Review: World Radio TV Handbook 2015

World Radio TV Handbook 2015 Review 
Gayle Van Horn W4GVH
Teak Publishing

To radio hobbyists, a new year brings goals for a successful year, whether as a casual program listener, or as a dedicated DXer. This year as in previous years, the casual program listener and DXer always welcome the new edition of World Radio TV Handbook.

With a friendly opening by Nicholas Hardyman, Publisher, this year’s 69th edition begins with reviews featuring the popular SDRplay-a software-defined radio hardware that continues to gain popularity. Additional reviews include the MFJ-1046 Preselector, Tecsun PL-600 and CommRadio CR-1a, an upgraded version of their CR-1 table-top receiver. An in-depth review on the Wellbrook ALA 1530S+  Imperium Loop antenna is noted as the WRTH Awards for 2015 as the Best Antenna, and may solve your HF noise problem. A closer look at the Apache ANAN-10 is certainly suggested for the amateur operator or listeners interested in a multi-receiver SDR.

The first HF relay station in the world is still going strong. Dave Porter, G4OYX,one time Senior Transmitter Engineer at the site, outlines its history and current status in Wooferton 70 Years on the Air. First known as OSE-10 (Overseas Station Extension 10), Wooferton continues to bring the world to listener’s with hopes of another 70 years.

Max van Arnhem, WRTH contributor and well-known DXer, brings his perspective on The Future of DXing, followed by the annual round-up of developments in digital broadcasting, together with a look at the forthcoming World Radiocommunications Conference WRC).

Ask any amateur radio operator, and chances are they will announce that Lord Howe Island remains on their “Must Work” list. David Foster visited the remote and beautiful island near Australia. The state of radio on this remote island may surprise you.

In radio-circles, Watkins-Johnson radios are the most illustrious of receivers. Regarded as classics, most were for military and government use. An in-depth feature on the 8711A version will convince you of it’s well-deserved reputation.

This years HF Broadcasting Conditions cover what to expect during 2015, and most suitable frequencies. The National Radio section, are domestic radio stations which broadcast to a national listening audience on medium wave, shortwave and FM. Listings are arranged by country and include frequencies, transmitters, kW, contact information, and websites.

International Radio, contain stations broadcasting to an international audience. Similar to the latter, this informative section includes frequencies, transmitters, kW, contact information and websites.

Clandestine and Other Target Broadcast are stations broadcasting politically motivated  programming or those targeted at zones of local or regional conflicts. A one-page listing of Religious Broadcasters Cross Reference Table list the names of religious broadcasters.

The Frequency List, covers medium wave, shortwave, DRM, and a by-hour listing of multilingual international and DRM broadcasters, plus an updated section on National Television.

Closing this year’s edition is an extensive reference section of country indexes and codes, world transmitting sites, radio clubs, book abbreviations, and domestic shortwave transmitters. Standard Time and Frequency Transmissions contain schedules and contact information for worldwide time/frequency stations.

World Radio TV Handbook 2015, remains the ultimate directory of global broadcasting for a global audience. WRTH sets the standard for the radio hobby. It is an excellent reference book, and should compliment every listening-post.

World Radio TV Handbook (ISSBN:978-0-9555481-7-8) is now available and the upcoming WRTH A15 Bargraph CD, for order at: http://www.wrth.com/_shop/ 

Pubilcation Review: International Shortwave Broadcast Guide

Thank you to Adrian Peterson and Jeff White of AWR's Wavescan program, for this review. 
Gayle Van Horn
Teak Publishing

Publication Review: International Shortwave Broadcast Guide - 09:43

            A most remarkable shortwave book at a most remarkable price is the Winter 2014 - 2015 edition of the comprehensive volume, International Shortwave Broadcast Guide by Gayle van Horn at Teak Publishing in Brasstown, North Carolina.  This twice-annual volume, now the third in this series, contains almost 500 pages of valuable and interesting information about shortwave broadcasting.

            Gayle van Horn asks the question: So why should you listen to shortwave radio?  Quite simply, she answers, because shortwave radio is your window to the world.  Throughout the world, shortwave remains the most readily available and affordable means of mass communication and information.  It lets you listen to voices from around the world.  Shortwave radio provides nearly instantaneous coverage of news and events from around the Earth.

            You can easily listen to shortwave broadcast stations located in countries all around our globe, specially if you know when to listen!   That’s where this new edition of the International Shortwave Broadcast Guide is particularly useful.

            The International Shortwave Broadcast Guide (Winter 2014-2015 edition) is a unique information resource that provides a 24-hour station/frequency guide to all of the known stations currently broadcasting on shortwave radio at the time of publication.  This tabulated information offers an hour-by-hour schedule that includes all language services, frequencies and world target areas for each broadcast station.

            This new e-publication edition is an expanded version of the English shortwave broadcast guide formerly printed in the pages of Monitoring Times magazine for over 20 years.  This one of a kind e-book is now published twice a year to correspond with station seasonal time and frequency changes.

            It is a splendid radio adventure to peruse each page in the current edition of the International Shortwave Broadcast Guide.  For example, the first chapter provides us with interesting information, all about shortwave radio.  These entries are followed by hints on accessing the international and tropical shortwave bands, together with suggestions regarding the usage and availability of suitable shortwave radio receivers.

            The comprehensive and uniquely complete listening guide is set out hour by hour in UTC (international radio) timings, with the shortwave stations listed in alphabetic order of country.  If you want to listen to the world, here is your opportunity; all of the nearly 400 pages of tabulated listings are sprinkled here and there with a reproduction in color of an exotic QSL card from a shortwave station somewhere on planet Earth.

            Towards the end of the current edition of the International Shortwave Broadcast Guide you will find a listing of all current DX programs on the air shortwave, including Wavescan with all of its many timings.  The final section of this fascinating eBook tells us about the author Gayle van Horn and her

illustrious radio backgrounds, together with the availability of her many other radio books, each in electronic form.

            The International Shortwave Broadcast Guide (Winter 2014-2015 edition) is now available for purchase worldwide from Amazon.com at www. amazon. com.  The price for this latest edition is just a little under US$5.  Remarkable!  And remember too, that frequency updates between editions are posted on her Shortwave Central blog at: http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/.

            Now, if any of you, our listeners, do not have access to the internet, we would suggest that you contact a friend who is internet savvy, and ask him to download this volume, at such a low price, on your behalf.

            We can confidently recommend to you the new and current International Shortwave Broadcast Guide (Winter 2014-2015 edition).  It will be of real value to you in your listening to the international and tropical shortwave broadcasting bands.

            We might also add, that this valuable compendium stands just as high in the international radio world as the annual publication, World Radio TV Handbook, and as the four volume set on shortwave broadcasting and listening by Jerome Berg. 

            Is short-wave broadcasting dead?  No, not so, and far from it.  Just ask those who attend the twice yearly HFCC Planning meetings.  And those who endeavor to locate an empty spot on the shortwave dial to insert a desired broadcast program.  And those who plan and produce DX programs.  And those who respond to listener reception reports and issue QSL cards.    

            Thank you Gayle van Horn, for your splendid service to the international shortwave world!

(AWR-Wavescan/NWS 312) 

Radio Exterior de Spain improves quality of broadcast frequencies

translated from original Spanish post

Radio Exterior de Spain (REE) improve the quality of broadcast frequencies shortwave, after complaints it has received from users. 06 Febr 2015

So it has transmitted to responsible managers of RNE Platform in Defense of the shortwave, as reported by the Federation of Journalists (FAPE), part of this entity. After studying the reports sent by ships at sea and listeners around the world, the direction of RNE and REE have agreed to split the frequencies on weekends, because information both land and sea indicate that reception quality is not stable during the eight hours that lasts the issue. In this way, he will use two frequencies so that you can listen to eight hours.

Public radio reported that the change will be as fast as possible, probably from this past weekend. Regarding emissions from Monday to Friday it has agreed to adjust the frequencies, uploading them in most cases, to ensure the stability of the reception throughout the four hours of broadcasting. This change will take place on March 28, coinciding with the change of scheme emissions from all international radios regulated by the High Frequency cordination Corporation, the agency responsible for coordinating international radio frequencies.

Platform representatives expressed their satisfaction that requests REE listeners via shortwave to see made in the near future, considering that is his only connection to Spain, and have expressed their intention to continue working with RNE and REE, to ensure quality public service that
affects thousands of aid workers, sailors, sailors, soldiers, teachers and Spanish which they operate outside the Spanish territory.
https://gruporadioescuchaargentino.wordpress.com/
(via Arnaldo Slaen-ARG, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Febr 9)
(BCDX/Top Nx 1196)

Update on VOA Radiogram QSL

Hello friends,

To everyone who sent reception reports for program 97, 7-8 February,  I sent an MFSK image gallery with the wrong program number and dates on top of the first page.

You can download the corrected version from here ...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0pljwv4j4mof5wv/VOAR97_gallery5.pdf

Or look at it here ...

http://voaradiogram.net/post/111114593767/the-gallery-i-sent-to-voa-radiogram-listeners-who

Apologies for the inconvenience.

Kim

Special QSL of the Week: SQOTW28

Short Term Jamming Transmission

Thomas Drescher in Rosrath, Germany, tells us that he also has received a QSL card from a jamming transmission.  Back in the 1970s, there were several pirate radio stations operating aboard ships anchored in open waters in the North Sea with programming beamed to various countries in islandic and continental Europe.  One of these ships was the Mebo 2 with on air programming under the identification RNI, Radio Nordsee International, beamed to England and Holland, though their programming at that stage was in English and German.

  

The 10 kW shortwave channel for RNI was 6210 kHz though for a few days this transmitter channel was adjusted slightly to 6215 kHz.  The Maritime Radio Station, Radio Rogaland, located towards the southern tip of Norway, claimed that RNI was broadcasting on a Radio Rogaland channel and so they jammed the programming from the pirate radio ship. The continuous loop tape message in English from Radio Rogaland stated:

  

This is a transmission from the Norwegian coast station Rogaland Radio operating in  single side band mode, upper side band, with a carrier frequency of 6215.0 kHz. The purpose of this transmission is to clear the channel of unauthorized and out of band  broadcasting, to improve reception conditions for ships wishing to communicate with  coast stations on this frequency or on adjacent maritime channels.

Thomas Drescher sent a reception report regarding the jamming transmission to Radio Rogaland in Norway, and he received a QSL in response.  The handwritten QSL text was inscribed on the back of a photograph depicting two radio officers on duty at the control panels of Radio Rogaland.  The QSL text verified the reception of Radio Rogaland on July 8, 1970. 

 (AWR-Wavescan/NWS 312)

Over the Years With PWI

In our continuing series of topics regarding the shortwave stations operated by PWI, Press Wireless International, we look at the wartime years over in islandic and continental Europe.  During this era, the Press Wireless factory on Long Island, quite near to their shortwave transmitter station at Hicksville, manufactured many shortwave transmitters at various power levels, including their now famous 40 kW unit, as well as their low powered mobile units. 

These PWI transmitters were shipped to England and subsequently to continental Europe by both navy and commercial vessels, usually with each consignment split and conveyed by different ships.  In this way, if some ships were sunk by enemy submarine attacks, then only a partial consignment was lost, not a complete consignment of electronic equipment.  It is known that at least one mobile station was lost in 1944 due to enemy action, and that station still lies to this day on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean.

Actually, Press Wireless began their European operations in 1932 with the opening of an office in Paris France, and the leased usage of transmitting and receiving facilities from the French PT&T authorities in nearby country areas.  Their Paris operation collected the news flow from other countries in Europe and fed the information to the United States via the PWI receiver station at Little Neck on the north side of Long Island, New York.

As the onset of the European Conflict progressed, PWI moved its European operation in the summer of 1940, initially from Paris to Bordeaux on the Atlantic coast in the south west of France, and then to Tours, almost in the center of France, and finally to Vichy France, though that location was soon afterwards closed. 

  

Towards the end of the War in Europe, PWI began to send shipments of radio equipment from the United States, beginning in the early part of the year 1944.  The first of the 40 kW PWI SSB transmitters to arrive on the other side of the Atlantic was installed at Lingfield with the receiver station at Swanley Junction, both in Surrey in the south of England.  The purpose for this station was to establish communication circuits with the United States. 

Two more of these 40 kW transmitters were transported to England; and the teams of technical radio personnel associated with these units received their training on a similar unit located at PWI Hicksville.  In 1944, the technical equipment and personnel were taken by ship to the British Isles. 

One ship in use for this purpose was the ex-passenger liner, “Mauretania" which travelled across the Atlantic alone, without convoy.  It was considered to be a fast ship that could outrun any other seafaring vessels that might be in pursuit.  The equipment was landed in Scotland and taken south by road.

The radio personnel installed one of these PWI transmitters at an army camp located at Stowe-on-Wold in Gloucestershire, almost in the south of England.  This transmitter was used for two purposes.  One was to broadcast fake communication transmissions that would give the impression that the coming invasion of continental Europe under what became D-Day would take place in Calais, or perhaps even in Norway, instead of the intended Normandy; and the other purpose was for army communications back to the United States. 

Following the installation of the transmitter in England, the PWI team landed in France and began work on the installation of the other unit at Les Essarts, an outer suburb of Paris.  Originally, this 40 kW PWI transmitter was planned for installation at Renne in France.  However, with the progress of events at the front line, a more advanced location, Les Essarts, was chosen.

The electronic equipment for this station was delivered in 1,000 crates & boxes, and it was re-assembled in 25 days by 45 personnel.  This transmitter facility was installed in buildings commandeered for the purpose and the receiver station was located in an old farm house further down the same road. 

  

Power came from three Cummings diesel generators, and rhombic antennas were beamed on the United States for communication with PWI Little Neck, New York.  This new and rather substantial shortwave station was activated in September 1944.  A photo at the entrance way to the station shows the callsign as CZ2T, though it identified on air simply as Radio Paris.

            The main purpose for this PWI station in Paris was to relay news items and news commentaries from SHAEF Supreme Headquarters American Expeditionary Forces back to the United States for insertion into the broadcast programming of the Voice of America.  On several occasions, international radio monitors in the United States, New Zealand and Australia noted PWI Hicksville & Paris in communication with each other for the transfer of radio news items.

    

For example, in March 1945, Radio Paris CZ2T was noted on 15920 kHz with a program relay to the United States; and in September this station was noted on 15293 kHz with program inserts for the NBC Blue Network.  In the reverse direction, PWI Hicksville was noted calling SHAEF Paris on several occasions.  The Hicksville channel callsigns at the time were WPJ on 11640 kHz & WJQ on 10010 kHz.

Apparently someone in the radio world had an insight into the workings of PWI Paris, because in September 1945, a column editor in Australia stated that the permanence of this station was doubtful.

  

However, the story does not end here.  In addition to the single 40 kW PWI transmitter at Les Essarts, there was a multitude of other transmitters, maybe even 15 or more.  One of these was a 10 kW shortwave broadcast transmitter that was installed in a subsidiary building at the Les Essarts station for the relay of radio programming from Radio Diffusion Francaise in Paris.  The main coverage area from this unit was intended to be Europe & Africa.

  

As far as is known, this shortwave broadcast transmitter operated on only one channel, 9560 (9550) kHz.  The programming was always a relay from Paris, and often in parallel with shortwave transmitters at other locations.  This station was often heard in the United States, and sometimes in Australia & New Zealand.  It was also listed in several early editions of the World Radio Handbook.

It appears that the power of the French shortwave station at Les Essarts was raised from 10 kW to 100 kW somewhere around the year 1947.  It is possible then that the power level of the 40 kW transmitter was raised in the era after peace was resumed in Europe, and after the American personnel had returned to their homeland.

So there you have it.  This PWI shortwave station located on the edge of suburban Paris was on the air with news for newspapers, and voice reports for radio & TV stations in the United States, as well as with program relays for re-broadcast by the Voice of America.  In addition, this shortwave station also operated as a relay station for the international shortwave service of Radio Diffusion Francaise.

            More about PWI in Europe on another coming occasion.

(AWR-Wavescan/NWS 312)

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts

:Issued: 2015 Feb 16 0200 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/weekly.html
#
#                Weekly Highlights and Forecasts

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 16 February - 14 March 2015

Solar activity is expected to be at low to moderate levels throughout the period due to the return of Regions 2268 (S11, L=048), 2277 (N09, L=328), 2280 (S07, L=284), and 2282 (N15, L=187),
all of which produced M-class flare activity during their previous transits of the visible solar disk. 

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at low levels on 16, 18, 22-24 Feb with moderate levels likely on 17, 19-21, 25 Feb and 01, 05-14 Mar and high levels
likely on 02-04 Mar due to coronal hole high speed stream activity. 

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at predominately quiet  to unsettled levels throughout the period with active conditions likely on 16, 22-23, 28 Feb and 01-02 Mar due to weak coronal hole
high speed stream activity. 

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2015 Feb 16 0200 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html
#
#      27-day Space Weather Outlook Table
#                Issued 2015-02-16
#
#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest
#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index
2015 Feb 16     125          15          4
2015 Feb 17     130          10          3
2015 Feb 18     130           8          3
2015 Feb 19     130           5          2
2015 Feb 20     125           5          2
2015 Feb 21     125           5          2
2015 Feb 22     125          12          4
2015 Feb 23     130          12          4
2015 Feb 24     135           5          2
2015 Feb 25     135           5          2
2015 Feb 26     135           5          2
2015 Feb 27     130          10          3
2015 Feb 28     130          18          4
2015 Mar 01     125          18          4
2015 Mar 02     125          15          4
2015 Mar 03     125          10          3
2015 Mar 04     125          10          3
2015 Mar 05     125           5          2
2015 Mar 06     120           7          2
2015 Mar 07     115          10          3
2015 Mar 08     115          10          3
2015 Mar 09     115           5          2
2015 Mar 10     115           5          2
2015 Mar 11     115           5          2
2015 Mar 12     115           5          2
2015 Mar 13     115           5          2
2015 Mar 14     115          10          3

(NOAA)

Teak Publishing Releases New Winter 2014-2015 Shortwave Guide - Available Now at Amazon

So why should you listen to shortwave radio? Quite simply shortwave radio is your window to the world.

The best source of global information continues to be shortwave radio. Throughout the world, shortwave remains the most readily available and affordable means of communication and information. It lets you listen to voices from around the world. You'll also learn about the lives and concerns of people from all walks of life, from soldiers, to farmers, to retired scholars. Shortwave radio provides nearly instantaneous coverage of news and events from around the world.

Shortwave listening, or SWLing, is the hobby of listening to shortwave radio broadcasts located on frequencies between 1700 kHz and 30 MHz, also known as HF or the High Frequencies bands.

If you live in the U.S., you can easily listen to shortwave broadcast stations from countries like North/South Korea, Iran, Australia, Cuba, China, New Zealand, Pakistan, India, Japan, England, Egypt, Tunisia, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United States and many other counties if you have a shortwave receiver, and you know when and where to listen!

That when and where to listen is covered comprehensively in the pages of a new edition of the International Shortwave Broadcast Guide.

The International Shortwave Broadcast Guide (Winter 2014-2015 edition), by Amazon bestselling author Gayle Van Horn, W4GVH, is that all important information resource you need to tap into the worldwide shortwave broadcast radio spectrum. It is a 24-hour station/frequency guide to “all” the known stations currently broadcasting on shortwave radio at time of publication. This unique shortwave resource is the “only” publication in the world that offers a by-hour schedule that includes all language services, frequencies and world target areas for each broadcast station. There are new chapters that cover basic shortwave radio listening and Who’s Who in the Shortwave Radio Spectrum. Also extensive work has been done to improve the readability of this edition on the various Kindle platforms.

The International Shortwave Broadcast Guide (Winter 2014-2015 edition) is now available for purchase worldwide from Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QU8LC6M. The price for this latest edition is still US$4.99. Since this book is being released internationally, Amazon customers in the United Kingdom, Germany, France Spain, Italy, Japan, India, Canada, Brazil, Mexico and Australia can order this electronic book (e-Book) from Amazon websites directly servicing these countries. All other countries can use the regular Amazon.com website.

This new e-publication edition is an expanded version of the English shortwave broadcast guide formerly printed in the pages of Monitoring Times magazine for over 20 years. This one of a kind e-book is now being published twice a year to correspond with station seasonal time and frequency changes.

If you enjoy listening or monitoring HF shortwave stations, and you miss the monthly English frequency listings formerly published in the late Monitoring Times magazine, and multilingual station listing in the old MTXpress electronic magazine, this valuable tool will now be your new guide to listening to the world.

Frequency updates between editions will be posted on her Shortwave Central blog at: http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/.

And, the good news is that you do not even need to own a Kindle reader to read Amazon e-book publications. You can read any Kindle book with Amazon’s free reading apps.

There are free Kindle reading apps for the Kindle Cloud Reader, Smartphones (iPhone, iTouch, Android, Windows Phone and Blackberry); computer platforms (Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8 and Mac); Tablets (iPad, Android and Windows 8), and, of course, all of the Kindle family of readers including the Kindle Fire series. A Kindle e-book allows you to buy your book once and read it anywhere. You can find additional details on these apps by checking out this link to the Amazon website at www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771.

For additional information on this and other Teak Publishing radio hobby books, monitor the company sponsored Internet blogs – The Military Monitoring Post (http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/), The Btown Monitor Post (http://monitor-post.blogspot.com/) and The Shortwave Central (http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/) for availability of additional e-books that are currently in production.

You can view the complete Teak Publishing book catalog online at http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/. Click on the Teak Publishing radio hobby e-book link at the top of the blog page. You can learn more about the author by going to her author page on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Gayle-Van-Horn/e/B0084MVQCM/.

The International Shortwave Broadcast Guide will have wide appeal to shortwave radio hobbyists, amateur radio operators, educators, foreign language students, news agencies, news buffs and many more interested in listening to a global view of news and events as they happen. 

If you are an amateur radio operator or shortwave radio enthusiasts, and want to hear what is happening outside the ham bands on that transceiver or portable shortwave radio in your shack, then this new e-book from Teak Publishing is a must in your radio reference library.

Here are a few of the public comments from radio hobbyists who purchased the first two editions of this Amazon e-book.

Five Stars By  Frank S. Excellent for the price. Glad I found this.

Shortwave Broadcast Guide by Kindle Customer. Since Monitoring Times is no longer in publication, this guide is required for the dedicated shortwave listener. There is information provided that I have found nowhere else. It will be a welcome addition to any listener's equipment. Gayle Van Horn has been publishing this research for many years and the followers are numerous, from beginners to professionals. The author's work is accurate, concise and thorough. If you have a shortwave radio, you need this publication as much as a set of earphones. There is none better.

Very Good Source for Shortwave Stations Broadcast Schedules by Kenneth Windyka. I've got to admit up front that I don't have a strong interest in this part of the hobby. HOWEVER, Gayle Van Horn makes it easy to determine what one can hear on the short wave bands during a particular time period (in GMT time sorted format). I also like the internet reference available, so that one can listen to programs via the internet even if its' not possible via the shortwave radio.

NJ Shortwave listener hears International Frequencies with new guide help by Stanley E Rozewski, Jr. This e-book is complete and accurate in presenting a low cost SW frequency guide and important must read topics for the new or experienced user. I liked the easy reading format, and understandable frequency guide. I will order the second edition next year.

This is my go-to-first reference by Mary C Larson. When I turn on the shortwave receiver and want to find out what's on and where to look, Van Horn's handy frequency guide is a smart place to begin. The format is not unlike the one Monitoring Times (R.I.P.) used each month. Presumably, updated ISBGs will be published twice per year, but you can check for the updates on her blog, (mt-shortwave.blogspot.com).

Good value by DrP. This is an excellent well-written book that is very affordable when compared to encyclopedic guides, e.g., the WRTH. Much the same information is included. The first part is a nice introduction to SW listening pitched to the beginner. Included is an informative section on purchasing a radio spanning low-end <$100 models up through the most advanced transceivers. The bulk of the book contains a list of world-wide SW broadcasters, organized by frequency band. This makes it ideal for browsing one band at a time, but much less so if you want to search for broadcasts from a particular country.
I like this one by Charles. I have only had a brief chance to scan through this book. From what I have seen of it I will enjoy getting in to it.

Shortwave Is Not Quite Dead By James Tedford (Bothell, WA United States). It was barely breathing as of late, but there is still a lot you can hear on shortwave radio. You need more than a little dedication, and a better-than-adequate radio to hear what remains on the HF bands, but if you have those, you will be rewarded with a lot of interesting audio programming. This book is a good guide to what is currently available over the international airwaves.

Five Stars By  Kindle Customer
Came on time. Packaged right. Looks as shown. Works as advertised.

International Shortwave Broadcast Guide - Winter Frequency Updates

This is the third frequency update for the 2014-2015 winter edition of the International Shortwave Broadcast Guide. This e-book from Teak Publishing, can be purchased at Amazone.com for U.S. $4.00, and is available at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QU8LC6M

All time references are UTC, frequencies in kHz (kilohertz) // indicates heard on a parallel frequency. Broadcast are daily unless otherwise indicated.

County/Station
Language
hrs/freq/info

Clandestine
Farsi
R Ranginkaman/R Rainbow  Mon/Fri 1700-1730 7550as // 9925as additional frequency

RTV Algerienne  (via Issoudun, France transmitters)
0400-0458 on  5865 ISS 500 kW / 162 deg to CEAf Arabic Holy Quran px

0500-0558 on  5865 ISS 500 kW / 194 deg to NWAf Arabic Holy Quran px
0500-0511 on  7295 ISS 500 kW / 162 deg to CEAf French news bulletin
0511-0548 on  7295 ISS 500 kW / 162 deg to CEAf Arabic Nat. Chaine 1
0548-0552 on  7295 ISS 500 kW / 162 deg to CEAf French news bulletin
0552-0558 on  7295 ISS 500 kW / 162 deg to CEAf Arabic Nat. Chaine 1

0600-0611 on  5865 ISS 500 kW / 194 deg to NWAf French news bulletin
0611-0648 on  5865 ISS 500 kW / 194 deg to NWAf Arabic Holy Quran px
0648-0652 on  5865 ISS 500 kW / 194 deg to NWAf French news bulletin
0652-0658 on  5865 ISS 500 kW / 194 deg to NWAf Arabic Holy Quran px

1800-1900 on 11985 ISS 500 kW / 162 deg to CEAf Arabic Holy Quran px

1900-2000 on 11775 ISS 500 kW / 194 deg to NWAf Arabic Holy Quran px
1900-1911 on 11985 ISS 500 kW / 162 deg to CEAf French news bulletin
1911-1948 on 11985 ISS 500 kW / 162 deg to CEAf Arabic Nat. Chaine 1
1948-1952 on 11985 ISS 500 kW / 162 deg to CEAf French news bulletin
1952-1958 on 11985 ISS 500 kW / 162 deg to CEAf Arabic Nat. Chaine 1

2000-2100 on  9380 ISS 500 kW / 162 deg to CEAf Arabic Holy Quran px
2000-2011 on 11775 ISS 500 kW / 194 deg to NWAf French news bulletin
2011-2048 on 11775 ISS 500 kW / 194 deg to NWAf Arabic Nat. Chaine 1
2048-2052 on 11775 ISS 500 kW / 194 deg to NWAf French news bulletin
2052-2058 on 11775 ISS 500 kW / 194 deg to NWAf Arabic Nat. Chaine 1

2100-2200 on  6145 ISS 500 kW / 194 deg to NWAf Arabic Holy Quran px
2100-2111 on  9380 ISS 500 kW / 162 deg to CEAf French news bulletin
2111-2148 on  9380 ISS 500 kW / 162 deg to CEAf Arabic Nat. Chaine 1
2148-2152 on  9380 ISS 500 kW / 162 deg to CEAf French news bulletin
2152-2158 on  9380 ISS 500 kW / 162 deg to CEAf Arabic Nat. Chaine 1

2200-2211 on  6145 ISS 500 kW / 194 deg to NWAf French news bulletin
2211-2248 on  6145 ISS 500 kW / 194 deg to NWAf Arabic Holy Quran px
2248-2252 on  6145 ISS 500 kW / 194 deg to NWAf French news bulletin
2252-2258 on  6145 ISS 500 kW / 194 deg to NWAf Arabic Holy Quran px
(Ivo Ivanov/DX Re Mix # 892/25 Jan)

BBC frequency changes 
0000-0100 NF 13700 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Mon, ex 13725
0000-0100 on 15755 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Mon, ex Daily
0000-0100 on 13725 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Tue, ex Daily
0000-0100 NF 15200 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Tue, ex 15755
0000-0100 NF 13700 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Wed, ex 13725
0000-0100 NF 15640 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Wed, ex 15755
0000-0100 NF 13635 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Thu, ex 13725
0000-0100 NF 15640 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Thu, ex 15755
0000-0100 NF 13635 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Fri, ex 13725
0000-0100 on 15755 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Fri, ex Daily
0000-0100 NF 13700 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Sat, ex 13725
0000-0100 NF 15200 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Sat, ex 15755
0000-0100 NF 13635 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Sun, ex 13725
0000-0100 NF 15200 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Sun, ex 15755

0100-0200 on  5925 SLA 250 kW / 063 deg to SoAs English, addit. freq.
0100-0200 on 15310 NAK 250 kW / 290 deg to SoAs English Mon, ex Daily
0100-0200 NF 15490 NAK 250 kW / 290 deg to SoAs English Tue, ex 15310
0100-0200 NF 15490 NAK 250 kW / 290 deg to SoAs English Wed, ex 15310
0100-0200 on 15310 NAK 250 kW / 290 deg to SoAs English Thu, ex Daily
0100-0200 NF 15780 NAK 250 kW / 290 deg to SoAs English Fri, ex 15310
0100-0200 NF 15780 NAK 250 kW / 290 deg to SoAs English Sat, ex 15310
0100-0200 NF 15490 NAK 250 kW / 290 deg to SoAs English Sun, ex 15310

0200-0300 on  9920 TAC 100 kW / 131 deg to SoAs English, addit. freq.
0200-0300 on 15310 NAK 250 kW / 290 deg to SoAs English Mon, ex Daily
0200-0300 NF 15490 NAK 250 kW / 290 deg to SoAs English Tue, ex 15310
0200-0300 NF 15490 NAK 250 kW / 290 deg to SoAs English Wed, ex 15310
0200-0300 on 15310 NAK 250 kW / 290 deg to SoAs English Thu, ex Daily
0200-0300 NF 15780 NAK 250 kW / 290 deg to SoAs English Fri, ex 15310
0200-0300 NF 15780 NAK 250 kW / 290 deg to SoAs English Sat, ex 15310
0200-0200 NF 15490 NAK 250 kW / 290 deg to SoAs English Sun, ex 15310

1000-1100 NF 11565 NAK 250 kW / 045 deg to EaAs English Mon, ex 11895
1000-1100 NF 11935 NAK 250 kW / 045 deg to EaAs English Tue, ex 11895
1000-1100 NF 11565 NAK 250 kW / 045 deg to EaAs English Wed, ex 11895
1000-1100 NF 11935 NAK 250 kW / 045 deg to EaAs English Thu, ex 11895
1000-1100 NF 11935 NAK 250 kW / 045 deg to EaAs English Fri, ex 11895
1000-1100 on 11895 NAK 250 kW / 045 deg to EaAs English Sat, ex Daily
1000-1100 NF 11565 NAK 250 kW / 045 deg to EaAs English Sun, ex 11895

1100-1200 NF 11805 NAK 250 kW / 045 deg to EaAs English Mon, ex 11895
1100-1200 NF 12030 NAK 250 kW / 045 deg to EaAs English Tue, ex 11895
1100-1200 NF 11805 NAK 250 kW / 045 deg to EaAs English Wed, ex 11895
1100-1200 NF 12030 NAK 250 kW / 045 deg to EaAs English Thu, ex 11895
1100-1200 NF 12030 NAK 250 kW / 045 deg to EaAs English Fri, ex 11895
1100-1200 on 11895 NAK 250 kW / 045 deg to EaAs English Sat, ex Daily
1100-1200 NF 11805 NAK 250 kW / 045 deg to EaAs English Sun, ex 11895

1200-1300 NF 11805 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Mon, ex 11895
1200-1300 NF 12030 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Tue, ex 11895
1200-1300 NF 11805 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Wed, ex 11895
1200-1300 NF 12030 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Thu, ex 11895
1200-1300 NF 12030 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Fri, ex 11895
1200-1300 on 11895 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Sat, ex Daily
1200-1300 NF 11805 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Sun, ex 11895

2200-2300 on  3915 SNG 100 kW / 160 deg to SEAs English, addit. freq.
2200-2300 on  5890 NAK 250 kW / 045 deg to EaAs English, addit. freq.
2200-2300 on  5890 NAK 250 kW / 150 deg to SEAs English, addit. freq.
2200-2300 on  6195 SNG 125 kW / 000 deg to SEAs English, addit. freq.
2200-2300 on  6195 SNG 125 kW / 090 deg to AUS  English, addit. freq.
2200-2300 on  6195 SNG 250 kW / 013 deg to EaAs English, addit. freq.
2200-2300 on  7490 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English, addit. freq.

2300-2400 NF  5895 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Mon, ex  5875
2300-2400 NF  7600 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Mon, ex  7490
2300-2400 NF  5895 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Tue, ex  5875
2300-2400 NF  7520 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Tue, ex  7490
2300-2400 on  5875 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Wed, ex Daily
2300-2400 NF  7520 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Wed, ex  7490
2300-2400 NF  5830 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Thu, ex  5875
2300-2400 NF  7520 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Thu, ex  7490
2300-2400 NF  5895 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Fri, ex  5875
2300-2400 on  7490 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Fri, ex Daily
2300-2400 NF  5830 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Sat, ex  5875
2300-2400 NF  7600 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Sat, ex  7490
2300-2400 NF  5830 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Sun, ex  5875
2300-2400 NF  7600 NAK 250 kW / 025 deg to EaAs English Sun, ex  7490

1300-1330 on 13865 SLA 250 kW / 010 deg to CeAs Uzbek Mon, ex Daily
1300-1330 NF 15595 NAK 250 kW / 325 deg to CeAs Uzbek Mon, ex 15510
1300-1330 NF 17550 SLA 250 kW / 010 deg to CeAs Uzbek Mon, ex 17780
1300-1330 NF 13700 SLA 250 kW / 010 deg to CeAs Uzbek Tue, ex 13865
1300-1330 NF 15730 NAK 250 kW / 325 deg to CeAs Uzbek Tue, ex 15510
1300-1330 NF 17550 SLA 250 kW / 010 deg to CeAs Uzbek Tue, ex 17780
1300-1330 on 13865 SLA 250 kW / 010 deg to CeAs Uzbek Wed, ex Daily
1300-1330 NF 15730 NAK 250 kW / 325 deg to CeAs Uzbek Wed, ex 15510
1300-1330 NF 17850 SLA 250 kW / 010 deg to CeAs Uzbek Wed, ex 17780
1300-1330 NF 13760 SLA 250 kW / 010 deg to CeAs Uzbek Thu, ex 13865
1300-1330 on 15510 NAK 250 kW / 325 deg to CeAs Uzbek Thu, ex Daily
1300-1330 NF 17850 SLA 250 kW / 010 deg to CeAs Uzbek Thu, ex 17780
1300-1330 NF 13700 SLA 250 kW / 010 deg to CeAs Uzbek Fri, ex 13865
1300-1330 NF 15595 NAK 250 kW / 325 deg to CeAs Uzbek Fri, ex 15510
1300-1330 NF 17850 SLA 250 kW / 010 deg to CeAs Uzbek Fri, ex 17780
1300-1330 NF 13760 SLA 250 kW / 010 deg to CeAs Uzbek Sat, ex 13865
1300-1330 NF 15730 NAK 250 kW / 325 deg to CeAs Uzbek Sat, ex 15510
1300-1330 on 17780 SLA 250 kW / 010 deg to CeAs Uzbek Sun, ex Daily
1300-1330 NF 13760 SLA 250 kW / 010 deg to CeAs Uzbek Sun, ex 13865
1300-1330 NF 15595 NAK 250 kW / 325 deg to CeAs Uzbek Sun, ex 15510
1300-1330 NF 17550 SLA 250 kW / 010 deg to CeAs Uzbek Sun, ex 17780

BBC frequency changes in Dari/Pashto
0830-0900 on 15310 SLA 250 kW / 035 deg to WeAs Dari, new
0830-0900 on 17720 NAK 250 kW / 300 deg to WeAs Dari, new
0900-0930 on 15310 SLA 250 kW / 035 deg to WeAs Pashto, ex 0830-0930
0900-0930 on 17720 NAK 250 kW / 300 deg to WeAs Pashto, ex 0830-0930
0930-1030 on 15310 SLA 250 kW / 035 deg to WeAs Dari, ex 0930-1030
0930-1030 on 17720 NAK 250 kW / 300 deg to WeAs Dari, ex 0930-1030
1000-1030 on 15310 SLA 250 kW / 035 deg to WeAs Pashto, new
1000-1030 on 17720 NAK 250 kW / 300 deg to WeAs Pashto, new
1030-1100 on 15310 SLA 250 kW / 035 deg to WeAs Dari, new
1030-1100 on 17720 NAK 250 kW / 300 deg to WeAs Dari, new
1100-1130 on 15310 SLA 250 kW / 035 deg to WeAs Pashto, ex 1030-1130
1100-1130 on 17720 NAK 250 kW / 300 deg to WeAs Pashto, ex 1030-1130
1800-1830 on  5875 NAK 250 kW / 300 deg to WeAs Dari, ex 1800-1900
1800-1830 on  5910 SLA 250 kW / 035 deg to WeAs Dari, ex 1800-1900
1800-1830 on  7505 NAK 250 kW / 305 deg to WeAs Dari, ex 1800-1900
1830-1900 on  5875 NAK 250 kW / 300 deg to WeAs Pashto, new
1830-1900 on  5910 SLA 250 kW / 035 deg to WeAs Pashto, new
1830-1900 on  7505 NAK 250 kW / 305 deg to WeAs Pashto, new

BBC morning transmissions remain unchanged
0030-0100 on  5940 SLA 250 kW / 035 deg to WeAs Dari
0030-0100 on  7435 WOF 250 kW / 082 deg to WeAs Dari
0100-0130 on  5940 MOS 300 kW / 095 deg to WeAs Pashto
0100-0130 on  6195 SLA 250 kW / 035 deg to WeAs Pashto
0100-0130 on  7445 WOF 250 kW / 082 deg to WeAs Pashto
0130-0200 on  5940 MOS 300 kW / 095 deg to WeAs Dari
0130-0200 on  6195 SLA 250 kW / 035 deg to WeAs Dari
0130-0200 on  7445 WOF 250 kW / 082 deg to WeAs Dari
0200-0230 on  6195 SLA 250 kW / 035 deg to WeAs Pashto
0200-0230 on  7445 SLA 250 kW / 035 deg to WeAs Pashto
0200-0230 on 15755 NAK 250 kW / 305 deg to WeAs Pashto
0230-0300 on  6195 SLA 250 kW / 035 deg to WeAs Dari
0230-0300 on  7445 SLA 250 kW / 035 deg to WeAs Dari
0230-0300 on 15755 NAK 250 kW / 305 deg to WeAs Dari
0300-0330 on  7445 ERV 300 kW / 100 deg to WeAs Pashto
0300-0330 on  9880 ERV 100 kW / 125 deg to WeAs Pashto
0300-0330 on 11970 SLA 250 kW / 035 deg to WeAs Pashto
(Ivo Ivanov/DX Re Mix # 892/25 Jan)

Legend
af (Africa)
as (Asia)
NF new frequency

Euro weekend relays

Radio City will be on the air this coming weekend:

Saturday February 14th at 09 - 10 UTC on 9510 kHz

Every Saturday evening at 20 - 21 UTC there is a separate transmission via Radio Merkurs, Latvia on 1485 kHz.

Every 4th Saturday there is another programme via Hamburger Lokalradio at 13 - 14 UTC on 7265 kHz.   The address remains citymorecars@yahoo.ca  Thank you!

Every Saturday and Wednesday the programs of HLR:
07.00 to 09.00 UTC, on 7265 KHz
09.00 to 12.00 UTC, on 6190 KHz
12.00 to 16.00 UTC, on 7265 KHz

Sunday: 12.00 to 16.00 UTC on 9485 KHz

European Music Radio Relay on 15th February 2015

08.00 to 09.00 UTC  (Gohren) on 7265 KHz  Tom & Mike Taylor

09.00 to 10.00 UTC  (Gohren) on 9485 KHz  Tom & Mike Taylor

 

Radio Revival Sweden Transmission schedules

Sunday, February 15th 2015

08.00-10.00 UTC Radio Spaceshuttle 6035 kHz 5 kW, 9865 kHz 10 kW

10.00-11.00 UTC Radio City 9865 kHz 10 kW

18.00-19.00 UTC European Music Radio 6035 kHz 5 kW

Saturday, February 28th 2015

12.00-13.00 UTC SDXF Sveriges DX-Förbund
13.00-15.00 UTC Radio Merkurs 

To check  R Sweden schedules: http://radiorevivalsweden.blogspot.se/p/schedules.html

Good Listening!

73s

Tom

VOA Radiogram Weekend Schedule

Hello friends,

Among recent additions to the voaradiogram.net website is a link to an excellent presentation by Mark, 2E0ECN, in the UK, about VOA Radiogram. He prepared it for his local amateur radio club …

http://voaradiogram.net/post/110239963522/presentation-describes-voa-radiogram-and-the

Klaus in Germany provided this picture, showing that the equipment required to receive and decode VOA Radiogram does not require much space …

http://voaradiogram.net/post/110894785917/klaus-in-germany-provides-this-picture-of-all-the

Tim, K0RUS, in Colorado produces YouTube videos of his reception and decoding of VOA Radiogram. They are a good demonstration of how VOA Radiogram works …

https://www.youtube.com/user/K0RUSHam

Your reception reports from last weekend indicate that trans-Atlantic shortwave propagation is improving, especially on 15670 kHz. Some of you report only two errors in the text. Those may actually have been two typos of mine in the program preview, rather than faulty decoding.

On VOA Radiogram this weekend, the MFSK32 RSID will be transmitted only once, just after the voice introduction, and that will be followed by a 30-second tuning signal.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 98, 14-15  February 2015, all in MFSK except where indicated:

1:59  Program preview

3:07  New satellite will observe space weather*

10:19  Russia may block web anonymizers*

17:08  North Korea tightens controls at China border*

24:01  Museum of Mathematics logo

27:08  Closing announcements

28:09  Bonus mode of the week: BPSK63F 

* with image   

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com . (It would be helpful if you send your report with a new subject, rather than replying to this email.)

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5910 kHz
Sat 1600-1630 17860 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC will transmit a minute of MFSK64 (a picture of one of Eric’s classic American cars) Saturday at about 1230 UTC on 6095 kHz, and Sunday at about 0130 UTC (Saturday 8:30 pm EST) on 7375 kHz. Both frequencies are via Germany. Send reports to Eric at themightykbc@gmail.com .

Thank you for you reports to VOA Radiogram. I’ll start today to compile the gallery of MFSK images, then answer those reports over the weekend.

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott

Producer and Presenter

VOA Radiogram

voaradiogram.net

Australian Shortwave Callsigns: VLB

Quite simultaneously more than 100 years ago, two 50 kW spark wireless stations were under construction in New Zealand, one at the northern tip of the North Island and the other at the southern tip of the South Island.  Both of these stations, with identical equipment, were installed by German personnel who were working with the Telefunken company in Germany under contract with the Australasian Wireless Company in Sydney, Australia.

            The second of these two wireless stations, at least in alphabetic order, was located on the Awarua Plain near The Bluff, right at the very bottom of the South Island of New Zealand.  The triangular mild steel antenna tower for this new wireless station weighed 120 tons and it stood at 410 ft high, resting on a ball and socket joint on a glass insulator.  A 70 horse power motor generated the electricity.  Both the receiver and the transmitter were installed in the same building, though in separate rooms.

            This new wireless station was activated on March 27, 1913 and it was taken into regular service at the end of the same year, December 18.  It is probable that the first and temporary callsign for this new station was ZLB, that is station B in New Zealand, indicating the second of these two new stations, and also the station at the Bluff.  Soon afterwards, the callsign was modified to VLB, due to new international wireless regulations.

             Somewhere around the year 1924, the electrical equipment at station VLB was changed from spark gap operation to electronic valve or tube operation.  Then in 1927 the callsign was again amended, this time from VLB to ZLB, due again to a change in international radio regulations.  The station was closed on August 30, 1991 at the end of its ¾ century of illustrious service when its communication capability was no longer needed.

            In the mid 1930s, the callsign VLB was taken over for usage with a small communication station located at the lighthouse on Maatsuyker Island at the very southern coast of the Australian island of Tasmania.  Maatsuyker is a small uninhabited island which looks on the map like a tortoise sitting upright; it is just 1½ miles long by ¾ mile wide.  The Maatsuyker Lighthouse is the most southerly lighthouse in Australia.

            A few years later, the callsign VLB was removed from the little communication radio station on Maatsuyker Island and it was held in readiness for a powerful 100 kW shortwave transmitter that was under construction for installation at Shepparton in Victoria.  Three transmitters at 100 kW each were envisaged for deployment at Shepparton, and the original planned allocation of callsigns was VLA, VLC & VLM.

            The driver and preliminary stages for the new VLB transmitter were constructed in Australia by AWA, and the modulator and final stages were constructed by STC, Standard Telephones and Cables, both in suburban Sydney.  The VLB transmitter, with its two channel input allowing for quick frequency change, was activated in May 1946, and it was taken into scheduled service with test broadcasts and regular programming soon afterwards. 

            A postfix number after the callsign, such as VLB3 VLB6 or VLB8, indicated a specific frequency for on air usage.  Beginning on June 1, 1951, the usage of the postfix numbers was modified, so that the number itself indicated a particular megahertz band.

            During the year 1960, work was underway to bifurcate the two 100 kW transmitters and one of the 50 kW transmitters took over the VLB service.  For example, the PMG Schedule dated September 4 1960 shows both VLA & VLB shown as 50 kW each.           

            In 1961, the modifications were completed, the VLB transmitter was now bifurcated into two units, and with the insertion of additional electronic equipment, a complete new transmitter became available.  This new unit was given the callsign VLE.  The original VLB transmitter was finally withdrawn from service in 1983.

            At the end of the same year in which VLB was bifurcated, Radio Australia dropped the usage of official callsigns, and instead the callsign VLB identified a specific program line from the Melbourne studios to the transmitter site at Shepparton.  To this day, the identification B or VLB still refers to the specific program line that runs to Shepparton, though not necessarily a specific transmitter. 

            Radio Australia was usually a prolific verifier of reception reports and literally thousands of QSL cards under the callsign VLB were posted out to listeners all around the world.  During the quarter century when this callsign was in vogue, two different QSL cards were in use, though half a dozen slight printing variations are known. 

            The first card was in use from 1946 - 1950 and it depicted a map of Australia in yellow with a stylized antenna; and the second card which was in use during the 1950s, depicted a more detailed map with the famous laughing bird, the Kookaburra.  This second card had two major variations, one with the station name in yellow and the other with the station name in red.  Form letter QSLs were issued for a few years during the 1990s, giving the usage of the line callsign VLB  together with the frequency and transmitter location as Shepparton.  

 (AWR/Wavescan-NWS 311)