PHILIPPINES VOA Poro Relay 1143 kHz QSL

The VOA Philippines relay on 1143 kHz used to get through to Sandbaai with a strong signal at times and served as an indicator for reception conditions from the Far East.

The QSL card above was received in response to my reception report from a broadcast on the 7th June 1985.

AUDIO CLIP * Available on the right hand side of the web page

A strong signal from the VOA Philippines on 1143 kHz was recorded via the FRG-7 and 100 metre beverage antenna during an early evening dx session on the 2nd August 2004 at Cape Hangklip.

Hangklip (Hanging Rock) is situated at the eastern edge of False Bay.

GUYANA GBC Georgetown 560 kHz QSL

It was a pleasant surprise to receive GBC Guyana on 560 kHz for the first time (A South African First) on the 26th January 1985 via the FRG-7 and 30 metre longwire antenna at the coastal resort of Sandbaai.

I was fortunate to receive a QSL form letter, signed by Phyllis Hyles on behalf of Chief Engineer Ron Case, in response to my reception report.

Kaieteur Falls - a high-volume waterfall on the Potaro River in central Guyana - about five times higher than Niagara Falls and approximately twice the height of the Victoria Falls in Africa (Photograph Wikimedia Commons).

WBBM Chicago IL 780 kHz QSL and Photographs

WBBM Chicago, Illinois on 780 kHz was heard in Pinelands, South Africa (over a distance of 8 514 miles / 13 702 km) on the 25th January 1985 at 0326 hours with CBS news via the FRG-7 receiver and 20 metre longwire antenna.

I was fortunate to receive a QSL card (pictured above) in response to my reception report to the station.

The WBBM transmitter building (photograph Bart Shore). 

An impressive aerial view of the WBBM main tower on the right, the self supporting auxilairy tower and the transmitter building on the left (photograph Bart Shore). A higher resolution is available by clicking onto any of the relevant images above.

Thanks and appreciation to Bart Shore at WBBM for his kind permission to share the interesting photographs!

40 YEARS AS AN ALL NEWS STATION

To celebrate 40 years of covering the news, WBBM 780 has created an interesting website featuring photo and video galleries showing the station's history. Audio archives have been included and showcase how the news was covered for each of the last four decades.

ITALY RAI Milan 900 kHz QSL 2

ITALY RAI Milan 900 kHz QSL

NEW ZEALAND Radio New Zealand QSL

Prior to 1990, Radio New Zealand broadcast from Titahi Bay with two 7.5 kW transmitters which had been left behind by the US military after the Second World War.

Although intended for the Pacific and Australia, the station was heard in South Africa on occasions. Radio New Zealand made it through to the coastal location of Sandbaai on the 15th Jaunuary 1985. The station was received with a fair consistant signal on 15485 kHz at 0425 hours UTC via the FRG-7 and 30 metre longwire antenna. I was fortunate to receive the above QSL card in response to my reception report.

HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPHS

A gallery of interesting historical photographs from a bygone era is available on the Radio New Zealand website.

NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS KYOI Saipan QSL

The Pacific remains a fascinating target area for the South African dxer. Apart from Australia and New Zealand, memorable and sensational shortwave catches such as the Solomon Islands, New Caledonia and Vanuatu have been reported in South Africa by a few experienced dxers.

In 1985 I experienced regular reception from KFBS and KYOI from Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands.

I was fortunate to obtain a QSL from KYOI in response to my reception report from a broadcast on the 11th January 1985.

KYOI - A BRIEF HISTORY

KYOI was a commercial shortwave station that began transmitting from the Pacific island of Saipan on the 17th December 1982. Initial frequencies were 11900, 15190, 15405, and 9670 kHz.

Broadcasting "contemporary hits" rock music with the slogan 'Super Rock', KYOI was not only an instant hit in the intended target area of Japan but also unexpectedly with listeners worldwide. It was one of the few places on the shorwave dial where one could listen to a contemporary rock music format with virtually no interruption.

In December 1986 the Christian Science Monitor purchased KYOI. The format of KYOI was changed in 1987 after which the broadcasting of music programs ended in 1989 with the changing of the station callsign to KHBI.

THE KYOI STORY

Avialable at the Raio Heritage website, The KYOI Story is an interesting account of the history of the station.

IRELAND RTE Radio 1 Tullamore 567 kHz QSL

RTE Tullamore on 567 kHz was received for the first time at 2340 hours UTC on the 8th December 1984 via the FRG-7 and 20 metre longwire antenna at Pinelands.

I received a picturesque QSL card showing a 9th century round tower overlooking Ardmore Bay in response to my reception report.

The station made it through on a few rare occasions prior to 14th October 1997 when 567 Cape Talk (our local Cape Town radio station) began broadcasting on 567 kHz.

RTE1 MEDIUMWAVE CLOSEDOWN

RTE Tullamore closed down on the 24th March 2008. Dxer Paul Logan posted a nostalgic You Tube video clip of the final announcement before station closedown.

KRLD Dallas TX 1080 kHz QSL

KRLD Dallas TX on 1080 kHz was received for the first time at 0517 hours UTC on the 26th August 1984 via the FRG-7 and 20 metre longwire antenna at Pinelands.

Chief Engineer Roy Jenkins kindly responded to my reception report with a QSL card and a cool looking vintage KRLD 1080 Cowboys metallic sticker.

ANTIGUA ZDK St.Johns 1100 kHz QSL

Antigua shoreline (Photograph Wikimedia Commons).


The bussiness card and friendly thank you note received from ZDK accountant/sales representative James Beckles.

It was a pleasant surprise to receive ZDK St. Johns Antigua on 1100 kHz for the first time (A South African First) on the 18th August 1984 via the FRG-7 and 20 metre longwire antenna at Pinelands.

ZDK accountant/sales representative James Beckles verified the reception with a kind thank you card in response to my reception report to the station.

LUXEMBOURG Radio Luxembourg 1440 kHz QSL

Radio Luxembourg was heard regularly on 1440 kHz via the FRG-7 and 20 metre longwire antenna at Pinelands during the 1980's.

I was fortunate to receive a QSL card in response to my reception report from a broadcast on the 16th August 1984.

TRANSKEI Capital Radio 585 kHz QSL

Capital Radio 604 used to broadcast to listeners in South Africa from transmitters located in the Transkei.

The station actually operated on 603 kHz (and 585 kHz) medium wave, but promoted a frequency to which the jingles would rhyme.

Capital Radio 604 began transmitting on 26 December 1979 and was shut down in 1996.The station was an almost carbon copy of Capital Radio 194 (1548 kHz) in London. The Capital 194 logo was slightly modified by changing the bird to a seagull and obviously changing the number to 604.

An interesting archive web site http://www.capital604.com/ contains photographs, video, jingles and recent interviews with ex-604 personal.

PUERTO RICO WOSO San Juan 1030 kHz QSL

It was a pleasant surprise to hear WOSO San Juan, Puerto Rico on 1030 kHz for the first time at Pinelands on the 23rd June 1984 via the FRG-7 and 20 metre longwire antenna.

I was fortunate to receive a friendly verification letter from Station Manager Sergio Fernandez in response to my reception report.

Old San Juan (Photograph Kailuo Wang via Wikipedia).

ANTIGUA VOA Relay 1580 kHz QSL

MONACO TWR Monte Carlo 1467 kHz QSL

DOMINICA ZGBC 1060 kHz QSL

It was a pleasant surprise to hear the Gospel Broadcasting Corporation from Dominica on 1060 kHz for the first time on the 14th May 1984. The station made it through to Pinelands via the FRG7 and 20 metre longwire antenna.

I received an informative programme guide from Engineering Technician Roosevelt LeBlanc after a follow-up reception report to the station.

OMAN BBC Relay 1413 kHz QSL

Another regular visitor is the BBC relay from Oman on 1413 kHz.

I received a QSL card from the BBC (with no details) in response to my reception report from the 8th May 1984. The station was heard via the FRG7 and 20 metre longwire antenna at Pinelands.

BOTSWANA VOA Relay 621 kHz QSL

The Voice of America relay from Botswana on 621 kHz was regularly heard at Pinelands with a Yaseu Musen FRG-7 receiver and 20 metre longwire antenna.

I received a QSL card in response to my reception report from the 24th April 1984.

YAESU MUSEN FRG-7 RECEIVER

After a three year break from dxing, I returned to the hobby in 1984 with a newly aquired Yaesu Musen FRG-7 receiver. The FRG-7 proved to be a remarkable performer with a quiet noise floor and good sensitivity. I guess it's no surprise that this set has become a classic receiver.

The front of an original FRG-7 brochure, obtained when I purchased the receiver.