Chinaradioswl

jeudi 27 août 2026

Winter SSB SWL CONTEST 2027 FULL RULES

In 2027, there will be a winter SWL contest and a summer contest (covering the 10-meter to 30-meter bands); it will also be possible to listen for Islands on the Air (IOTA) stations during the summer contest.

Each contest will last three months: the winter contest runs from January to March 2027, and the summer contest from July to September 2027.

The objective is to listen for the highest number of DXCC entities on the 40-meter to 160-meter amateur radio bands during the winter contest. If you have already logged France on the 40-meter band, there is no need to log France again on another band within the 40-to-160-meter range.

You don't need to be registred to participate in this Winter SSB SWL Contest 2027

Listening will be permitted in SSB, CW, and FT4/FT8 modes.

You must select a single mode (SSB or CW or FT8/4) and use it for the entire three-month duration.

Participants who do not have an SSB-capable receiver, or who face antenna or QRM issues, may listen via a WebSDR or KiwiSDR. You must use the same SDR for the entire duration of the contest. The SDR category will be indicated on the AWARD.

A certificate of participation will be emailed to each participant. There will be no sponsors in 2027 (only awards).

For beginners accustomed to listening to AM radio stations, links will be provided on how to listen to amateur radio operators.

It will be possible to participate in the winter contest only or in both the winter and summer contests. In summer you can participate only in DXCC contest, only IOTA or both.

Licensed amateur radio operators may participate, but only as SWLs.

Links for beginners

For the beginners:

https://chinaradiosswl.blogspot.com/2026/04/beginners-how-to-easily-listen-to-radio.html

https://chinaradiosswl.blogspot.com/2025/03/how-to-easily-listen-to-amateur-radio.html

https://chinaradiosswl.blogspot.com/2025/04/how-to-easily-participate-in-ssb-swl.html

https://chinaradiosswl.blogspot.com/2026/02/the-first-steps-to-start-listening-to.html

Now the Log:

Please send your log at the end of the SSB contest 2027 (send before the 10 April 2027 please)

Give me your full name ( I will keep it for myself but need to make your awards) and your e-mail address. Your call sign if you are an amateur radio operator or SWL call if you have one. If you are an SWL who has not call sign just give me your name please.

Do you use a real radio receiver and antenna or a Web or Kiwi SDR. If you use a kiwi or web SDR give my the address of this SDR like http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/ You can listen via a Web or Kiwi SDR in Europe even you are in ASIA. Remember always use the SAME SDR !

For SWL and amateur radio who use real radios TX RX please tell me what is your equipment please. RX and antenna.

They are 2 categories for SWL with real receiver and antenna

and the second categorie is listeners with a Kiwi or WEB SDR.

Exemple of LOG:

Date example 8 March 2027

10:00 UTC

Frequencie 28470 SSB

Call sign (QRZ) of the DX station RA3GBV you have listen

Name of DXCC for RA3GBV is European Russia

(look on QRZ.COM https://www.qrz.com/db/ RA3GBV)

R/S you listen RA3GBV example 5/9 (radio five / signal nine)

https://www.hamradioschool.com/post/practical-signal-reports

Please when you will send me your list (log) at the end of the winter contest make your list by ALPHABETICAL ORDER. It's very important for me to see if you don't log the same DXCC entity two times. Use English names for DXCC like Albania, Brazil etc please. Thank you. If you use a cluster like http://www.dxsummit.fi/#/?include=HF&include_modes=PHONE they write the DXCC entity in english

Tell me how many DXCC entities you have listened to during 3 months and the mode ( SSB, CW, FT8 )

https://www.ng3k.com/Dxcc/dxccen.html

Don't forget to give me your full name, your country, and your email address to send you the award.

If you have questions, send me an email to SWLCONTEST@GMX.FR or if you have Facebook, add me to my personal page or simply send me a message.

73 de Frank SWL F-14368 SWL CONTEST 2027 organizer

My Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009933974595

mercredi 26 août 2026

How do I send an SWL QSL card to an amateur radio operator?

Paper QSL cards are the most attractive, but they are expensive to produce and mail. Often, a contribution is also required. My goal is not to explain every trick for maximizing your chances of receiving beautiful QSL cards from rare DXCC entities, but rather to tell you what information to include on your SWL QSL card.

This SWL QSL card explains very well the necessary information to give to the radio amateur to whom you are sending your QSL card.

The call sign of the amateur radio, the date, time UTC, frequency, mode, RS or RST, and IMPORTANT WKD WITH is the call sign of the amateur radios that were in QSO with IK6BAK at 22:08 UTC.

The amateur radio who was in QSO with IK6BAk was G3XJS

This proves that you really listened to this QSO.

Article by SWL F-10255 Stephane

https://chinaradiosswl.blogspot.com/2026/08/swl-f-10255-example-for-swl-and-bcl.html

Interesting link:

https://rssl.lk/swl-reporting/

A good address if you need to print SWL QSL CARDS

https://www.lzprint.eu/

My SWL QSL card in 1997 SWL F-14368

lundi 24 août 2026

SWL F-10255 an example for SWL and BCL shortwave listeners

I met Stéphane (SWL F-10255) in the 1990s. It was thanks to him that I started listening for islands around the world and earned my IOTA award for 300 islands verified by paper QSL cards back in those days...

For my part, after moving house, I could pick up nothing but static and QRM. I had to stop listening to the amateur radio bands. I was very sad about it, but there was nothing I could do. I only started listening again three years ago; after moving once more, it was impossible for me to install a decent antenna on the roof, so I turned to WebSDR or KiwiSDR services instead. Throughout those years, our fellow SWL Stéphane has logged an incredible number of DXCC entities, islands, and even AM radio stations. He is lucky to be located near the sea in a magnificent region. As for me, I’m lucky enough to be very close to Paris, though I do live in an apartment.

I suggest visiting his beautiful and very comprehensive website. It showcases his receiving equipment—much of which he built himself—as well as his lovely house, garden, and antennas.

His WEBSITE

https://f10255.fr/

As indicated in the top right corner of his website's homepage—showing that he has already worked a large number of countries, DXCC entities, and islands—he also listens to the 11-meter band, among others.

You have received a SWL's QSL or eQSL and you don't know how to reply ?

https://f10255.fr/qsl_swl.htm

https://f10255.fr/swl_club/SWLDXCeng.htm

My member card

His website is a real goldmine for those interested in listening to radio waves.

Look, is collection of QSL cards he received in 43 years!!!

https://f10255.fr/dxcc/dxcc-qsl.htm

Other interesting links from Stephane SWL F-10255

https://f10255.fr/ICP/ICP1.htm

Stephane is also on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/F10255/

SWL F-10255 participated in a few contests I have organized in the past.

Thank you, Stephane, for all the nice information for SWL and BCL on your great web site.

73 de Frank SWL F-14368

vendredi 21 août 2026

Changes coming to the DXCC Honor Roll? By KE9V

Rumor has it that the DX Advisory Committee is reviewing the program and its current rules, a move that could lead to a change in the threshold required to make the "Honor Roll." Currently, there are 340 active entities, 331 of which must be confirmed to qualify for the Honor Roll. This situation has become a point of contention because, for the time being, this goal is unattainable, and any solution risks sparking heated debate. The reasons cited are as follows:

North Korea (P5) is closed off. 
Turkmenistan (EZ) is not issuing (or no longer issues) amateur radio licenses.
 Scarborough Reef (BS7H) and Pratas Island (BV9P) are located in disputed waters of the South China Sea, with no civilian access. 
Johnston Island (KH3), Midway (KH4), and Kure Island (KH7K) are inaccessible due to USFWS (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) regulations regarding "marine monuments." 
The last activation of Navassa (KP1) was in 2015, and the USFWS has indicated that no further activations will be permitted. 
Syria (YK), Sudan (ST), Afghanistan (YA), and Myanmar (XZ) cannot host legitimate operations under current conditions.

That amounts to 12 entities—or even more—that are out of reach. The maximum number attainable for a DXer starting out today is around 328.

Given that the current threshold of 331 is unattainable for new DX hunters,
the Honor Roll appears to reward longevity rather than performance. Indeed, the operator
who has confirmed the highest number of entities (395) is 89 years old. So, if you
began DX hunting in 1950, you may have contacted many entities that
no longer exist or are no longer eligible to be counted in 2026. No one who
started DX hunting in this millennium will ever reach the impressive
figures held by this group of octogenarians who sit alone at the top of the rankings.
DXCC involves confirming one hundred countries (entities). This was an achievable goal when
the program was reset in 1946. The basic award poses no problem.
Difficulties arose as the program and its rules evolved to capture the attention
and interest of those who had already obtained the basic award. Some radio amateurs
have dedicated their entire lives to this quest, motivated by new rewards periodically dangled
before them like a carrot. The "Honor Roll" ranking became the most
prestigious and coveted goal for those gripped by this consuming passion.
An increasing number of operators under the age of 80 will be excluded from this highly prized
elite circle. The Advisory Committee finds itself at an impasse. Finding a way to ensure the
long-term viability of the Honor Roll—without disrespecting older radio amateurs,
many of whom oppose any change—promises to be a delicate task. Will lowering the
threshold for the "Honor Roll" satisfy more people than it displeases? That appears to be the crucial question—a question
that could find an answer, or else be ignored, by the end of the year.
Translation of the article by Jeff KE9V  https://ke9v.net/2026/08/09/honor-roll.html

Source F5PSI Gaby 

mardi 11 août 2026

An amateur radio enthusiast (K7UGA) wanted to become President of the United States!

Barry Goldwater, an avid amateur radio operator (call sign K7UGA), sought to become President of the United States. He was the Republican Party's official nominee in the 1964 presidential election, running against incumbent President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Barry Morris Goldwater (1909–1998) was a United States Senator from Arizona and one of the most influential political figures of the 20th century. Considered the father of modern conservatism in the U.S., he was the presidential candidate in 1964.

In addition to his political career, Goldwater was a passionate ham radio enthusiast and an active operator with the callsign K7UGA. A staunch advocate for amateur radio, he supported key laws that protected amateur radio antennas and promoted the use of the spectrum for emergency communications. For him, radio was not just a hobby, but a vital public service tool.

His legacy lives on in both American political history and the global amateur radio community.

During World War II, Barry Goldwater served in the United States Army Air Corps and left the service with the rank of major general in the Air Force Reserve. Barry Goldwater was an amateur radio operator (holding call signs K7UGA, K3UIG, and AFC6BG), a member of the ARRL since 1923, and a member of MARS (U.S. Air Force Military Affiliate Radio System). In 1971, he became president of the Quarter Century Wireless Association.

The Air Force Military Auxiliary Radio System (AFMARS) is a Department of Defense-sponsored program managed by the Air Combat Command. It utilizes civilian volunteer amateur radio operators who use their own high-frequency (HF) equipment to provide contingency and emergency radio communications for the military.

Mission and Operations

Contingency Support: Provides reliable, on-demand HF radio communication backups for the Department of Defense when primary or conventional systems are stressed, disrupted, or unavailable.

Global Voice/Data Net: Operates continuous networks supporting official Department of Defense operations, disaster response, and specialized radio-telephone patches.

Volunteer Integration: Staffed primarily by licensed civilian "ham" radio operators who donate time, technical expertise, and personal station assets.

https://youtu.be/XBREm_aMfLs?si=eiW-vOdv99PMLRm7

https://youtu.be/d6AO-5yinEc?si=wvHRTyfGRMYQN-Iq

lundi 27 juillet 2026

VK9XY DXpedition to Christmas Island in November 2026

… coming soon: the VK9XY DXpedition to Christmas Island, led by young operators …

From November 16 to December 4, the VK9XY DXpedition—themed "The Next Generation Takes the Helm"—is taking place,

organized by the Pacific Islands DXpedition Group (PIDXG) and the "Youth on the Air" (YOTA) program.

A statement from the team reads: "Throughout our recent DXpeditions, the role of young operators has steadily grown;

for the first time, the veterans are acting solely as a support crew, while the team on the island consists

entirely of eight operators under the age of 25, led by team leader Max N4ML."

Seasoned DXers Glenn W0GJ and Gregg W6IZT are joining the team as on-site advisors

and mentors. Confirmed members also include Connor W4IPC, Tyler NT1S, Lukas LY7J,

and Urgent 7Q6UJ. Gregg W6IZT notes, "My role is not to get in the way; these young operators have earned the right

to take the helm. Glenn and I are here to guide the team through the planning process,

not to direct operations."

The setup includes four on-site stations, plus two remote stations and one station operating via QO-100. The team will

also participate in the CQWW CW contest. The Northern California DX Foundation (NCDXF) is funding the two

remote stations (NexGenRiB2); thanks to a Starlink connection, these will allow 30 to 40 additional

young operators around the world to take control (using CW keys and microphones) of the

VK9XY station.

Whether on the island or across the globe, this activation is led by youth for youth; it perfectly

embodies the organizers' mission: "to enable the next generation of amateur radio operators to participate in DXpeditions." QSL via MØOXO (Charles Wilmott). See the website:

vk9xy2026.com.

Source F5PSI Gaby

Example of QSL card

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Island

mercredi 22 juillet 2026

ICOMJAPAN: Shortwave radio stations are in decline in 2026 ?

ICOMJAPAN: Shortwave radio stations are in decline in 2026 ?: Shortwave Bulletin # 2110 Editor:Thomas Nilsson I started to listen to SW radio stations in 1981 and it was wonderful: lots of countries, ...

dimanche 12 juillet 2026

Propagation on SW by NOAA

mercredi 8 juillet 2026

Revue RADIOAMATEURS FRANCE Juillet Aout 2026 en PDF

https://www.radioamateurs-france.fr/wp-content/uploads/n4-juillet-aout-2026-bis.pdf

Merci à cette revue de parler du SWL contest 2026

vendredi 29 mai 2026

Thank you to the The SWLing post

https://swling.com/blog/

samedi 2 mai 2026

Merci a radioamateurs-france RAF en PDF

https://www.radioamateurs-france.fr/wp-content/uploads/n3-MAI-JUIN-2026.pdf

mardi 21 avril 2026

Beginners how to easily listen to radio amateurs bands ?

I wrote a lot of articles on my 3 blogs to help beginners to start to listen to amateur radio bands in SSB 10 to 160 meter. I am Frank SWL F14368 since 1980.

My Facebook is

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009933974595

QSL card from amateur radio in Western Sahara

These are the links to articles to start listening to amateur radios on SW in SSB mode.

https://chinaradiosswl.blogspot.com/2025/04/how-to-easily-listen-to-radio-amateurs.html

https://icomjapan.blogspot.com/2026/01/how-to-easily-listen-to-radio-amateurs.html

https://chinaradiosswl.blogspot.com/2026/02/the-first-steps-to-start-listening-to.html

https://icomjapan.blogspot.com/2023/12/listen-world-for-free-on-your-computer.html

https://chinaradiosswl.blogspot.com/2025/04/how-to-easily-participate-in-ssb-swl.html

https://chinaradiosswl.blogspot.com/2026/01/the-new-dxers-handbook-by-k7ua-free.html?spref=bl

https://chinaradiosswl.blogspot.com/2026/02/an-award-for-swl-who-listen-to-amateur.html

https://chinaradiosswl.blogspot.com/2024/07/antenna-for-listeners-of-mw-and-sw.html

https://icomjapan.blogspot.com/2023/05/listen-and-decode-morse-code-cw-with.html?spref=bl

https://chinaradiosswl.blogspot.com/2026/02/iota-pota-sota-gma-cota-wwf-fauna-jota.html?spref=bl

https://chinaradiosswl.blogspot.com/2025/12/how-to-use-web-sdr-in-twente.html

https://chinaradiosswl.blogspot.com/2026/01/ham-radio-150-most-wanted-dxcc-entities.html

https://chinaradiosswl.blogspot.com/2024/11/do-you-know-all-23-dxcc-of-france.html

https://chinaradiosswl.blogspot.com/2025/05/free-book-for-swl-and-bcl-in-pdf-by-n2ei.html

https://chinaradiosswl.blogspot.com/2025/05/very-nice-dxcc-map.html

Me in the 90s listening to amateur radio bands: I received paper QSL cards from 250 DXCC entities and 320 QSL cards, also in paper, from 320 IOTA groups. My antenna was a 20-meter-long wire on the roof of a 10-story house (30 meters above the ground)

I am also FØDUW

mardi 7 avril 2026

WEBSDRSWL: Mes chaines YouTube favorites pour l'ufologie, PAN...

WEBSDRSWL: Mes chaines YouTube favorites pour l'ufologie, PAN...: My Favorite Ufology YouTube Channels 4000 vidéos l'actualité en Français sur les PAN https://www.facebook.com/groups/658979795563047 U...

vendredi 3 avril 2026

BC A26 - The comprehensive shortwave broadcasting schedule for FREE

http://www.eibispace.de/dx/freq-a26.txt

  FREQUENCY VERSION

http://www.eibispace.de/dx/freq-a26.txt

              



         Valid March 29, 2026 - October 25, 2026

Example
kHz           Time(UTC) Days  ITU Station                Lang. Target   Remarks
================================================================================

16.3          0000-2400       IND VTX1 Indian Navy             SAs         v
16.4          0000-2400       NOR JXN Noviken Sub comms        NAO         no
17            0000-2400       IND VTX2 Indian Navy             SAs         v
18.1          0000-2400       RUS RDL Russian Navy         -CW RUS         xx
18.2          0000-2400       IND VTX3 Indian Navy             SAs         v
19.2          0000-2400       IND VTX4 Indian Navy             SAs         v
19.58         0000-2400       G   GBZ Anthorn                  NAO         an
20.5          0741-0747       BLR RJH69 Molodechno         -TS EEu         mo
Also MW and SW and utility stations

21955         0000-2400       CNR Canarias HFDL (ID17)     -HF WAf         gc
21964         0000-2400       USA New York Radio           E   NAO         bg
21964         0000-2400       USA San Francisco Radio CEP  E   EOc         dx
21964         0000-2400       USA San Francisco R. LDOC    E   Oc          dx
21982         0000-2400       BHR Al Muharraq HFDL (ID15)  -HF ME          m
21985         0000-2400       USA New York Radio CAR-B     E   Car         bg
21985         0000-2400       USA San Francisco Radio CWP  E   WOc         /GUM-b
21997         0000-2400       BOL Santa Cruz HFDL (ID13)   -HF SAm         sz
22376         0230-0240       GUM NRV NAVTEX Guam          E   WOc
22376         0500-0510       GUM NRV NAVTEX Guam          E   WOc
22376         0900-0910       GUM NRV NAVTEX Guam          E   WOc
22376         1500-1510       GUM NRV NAVTEX Guam          E   WOc
22376         1900-1910       GUM NRV NAVTEX Guam          E   WOc
22376         2315-2325       GUM NRV NAVTEX Guam          E   WOc
22376         0130-0140       HWA NMO NAVTEX Honolulu      E   Oc          nm
22376         2030-2040       HWA NMO NAVTEX Honolulu      E   Oc          nm
22442         0000-2400       CHN XSV Tianjin Radio        -TY FE          tj
22527         1840-2215       USA NMC Fax Pt Reyes CA          WNA         pr
22527         2320-2400       USA NMC Fax Pt Reyes CA          WNA         pr
22559.6       0700-0715 Mo,We J   JFX Kagoshima Fish.Fax       WOc         m
22611.5       0000-0900       KOR HLF Seoul Radio          -CW FE 
22688         0000-2400       CHN XSV Tianjin Radio        -TY FE          tj
22696         0000-2400       CHN XSV Tianjin Radio        M   FE          tj
22720         1145-1245       GRC SVO Olimpia Radio        GR  SEu         o
22720         1945-2005       GRC SVO Olimpia Radio        GR  SEu         o
22735         0000-2400       CHN XSQ Guangzhou Radio      M   FE          gx
22735         0000-2400       TUR TAH Turk Radio Istanbul  E   ME          is
22738         0000-2400       CHN XSV Tianjin Radio        M   FE          tj
22753         0000-2400       CHN XSQ Guangzhou Radio      M   FE          gx
22756         0000-2400       I   Romaradio IAR            I   SEu         r
22762         0000-2400       TUR TAH Turk Radio Istanbul  E   ME          is
22783         0000-2400       TUR TAH Turk Radio Istanbul  E   ME          is
22837         0000-2400       CHN XSV Tianjin Radio        M   FE          tj
25000         0000-2400       FIN MIKES Espoo (1 W)        -TS FIN         o
25000         0000-2400       USA WWV Colorado (m.ann.)    -TS USA         fg
25800         0000-2400       DNK World Music Radio        E   Eu          a
26151         0000-2400       CHN XSV Tianjin Radio        M   FE          tj
26163         0000-2400       GRC SVO Olimpia Radio        -TY SEu         o
26172         0000-2400       I   Romaradio IAR            I   SEu         r

By time

http://www.eibispace.de/dx/bc-a26.txt

dimanche 29 mars 2026

The two main problems of SWL (shortwave listeners an MW listeners)

In the 80s, the major problem of QRM (interference) RFI wasn't a problem because there were no computers, no plasma TV screens, no powerline communication, no internet routers, and no LED light bulbs. In 2026, it's really rare not to have QRM, especially if you live in an apartment with neighbors. Personally, I suddenly had an S9 QRM that forced me to stop being a shortwave listener (SWL), even though I had a good antenna on the roof of the building housing the apartments. This QRM was coming through the building's 220-volt electrical current. I asked the authorities to come and try to find the source of the QRM, but at that time I wasn't yet a licensed amateur radio operator, and when they saw that it was coming from the electrical current and probably from faulty ventilation systems on the roof of the building next to my antenna or a neighbor's, they told me they couldn't do anything.

What to do

The poorest shortwave listeners (SWLs) have inexpensive radio receivers with an internal antenna for medium wave and a telescopic antenna for shortwave. Some receiver models have an input for connecting a wire several meters long, which will improve shortwave reception. These radio receivers lack single sideband (SSB) reception, which is mandatory for listening to amateur radio bands. AM radios on medium wave and especially shortwave have very high power outputs and good directional antennas. In contrast, SSB amateurs often have only 100 watts and modest antennas. Some, however, have more power and large directional antennas, making them easier to hear. SSB requires less power than amplitude modulation (AM). Whether you enjoy listening to radio stations on medium wave, shortwave, or the amateur radio shortwave bands, you need the best possible receiving antenna. And that's not easy, especially if you live in an apartment or a building where rooftop antennas are prohibited. If you're lucky enough to live in a detached house, you can, with care, put an antenna on the roof or in your garden. For listening to medium-wave radio, there are small loop antennas that work well and are inexpensive. For listening to shortwave radio, depending on your radio receiver, run a wire outside in your garden (backyard), and you'll get much better reception.

There are hundreds of types of antennas. You can buy one ready-made from a retailer or build one yourself for a few US dollars or euros. Since we're only listening, it's much less complicated than antennas for amateur radio operators who transmit and need to be precisely tuned. In the links I'm providing, you can see all kinds of antennas and also radio receivers at all price points. I'm not a handyman or a technician. I started getting interested in listening to radio stations and Citizen Band in 1980. Now I still listen, but with my QRM (RFI) problems, I use a Web SDR or a Kiwi SDR with my PC, these SDRs are located not too far from my home.

My blog with all MW and SW radios i have listened to via WEB SDR in The Netherlands

https://webkiwisdrswl.blogspot.com/