4HI Emerald QLD 1143 kHz QSL

It was a pleasant surprise to hear and identify 4HI Emerald, Queensland on 1143 kHz during the excellent reception conditions on the 24th March 2006 via the FRG7 and 160 metre BOG at Fish Hoek. 

The 5 kw signal made it through over a distance of 7 278 miles / 11 712 km. 

Trent Towson kindly verified my reception report via email.

Google street view of the 4HI studio building situated in Emerald, Queensland.

4TAB Brisbane QLD 1008 kHz QSL

Another station from Queensland, 4TAB Brisbane on 1008 kHz made it through during the excellent reception conditions on the 24th March 2006 via the FRG7 and 160 metre BOG at Fish Hoek. The station was heard through the dominant co-channel Radio Maputo, Mozambique.

Chief Enginner Van Richards-Smith kindly verified my reception report via email.

Google Earth Image showing the 4TAB antenna tower situated at North Point, St. Helena Island, 21 km east of Brisbane. 

4LG Longreach QLD 1098 kHz QSL

It was a pleasant surprise to hear and identify 4LG Longreach, Queensland on 1098 kHz on the 24th March 2006 via the FRG7 and 160 metre BOG at Fish Hoek. 

The 2 kw signal made it through over a distance of 7 115 miles / 11 450 km. Co-channel 6MD Merredin WA is the usual dominant station heard on 1098 kHz during good reception conditions from Australia.

Station Manager Matt Stephens kindly verified my reception report via email.

The 4LG transmitter site, showing the transmitter building and part of the 128 metre antenna mast.

4TI Thursday Island QLD 1062 kHz QSL

The most distant Australian MW radio station transmitter from Fish Hoek, South Africa is 4TI Thursday Island, Queensland on 1062 kHz (a distance of 7 640 miles / 12 296 kilometres). 

The 2 kw signal made it through to Fish Hoek on the 21st March 2006 at 1918 UTC with a dramatic on-location report of cyclone damage in Innisfail. Station identification was heard at 1929 UTC as "ABC Far North" (heard via the FRG7 and 160 metre BOG).

Communications Officer, ABC Transmission Public Relations, Jo Lindsay kindly responded to my reception report with a detailed email verification.

Thursday Island township - the most northerly town in Australia (photograph Wikimedia Commons).

4ZR Roma QLD 1476 kHz QSL

It was a pleasant surprise to hear and identify 4ZR Roma, Queensland on 1476 kHz on the 6th March 2006 via the FRG7 and 160 metre BOG at Fish Hoek. The 2 kw signal made it through over a distance of 7 146 miles / 11 500 km. 

I received a brief e-mail verification from Programme Director Trent Towsen. General Manager Kerri Collins also kindly responded with a friendly email reply.

Roma, Queensland - an aerial view. The station's 52 metre antenna mast is situated just beyond the eastern outskirts of the town (photograph Wikimedia Commons).

6GS Wagin WA 1611 kHz QSL

The 400 watt signal from 6GS Radio Great Southern , Wagin WA on 1611 kHz made it through to Millers Point during August 2004.

Operations Manager Norm Chilcott kindly verified my reception report with a brief email reply.

The 6GS studio building, situated in Tavistock Street, Wagin, Western Australia.  

Vision FM Kalgoorlie WA 1431 kHz QSL

Vision FM Kalgoorlie on 1431 kHz was heard for the first time on the 12th August 2004 via the FRG7 and 80 metre antenna (directed towards Australia) at Millers Point.

Broadcast Operations Manager Phil Edwards kindly responded with an email verification to a follow-up of my reception report and added : 

" ... We are pleased to confirm that you indeed heard Australia's Vision Radio Network (then called 'Vision FM') on 1431  kHz, emanating from a 500 watt transmitter in Kalgoorlie, WA.

I recollect receiving and replied to a reception report from South Africa over a year ago - perhaps it was yours and the reply went astray in the mail. At the time I was surprised that the signal got that far, highlighted by the clarity of your audio grab. "

Located off the Goldfields Highway on the south-east edge of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, the Super Pit Goldmine is Australia's largest open-cut gold mine (Photograph Wikimedia Commons).

SRI LANKA DW Trincomalee 1548 kHz QSL

The Deutsche Welle relay station from Trincomalee, Sri Lanka made it through on 1548 kHz on the 5th July 2005 at Umdloti beach in Kwazulu Natal.

I directed a 80m antenna across the beach towards the Far East - a few metres from the shore break. The strength and quality of mediumwave stations received from the Indian Ocean Islands and East Asia was remarkable.

I received the above QSL card in response to my dx report.

In 2013, Deutsche Welle handed over the shortwave and mediumwave relay station in Trincomalee to the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation.

The bay of Trincomalee, Sri Lanka (Photograph Wikimedia Commons).

  

TAIWAN RTI Kouhu 1098 kHz QSL

Radio Taiwan International (RTI) Kouhu was heard on 1098 kHz on the 7th December 2005 via the FRG7 and ALA 1530 loop antenna at Fish Hoek.

I was fortunate to receive a QSL card (with incorrect frequency) in response to my reception report.

Google street view showing the RTI antenna masts, situated at Kouhu, Taiwan.

CANADA CKLW Windsor ON 800 kHz QSL

CKLW made it through over a distance of 13 337 km (8 288 miles) on 800 kHz on the 24th December 2006 via the FRG7 and ALA 1530 loop antenna at Fish Hoek.

Pleased about the rare appearance of this station which had to compete with regular co-channel stations Radio MEC Rio de Janerio, Brazil and TWR Bonaire.

Programming Assistant Tania D'Angela kindly responded to my reception report with an email verification. 

  The ALA 1530 loop antenna, used to receive CKLW while suspended from a cupboard door at home at Fish Hoek.

MEXICO XEPE Tijuana 1700 kHz QSL

It was a pleasant surprise to hear XEPE on 1700 kHz over a distance of 15 858 km (9 854 miles) on the 13th September 2006 via the FRG7 and a beverage antenna during a dxpedition to Seefontein. 

Chief Engineer Bill Lipis kindly verified my reception report with an email reply : 

" GREAT DX REPORT !!! This is to confirm your reception of XEPE 1700 on 12 Sept 2006. XEPE was operating with 10 kw Non-DA at the time. The XEPE transmitter with two towers is located near the Tijuana airport.  Thanks again for the report, 
Bill - XEPE-1700 - Cash 1700 ".

Google Earth Image showing the two XEPE antenna towers in the foreground, situated in Tijuana, Mexico.

KKLF Richardson TX 1700 QSL

KKLF was heard on 1700 kHz for the first time on the 23rd Septermber 2006 at Fish Hoek via the FRG7 and ALA 1530 loop antenna. 

Hue Beavers kindly verified my reception report via email including an e-QSL certificate (1700 KKLF used to simulcast 570 KLIF) and added :

" ... That was a good catch. Also the first reception report from South Africa (they usually are from Europe or Australia/NewZealand) ... "

Hue mentioned that he had also been a dxer for about 30 years and would do a bit of medium wave dxing during winter months. 

WKAT Miami FL 1360 kHz QSL

It was a pleasant surprise to hear the 1 kw night time signal from WKAT over a distance of 12 309 km (7 648 miles) for the first time on 1360 khz back in January 2006 via the FRG7 and ALA 1530 loop antenna at Noordhoek.

The station made it through with fair peaks around local sunrise (approximately 0350 UTC) and included highlights from the Dennis Prager show, also SRI news at 0353 and id as "News-Talk WKAT" at 0359 UTC.

I was fortunate to receive a friendly, brief verification letter and station sticker in response to my reception report.

Google Earth Image of the WKAT antenna tower situated on Virginia Key, Florida.  

WCBM Baltimore MD 680 kHz QSL

WCBM was heard on 680 kHz on the 20th February 2006 at Fish Hoek via the FRG7 and ALA 1530 loop antenna. 

Promotions Director Eddie Appelfeld kindly verified my reception report via email and mailed an "Oldies Radio 1370 AM" T-shirt from WCBM's sister station (presently WQLL).

Google Earth Image of the WCBM antenna towers. 

WPEN Philadelphia PA 950 kHz QSL

WPEN made it through on 950 kHz on the 11th January 2006 via the FRG7 and ALA 1530 loop antenna at Noordhoek (a personal first).

Chief Engineer Larry Paulausky kindly responded to my reception report with an informative email verification and added that WPEN had begun operating from a new transmitter site in East Norrington, Pennsylvania using a four-tower directional antenna array with maximum efffective power in the direction of 120 degrees True North (favourable for reception in this part of the world - GD).

Google Earth view of the WKDN ( ex WPEN) antenna towers situated in East Norrington, Pennsylvania. 

A detailed dx report (with photographs) including additional North American stations received at Fish Hoek and Noordhoek via the FRG7 and ALA 1530 loop antenna during December 2005 and January 2006 is available here at the dxing.info website. 

KWHN Fort Smith AR 1650 kHz QSL

KWHN was heard on 1650 kHz in January 2005 via the FRG7 and ALA1530 loop antenna at Fish Hoek.

VP Market Manager Paul Swint kindly verified my reception report with a brief email reply and added that this was the first report received from South Africa.

On the 24th March, 2008, heavy flood damage occurred at the transmitter site. The station filed a 'Notification of Operations/Request for Silent STA' with the FCC :

"Due to heavy spring rains, localized flooding of a nearby waterway placed the transmitter site, and the transmitter itself under several feet of water. Access to the site to determine damage has only recently been allowed, and a casual inspection has revealed tremendous amounts of damage. In order to be allowed time to decide how to best proceed with this facility, the licensee requests Special Temporary Authority to remain silent for up to 1 year."

WNIS Norfolk VA 790 kHz QSL

WNIS Norfolk Virginia was heard on 790 kHz on the 9th January 2006 at Noordhoek via the FRG7 and ALA 1530 loop antenna.

Director of Engineering and AM Operations, David A. Morgan kindly responded to my email report with another friendly and informative email verification.

WTAR Norfolk VA 850 kHz QSL

WTAR was heard on 850 kHz on the 27th December 2005 via the FRG7 and ALA1530 loop antenna at Fish Hoek.

Director of Engineering and AM Operations, David A. Morgan kindly responded to my email report with a friendly and informative email verification and included a photograph of the 50 kw main and 5 kw auxiliary transmitters. 

Google Earth image showing the six 85 metre tall towers,  situated near Rushmere, Virginia.

6BAY Geraldton WA 1512khz QSL

6BAY on 1512 khz has been a regular visitor during good propagation conditions from Australia. The station made it through to Millers Point with good peaks on the 20th September 2005. It was the first Australian mediumwave station to fade in at 1510 UTC that day.

Station Manager Jason McCarthy kindly responded to my reception report with a verification letter and station stickers and added : 

" ... The signal you received is our 1512AM, which is a broadcast of 98FM, which is provided for remote areas of our state ..."  

Google street view of the 6BAY 49 metre antenna mast,  situated at Morawa, Western Australia.

WLIB New York NY 1190 kHz QSL

WLIB New York NY is a regular visitor on 1190 kHz during good propagation conditions from the USA. The station made it through to Fish Hoek via the FRG7 in December 2005. 

Amy Winslow kindly verified my email reception report. Programming Assistant Michael Shapira also kindly responded with a verification letter and included an Air America badge, key ring and fridge magnet.

Air America programming left WLIB after the 31st August 2006. The following day, the network moved to WWRL.

China CRI 1323 kHz QSL

CRI on 1323 kHz made it through to Millers Point on the 9th August 2004 via the FRG7 and an 80 metre longwire antenna. 

Ying Lian from the English Service kindly verified my reception report with a friendly postcard and included a QSL card, an additional postcard and a booklet.

CRI on 1323 kHz has been heard here quite regularly with good signal peaks.

5TAB Adelaide SA 1539 kHz QSL

5TAB Adelaide SA was heard on 1539 kHz at Millers Point via the FRG7 during September 2004.

Chief Engineer Van Richards-Smith kindly verified my reception report (the first from Africa). The station has been heard here with fair peaks on a few occasions since.

Google earth view of the 5TAB antenna masts situated in the Adelaide suburb of Paralowie.

6WB Katanning WA 1071 kHz QSL

6WB Katanning WA, another 2kw Radio West station, was heard in Fish Hoek via the FRG7 in October 2004. 

Account Executive Arthur Todd kindly verified my reception report with an informative email reply and added : 

 " ... I can confirm all the information you listed in your letter and I'm sure Alan McFarland, the owner of Katanning Furnishings, will be stoked to hear his message was heard so far away. 

Talking to our technical staff in Bunbury (our coastal headquarters) they tell me that generally people like yourself can, given the right conditions, pick up signals from coastal radio stations but it is rarer for inland stations like ours to be heard over those distances ... "

It was a surprise to hear 6WB for the first time during remarkable reception conditions back on the 25th June 1986 (heard fading in at 1420 UTC with a consistent signal that day) at the coastal town of Sandbaai. The station has been heard on numerous occasions since.   

Google Street View showing the 6WB 70 metre antenna mast.