For the HF Enthusiast in you, Jen & GB's CARN for Saturday 10/03 is up & ready for listening and downloading.
CARN # 1 for Oct.3rd.
CARN Long Link.
CARN Tiny URL .
For your contact pleasure
The Bands Are Alive !!
73's & 33's
Jen & GB
Friday, October 09, 2026
Thursday, October 08, 2026
Throwback Thursday-The Radio Scene in Shanghai
This week's edition originally aired on June 10, 2001
During the era under review in this edition of Wavescan, the city of Shanghai in China was an important international city. These days it is listed as the world's largest city, with a population in excess of 10 million people. However, the beginnings of Shanghai go back more than a thousand years when it was just a small trading center.
After the Opium War in 1842, England was granted trading rights in Shanghai. Soon afterwards, other European powers were also granted the same trading privileges in Shanghai, and each country was given its own territory, a "concession," in an area to the north of the city. In this way, Shanghai truly became an international city, with separate residential areas for England, France, Germany, Italy, America and Japan.
When radio stations were established in the city of Shanghai, each of the foreign concessions established its own station, though mostly with Chinese callsigns. Many of these stations were heard throughout the world on shortwave.
A few struggling experimental stations with irregular callsigns were launched on mediumwave by commercial enterprises in the Chinese area of Shanghai in the mid 1920s, but most of them failed soon afterwards. More substantial mediumwave stations began to appear on the radio dial in the early 1930s, and these were all licensed with callsigns in the X series.
The first shortwave station in Shanghai was launched in 1931 on the channel 5000 kHz exactly and given the regular callsign XCTE. This station also disappeared soon afterwards.
Japanese forces occupied Shanghai in 1937, but each of the foreign concessions was permitted to retain its area of influence and to continue in its regular activities, at least for a while. In early 1938, the Japanese occupation forces took over a mediumwave station previously owned by a Japanese merchant in Shanghai. This was station XQHA, with 250 watts on 580 kHz.
During the Pacific War, there were five different and important international shortwave stations located in Shanghai, all owned and operated by different nations.
Early in the year 1939, station XMHA was installed in the American concession in Shanghai with its identification announcement as "The Call of the Orient." Early in the year 1942, this station was taken over by the Japanese, still with the same identification announcements, XMHA and "The Call of the Orient." This station was monitored frequently by Arthur Cushen in New Zealand for news and information of interest to the South Pacific.
Early in the year 1940, station XGRS was installed in the German concession in Shanghai. It could be presumed that the callisgn XGRS stood for "German Radio Station." Programming from this station was violently anti-British, and it carried significant news and information from both Germany and Japan.
When peace was declared in Europe, Japan took over this station, giving it the callsign XGOO. Three months after peace was declared in the Pacific, the Chinese took over the station, giving it a new callsign, XORA. This 5 kw. crystal controlled transmitter was the only shortwave station that remained on the air in Shanghai after the war.
The Italians also erected a station in their concession in Shanghai with the callsign XIRS; and likewise, it could be presumed that XIRS stood for "Italian Radio Station."
The French erected a mediumwave station in their concession some years before the hostilities began in Europe, though this station identified with the French callsign FFZ rather than a Chinese callsign. Early in the year 1940, a 400 watt shortwave unit was installed, and after the German occupation of France this station became the Asian voice for the Vichy government.
For a period of a year or so, a shortwave station in Shanghai purported to be located "somewhere in India." This station announced on air as "The Voice of Free India" and "The Voice of Indian Independence," and it was first noted in New Zealand in March 1942. This station was heard frequently with two channels in parallel. Towards the end of the same year, programming was revamped and the station identified as "The Voice of the Indian Independence League."
Thus for half a dozen decisive years around the middle of the last century, many of the major powers in conflct in Europe and Asia were represented on the shortwave scene in Shanghai.
(Wavescan 337)
(photo via UnSplash)
Wednesday, October 07, 2026
From the Isle of Music, October 9
From the Isle of Music, October 2026
This month, we will air the postponed episode covering the career of accordionist/bandleader/arranger/composer/producer Eddy Gaytan, born in Argentina but moved to Cuba and had an impact on several styles of Cuban music. We hope to have his son, Eddy Gaytan, an accomplished musician in his own right, to guide us through an interesting and, to many North Americans, unexpected mix of music. .
Friday, October 9, 2026, 9670 kHz, 1800 CEST (1600 UTC), repeats on 3955 kHz at 2400 CEST (2200 UTC)
Programming from Channel 292 in Germany. In addition to terrestrial listening, we do accept reception reports using remote SDRs, provided both your own physical location and the location of the SDR are included. EQSLs only for either.
William "Bill" Tilford, Owner/Producer
Tilford Productions, LLC
email: bill@tilfordproductions.com
website: www.tilfordproductions.com
Monday, October 05, 2026
Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins-October 5, 2026
Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2026 Oct 05 0139 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 28 September - 04 October 2026
.JPG)
Solar activity was at very low to low levels throughout the summary
period. Region 4535 (N11, L=351, class/area Dao/060 on 30 Sep)
produced the strongest flare of the period; an impulsive C8.6/1f
event at 30/0246 UTC. This event also produced a 523 km/s Type II
and a Type IV Sweep. All other regions remained simple and absent of
any significant activity. No Earth-directed CMEs were observed in
available coronagraph imagery.
No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reached
high levels on 28-30 Sep and 01 Oct with a peak of 5,620 pfu
observed at 29/1620 UTC. Moderate levels were observed on 02-04 Oct.
Geomagnetic field activity was at quiet levels on 28-30 Sep and
01-03 Oct with some isolated unsettled periods observed early on 03
Oct. On 04 Oct, solar wind parameters became enhanced due to the
influence of a positive-polarity CH HSS. Total magnetic field
strength increased to a peak of 22 nT and Bz observed several
southward deflections, the maximum being -20 nT early on 04 Oct.
Solar wind speeds steadily increased from about 300 km/s to a peak
of 644 km/s later on 04 Oct. The phi angle was predominantly
positive.
Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 05 October - 31 October 2026
Solar activity is likely to continue at very low to low levels
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 be at high levels on 06-11 Oct, 14-17 Oct, and 23-28 Oct
due to anticipated incluence from multiple, recurrent CH HSSs.
Geomagnetic field activity is expected to reach G1 (Minor)
geomagnetic storm levels on 22 and 31 Oct. Active levels are likely
on 06, 21, and 23 Oct. Unsettled levels are likely on 07, 11-14, and
24 Oct. All increases in geomagnetic activity are associated with
anticipated influence from multiple, recurrent, coronal hole HSSs.
The remainder of the outlook period is likely to be at mostly quiet
levels.
:Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt
:Issued: 2026 Oct 05 0139 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 2026-10-05
#
# UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest
# Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index
2026 Oct 05 92 18 5
2026 Oct 06 90 12 4
2026 Oct 07 90 10 3
2026 Oct 08 90 8 3
2026 Oct 09 92 5 2
2026 Oct 10 92 5 2
2026 Oct 11 90 10 3
2026 Oct 12 90 8 3
2026 Oct 13 95 8 3
2026 Oct 14 100 8 3
2026 Oct 15 105 5 2
2026 Oct 16 105 5 2
2026 Oct 17 105 5 2
2026 Oct 18 105 5 2
2026 Oct 19 110 5 2
2026 Oct 20 105 5 2
2026 Oct 21 105 18 5
2026 Oct 22 100 22 5
2026 Oct 23 95 15 4
2026 Oct 24 90 10 3
2026 Oct 25 90 5 2
2026 Oct 26 85 5 2
2026 Oct 27 80 5 2
2026 Oct 28 75 5 2
2026 Oct 29 75 5 2
2026 Oct 30 75 5 2
2026 Oct 31 80 30 5
(NOAA)
Saturday, October 03, 2026
Saturday show from Jen & GB's Calling All Radio Nutzz (CARN)
Jen & GB's Calling All Radio Nutzz (CARN) Saturday Oct 3rd
18:00 - 21: 00 UTC on Unique
It's time for a new season of the CARN show. In the first program, we commence the regular features at lesson one, or part one, and put them together in a block.
There will be live tuning during the Oceania DX contest and hunting the 9T0MD Dxpedition to the DRC. All the usual news, diary dates, station recordings, plus music.
Contributions Of The HF of kind are welcome - please email the show.
Our Live Stream.
Plus, our live chat room is open for you at https://libera.chat/
Click on Connect, then Web Chat
Please put in the following:
For Nick: name or like me, radionutresss
Then, next line channel, that's the following:
#eyeradiojd
And you are in the room.
For correspondence please use the email address,
The Bands are live
So Join Us..
Jen & GB
Friday, October 02, 2026
Sunday'sJen's Eclectic & Real Deal program
On Sunday, October 4, 2026 - tune in to the live stream for Jen's Eclectic & Real Deal
17:00 - 20:00 UTC +
For contact, pleasure.
Thanks.
Jen In The RAD
U.K. Propagation Update-October 2, 2026
RadCom Assistant Editor | October 2, 2026
Compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA and G4BAO on
Thursday, 1 October 2026.
As we enter October, we think it’s time to get excited
about HF again.
Some of the best HF conditions can occur this month as
MUFs rise. It might take a couple of weeks to get going but it will, we promise
– there’s a good reason why the CQ Worldwide SSB contest is held in October
after all.
Solar conditions have been surprisingly calm. The
solar flux index has been ranging from 90 to 100 but geomagnetic conditions
have been quiet, with the Kp index usually around one to two.
We had a brief excursion to a Kp index of 4 on 26 and
27 September but this was relatively short-lived.
Daytime Maximum Usable Frequencies, or MUFs, over a
3,000km path have been touching 25 to 28MHz at times, but we can expect this to
improve over the next few weeks.
As long as the Solar Flux Index can stay around 100 we
should see some transatlantic paths opening up on 28MHz but they may not be as
good as previous years.
Ten-metre openings at the start of this month may be
fleeting and unreliable.
What we do have is a massive coronal hole on the Sun’s
equator, which could send the Kp index up this weekend as solar plasma impacts
the Earth. Keep an eye on solarham.com
for updates.
If this comes to pass, expect lower MUFs and poor DX
for a day or two.
DX to be worked this week include 5W0AF from Samoa;
9T0MD from the Democratic Republic of Congo; JW6VM, JW7XK and JW9DL on
Svalbard; 7P8JL, 7P8LZ and 7P8TR in Lesotho; 6O2M (Somalia), C5R from The
Gambia and FW1P from Wallis and Futuna.
NOAA predicts that the SFI this coming week may bottom
out at around 90, before rising again, perhaps reaching 100 to 102 by next
weekend.
As mentioned earlier, we can expect the Kp index to
rise, perhaps hitting four on 5-7 October. After this, it should settle to a
more reasonable Kp index of 2 for the rest of the week.
VHF and up propagation news:
Compiled by G3YLA and G4BAO.
The autumn season is typically a mix of still, quiet
weather with high pressure on the charts and, in contrast, a few days later
deep Atlantic lows roll by with wind and rain.
The coming ten days or so will follow that script and
offer a mix of propagation modes for the VHF/UHF fraternity.
The Tropo conditions will dominate in the south and
should probably be in control up to the middle of next week. Northern Britain
will have activity from weather fronts and possible rain scatter for the GHz
bands, which becomes more general from midweek onwards.
The autumn season is also a prime time for aurora, so
keep that mode on the ‘to do’ list and be aware of changes in the Kp index to
values higher than Kp index 5. Meteor scatter is mostly in the realm of random
activity.
Lastly, a surprise mention of Sporadic-E, which for CW
and SSB modes is pretty much done, but last week on Thursday, 24 September
there was some activity for FT8 within Europe.
This was mixed in with Tropo paths so it was difficult
to pinpoint the exact mode being used without looking at detailed measurements
from radiosondes and ionosondes.
The end result is that ‘out of season’ may still
produce Es for digital modes but it’s probably a rare occurrence.
EME now, and the Moon is at maximum declination on
Friday, 2 October so Moon windows are at their longest and peak Moon elevation
is at its highest.
Path losses are low after perigee on 1 October but
will start to increase. 144 MHz sky noise starts the week moderate, dropping
back to low for the rest of the week.
https://rsgb.org/main/blog/news/gb2rs/propagation-news/2026/10/02/propagation-news-04-october-2026/
(Mike Terry, UK/BDXC)
Thursday, October 01, 2026
Texas Radio Shortwave, October 3, 4
Month Date (UTC) Freq (kHz) Station Target Area/Program
All times UTC
October 3, 2026
1400 6160 Shortwave Radio Gold Eur Michael Strah on Texas Radio Shortwave: The Music of Kacey Musgraves
1800 3975 + 6160 Shortwave Radio Gold Eur Michael Strah on Texas Radio Shortwave: The Music of Kacey Musgraves
October 4, 2026
1200 9670 Channel 292 Eur Michael Strah on Texas Radio Shortwave: The Music of Kacey Musgraves
2300 9670 Channel 292 NAm Michael Strah on Texas Radio Shortwave: The Music of Kacey Musgraves
Unless otherwise shown, programs are one hour long.
Programs for Europe (Eur) and beyond on 3975 and 6160 kHz over Shortwave Radio Gold in Winsen, Germany, are transmitted with 1 kW into crossed dipole antennas.
Programs for Europe (Eur) and beyond on 6070 and 9670 kHz over Channel 292 in Rohrbach, Germany, are transmitted with 10 kW into an inverted V antenna.
Programs for North America (NAm) and beyond on 9670 kHz over Channel 292 are transmitted with 10 kW into a 10.5 dB gain beam antenna.
Texas Radio Shortwave uses a version of The Yellow Rose of Texas as its Interval Signal/Signature Song.
Texas Radio Shortwave verifies correct, detailed reception reports by electronic QSL. This includes reports from listeners using remote receivers (SDRs). Texas Radio
Shortwave's email is texasradioshortwave@protonmail.com.
Many TRSW programs are archived at www.mixcloud.com/texasradiosw.
Texas Radio Shortwave's Facebook page is www.facebook.com/texasradiosw.
Texas Radio Shortwave's Listeners' Group Facebook page is
(TRSW)
Throwback Thursday-Old Radio Australia Relay Stations in the Middle East
This week's edition first aired May 20, 2001
Recent research in conjunction with "Pacific Radio Heritage" in New Zealand reveals the fact that Radio Australia was on relay from at least three different locations in the Middle East back during the era of the Middle East phase of World War II. This is the story, and it goes back to the earliest origins of radio broadcasting for the benefit of Australian servicemen on duty overseas.
In the latter part of the year 1938, the PMG Department in Sydney began planning for the construction of a mobile radio studio which would be used in the production of outside broadcasts for relay by the ABC network of mediumwave and shortwave radio stations throughout Australia. Work on this project was completed in the earlier part of 1939, and the new ABC Mobile Van was assigned to the New South Wales branch of the ABC.
This new ABC Mobile Van was a state-of-the-art radio studio of the era, complete with turntables, microphones, control console, and associated equipment. Also included was a shortwave transmitter and receiver for point-to-point transmission of recorded material. The roof of the van was specially strengthened so that it could be used as an elevated platform for outside broadcasts.
During the earlier part of the year 1940, this ABC Mobile Van was modified in Sydney in preparation for shipping it to the Middle East. An additional van contained supplementary equipment which included a 32 volt generator and heavy-duty batteries. Additionally, there was a pair of high-frequency transmitters and receivers for the use of broadcast personnel in coordinating events associated with the production of remote broadcasts.
The ABC Mobile Van was scheduled to be shipped from Australia to the Middle East in early June 1940, though the departure date was delayed until the end of August due to wartime priorities. The van was set up in the Australian army base near Jerusalem.
Special Forces Programs from "Australia Calling," the early name for Radio Australia, were received off air and recorded on large discs. These discs were then taken to the local mediumwave station of the Palestine Broadcasting Service and rebroadcast for the benefit of Australian servicemen in the area. This radio station was a 20 kw unit on 668 kHz under the callsign ZJM. It had been established just three years earlier.
Unfortunately, this radio rebroadcast service in the Middle East did not live up to its high expectations. The signal from the low-powered shortwave stations in Australia was variable; there was a high degree of local static, and the programming content was considered inadequate.
An officer in the Australian Army stationed in Jerusalem complained about these matters in a letter to his father in Adelaide, South Australia, and the information was passed on to army headquarters in Melbourne in February 1941. As a result, the overseas shortwave service was removed from the ABC and placed under the control of the Department of Information.
In the early part of the year 1941, after only a few months of service in the area, the ABC Mobile Van was shipped from Palestine back to Australia, though the radio personnel and several items of equipment were retained in the Middle East. The van was then refurbished and, together with additional electronic equipment, was divided into three segments for use in the islands to the north of Australia.
In November of the same year, 1941, PMG engineer Reg Boyle conducted a series of test broadcasts in Jerusalem for the relay of Radio Australia programming using a 500-watt shortwave transmitter. As a result of these tests, he concluded that a 1 kw unit would be necessary in order to provide a satisfactory broadcast service in the area.
The Australian Army in Jerusalem then lodged a request with Army Headquarters in Melbourne for approval to erect a 1 kW shortwave station in Jerusalem for the local relay of radio programming from "Australia Calling." This station was projected to cost 5,000 pounds, and it would be under the control of a PMG engineer, Reg Boyle. However, even though this request was approved by army headquarters, this project was never implemented.
Recently, David Ricquish in Wellington, New Zealand, discovered a set of two photos on an Australian government website. These photos depict a building in the Gaza Strip in Palestine with antennas on the rooftop. The identification for these photos gives the date as February 14, 1942, and the station is identified as ABC Gaza.
Thus the available evidence would suggest that Radio Australia was relayed over three different stations in the Middle East during the era 1940-1942: (1) the 20 kW medium-wave station ZJM in Jerusalem, (2) a 500-watt shortwave transmitter, also in Jerusalem; and (3) an Australian Forces medium-wave station located in the Gaza Strip.
(Wavescan 334)
photo via Wikipedia
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