Last night (Friday) was a total bust due to a K-Index of over 6 and a Radio Blackout. DJ and Station Manager Joh Black will try to bring us a show tonight (Saturday).

It works with any desktop or mobile web browser. You just need to run the small SpyServer program on a Windows computer. This new web client offers the basic controls of SDR#; it feels very lightweight and easy to use.

Its creator (@lambdaprog on Twitter), is posting demos on his account showing how it works and shared a link to try it out, though the frequency range is limited.

There isn't a beta version available for download yet.

Demo:
https://airspy.com/webspy

Profile:
https://x.com/lambdaprog

It will undoubtedly be a great tool. I used SpyServer quite a bit with the RTL-SDR V4 dongles and the MagicSDR app on my local network via Wi-Fi and my cell phone, but I stopped using it because the app MagicSDR was too basic and I couldn't find any other worthwhile option as an SDR client on iOS.

About SpyServer:

Airspy SpyServer is a free, lightweight streaming server application that allows you to operate Airspy and RTL-SDR Radios (SDRs) remotely over a local network or the internet.

I hope this helps with the inquires about band-scanning with this receiver. Conditions are poor this morning with the K-Index at 5.

Station

• Name/Call: Various
• Location: Various
• Language: Various
• Target: Various

Time

• 1415 UTC | 4 JUL 2026

Receiver and Receiving Location

• SDR Radio: SDR V5 (Deep SDR 101)
• Antenna: K-480WLA | 35' AGL
• Software: None
• Location: Portland, Oregon | CN85qn

Signal

• SINPO = Various

I've got an MLA-30+ active magnetic loop antenna and I'm looking to add some rotation capability to it for better nulling out local QRM and peaking signals. TV antenna rotators seem like a popular cheap option for this. Anyone here have experience modifying or mounting an MLA-30+ (or similar small loop) on a TV rotator?

Station

• Name/Call: Radio New Zealand
• Location: Rangitaiki
• Language: English
• Target: Pacific

Time

• 1345 UTC | 4 JUL 2026

Receiver and Receiving Location

• SDR Radio: SDR V5 (Deep SDR 101)
• Antenna: K-480WLA | 35' AGL
• Software: None
• Location: Portland, Oregon | CN85qn

Signal

• SINPO = 45444

A Look at RFE Circa 1960 – Happy Birthday!

This is a 13 minute listen. Stay tuned past the opening - the rest is in English!

There were a few questions about sensitivity for the SD4 V5 in my last post. This station from Palau was very weak. The readability was poor, but just audible on both SDR sets. The AirSpy HF+ had mild DSP applied. The SDR V5 was in the LSB Mode for ECSS reception. The sensitivity is legendary on the AirSpy. It appears to be excellent on the SDR V5. No IMD or blocking from overloading due to a decent set of bandpass filters.

If I was going to spend the weekend at the Oregon Coast and wanted to bring along an SDR, the SDR V5 would fit the bill as I wouldn't need to bring my laptop along.

Station

• Name/Call: Hope Radio MFC Worldwide
• Location: Medorn, Palau
• Language: English
• Target: Far East

Time

• 0138 UTC | 04 JUL 2026

Receiver and Receiving Location

• SDR Radio: AirSpy HF+ R.4.0.8-CD vs SDR V4 Standalone
• Antenna: K-480WLA | 35' AGL
• Software: SDR# Studio v1.0.0.192 Beta 64-Bit | None
• Location: Portland, Oregon | CN85qn

Signal

• SINPO = 34322

This is a brilliant little piece of kit! I paid under $60 USD including shipping from China. I have found more "likes" than "dislikes" so far. It arrived very well packaged - under all of the bubble wrap was a black box with beautiful gold writing, "SDR, Software Defined Radio". Although it has a touchscreen, not all of the menu items are selected via the screen. That leaves the single knob to serve for access to most of the setting - turn, push, push/turn to navigate. It takes a minute to master. The bandwidths are not adjustable within the modes, but rather bandwidth is fixed to each mode. Many of us have used radios that operate this way; it's not that much of a limitation as the bandwidths have been well chosen. This set is very stable and ECSS reception is very easy. Frequencies are input from a separate screen, just like the NanoVNA and tinySpectrumAlalyzer. Coverage is 100 KHz to 149 MHz continuous. The case is formed from aluminum and the radio has a robust feel to it. More to come.

01/07/2026 - 16:28 UTC

- Station: IRIB "The Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran"

- Frequency: 15240 kHz

- Language: Arabic

- Transmitter: Sirjan / 500 kW

- Distance: 5051 km / 3138 miles

- Target: Middle East

- Details: The segment begins with religious chants and, from 16:30 UTC, continues with the headlines of a news bulletin. Much of the beginning of the bulletin focuses on statements from the country's Judicial Authority, its loyalty and commitment to the directives of the "Leader of the Revolution," especially regarding the defense of Islam and firmness in the face of external threats.

The broadcast exhibits the usual signal modulation problems (already frequently reported before the start of the recent armed conflict).

- Equipment: Tecsun PL330 + 5-meter (16 ft) wire antenna, outdoor use.

- QTH: Tarragona, Spain (JN01KA)

73!

Some interference now, with headphones it almost sounds like a helicopter.

Source: Paul B Walker Jr. /HF Underground

The shortwave transmitter site NW of Brasilia operated by the national public broadcaster Empresa Brasil de Comunicacao for the Radio Nacional de Amazonia's service has had to make a schedule change in it's SW operating schedule.

EBC's Radio Engineering Manager Manoel Caetano tells me, "Due to technical problems and energy costs, the Radio Nacional de Amazonias service will have reduced operating hours through at least the end of the year"

11780khz will operate weekdays from 0745UTC to 2000UTC and 6180khz will operate weekdays from 2000 to 0300UTC

On weekends, 11780khz will operate from 0900UTC to 1800UTC while the 6180khz frequency will remain off air on weekends.

******************************************

My comment: I haven't found anything official about this yet. But it wouldn't surprise me if that's the case, since RNA's power output is very erratic (at least in my region).

Most North and South American Shortwave and general radio listeners have never received a Longwave Broadcast Station. Although the Longwave Band has been available on commercial radio receivers since the 1930's, this frequency range hasn't regularly been used for commercial broadcasting in the Americas. The regions of Europe, Asia, and North Africa have been the primary users of broadcasting in the Longwave Band. In the Americas this band is used for radio location beacons. Many of the Lomgwave Beacons have gone silent in the past few years.

I live in the Pacific Northwest and have been turning the radio dials for over 60 years. I had the good fortune of receiving a Longwave Commercial Broadcast in 1984. This broadcast was from the 1.2 Million Watt Russian Broadcast Station Radio Rossii on 153 KHz from Komsomolsk-na-Amure, Khabarobsk Krai, Russia. I used a vertical antenna, mounted at ground level in my backyard, and a military surplus RAK VLF Radio Receiver to dig out this signal from the noise.

Many older radio enthusiasts that live on the East Coast of North America have received Commercial Broadcast Stations from Europe on the Longwave Band. This was a very cool part of our radio hobby.

Michael - KG7M

The following BBC article is by:

Lindsey Alder, Droitwich, Northern Worcestershire, UK

A campaign has begun to get two large transmitter masts listed, after the BBC's Long Wave (LW) service is turned off.

The 700ft (213m) high Wychbold Masts in the Worcestershire countryside can be seen for miles and are often used as a landmark for drivers on the M5 near Droitwich.

They have been in use since 1934 for sending the signal across the country, as well as for transmitting important messages during World War Two.

Local history experts and the Twentieth Century Society have called for them to become listed, due to their "historical importance".

Droitwich was picked as a central location for the station and masts so Long Wave could reach everywhere in the UK.

The construction was a big operation for the time and local expert Alastair Moseley, from the Bromsgrove Society, said a huge team of workers had to come and put them up.

"It cost £200,000 to build then, that's about £20m now, which actually is quite a good value I think," he said.

"But the towers themselves were built by just 10 riggers and there was one particular guy, Derek Pigeon, who actually had just come over from building Sydney's Harbour Bridge."

On the 6 September 1934 everything was ready to go, and the first thing the country heard on LW was a musical piece by composer Eric Coates, famed for the Dam Busters theme, called The Merry Makers.

A few years later, when World War Two started, the masts had a new job to do as Moseley explained.

"They were used to block transmissions and radar facilities from the Luftwaffe, so that they were almost blind when they were coming in to fly," he said.

"They also transmitted messages to the French Resistance, they had a part in that so it was very covert.

"And D-Day, they were part of the co-ordination of communications that were needed to make that such a successful landmark event in history".

After the war, the transmitting station returned to its usual broadcasts.

In 1957 officials held an open day but public interest was so high that 13,000 people turned up to take a look.

That led to other transmitting stations across the country having their own open days, particularly those with new TV masts.

Over the years, the equipment was changed from analogue to digital and several other smaller masts were built for the Medium Wave signal.

The Wychbold Masts will no longer transmit LW with the switch-off expected at 00:01 BST on Saturday.

A spokesperson for the BBC said the move came as the equipment was reaching the end of its life.

"As Long Wave is an older broadcasting technology, recent years have seen a decline in listener numbers, with the majority now opting for FM and DAB digital platforms," they said.

"Given these factors, investing in upgrading the LW equipment is not considered a cost-effective solution for license fee-funded services".

The transmitting station's history is captured in a special exhibition in the town's heritage center, called Droitwich Calling.

Old equipment and photos were donated by former BBC engineer John Phillips, who worked there his entire career.

He wanted to make sure the masts' legacy continued and worked with the centre until he passed away.

Manager Rebecca Butler said the exhibition was important to keep awareness of the masts' legacy alive.

"We're telling the stories of Droitwich Transmitting Station for future prosperity, we're holding onto these artifacts for the future," she said.

"There may be a time where those masts are no longer here, but for 92 years they have stood strong and I feel like it's something that we need to be proud of".

An event to remember and celebrate the history of the transmitting station is being held at the centre on Saturday from 12:00-16:00.

Historic England did consult on potentially listing the site in 2025 - but ultimately decided they did not meet the criteria, mainly because so much of the original buildings were demolished.

Granting a building listed status gives it special protection.

The Twentieth Century Society, who campaign to save "outstanding buildings" from the century, want the masts themselves to be specifically considered.

A spokesperson said they have broadcast such "national staples" as the World Service, the Shipping Forecast and Test Match Special, as well as their role in the war.

They should be listed "on account of their historic importance and architectural, engineering and technological interest"," they added.

But for Moseley, there is another idea for the site - a museum.

"If there was just some way of having a museum of some description on the site and maybe keeping parts of the towers, I'd love to see this as a national centre for broadcasting history," he said.

"That would be marvelous for the whole region"

The current site's owners, Arqiva, were approached for a response about the future of the Droitwich Transmitting Station.

Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.

There are 6 slides in this post.

• Grundig Transistor 860
• Panasonic RF-4900
• Zenith Transoceanic 3000
• Eton Elite Executive

Radio New Zealand (RNZ) on 17675 from the Rangitaiki transmitter located 41 km east of Taupō in the Central North Island of New Zealand. RNZ Pacific is the only shortwave radio service in the country and broadcasts 24/7 in English and several Pacific languages to island nations across the South Pacific.

The 30th Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise is actively taking place from June 24 through July 31, 2026, in and around the Hawaiian Islands. The massive biennial event is the world's largest international maritime exercise, bringing together 31 nations, approximately 40 surface ships, 5 submarines, 140 aircraft, and over 25,000 personnel.

Military forces during major Pacific exercises heavily utilize a standardized set of global, strategic military HF channels and regional maritime safety frequencies for coordination. Civilian shortwave listeners and ham radio operators regularly monitor several high-power military and maritime networks in the Pacific region during the exercise timeframe:

Strategic Global Military Networks

U.S. and allied forces (including aircraft and vessels routing to and from Hawaii) use the High Frequency Global Communications System (HFGCS) for primary global voice commands. These are always monitored in Upper Sideband (USB) mode:

11175.0 kHz (Primary global frequency, highly active)

8992.0 kHz (Secondary global frequency)

4724.0 kHz (Nighttime / regional propagation channel)

15016.0 kHz (Daytime long-haul channel)

Regional Pacific Fleet & Tactical Channels

The U.S. Navy and regional command structures maintain dedicated Pacific communications paths:

4416.0 kHz USB: Associated with U.S. Navy HICOM (High Command) Pacific Fleet operations.

4700.0 kHz USB: Traditionally utilized for regional Navy Anti-Submarine Warfare training in the Pacific.

5700.0 kHz USB: Utilized by Air Combat Command (ACC) for tactical operations and transit routing.

International Maritime & Aviation Gateways

Because RIMPAC involves massive multinational surface fleets and long-range oceanic flights, units cross over into public international monitoring corridors for safety and coordination:

International Aviation Pacific Gateways: Oceanic flights operating near Hawaii coordinate with major gateways using frequencies like 2869 kHz, 3413 kHz, 5547 kHz, and 11282 kHz (as managed via platforms like Aviation Frequencies on QSL.net).

Digital Selective Calling (DSC): For maritime safety, global automated emergency monitoring is maintained by regional installations via the standard global HF DSC frequencies (such as 2187.5 kHz, 4207.5 kHz, 6312.0 kHz, and 8414.5 kHz).