DX QUICK TIPS
June 27, 2025

Reception conditions have been inconsistent over the past two months. It's probably not going to get any better any time soon! At these times, you simply need to keep monitoring the shortwave bands and be prepared for those occasions when the band openings become apparent.

During a weekend in mid-June, I attended a statewide Photography Convention in the old gold mining town of Castlemaine, Central Victoria, which was a lot of fun. Of course, it also meant a chance to take a radio out into the bush.

I packed my new SDRPlay RSPduo receiver, the Wolf River coil, and a 5.6m whip antenna and drove to the local Walmer Forest Reserve. Hardly any manmade noise present, so listening was most pleasant. I made two trips there: one in the late afternoon, during which I heard CFRX Canada, Radio Educación, Mexico, and Radio Mali. The second trip, the next morning, started out not going quite as planned.....it helps to connect the antenna! Well, I did say it was a fun photography convention!! 😄😄

2368.6 AUSTRALIA. R. Symban - Hurlstones Park, Sydney. 1133 Greek to Sydney's Greek community with songs. 120w, fair signal. Jun 8. https://youtu.be/FpGmndk0tyg

5960 UAE. BBC - Dhabayya. BBC Mid-Winter Broadcast to Antarctica. *2130-2200* The usual family greetings, the King’s message, references to the 70th anniversary, and occasional spasms of music. Excellent signal. Other outlets: 9575 - Ascension. Barely audible, severe QRM from adjacent channel CNR 2 on 9570, faded five minutes into the transmission. 12065 - Woofferton, excellent signal. Jun 21.

5995 MALI. RTV du Mali - Bamako. 0655 to f/out around 0730. Bambara service with talk (commentary?). A weak signal throughout the monitoring session. Long path African reception in my late afternoon (5:30 pm local). At this time of year, after 0730, there’s just too much daylight (high signal absorption at 6 MHz) between the transmitter and when the signal enters the dark zone as it follows the great circle path to Mount Evelyn. Jun 15.

The late afternoon long path signal from Mali to Castlemaine (Central Victoria).

6070 CANADA. CFRX - Toronto. 0645 f/in, monitored to 0755. Picked up significantly around 0745 (5:45 pm local here). News and many adverts for local businesses and McDonald’s, where you can get a $1 Coke. Always good to hear this one on this clear channel at this time. Jun 15. https://youtu.be/9y47-Dtwtl4

The early evening reception path from Toronto, Canada to Castlemaine.

6110 ETHIOPIA. R. Fana - Geja Dera. 2020 Amharic commentary, 2025 groovy Ethiopian music. Occasional mentions of R. Fana throughout. Good signal and easy listening until 2050 when co-channel Xizang signs on, although Fana is the stronger station at this time of year until s/off 2101. Jun 26.

6180 BRAZIL. Rádio Nacional da Amazônia - Brasilia, DF. 2035: Good signal with a strange, indigenous-sounding genre of music, and later, rapid Portuguese chatter between announcers and frequent IDs. // 11780 also heard, but much weaker there. We hear this in our winter mornings along an all-dark path that skirts the Antarctic Territory. Jun 26.

6185 MEXICO. R. Educación - Mexico City. 0650 with continuous music programming. Gained a little in strength around 0740 with a piano selection. Jun 15.

9350 USA. WWCR - Nashville, TN. 2253 American preaching, good signal, Jun 15.

9265 USA. WINB - Red Lion, PA. 2254 Shouty American preaching, good signal, Jun 15.

9440 JAPAN. R. Japan - Yamata (suspected). 2245 to past 2300. Continuous interval signal with no program content. A regular NHK frequency but not scheduled at this time, so possibly a test txion. Excellent signal, Jun 15. https://youtu.be/Sw2nMzh3MSU

9840 VIETNAM. VoV5 - Son Tay. 2303 Indonesian to SEAs with news. Fair signal and // 12020 where it was much stronger, Jun 15.

9960 VANUATU. R. Vanuatu - Emten Lagoon. 2305 a band singing Island songs. Fair signal, Jun 15.

11815 TAIWAN. R. Taiwan Int’l - Paochung. 0755 Mandarin to EAs. Sat/Sun only service on this frequency at this time (0700-0810). Off precisely at 0810. No sign of jamming…I guess they must take the weekend off! Fair signal, Jun 6.

11865 KOREA, NORTH. VoKorea - Kujang. 1200 s/on Japanese to EAs. Fair signal, Jun 8. https://youtu.be/mqTut9U5XCM

12035 ENGLAND. R. Farda - Woofferton. 2140 Farsi to Iran with what sounded like continuous Iranian pops. 2149, 2200 - IDs then more music. Excellent signal. In fact, it’s a monster signal! If the bunker-busting bombs don’t frighten the Iranian regime, then Radio Farda will! June 25.

12055 PHILIPPINES. FEBC - Bocaue. 2314 in the Lahu language for SEAs, fair signal, Jun 15.

12070 PHILIPPINES. FEBC - Iba. Radio Liangyou program in Mandarin to EAs. Good signal, Jun 15.

13710 UAE. R. Farda - Dhabbaya. 0835 Farsi to Iran with news and many mentions of Iran and Iraq. 0840 R. Farda ID and website address. Then a sombre song by a female singer. Poor signal, June 24.

15245.3 KOREA, NORTH. VoKorea - Kujang. 0740 Russian to Eu with Korean opera selections and anncts. Later, an extended commentary. Fair signal, Jun 7.

73 and have a great DXing weekend,

Rob Wagner VK3BVW