Texas Radio Shortwave programming, January 3-4, 2026

 

Nanci Griffith/Wikipedia

All times UTC

Unless otherwise shown, programs are one hour long.

January 15, 2026  Featuring The Music of Nanci Griffith # 1

Program requested by Eric Cottrell, Lynn, Massachusetts, USA

Programming via Germany's Shortwave Radio

20:00 - 21:00 3975 to Europe 

January 18, 2026, Featuring Michael Strah on TRSW: Legends of Tejano Music 

Programming via Germany's Channel 292

11:00 - 12:00  6070 to Europe

This schedule is subject to change based on propagation conditions, listener requests for specific Texas artists or music genres, and things beyond our control.

Texas Radio Shortwave is an independent producer of musical and topical shows, usually about Texas.

Programs for Europe and beyond on 3975 and 6160 kHz are relayed from Shortwave Radio in Winsen, Germany, and are transmitted with 1 kW into crossed dipole antennas.

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 www.facebook.com/groups/580199276066655/.

(TRSW)

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

 Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts

:Issued: 2026 Jan 12 0311 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 05 - 11 January 2026

Solar activity ranged from low to moderate levels. Forty-five weak to middle-level C-class activity was observed from various regions on the disk during the period. A majority of the activity was observed from Regions 4334 (S16, L=200, class/area Dao/150 on 08 Jan), 4336 (S10, L=166, class/area Eko/430 on 09 Jan) and 4337 (N25, L=243, class/area Dao/020 on 08 Jan). At 11/2314 UTC, a long-duration M3.3 (R1-Minor) flare was observed from behind the ESE limb. Several potential Earth-directed CMEs were observed leaving the Sun on 08 Jan with possible impact on late 10 Jan to early on 11 Jan. 

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal to moderate levels on 05, 08, 09 and 11 Jan with high levels observed on 06, 07, and 10 Jan. A peak flux of 2,507 pfu was observed on 10/1635 UTC. 

Geomagnetic field activity was at quiet to active levels on 05 Jan in response to declining CH HSS influence. Quiet levels were observed on 06 and 07 Jan. Quiet to active levels were observed on 08, 09 and early 10 Jan due to CH HSS influence. Activity levels increased to G1 (Minor) to G2 (Moderate) activity levels during late 10 Jan through 11 Jan due to CME effects from the 08 Jan CME coupled with CH HSS effects. 

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 12 January - 07 February 2026

Solar activity is likely to remain at low levels, with a chance for R1 (Minor) conditions and a slight chance for R2/R3 (Moderate/Strong) over the next forecast period due to multiple regions on the visible disk as well as regions expected to return. 

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 12, 14-15, 21-27, and 30-31 Jan and 01-03 and 05-07 Feb due to the anticipated influence of multiple, recurrent coronal holes. The remainder of the outlook period is likely to be at normal to moderate levels. 

Geomagnetic field activity is likely to reach G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels on 12 and 29 Jan; unsettled to active levels on 13-16, 19-23, 27-28, 30-31 Jan and 04-07 Feb. All enhancements in geomagnetic activity are due to the anticipated influence of

multiple, recurrent CH HSSs. The remainder of the outlook period is expected to be mostly quiet. 

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt

:Issued: 2026 Jan 12 0312 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 2026-01-12

#

#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest

#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index

2026 Jan 12     110          28          6

2026 Jan 13     110          18          4

2026 Jan 14     112          12          4

2026 Jan 15     110           8          3

2026 Jan 16     108           8         

2026 Jan 17     106           5          2

2026 Jan 18     106           5          2

2026 Jan 19     110          18          4

2026 Jan 20     115          15          4

2026 Jan 21     125          12          4

2026 Jan 22     135           8          3

2026 Jan 23     140           6          2

2026 Jan 24     135           6          2

2026 Jan 25     135           6          2

2026 Jan 26     135           6          2

2026 Jan 27     130          10          3

2026 Jan 28     125          15          4

2026 Jan 29     125          25          5

2026 Jan 30     130          12          4

2026 Jan 31     130          10          3

2026 Feb 01     125           5          2

2026 Feb 02     120           5          2

2026 Feb 03     115           5          2

2026 Feb 04     110          15          4

2026 Feb 05     105          12          4

2026 Feb 06     105          10          3

2026 Feb 07     110           8          3

(NOAA)

Jen's Eclectic Views & Real Deal programming on January 11

 

Another great program is waiting for you !! Tune in on Sunday, January 11

19:00 -21:00 UTC

http://uk4-vn.mixstream.net:8104/index.html

For your contact pleasure

Jenur@proton.me

Happy & Healthy New Year to All.

Jen 

Encore classical music from Radio Tumbril

 

Dear Listener

Radio Tumbril - www.tumbril.co.uk

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

11:00 - 12:00 UTC Saturday 9670 kHz Channel 292 to Europe

01:00 - 02:00 UTC Sunday 5850 kHz WRMI to US and Canada

18:00 - 19:00 UTC Sunday 3955 kHz Channel 292 to Europe

03:00 - 04:00 UTC Monday 5950 kHz WRMI to the US and Canada

13:00 - 14:00 UTC Tuesday 15770 kHz WRMI to Europe, the east coast of the 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 the funding of Encore - Radio Tumbril.

Up-to-date transmission times and frequencies.

The playlists for the most recent programs. 

An email link.

Informal reception reports as well as those requesting eQSL cards, are welcome.

WRMI and Channel 292 are very generous with their airtime but Encore still costs around 130 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.

THIS FORTNIGHT'S PROGRAM  - First broadcast on FRIDAY 9th January by WRMI at 0200 UTC on 5850, and 2000 UTC on 15770 and then Channel 292 on SATURDAY 10th January at 11:00 UTC on 9670 kHz:

Starts with Diliges Dominum by William Byrd, the first movement of Beethoven's 3rd concerto 'Eroica', and a startling motet from Anton Bruckner.

After that - the 2nd movement of the 'Eroica', and the first movement of the Violin Sonata in E Minor by Mozart.

The programme finishes with the 3rd and final movement of Beethoven's 'Eroica'.

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

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

GMØTLY

From the Isle of Music's January programming

 

Happy New Year! 

January 2026 - From the Isle of Music, broadcast will be as follows: 

¡Feliz año nuevo! January's show will feature music from two of the most prominent living jazz pianists in Cuba, Alejandro Falcón and Ernán López Nussa.

Friday, January 9:

3955 kHz at 1700 UTC, repeats 2200 UTC 

https://www.facebook.com/fromtheisleofmusic/ 

https://www.facebook.com/UncleBillsMeltingPot/ 

https://www.patreon.com/tilford 

William "Bill" Tilford, Owner/Producer 

Tilford Productions, LLC 

email: bill@tilfordproductions.com 

Website: www.tilfordproductions.com 

Wavescan's focus on U.S. Coast Guard Cutter ‘Courier’

 

USCGC Courier

Thank you to Ray Robinson, Dr Adrian Peterson, and Jeff White for this week's Wavescan episode.

US Coast Guard Cutter ‘Courier’

Jeff: For 12 years during the Cold War from 1952 to 1964, the United States used a Coast Guard vessel in the Mediterranean Sea to broadcast Voice of America programming via medium wave and shortwave to Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the Middle East and North Africa in up to 16 different languages.  Those operating the ship-based station always had to contend with the forces of nature, technical challenges and deliberate jamming from the East.  Once again, our contributor, Dr. Martin van der Ven in Germany has been digging into the history of this rather unique enterprise, and here’s Ray Robinson in Los Angeles to bring us what Martin has uncovered.

Ray: Thanks, Jeff.  Yes, Martin has produced a very informative article, and I also found some great information about this project at the website theradiohistorian.org, so we’re very much indebted to both.

The Voice of America began broadcasting during World War II, and by the late 1940’s, a number of powerful VOA shortwave transmitting facilities were broadcasting from within the United States.  But in 1949, the Soviet Union began jamming those signals, creating walls of noise and interference that largely wiped out reception of the VOA in eastern bloc countries.  The signals from North America were considerably weaker than the jammers because of the long transmission distances, so to break through the jamming, the US State Department began setting up VOA relay transmission facilities that were closer to its target areas.  Beginning in the early 1950s, overseas relay stations were built or leased in Tangier, the Philippines and Okinawa.

At the same time, the VOA proposed to build a fleet of shipboard radio transmitters that could quickly and easily move to wherever they were needed to serve as temporary relay stations.  In response to the proposal, the Department of State created the program “Operation Vagabond” in April, 1951.  At first six vessels were contemplated, but in the end budget constraints imposed by Congress limited the project to just one ship.  To avoid political controversy, this ship would be unarmed and would operate under the command of the US Coast Guard, not the Navy.  It would not broadcast from International Waters on the high seas, but only from inside the territorial coastal waters of friendly countries that had granted permission.

In 1952, the State Department acquired a mothballed ship, the 340 ft. M/V Coastal Messenger.  She’d been built in Milwaukee in early 1945 as a wartime transport vessel, but the war was over before the ship could be placed into service.  After the war, she plied the coastal waters of South America, but on one voyage ran aground off the coast of Venezuela – an incident that ultimately led to her being laid up in the reserve fleet.

The Coastal Messenger was duly chosen to be converted into the first of the proposed six new VOA relay ships.  And for this mission, she was given a new name:  U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Courier.  She was equipped with two 35 kW Collins 207B shortwave transmitters and a 150 kW RCA BT-105 medium wave transmitter – the most powerful medium wave transmitter ever installed on a ship.

                            USCGC Courier – Transmitter Hold (Collins SW on left, RCA MW on right)

On the forward deck, four inverted pyramid steel lattice antennas were used for shortwave transmissions – a larger pair for lower frequencies on the port bow, and a slightly smaller pair for higher frequencies on the starboard bow.  These were omnidirectional, and all were painted red and duly guyed to the deck.  Medium wave transmissions, also omnidirectional, were to be made through a resonant steel cable held aloft by a huge helium balloon,which it also tethered.  The balloon was winched up to some 900 feet above the deck during broadcasts.  Three 500 kW three-phase generators supplied the power, any two of which could run the entire station at full load.

On February 15, 1952, the ship was officially commissioned in Hoboken, New Jersey, after which she sailed to Washington, D.C. where on March 4, 1952, she was inspected by President Harry S. Truman, and he made a short broadcast from her deck.  Then, before entering full service, the Courier undertook a six-week shakedown cruise through the Caribbean to the Panama Canal.

On April 18, 1952, the first test transmissions took place from the Canal Zone using the callsign KU2XAJ on 6110 and 9690 kHz shortwave and on 1510 kHz medium wave.  Broadcasts ran daily from 5-11pm local time, and were well received as far afield as Europe and New Zealand.  The announcements identified the test broadcasts as:  “Voice of America broadcasting via the Courier, the floating station KU2XAJ in the waters of the Panama Canal.  This transmitter is testing its electronic equipment with programmes in the Spanish language on 1510 kHz, 9690 and 6110 kHz.  VoA technicians welcome reception reports to:  Courier, Apartado 2016, Balboa, Canal Zone.”

The reason the then American territory of the Canal Zone was chosen for the test broadcasts was to covertly support a CIA operation to overthrow the then communist government of Guatemala.  Whilst outwardly it was presented as a goodwill mission, it was in reality a tactical propaganda operation, known only to a small circle of VOA personnel at the time.  The evening broadcasts in Spanish on the powerful medium wave transmitter easily reached Guatemala by sky wave, and perhaps partly as a result of the Courier’s targeted political influence campaign for a few months in 1952, there was indeed eventually a successful coup d’etat in Guatemala two years later on June 27, 1954.

A month later, she set out for the eastern Mediterranean — via Tangier, Naples and Piraeus — finally arriving in the harbor of Rhodes on August 22, 1952.  The location just 11 miles off the south coast of Turkey was both strategic and symbolic:  Greece had just joined NATO, and the presence of the American broadcast ship stood as a visible sign of Western solidarity.  On September 7, she officially began broadcasting.

Although the ship often moored in the port, when broadcasting, she usually lay at anchor about one mile offshore within territorial waters, by agreement with the Greek government.

USCGC Courier off Rhodes

The red inverted-pyramid ‘discone’ antennas at the bow were for shortwave transmission.

A Faraday cage was constructed at the stern to shield the receivers from RF interference.

The helium balloon was launched from the platform at midships.

The helium balloons used to raise the medium wave antenna were 69 feet long and 35 feet wide – similar in size to the barrage balloons that had been used over London during the Blitz.  Five of these expensive balloons were kept on board, along with 600 bottles of helium.  It took many coastguardsmen to inflate the balloons and send them aloft.  But the system proved unreliable:  strong winds often tore the balloons loose, sending them drifting — sometimes over Turkey, where private property was damaged.  Eventually, the fragile system was replaced by an inverted delta-loop antenna, which used three wires strung between the ship’s forward and aft masts.  The primary medium wave frequency from Rhodes was 1259 kHz, using the callsign NFKW.

Balloon About to Lift AM Antenna

News and current affairs programming was received via shortwave either from Tangier or direct from Washington D.C. through a bank of Collins 51-J

receivers.  News bulletins were generally relayed directly, while other programming was recorded onto transcription discs for later rebroadcast.  The turntables were actually mounted in gimbals on specially-designed gyroscopic cradles that stabilised the decks and kept them level as the ship pitched and rolled with the sea – an innovation that sadly was not copied by the offshore stations of the 1960’s – they just taped a coin on top of the stylus to keep it tracking in the grooves of a record. 

VOA music programming from the Courier was played on reel-to-reel tapes that were taken to the ship regularly.  Adjacent to the control room on board was also a small broadcast studio, which was mainly used for continuity announcements, although local broadcasts were occasionally made too.

Problems were experienced with the reception of VOA broadcasts from Washington due to RF interference from the ship’s own transmitters, and to try to counter that, a Faraday shield was constructed around the stern of the ship, but that was only partially successful.  So, in later years, a separate receiving station was built on land, on a hill overlooking the harbor, and news relays were then sent by VHF link from there to the ship in better quality than could be obtained on board.

But the airwaves were contested territory:  from the East, jammers in the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries tried to block her transmissions.  It was a constant game of cat and mouse, and small frequency changes to adjacent channels were often made during broadcasts to try to get a clear signal through.

Married crew members were permitted to bring their families to Rhodes.  A small American community soon developed on the island, complete with homes, shops and an American school.  The Courier community stimulated the local economy, created jobs — and not infrequently led to friendships or even marriages between islanders and crew members.

But in the long run, having a movable seagoing transmitter proved not to be as useful as was originally hoped, and the Courier’s signal range was hampered by the limitations of its shipboard antennas.  As the Soviets increased their jamming power, higher transmitting power and more efficient, directional antennas were needed.  Finally, in 1964, the VOA inaugurated a land-based transmitting station on the Island of Rhodes.  It was equipped with a 500 kW medium wave transmitter and two 50 kW shortwave units.  A second relay station at Kavala in northeastern Greece, just south of the Bulgarian border, was commissioned in 1972.

YouTube link to VOA Rhodes  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPaGfkzeXlU

After twelve years of service, the Courier prepared to return to the United States in 1964.  Final maintenance work was carried out at a shipyard near Piraeus — and even there, while in dry dock, she remained “on the air”, earthed via a massive cable to the quay.  On May 17, 1964, the final broadcast went out over the airwaves.  The technical equipment was then offloaded and handed over to the Greek government, and the ship began her voyage home — via Naples, Barcelona and the Azores.  On August 13, 1964, the Courier reached the American east coast.  Two years later in 1966, she was recommissioned as a training vessel for the Coast Guard, a role she filled until 1972 when she was finally decommissioned.  In 1975 the vessel was scrapped, ending a colorful career as one of the world’s most unique broadcast facilities.

What remained was her legacy:  a ship that fought not with weapons, but with words — and whose aerials for many years stood as symbols of a free and uncensored world.

Back to you, Jeff.

Jeff: Thanks, Ray.  And again, we thank Dr. Martin van der Ven in Germany for much of the input to that item.  Next week, Ray will begin a short two-part series on the history of the BBC transmitting station at Daventry in England.

Jan.4th broadcast audio from Jen's Eclectic Views & Real Deal now available

 

Jen's Eclectic Views & Real Deal For Jan 4th, and heard on Unique Radio Australia, is up and ready for downloading & listening

Yes, folks, the Gremlins hit us. hi

Here's the new link.

https://tinyurl.com/7hunmujc

This is today's cast.

Jen's Eclectic Views & Real Deal For January 4, 2026

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/rsvlcxksc0tg4tr4yfueu/Jen-s-Eclectic-Views-Real-Deal-For-Sunday-Jan.-4th-19-22-heard-on-Unique-R-Australia.mp3?rlkey=tmgkyjq4rxd56ke3rk9bz824r&dl=0

Or Tiny URL link: 

https://tinyurl.com/ycds979a 

New for 2026 program links will be available for 60 days after broadcast.

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins, January 5, 2026

 Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts

:Issued: 2026 Jan 05 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 29 December - 04 January 2026

Solar activity ranged from low to high levels. High levels were observed on 31 Dec following an M7.1/1N flare at 31/1351 UTC from Region 4324 (N25, L=288, class/area=Dao/230 on 29 Dec). Associated with the event was Type IV and Type II radio sweeps, a Tenflare, and a CME signature to the NE in subsequent coronagraph imagery.

Modeling of the CME event suggested passage by Earth late on 03 Jan. Moderate levels were observed on 01 Jan following an M1/Sf flare at 29/0651 from Region 4325 (S08, L=296, class/area=Eki/330 on 01 Jan). The other 21 numbered active regions across the visible disk this week were either quiet or only produced C-class activity. A Type II radio sweep was reported on 02 Jan but was associated with a CME that erupted from beyond the W limb. 

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reached high levels over the past seven days. 

Geomagnetic field activity was mostly at quiet to unsettled levels on day, but 02 Jan. G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels were observed on late on 02 Jan, following the arrival of the last of a set of weak CMEs that left the Sun over 28-31 Dec. Total magnetic

field strength reached a peak of 09 nT as the CME passed. Bz reached as far south as -8 nT. Solar wind speeds peaked between ~600-700 km/s. While influence from a negative polarity coronal hole was observed beginning on 31 Dec, no significant geomagnetic activity was observed from the feature over the following days. 

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 05 January - 31 January 2026

Solar activity is likely to remain at low levels, with a chance for moderate (R1-Minor) conditions and a slight chance for high (R2/R3-Moderate-Strong) over the next solar rotation due to multiple regions on the visible disk as well as regions 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 on 05 Jan and 15 Jan - 13 Jan due to the anticipated influence of multiple, recurrent coronal holes. The remainder of the outlook period is likely to at normal to moderate levels. 

Geomagnetic field activity is likely to reach G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels on 13-14 Jan, 17-20 Jan, and 29 Jan; active levels are likely on 05 Jan and 28 Jan; unsettled levels are likely on 09-10 Jan, 12 Jan, 21-22 Jan, 27 Jan, and 30-31 Jan. All enhancements in geomagnetic activity are due to the anticipated influence of

multiple, recurrent, coronal holes. The remainder of the outlook period is expected to be mostly quiet. 

Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt

:Issued: 2026 Jan 05 0224 UTC

# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center

# Product description and SWPC  web contact www.pc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services

#

#      27-day Space Weather Outlook Table

#                Issued 2026-01-05

#

#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest

#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index

2026 Jan 05     155          10          3

2026 Jan 06     150           5          2

2026 Jan 07     145           5          2

2026 Jan 08     140           5          2

2026 Jan 09     135           8          3

2026 Jan 10     135           8          3

2026 Jan 11     130           5          2

2026 Jan 12     135          10          3

2026 Jan 13     135          15          5

2026 Jan 14     140          15          5

2026 Jan 15     145           5          2

2026 Jan 16     145           5          2

2026 Jan 17     145          20          5

2026 Jan 18     140          20          5

2026 Jan 19     145          18          5

2026 Jan 20     150          18          5

2026 Jan 21     155           8          3

2026 Jan 22     160           8          3

2026 Jan 23     165           6          2

2026 Jan 24     170           6          2

2026 Jan 25     175           6          2

2026 Jan 26     175           6          2

2026 Jan 27     170           8          3

2026 Jan 28     165          12          4

2026 Jan 29     160          20          5

2026 Jan 30     155          10          3

2026 Jan 31     160           8          3

(NOAA)

Jen's Eclectic Views & Real Deal programming on January 4

 

The Live Stream for Jen's Eclectic Views & Real Deal. will broadcast on Sunday, January 4, 2026.

Programming will be 19:00 - 22:00 UTC

http://uk4-vn.mixstream.net:8104/index.html

For your contact pleasure

Jenur@proton.me

The audio for Jen & GB's Nnew Year's Eve cast for Dec 31, and heard on Unique Radio Australia is up and ready for your listening and downloading.  

 NYE Cast Link.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/5nyvh4jncroo4wkaocvbs/Jen-GB-s-NYE-cast-For-Wed.-Dec-31-22-to-10UT-heard-on-Unique-R-Austrialia.mp3? rlkey=87vv6k6vspsvbq1d5sqzzs142&dl=0

Happy & Healthy New Year to All.

Jen & GB