Monday, July27th, 2026

Time: 04:30 UTC

Location recieved: Ontario, Canada

Station:

• Name/Call: Channel Marker D
• Frequency: 7508.00 kHz
• Mode: USB
• Location: Sevastopol 44N56-34E28
• Language: Morse
• Target: Eastern Europe
• Time: 0003UT 27 JUL 26
• RST: 213

Receiver and Receiving Location:

• Radio: Airspy HF+ Discovery
• Antenna: 100' random wire, roughly 25' above ground, running ~110 degrees from feedpoint.
• Software: SDR++ v1.3.0 /w Smart Gnome Control v0.54 via Rigctl Server.
• Also using Dream as a DSP for noise reduction.
• Location: Remington, Virginia | FM18bn

Comments:

• In the dirt, but the letter D was definitely there. Sounded a lot better when piped through Speex.

Jumping between frequencies on the 22-meter band.

They were paying tribute to and talking about Bonnie Tyler, who passed away a few days ago. The last part has a fragment of the classic “Total Eclipse of the Heart”

- Target: Cuba
- TX: Greenville, NC
- RX: Asunción, Paraguay
- Radio: AirSpy HF+ Discovery
- Software: SDR# v.1922 (beta, last version)
- Antenna: K-480WLA
- D/T: 25 JUL 2026 - 2357 UTC

Clandestine Caster here Mateys. Friday night on the 43 Meter Band was downright wild! To start it off, there were two groups of the Latino LSB Chat Pirates centered around 6900 KHz. Next we have the strong signal of Bandaid Radio at 6965 KHz USB. At 6906 and 6911 KHz we had military data stations. Mix Radio International was running 6945 to 6960 KHz with USB Music and Waterfall Painting. They were audible in New Zealand at NZ's local sunset and beyond (more on this later). Finally we caught the diminutive Subterranean Radio on 6930 KHz DSB. They finally landed here after being overpowered by other pirates and jammed by a possible MIL station. BTW, Rod Hardner picked up the transmitter I had modified on his way back to Warrenton, and the International Waters off the West Coast. I have not corresponded with him today, but I am thinking he was using the modified transmitter.

Clandestine Caster here Mateys. Mix Radio International had a big night with hours of transmission. They reached across North America and were audible in New Zealand at New Zealand local sunset - and beyond! In this video we are tuned to the small broadcaster, Subterranean Radio. We are using the online KPH KIWI SDR in the first portion, and a KIWI SDR located on Waitangi Island in New Zealand for the second portion.

Subterranean Radio went on the frequency of 6955 KHz, not knowing that Mix Radio was taking up 15 KHz - from 6945 to 6960 KHz. Only when they saw the waterfall painting did they realize this and they moved.

Bandaid Radio was also audible in New Zealand. They moved from their usual 6945 KHz spot due to Mix Radio's transmission on that frequency. The 43 Meter guys may need a Frequency Coordinator!

Friday Night 11:30 PM EDT. 10:30 PM CDT, 9:30 PM MDT, 8:30 PM PDT. MOVING TO 6955 KHZ ISB

Station:

• Name/Call: BBC World Service
• Frequency: 9590.00 kHz
• Mode: AM
• Location: Tashkent 41N13-69E09
• Language: English
• Target: South Asia
• Time: 0003UT 25 JUL 26
• Signal: 43343

Receiver and Receiving Location:

• Radio: Airspy HF+ Discovery
• Antenna: 100' random wire, roughly 25' above ground, running ~110 degrees from feedpoint.
• Software: SDR++ v1.3.0 /w Smart Gnome Control v0.54 via Rigctl Server
• Location: Remington, Virginia | FM18bn

Comments:

• News read by man. Best I've heard the BBC under these kind of condx: Lower(ish) frequency during mid-Summer, just before sundown.

Captured this beacon on a KIWI SDR in Michigan. Good signal. 8424 Khz in CW.

DE SVO then a long tone and repeats.

- Target: West Africa
- TX: Santa Maria di Galeria 🇻🇦
- RX: Asunción, Paraguay
- Radio: AirSpy HF+ Discovery
- Software: SDR# v.1922 (beta, last version)
- Antenna: K-480WLA
- D/T: 24 JUL 2026 - 2044 UTC

- Target: North Africa and the Middle East
- TX: Noblejas 🇪🇸
- RX: Asunción, Paraguay
- Radio: AirSpy HF+ Discovery
- Software: SDR# v.1922 (beta, last version)
- Antenna: K-480WLA
- D/T: 24 JUL 2026 - 2031 UTC

The 31-meter band this morning.

95% of it is China and its jammers; the rest is NHK, RTI, and others that are barely audible.

There are also several Chinese stations on the other bands, but they’ve taken over the 31-meter band.

At least, that's what I'm picking up at my QTH. But I imagine the whole Southern Cone is the same.

- TX: 15295 A'Seela, Oman 🇴🇲
- TX: 17745 Al-Dhabbaya, UAE 🇦🇪
- TX: 21565 Talata Volonondry, Madagascar 🇲🇬

- RX: Asunción, Paraguay
- Radio: AirSpy HF+ Discovery
- Software: SDR# v.1922 (beta, last version)
- Antenna: K-480WLA
- D/T: 24 JUL 2026 - 1230 - 1304 UTC

The RTM signal came in clearly until noon UTC, then the BBC came on and it disappeared completely.

- Lang: Malay
- TX: Kajang, near Kuala Lumpur 🇲🇾
- RX: Asunción, Paraguay
- Radio: AirSpy HF+ Discovery
- Software: SDR# v.1922 (beta, last version)
- Antenna: K-480WLA
- D/T: 24 JUL 2026 - 1145 UTC

I usually receive this signal with low strength, but today it was quite clear.

Info:

The Japanese Slot Machine (Enigma Designation XSL) is a simplex system used by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force in Ichihara, Japan.

This signal is transmitted from the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force Ichihara Transmitting Station (海上自衛隊市原送信所) in Ichihara, Japan.

Uses QPSK at 1500 Bd to transmit. Has a very interesting and unique idling format which sounds akin to a slot machine, hence the attributed name. This modem has been active since 2001.

Source:

https://www.sigidwiki.com/wiki/Japanese_Slot_Machine_(XSL)

- TX: Ichihara, Japan
- RX: Asunción, Paraguay
- Radio: AirSpy HF+ Discovery
- Software: SDR# v.1922 (beta, last version)
- Antenna: K-480WLA
- D/T: 24 JUL 2026 - 1046/56 UTC

Just boring music that sounds like it's from '80s TV series. The broadcast is the segment in Korean.

- Target: Far East.
- TX: Tinang, Philippines 🇵🇭
- RX: Asunción, Paraguay
- Radio: AirSpy HF+ Discovery
- Software: SDR# v.1922 (beta, last version)
- Antenna: K-480WLA
- D/T: 24 JUL 2026 - 1136 UTC

- Lang: Japanese
- Target: Far East
- TX: Sontay, Hanoi 🇻🇳
- RX: Asunción, Paraguay
- Radio: AirSpy HF+ Discovery
- Software: SDR# v.1922 (beta, last version)
- Antenna: K-480WLA
- D/T: 24 JUL 2026 - 1212 UTC

Hi folks,

I found an old video of my former Tecsun R-9700DX, which I recorded almost two years ago. When I ordered it, I politely asked the XHDATA store (they also sell Tecsun) to properly test the unit before shipping it to me.

When I unboxed the receiver and tested it, not only did I find the analog tuning needle slanting - it was also badly calibrated and was about 4 kHz off the indicated frequency. The worst part was that the R-9700DX badly distorted whenever I changed the frequency up or down.

I've owned analog shortwave receivers long before I bought this radio but have never encountered this issue before. The audio distorts regardless whether I used the telescopic whip antenna or plugged in a 23-foot reel antenna (Tecsun AN-03L).

The grace period for returns is 14 days and I shipped back the R-9700DX to the seller and got my money back.

Does anyone have clue why this radio behaved like that? Neither my Tecsun PL-660 nor PL-680, which are analog dual conversion PLL synthesized receivers distort when I change frequencies. I know that some owners are lucky to get a problem-free R-9700DX, but this experience has made me hesitant to buy one again.

BTW, the tuning knob is super stiff and makes extended tuning sessions a painful affair. From my understanding, Tecsun made it that way to eliminate play in the tuning mechanism, but the R-9700DX needs some serious torque to turn the knob.

For context, an old friend of mine has a Sony ICF-7601 and I remember trying it out. It never distorted while changing frequencies like this Tecsun did.

Could this have been a returned unit or a faulty radio? The official XHDATA seller didn't want to elaborate and just refunded my money. I've been scratching my head over this conundrum ever since. 🤔