NEWS and REPORTS
Edited by Tony Rogers
This is an ongoing compilation of news and reports that will support the various DX guides as they are updated.
Updated: 4 June 2025
News items may be reproduced, but please credit the original contributor (and any other sources mentioned), as well as dxguides.info. Many thanks!
Shortwave news
BBC World Service Antarctic Midwinter Broadcast The next BBC World Service Antarctic Midwinter Broadcast will be on Saturday 21 June 2025 at 1832-1859 UTC as part of the main BBC World Service schedule for that day. It is unclear if there will be a repeat at 2130-2159 UTC as well on frequencies specifically directed to Antarctica. Last year those frequencies were 9595 kHz from Woofferton, 9870 kHz from Ascension Island and 11685 kHz from Woofferton (this year's frequencies should be announced in early June and appear as HFCC registrations). Whatever frequencies are assigned, they may be tested the week before on Saturday 14 June. Further details about the Antarctic Midwinter Broadcast can be found here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07dsz97.
LRA36 Antarctica update On 26 May 2025, Glenn Hauser sent an enquiry to Adrián Korol of RAE concerning their current status: "We are still awaiting signals on 15476 from LRA36; it seems not to be appearing in 2025. Could you inform us that is happening, why the delay, or never again? Thanks, Glenn Hauser". His reply: "Hi Glenn. Thanks for your email first of all. Unfortunately, the 15476 USB (Collins HF80) equipment suffered an unrepairable fault in Antarctica and was returned to the Radio Nacional plant in Pacheco for repairs. The Armed Forces have also obtained similar equipment, which was also transported to Pacheco. Pacheco technicians have begun repair and adjustment work to ensure that at least one of these two devices is operational for LRA36. Due to weather conditions, transport from Pacheco to LRA36 is no longer possible until next October. Until then, we hope to repair the transmitter equipment and conduct test broadcasts from Pacheco. We will provide updates in the coming months. On the other hand, LRA36 continues to broadcast its program Sonidos de La Antártida on Saturdays, starting this past Saturday the 24th, via streaming on the RAE website and Radio Nacional. The program, although streaming, originates from LRA36. Messages on social media from LRA36, especially on Facebook and Instagram, requesting the LRA 36's prompt return to shortwave will be a welcome sign of support to consolidate and prioritize the return to 15476. I remain at your disposal. 73 Adrián". (Glenn Hauser, World of Radio IO Group, 27 May 2025; enquiry and reply translated from Spanish to English by GH)
Radio Onda Radio Onda broadcasts in Brussels on DAB+, with the transmitter site located at the Finance Tower, in Botanique. With 2 kW of power, the transmitter covers the entire capital and surrounding areas. Radio Onda also broadcasts on shortwave and is a separate service from the one in Brussels. Having previously broadcast from a transmitter in the Netherlands, it now broadcasts from a 1 kW transmitter at Junglinster in Luxembourg on 6140 kHz. Other frequencies registered with the HFCC for A25 are 9530, 15190 and 25850 kHz. In the past there was no fixed programming and it was on the air according to the time available to the presenters. At certain times, Radio Onda may relay the Swiss-Catholic radio station, Radio Gloria (https://radiogloria.ch/). Manuel Méndez commented on 25 May 2025 that he asked, via email, the director of Radio Onda if they were transmitting from Luxembourg and he replied that, indeed, they have been broadcasting from Luxembourg for the last three weeks, relaying Radio Gloria, Switzerland, and that next week they will return with the usual Radio Onda programmes.
Shortwave tests from Grigoriopol-Maiac Having been inactive on shortwave since April 2022, two rounds of tests were conducted from the Pridnestrovian Radio and Television Center between 9-12 April and 19-21 May 2025 on behalf of the Far Eastern branch of RTRS. The purpose of the tests was to assess the coverage of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug in Russia with a shortwave signal. The programme used on these dates was Vesti FM. The first round of tests was on 9 April at 2100-2130 & 10 April at 0300-0330 and 0900-0930 on 7465 kHz, 10 April at 2100-2130 & 11 April at 0300-0330 and 0900-0930 on 11530 kHz, and 11 April at 2100-2130 & 12 April at 0300-0330 and 0900-0930 on 12160 kHz. The second round was on 19 May at 1000-1100, 1500-1600 and 1900-2000 on 13730 kHz, 20 May at 1100-1200, 1600-1700 and 2000-2100 on 15175 kHz, and 21 May at 1000-1100, 1500-1600 and 1900-2000 on 17505 kHz. Power was believed to be either 300 or 500 kW. Thanks to Alex Miatlikov for the alerts on the World of Radio IO Group, with links at one time or another to https://vk.com/public158109176; https://www.radioscanner.ru/forum/topic52466.html#msg1607431; https://vk.com/public158109176; https://t.me/s/powerfulradio/290
Mediumwave news
Publications
Programmes on Shortwave Various shortwave listening guides for the current A25 season produced by Alan Roe are available to download from Alan's Box page at https://app.box.com/s/kbdxb4c5lwpju0kpoi27aiwc35br2g2a. These include Music on Shortwave, as well as English language programme schedules for BBC World Service, CGTN Radio, Radio Romania International, Radio Taiwan International and Voice of Türkiye.