonesia 4755. Full data e-QSL in two days, for e-report to voilisteners@gmail.com (Summerville).

Iran
VOIRI, 11710. Full data e-QSL for Bangla service. Received in 40 days for e-report to radiotehran982@gmail.com (Juan Carlos Perez, Spain).QSL FB)

Luxembourg
Radio Onda, Junglinster 6140. Full data e-QSL in 14 days, for e-report to ondasbl@hotmail.com (Jürgen Waga, Germany/DX Fanzine).


Radio Gloria via Radio Onda, Junglinster, 6140. Full data e-QSL from Peter Gilleker HB9JCD, Station Manager of Radio Gloria. Received in one day for German report to QSL@radiogloria.eu (Eckhard Röscher, Germany/DX Fanzine).

Madagascar
TWR, 17700 relay. Full data e-QSL. Received in six weeks for e-report to asiafeedback@twr.org (Frank Hilton, SC).

Mexico
Radio Educacion, 6185. Full data e-QSL in 28 days, for e-report to contactore@cultura.gob.mx and pcruz@cultura.gob.mx (Mario Alberto Vazquez, Mexico/NASWA)

Mongolia
VOM QSL
Voice of Mongolia, 12085. Full data e-QSL in three days, for e-report to mnb_vom@yahoo.com (Pearson).

Netherlands
Radio Classic Sunday, 5990. Partial data e-QSL in one day, for e-report to info@radioclassicsunday.com (Montero).

New Zealand
RNZ Pacific, 9700. Full data e-QSL in 20 days, for posting online at http://www.rnz.co.nz/international/qsl (Pearson).

Romania
Radio Romania International 7720. Full data e-QSL. Received in 140 days for posting program details at the website www.rri.ro/en/reception-form (Wright)






Turkey
Voice of Turkey 17580. Full data e-QSL. Received in one month for e-report to tsr@trt.net.tr (Pearson).

United Kingdom
Radio Joystick via Woofferton, 11805. Full data e-QSL. Received in one day for e-report to radiojoystick@gmail.com (Waga).

United States
RAE Argentina relay via WRMI, 15770. Full data e-QSL for Italian programming. Received in 50 days for e-report to raeitaliano@gmail.cm (Ghibaudo).

Vietnam
Voice of Vietnam, 9730. Full data QSL card and postcard by postal mail in 40 days for e-report of  French service to vovhanoi.france@gmail.com (TS Clement, OR).