St.Helena Radio St.Helena 1548 kHz QSL & Audio

The QSL letter received in 1985 from Station Manager Tony Leo was detailed and informative. Click onto the image for a high resolution.

Jamestown, St. Helena (Photograph Lin Thorsen).

Another memorable highlight from the South Atlantic was the reception of Radio St. Helena on 1548 kHz. The station was heard at the coastal resort of Sandbaai on the 15th May 1985. The 500 watt signal made it through over a distance of 3 220 km / 2 000 miles via the FRG7 and modest 30 metre longwire antenna.

Station manager Tony Leo kindly verified my reception report with a friendly and detailed QSL letter. Tony was impressed with the accuracy of the report and included a two page copy of the local news items which he announced over the air. He added a generous comment at the end of the letter :

" ... We have received several reception reports in the past. However, may I say that your report really outshines any other report we've received ... "

A reflection of being fortunate to listen from a great, quiet coastal location with the benefit of the "sea gain" effect and the superb reception conditions experienced at the time !

Another view of Jamestown showing Jacobs Ladder - a steep climb of 699 steps ! (Photograph Lin Thorsen).

A copy of the actual page from which local news items were announced over the air on Radio St. Helena on Wednesday 15th May 1985. Click onto the image for a high resolution.

Page two of the local news items announced over the air on Radio St. Helena. You'll hear the actual announcement at the beginning of the second Radio St. Helena audio clip.

AUDIO CLIPS

AUDIO CLIP ONE



Station sign-on with a trumpet callsign and part of "Life On The Ocean Wave" followed by the BBC news signature tune. Recorded at 1959 hrs UTC on the 7th June 1985.

AUDIO CLIP TWO



Local news items read by Tony Leo, followed by "Radio Bingo" and "Evening Shuttle". Recorded at 2015 hrs UTC on the 15th May 1985.

Both edited recordings were made during reception at Sandbaai via the FRG7 and 30 metre longwire antenna.

SANDBAAI

Google Earth Image showing the location of Sandbaai (78 km south east of Fish Hoek) and the arrival bearing from Radio St. Helena.

Looking south from the dx location at Sandbaai, situated approximately 100 metres from the coast. Apart from Radio St. Helena, many other distant mediumwave stations were received here for the first time during the 1980's.