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.

6TZ Busselton WA 756 kHz QSL

The 2kw signal from 6TZ Busselton WA was heard in Fish Hoek via the FRG7 in October 2004.

Network Program Director Mat Cummins kindly verified my reception report with an informative email reply.

The 1 842 metre Busselton Jetty is regarded as the longest wooden structure in the southern hemisphere (photographs : Wikimedia Commons).

5PA Naracoorte SA 1161 kHz QSL Letter

5PA Naracoorte SA made it through on 1161 kHz kHz via the FRG7 and a 80 metre longwire antenna at Millers Point on the 8th July 2004. 

Regional Program Manager Alan Richardson kindly verified my reception report with a letter and included a few ABC South East stickers (pictured above).

Millers Point - the dx location,  looking towards the mountainside. 

A detailed report with photographs from a few mini dxpeditions to Millers Point in July/August 2004 is available here at the dxing.info website. 

5RN Adelaide SA 729 kHz QSL letter

5RN Adelaide on 729 kHz has made it through to Fish Hoek on numerous occasions. Communications Officer Katreena Doherty kindly verified my reception report with a letter back in July 2004.

Graham from the ABC also verified my reception report regarding an unusual barefoot appearance of 729 5RN Adelaide (including 891 5AN Adelaide) on the 22nd September 2010 via the Sony SRF-M37V with its internal 5cm ferrite loopstick antenna. 

Netherlands Antilles TWR Bonaire 800 kHz QSL

TWR Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles was heard on 800 kHz on the 28th July 2005 via the FRG7 and a beverage antenna during a dxpedition to Seefontein. The station has been heard regularly over the years at various coastal locations with good signal peaks.

Program Host Maggie Fuller kindly replied to my reception report with a friendly letter and included a station sticker with a QSL card.

WSB Atlanta GA 750 kHz QSL

WSB Atlanta GA made it through on 750 kHz kHz via the FRG7 and a beverage antenna during a dxpedition to Seefontein on the 25th July 2005.

Charles Youngs from WSB Radio Operations verified my reception report with a letter and kindly included a cool station t-shirt.

Google Street View of the WSB Television and Radio Studio Building.

NETHERLANDS Radio London International Trintelhaven 1395 kHz QSL

Radio London International was heard for the first time (A South African First) on 1395 kHz via the FRG7 and a beverage antenna during a dxpedition to Seefontein on the 27th July 2005. 

I received a verification letter including a cool postcard QSL of the M.V. Yeoman Rose (issued for the first broadcast during the summer of 1997) in response to my reception report.

The Radio London International antenna mast at Trintelhaven (photograph Wikimedia Commons). 

U.K. Sunrise Radio London 1458 kHz QSL

Sunrise Radio London was heard on 1458 kHz via the FRG7 during June 2004. Chairman PA Rekha Kaul kindly acknowledged my reception report with a brief letter and car sticker (pictured above).

Time out at Vaalkloof in the Karoo with Sandy - alongside fellow dxer Vince Stevens' classic Land Rover. Sunrise Radio was also heard during the 2003 dxpedition to Vaalkloof.

WTNI Biloxi MS 1640 kHz QSL

WTNI Biloxi MS was heard for the first time on 1640 kHz via the FRG7 and a 50 metre longwire antenna during a brief dxpedition to Swartriet on the west coast in November 2003.

April Williams from the parent Mississippi Media Broadcasting Company kindly verified my reception report with an informative letter.

Google Earth image showing the close proximity of the Swartriet holiday cottages to the coast. The cottages are situated just north of Saldanha Bay on the west coast of South Africa.