CRI Sneaks Programming Into US Midwave Radio

From Reuters:

Beijing’s covert radio network airs China-friendly news across 
Washington, and the world

By Koh Gui Qing and John Shiffman

Filed Nov. 2, 2015, 1:40 p.m. GMT

Part 3: The Chinese government controls much of the content broadcast 
on a station that is blanketing the U.S. capital with pro-Beijing progra-
mming. WCRW is part of an expanding global web of 33 stations in which 
China’s involvement is obscured.


BEIJING/WASHINGTON – In August, foreign ministers from 10 nations
blasted China for building artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea.
As media around the world covered the diplomatic clash, a radio station that
serves the most powerful city in America had a distinctive take on the news.

Located outside Washington, D.C., WCRW radio made no mention of China’s
provocative island project...[CONTINUE READING]

Postcards From Around The World: What Is A QSL Card?

A QSL card is what a radio station (or amateur radio operator) will
send a listener as confirmation of a reception report. For example,
if I hear ham radio operator KP4X3 on my receiver, I'll send him or
her a letter or e-mail letting that operator know that I heard their
transmission. Normally, you would specify what date and time you
heard them and on what frequency. It is also common to state what
equipment you were using when you heard the transmission. Sending
this information to the radio operator helps the operator know how
far his or her signal is travelling, how well it can be heard and
whether any tweaks or alterations need to be made to the equipment.

In turn, the radio operator will send a "QSL card", which is often
a postcard, to the listener. This card serves to confirm that what
the listener heard was indeed correct, and that the information
submitted by the listener matches details of the transmission. 'QSL'
is radio code for "do you confirm receipt of my transmission?" or
"I confirm receipt"...[CONTINUE READING]

Voice of Vietnam QSL

On April 24th, 2015, I received the Voice of Vietnam in English in Fort Worth, Texas.
I heard them on 12005 khz, transmitted from Wooferton, UK (per ShortwaveSchedule.
Com) from 02:35 to 02:50 UTC. The following morning, I e-mailed a reception report to 
vovworld@vov.org.vn. Close to two months later, about four days ago, I received a QSL 
card in the mail acknowledging my reception. The front and back are shown below:

Cuban Spy Numbers Station (HM01) On 11635 khz

While doing some shortwave listening on my back porch in Fort Worth,
TX recently (5/10/15), I came upon the well-known HM01 spy numbers
station from Cuba. This time I caught it on 11635 khz, at exactly 1800 UTC.
Signal quality was very good, but you can hear from yourself in the video
below. I listened on a Tecsun PL-380 with a 25-ft wire antenna, with cloudy/
rainy conditions.

Shortwave Logs From Fort Worth, TX for April 2015

Country in brackets is the transmitter site and not  necessarily the 
country of origin, unless specified.  If two countries are in brackets, 
first one is transmitter site. After that, the date, time and frequency
in kHz is listed. All times in UTC and all stations heard on TECSUN 
PL-380 portable in Fort Worth, Texas, USA, with 25 foot reel wire 
antenna, on a first floor, unless otherwise noted.

[SPAIN] 04/19/15, 2028, 17855 khz -- Radio Nacional de Espana
in Spanish. Male announcers call futbol game, teams unknown.
SINPO 33343; first time receiving REE on this frequency since
they "came back".

[USA] 04/19/15, 2030, 17790 -- Male announcer (I believe he said
his name was "Tim Taylor") preaches and prays in English. SINPO
45455, very good signal. Almost certainly RMI from Okechobee,
FL.

[CUBA] 04/19/15, 2031, 17730 -- Radio Habana Cuba in Arabic,
male(?) announcer reading presumably news. Thought at first it
might not be Arabic, as it sounded kind of off compared to what my
ear expected, but it is Arabic per Aoki schedule. SINPO 44344.

[USA] 04/19/15, 2034, 15000 -- WWV time station from Fort
Collins, Colorado. The usual, reception about average. SINPO
33233.

[EGYPT] 04/22/15, 0317, 9965 -- Radio Cairo in Arabic, coming in
very decently all the way from North Africa, for once! Middle-Eastern
sounding music with male vocal (?). Clapping heard at end of song,
which was immediately followed by tune from what seemed like diffe-
rent artist at 0320. SINPO 34333.

[BRAZIL] 04/23/15, 0308, 11780 -- Radio Nacional da Amazonia,
in Portuguese. Acoustic guitar music with male vocal. Really good
signal tonight even for this station, at times it almost sounded like it
could've been local AM radio. SINPO 44454, but sometimes as good
as 45545.

[UK/VIETNAM] 04/24/15, 0235, 12005 -- Voice of Vietnam in
English, transmitted from Woofferton, UK. News headlines by alter-
nating male and female announcers. Heavy accents left me unable to
understand much of what was being said, but picked up mentions of
a Cuba/EU meeting and the Iran nuclear negotiations. SINPO 43344.