In last week’s email I mentioned that our transmission Tuesdays at 1430-1500 UTC on 9955 kHz from WRMI Florida has been bumped in favor of RAE Argentina al Mundo in French, which is Monday through Friday in that slot. However, Jeff White and WRMI has kindly given us the same time on Sundays on 9955 kHz. This should be more convenient for many listeners. This time of year, 9955 (160°) is heard best in parts of the southeast USA and into the Midwest, and, of course, in the Latin America target area. In autumn and winter, this frequency will reach farther at 1430 UTC. You might also hear some Cuban jamming on 9955 kHz, but this rarely complicates the decoding of our MFSK modes.

Last weekend, Friday at 1300-1330 UTC, 15770 kHz from WRMI Florida, the previous week’s program (315) of Shortwave Radiogram was broadcast. I uploaded program 316, but my old brain was distracted by household activities, so I failed to complete step two, which is changing the name of the file when it reaches WRMI. If you missed program 316 because of that error, Scott in Ontario made himself available Monday at 0800 UTC for this video (from which you can decode). Also “studio” audio is available here.

The video (mentioned above) of last weekend’s Shortwave Radiogram (program 316) is provided by Scott in Ontario. The audio archive is maintained by Mark in the UK. Analysis is provided by Roger in Germany.

Here is the lineup for Shortwave Radiogram, program 317, 10-14 August 2023, in MFSK modes as noted:

 1:43  MFSK32: Program preview
 2:49  MFSK32: Does relaxing paywalls help digital news?
 7:15  MFSK64: Solution to the problem of polyester recycling?*
12:06  MFSK64: This week’s images*
27:51  MFSK32: Closing announcements

Please send reception reports to radiogram@verizon.net

And visit http://swradiogram.net

Twitter: @SWRadiogram or https://twitter.com/swradiogram

(visit during the weekend to see listeners’ results)

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/567099476753304

Shortwave Radiogram Gateway Wiki: https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Shortwave_Radiogram_Gateway

Other Shortwave broadcast programs that include digital text and images include The Mighty KBC and Pop Shop Radio. The schedules for these fine broadcasts are posted here.

Lama_Bleu in Europe, or maybe French Guiana, using an SDR in North Carolina, received these images from our new Sunday 1430-1500 UTC show, 9955 kHz from WRMI Florida …

Listeners have noticed that our transmission Tuesday at 1430-1500 UTC on 9955 kHz from WRMI Florida – usually difficult to receive during the summer – has been replaced by other content. Today I received confirmation from WRMI that the French service of RAE Argentina al Mundo has taken over the time slot Monday through Friday. However, WRMI says that Shortwave Radiogram will get 9955 kHz Sundays at 1430-1500 UTC, eventually.

Also today, Your Host (YH) informed us that This Is A Music Show (TIAMS) will discontinue its run on WRMI. TIAMS was a pioneer in the use of MFSK text and images on an analog shortwave carrier. Listeners are expressing sadness that the show will end.

A video of last weekend’s Shortwave Radiogram (program 315) is provided by Scott in Ontario. The audio archive is maintained by Mark in the UK. An archive of received images is maintained by John in California. Analysis is provided by Roger in Germany.

Here is the lineup for Shortwave Radiogram, program 316, 3-7 August 2023, in MFSK modes as noted:

 1:40  MFSK32: Program preview
 2:46  MFSK32: Bacteria recruited to recycle plastic
 6:23  MFSK64: Solar cells on the Moon to be made from moondust*
10:03  MFSK64: This week’s images*
28:11  MFSK32: Closing announcements

Please send reception reports to radiogram@verizon.net

And visit http://swradiogram.net

Twitter: @SWRadiogram or https://twitter.com/swradiogram

(visit during the weekend to see listeners’ results)

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/567099476753304

Shortwave Radiogram Gateway Wiki: https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Shortwave_Radiogram_Gateway

Other Shortwave broadcast programs that include digital text and images include The Mighty KBC and Pop Shop Radio. The schedules for these fine broadcasts are posted here.

H0b0_Radio in Washington state received these images 28 July 2023 during two broadcasts  from WINB Pennsylvania, including the DRM transmission …

Today, the temperature here in northern Virginia reached 97°F / 36°C – which is mild compared to hotter weather endured by some of our listeners. Of course, our downstairs air conditioner (heat pump) decided to break down. Two HVAC guys looked at it, each spending about three hours, totally perplexed, trying a host of diagnostic procedures. Finally, it was fixed, but we were warned that our 18 year old heat pump is inefficient and probably won’t last much longer.

I was dealing with that crisis and also writing my monthly column for the North American Shortwave Association (NASWA). In accordance with the Parsimony Principle, I decided to use this column – usually available only to NASWA members– as the text content for this weekend’s Shortwave Radiogram.   

The subject is the plan for the Voice of America and its parent entity the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) to move from it present headquarters building in Washington by 2028. The building on Independence  Avenue SW that is now home to VOA has an  interesting history. It was completed in 1940 and was intended to house the Social Security offices, but offices related to the war effort moved in instead. Most VOA studios were in New York City during World War II, but VOA moved to Washington and to the building on Independence Avenue SW in 1954. There are more details about the building, which you can decode from this weekend’s show.

A video of last weekend’s Shortwave Radiogram (program 314) is provided by Scott in Ontario. The audio archive is maintained by Mark in the UK. Analysis is provided by Roger in Germany.

Here is the lineup for Shortwave Radiogram, program 315, 27 July-1 August 2023, in MFSK modes as noted:

1:42  MFSK32: Program preview
2:49  MFSK32: VOA will move from its historic HQ*
8:34  MFSK64: VOA will move from its HQ (continued)
13:14  MFSK64: This week’s images*
27:35  MFSK32: Closing announcements

Please send reception reports to radiogram@verizon.net

And visit http://swradiogram.net

Twitter: @SWRadiogram or https://twitter.com/swradiogram

(visit during the weekend to see listeners’ results)

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/567099476753304

Shortwave Radiogram Gateway Wiki: https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Shortwave_Radiogram_Gateway

Other Shortwave broadcast programs that include digital text and images include The Mighty KBC, Pop Shop Radio, and This Is A Music Show (TIAMS). The schedules for these fine broadcasts are posted here.

Jeff in Indiana received these images 22 July 2023, 2300-2330 UTC, 7570 kHz from WRMI Florida …

I usually listen to, and decode, Shortwave Radiogram via a few SDRs in various parts of the world.

On Friday, 21 July 2023, our broadcast at 1300-1330 UTC on 15770 kHz from WRMI Florida had “company” in the form of a wide-band signal centered on 15755 kHz.

This is how it looked via an SDR in Ireland …

You can see the WRMI signal at 15770. Splatter from the wide-band signal caused interference to Shortwave Radiogram. Fortunately, Shortwave Radiogram can be received and decoded using AM, LSB or USB. In this instance, use of USB allowed successful decode of our MFSK.

I tuned to the same broadcast using an SDR in South Australia (16000 km from WRMI) …

You can see that the wide-band signal was even more intense (and thus reached half-way around the world). But, again, use of USB allowed a successful decode of the MFSK. The MFSK traces on either sideband of 15770 kHz are faintly visible.

Despite the nearby noise, and with the help of USB to escape the noise, all of the MFSK32 text (120 wpm) and MFSK64 text (240 wpm) decoded, as well as all ten images, via the Australia SDR.

Michael Renner in Europe was tuned to the same signal. He tweeted (X'ed) about his reception, including audio of the noise on 15755, with my opening announcement in the background. Use this URL: twitter.com/dd0ul/status/1682375729713954816 – preceded by https:// if necessary.

I don’t know what the signal centered on 15755 kHz is, or from where it comes. It might be an over-the-horizon (OTH) radar system.

These wide-band signals seem to be proliferating on shortwave. How many such signals will fit in the limited shortwave spectrum?

We use Twitter @SWRadiogram extensively to share results of Shortwave Radiogram reception, and to send reminders about transmissions during the weekend. It is a simple and functional platform for that purpose. But, with uncertainties about the future of Twitter, I looked into Threads, the new competitor to Twitter.

Establishing an Instagram account is prerequisite to getting on to Threads. I did that, and soon decided that Instagram does not interest me, for receiving or sending. I would just proceed to Threads. However, I learned that Threads does not, yet, have a desktop version. I don’t do mobile, except sometimes as an internet radio, and to communicate with my wife. (“Where are you?” “I’m in the cat food aisle.”) So I would just wait until Threads can be used on a desktop.

A few days after signing up for Instagram, I received a rather stern notice from Instagram informing me that my account has been suspended. This is before I posted anything to Instagram or Threads. They mentioned procedures 1) to find out why the account was suspended and 2) to request a review of the suspension. I am not going to bother with those procedures. Threads will have to go on without me. I will stick with Twitter until it self-destructs, then probably exit social media altogether, and return to a unsociable linear website.

Years ago, I had a Facebook account. I used it only to relay news about international broadcasting from my kimandrewelliott.com website (my @kaedotcom Twitter account is now my outlet for international broadcasting news). That Facebook account was also suspended, probably because I used a third-party app to push the website items to my Facebook page.

So it seems that I’ve never met a Meta that will have me as a member.

A video of last weekend’s Shortwave Radiogram (program 313) (Friday 1300 UTC) is provided by Scott in Ontario. The audio archive is maintained by Mark in the UK. H0b0_Radio has this IQ recording of the Saturday 0230 UTC broadcast. An archive of received images is provided by John @highroute in California. Analysis is provided by Roger in Germany, plus his notes on the closing music.

Here is the lineup for Shortwave Radiogram, program 314, 20-25 July 2023, in MFSK modes as noted:

1:39  MFSK32: Program preview
2:47  MFSK32: Milestone in energy capacity of supercapacitors
6:39  MFSK64: Espresso might be helpful against Alzheimer’s*
11:58  MFSK64: This week’s images*
28:41  MFSK32: Closing announcements

Please send reception reports to radiogram@verizon.net

And visit http://swradiogram.net

Twitter: @SWRadiogram or https://twitter.com/swradiogram

(visit during the weekend to see listeners’ results)

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/567099476753304

Shortwave Radiogram Gateway Wiki: https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Shortwave_Radiogram_Gateway

Other Shortwave broadcast programs that include digital text and images include The Mighty KBC, Pop Shop Radio, and This Is A Music Show (TIAMS). The schedules for these fine broadcasts are posted here.
                                                                                                                                Gabriel in Colombia sent an email with these images received 15 July 2023, 0230-0300 UTC, 9265 kHz from WINB Pennsylvania …

The slow browsing problem that I was lamenting last week has been resolved. I went into the Firefox settings and made various adjustments, applying the science (art?) of trial-and-error, and finally something worked. And so we move on to a new problem: My favorite email application no longer works with my email provider on one of my accounts. I can access emails, but through the provider’s clunky email client. So more trial and error in the next few days.

And in other technical news, my Sangean ATS-808 radio finally quit. Sangean gave it to me about 30 years ago in exchange for writing a guide to shortwave listening that was shipped with their radios. The ATS-808 had good sensitivity on shortwave and other bands, but it had no SSB capability. In recent years, it has been my kitchen radio (every kitchen should have a radio), used mainly to listen to our all-news station, WTOP, 103.5 MHz FM, in the mornings while making coffee and feeding the cat, and later in the day, while washing dishes and feeding the cat.

For a replacement radio, I bought a Sangean HDR-14 (labeled SG-108 on my unit). I wanted to tune in to whatever HD (digital) sub-channels are available in the Washington DC area. Analog radio in the Washington area is not very good, at least not to my ears. The few exceptions include our public radio stations, as well as C-SPAN radio on 90.1 MHz, the all-news WTOP and Bloomberg Radio on 99.1 MHz. Tuning around on the HDR-14, I find that the HD stations are not much better. Many times the HD subchannel is used to relay a co-owned station that is available on another (analog) frequency. Among the bright spots on FM HD are Bluegrass Country, 88.5 HD2, and The Gamut, an eclectic oldies station on 103.5 HD3.

There seem to be no local stations using AM HD. An interesting nearby station is WWFD in Frederick, Maryland, which is The Gamut full-bandwidth HD on 820 kHz – no co-channel analog. I can’t hear it from our house, but I do hear it driving around the suburbs. At night, the only AM HD signal so far detected is WPHT, 1210 kHz in Philadelphia, but the signal is not strong enough to establish actual HD reception.

And now, finally, to the subject at hand: A video of last weekend’s Shortwave Radiogram (program 312) is provided by Scott in Ontario (Friday 1300 UTC). The audio archive is maintained by Mark in the UK. Analysis is provided by Roger in Germany.

Here is the lineup for Shortwave Radiogram, program 313, 13-18 July 2023, in MFSK modes as noted:

  1:44  MFSK32: Program preview
  2:52  MFSK32: Rare snowfall in Johannesburg, South Africa*
  7:27  MFSK64: One of Venezuela’s oldest radio stations silenced*
13:24  MFSK64: This week’s images*
28:37  MFSK32: Closing announcements

Please send reception reports to radiogram@verizon.net

And visit http://swradiogram.net

Twitter: @SWRadiogram or https://twitter.com/swradiogram

(visit during the weekend to see listeners’ results)

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/567099476753304

Shortwave Radiogram Gateway Wiki: https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Shortwave_Radiogram_Gateway

Other Shortwave broadcast programs that include digital text and images include The Mighty KBC, Pop Shop Radio, and This Is A Music Show (TIAMS). The schedules for these fine broadcasts are posted here. 

Carlos (W9FE) in Illinois received these images 8 July 2023, 0230-0300 UTC, on 9265 kHz from WINB Pennsylvania …

This was a big week in our house. I installed a new Verizon Fios router, with the help of a Verizon representative on the telephone. We were FiOS (as it was capitalized back then) customers since it was introduced to our neighborhood about 15 years ago. We have used Fios for broadband and landline, but not television – our TV is via antennas.

Our new Fios router and plan is supposed to increase our downloads to 300 Mbps. This would be helpful given that my wife is usually working from home, our son is visiting for the week and working his aerospace engineering job from our house, and I, in retirement, am producing Shortwave Radiogram and scouring the internet for news about international broadcasting for the @kaedotcom Twitter (for now) account. That adds up to a lot of data in and out.

The people in our house using wireless devices noticed faster connections from the new router. But I, upstairs, with an ethernet connection to bring the internet to my large tower PC, large display and full-sized keyboard (I refer to this system as The Mighty Wurlitzer), noticed that things are now slow. Very slow. Like dial-up slow. Images in websites loaded about as slowly as images do on Shortwave Radiogram. That slowly!

This made for a long night last night, as I usually audition over 100 images for the 10-12 or so that are transmitted each week on Shortwave Radiogram. URLs and links had to be clicked a few times for the desired action.

Over the weekend I will troubleshoot and configure the router, OS and browser settings. I’m already making some progress. Eventually I’ll figure this out.

Videos of last weekend’s Shortwave Radiogram (program 311) are provided by Bobby in Louisiana (Thursday 2330 UTC) and Scott in Ontario (Friday 1300 UTC). The audio archive is maintained by Mark in the UK. Analysis is provided by Roger in Germany.

Here is the lineup for Shortwave Radiogram, program 312, 6-11 July 2023, in MFSK modes as noted:

  1:43  MFSK32: Program preview
  2:50  MFSK32: Rubber-free tires may be 100% recyclable*
  7:58  MFSK64: Final launch of the Ariane 5 rocket*
12:44  MFSK64: This week’s images*
27:16  MFSK32: Closing announcements

Please send reception reports to radiogram@verizon.net

And visit http://swradiogram.net

Twitter: @SWRadiogram or https://twitter.com/swradiogram

(visit during the weekend to see listeners’ results)

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/567099476753304

Shortwave Radiogram Gateway Wiki: https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Shortwave_Radiogram_Gateway

Other Shortwave broadcast programs that include digital text and images include The Mighty KBC, Pop Shop Radio, and This Is A Music Show (TIAMS). The schedules for these fine broadcasts are posted here. 

Bobby in Louisiana received these images 29 June 2023, 2330-2400 UTC, 9265 kHz from WINB Pennsylvania. See link for link to his video of this broadcast. … 

As I type this, the Washington DC area is in a Code Red situation for the smoke and haze from the Canadian wildfires. Many of you in North America are in a similar situation. It does look hazy outside, but not as bad as our Code Purple a few weeks ago. With our temperature now 85F/29C, I would usually leave the windows open. But they are now closed to keep the bad air out.

One of our news stories this weekend is about research showing that a regular daytime naps are associated with healthier and larger brains. On Thursdays, I am usually awake at about 3 am to produce Shortwave Radiogram, finishing at about noon. By then, a two-hour nap is obligatory, after which I start this weekly email. It’s good to know my daytime naps may have a benefit. (I knew I would become a daytime napper in the year or two before I retired, occasionally nodding off briefly at my desk.)

A video of last weekend’s Shortwave Radiogram (program 310) is provided by Scott in Ontario. The audio archive is maintained by Mark in the UK. Analysis is provided by Roger in Germany.

Here is the lineup for Shortwave Radiogram, program 311, 29 June-4 July 2023, in MFSK modes as noted:

  1:40  MFSK32: Program preview
  2:48  MFSK32: Bigger bottles keep champagne bubbly for decades*
  8:07  MFSK64: Regular daytime naps linked to healthier brains
11:39  MFSK64: This week’s images*
27:40  MFSK32: Closing announcements

Please send reception reports to radiogram@verizon.net

And visit http://swradiogram.net

Twitter: @SWRadiogram or https://twitter.com/swradiogram

(visit during the weekend to see listeners’ results)

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/567099476753304

Shortwave Radiogram Gateway Wiki: https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Shortwave_Radiogram_Gateway

Other Shortwave broadcast programs that include digital text and images include The Mighty KBC, Pop Shop Radio, and This Is A Music Show (TIAMS). The schedules for these fine broadcasts are posted here. 

crus in New York City received these images 23 June 2023, 1300-1330 UTC, 15770 kHz from WRMI Florida …

This week in northern Virginia, we have an unusual visitor: rain. It rained most of yesterday, and it will rain, at least a bit, during the next few days. This won’t completely break our drought, but any precipitation helps.

Meanwhile our sympathies are with our friends and listeners in Texas, enduring an extended heat wave. Other parts of North America, as well in Europe, will also experience heat waves during the summer of of 2023. Stay hydrated and find cool places.

A video of last weekend’s Shortwave Radiogram (program 309) is provided by Scott in Ontario. The audio archive is maintained by Mark in the UK. Analysis is provided by Roger in Germany.

Here is the lineup for Shortwave Radiogram, program 310, 22-27 June 2023, in MFSK modes as noted:

  1:42  MFSK32: Program preview
  2:48  MFSK32: Australia activates renewable power plant
  6:48  MFSK64: How to make healthy potato chips*
10:38  MFSK64: This week’s images*
28:37  MFSK32: Closing announcements

* with image

Please send reception reports to radiogram@verizon.net

And visit http://swradiogram.net

Twitter: @SWRadiogram or https://twitter.com/swradiogram

(visit during the weekend to see listeners’ results)

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/567099476753304

Shortwave Radiogram Gateway Wiki: https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Shortwave_Radiogram_Gateway

Other Shortwave broadcast programs that include digital text and images include The Mighty KBC, Pop Shop Radio, and This Is A Music Show (TIAMS). The schedules for these fine broadcasts are posted here. 

Carlos (W9FE) in Illinois received these images Saturday, 17 June 2023, 0230-0300 UTC, on 9265 kHz from WINB Pennsylvania …

Today in the Middle Atlantic, the weather is delightful (but we could use some rain). Shortwave propagation has been less than delightful, with static crashes from offshore storms adding to the mix. I hope conditions improve in time for this weekend’s broadcasts of Shortwave Radiogram, although our MFSK32 text enjoys a challenge.

Our last transmission, Tuesday at 1430-1500 UTC on 9955 kHz from WRMI Florida, can be difficult to hear during the summer. Cuban jamming is also present on the frequency, probably as a result of certain programs now or previously transmitted by WRMI. That jamming seems half-hearted, so it rarely impedes the decoding of our modes. WRMI on 9955 is beamed at 160 degrees, but the antenna seems to propagate well off its back, which would be 340º. So for this troublesome transmission, reception might be good in Georgia, Tennessee, the upper Midwest of the USA, and maybe even into the Canadian prairies.

A video of last weekend’s Shortwave Radiogram (program 308) is provided by Scott in Ontario. The audio archive is maintained by Mark in the UK. Analysis is provided by Roger in Germany.

Here is the lineup for Shortwave Radiogram, program 309, 15-20 June 2023, in MFSK modes as noted:

  1:45 MFSK32: Program preview
  2:50 MFSK32: Nickel-based batteries can replace cobalt
  6:28 MFSK64: Railways could be conveyance for backup power
11:47 MFSK64: This week’s images
27:53 MFSK32: Closing announcements

Please send reception reports to radiogram@verizon.net

And visit http://swradiogram.net

Twitter: @SWRadiogram or https://twitter.com/swradiogram

(visit during the weekend to see listeners’ results)

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/567099476753304

Shortwave Radiogram Gateway Wiki: https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Shortwave_Radiogram_Gateway

Other Shortwave broadcast programs that include digital text and images include The Mighty KBC, Pop Shop Radio, and This Is A Music Show (TIAMS). The schedules for these fine broadcasts are posted here. 

Carlos in Illinois received these images 12 June 2023, 0800-0830 UTC, 5850 kHz from WRMI Florida …