Solar activity and a trip to Japan

It's wet, windy and cold in the UK and it's been like that all week. Just as well there has been plenty on the radio to keep me happy, despite some challenging listening conditions. It's time to update the logbook and, as ever, the listening equipment here is old-school with the Lowe HF-225 and Wellbrook loop antenna.

Freq Time Station name SINPO (type of broadcast)

Tuesday, January 20, 2026

1611 1539 Twentana 45444 (t)
1620 1553 Zwarte Boekanier 45444 (r)
1636 1553 Arona 35333 (m)
1611 1620 Utopia 35443 (q) report for Twentana
1611 1644 Concorde 25322 (m)
1636 1653 Eigen Risico 25322 (m)
1665 1710 Digitaal 55434 (m)
1647 1723 Nachtrijder 23322 (m)
1656 1727 Spencer 25322 (m)
1640 1734 Batavier 45434 (m)
1635 1801 Bonanza 33433 (m)
1611 1831 Utopia 45434 (m)
1614 1934 Helical 45434 (m)
1548 1951 Bizon 33333 (t)
1665 2038 Contikenzo 35322-45444 (t)
1620 2054 Luka 54434 (m)
1655 2225 Snowman 25222-35333 (m)

(m) = station was broadcasting a music programme

(q) = station was qsoing

(r) = station asking for a reception report from another station

(t) = station was testing

Observations

• This morning I received a propagation report from my pal Nige that suggested conditions would be abysmal for listening today, so my expectations for an afternoon and evening of entertainment on 1.6 MHz were duly tempered! So when I switched on the radio at just after 3.30pm local time here in the UK I was very surprised to hear a strong signal coming in on 1611 kHz. It belonged to Twentana, who was testing. A few moments later I heard a similarly strong signal just 9 kHz higher on 1620 where Zwarte Boekanier was putting out a request for reception reports. And then there was Arona on 1636 kHz and then Utopia with a report for Twentana. Then things turned. 
• I could see from the various online SDRs and WhatsApp groups that Concorde was transmitting on 1611 kHz and Eigen Risico on 1636 - usually I would have no problem hearing these stations given all the others I’d already received. So, propagation conditions were certainly disturbed owing to huge solar activity resulting in the Northern Lights having been widely seen across the UK the previous evening. While the signals I couldn’t hear did later put in an appearance, they were weaker than usual and the stronger stations were suffering from much more fading than usual, and short rapid fades where those using wire antennas usually suffer from long, deep fades, sometimes so deep that the signal would nearly disappear.
• The best catch of the day came on 1548 kHz, where Bizon was testing from the Veluwe region with just 10 watts of power. To hear this low-power signal given good conditions would be impressive, but considering propagation was massively disturbed and far from optimal, this was nigh on incredible, especially as the sinpo was around 33333 with some co-channel interference and fading the only real listening issues. You can listen to my recording here

Sunday, January 18, 2026

1611 0652 Noordster 44444 (m)

1615 0804 Waterman 25432 (q) report for Noordster

1614 0806 Zilvervos weak signal (q) 

1636 0808 Marconist 35443 (q)

1611 0810 Eigen Risico 25442 (q)

1647 1459 Moonbreaker 25442 (m)

1655 1516 Manolito 25442 (m)

1665 1713 Contikenzo 35333  (m)

1647 1715 Spencer 24322 (m)

1620 1718 Zwarte Bouvier 35333 (m)

1627 1732 Uniek 24322 (m)

1620 1807 King Kong 45444 (m)

1656 1813 Digitaal 55444 (m)

Observations

• The Sunday morning qso today was a bit of a quiet one - just the four stations gracing the airwaves to give their reports once Noordster had closed down from his weekly breakfast show. Among those stations, however, was a new one for me in the shape of Zilervos from Friesland. His signal might have been only weak here, but I could hear him and that’s what counts! Good also to catch Zwarte Bouvier during the early evening - it’s been a while since I heard him.

Saturday, January 17, 2026

1611 1517 Luka 25332, 35443 at 1620, 45544 at 1636 (m)

1620 1519 King Kong 35443 (t)

1620 1614 Ros Am 45554 (m)

1629 1622 Derde Man 25332-35443 (m)

1644 1623 Eigen Risico 35343 (q)

1575 1624 Zilvermeeuw 35443 (m)

1638 1629 Brugwachter 35443 (q)

1548 1638 Matrix 34433-45444 (t)

1640 1800 Casablanca 45444 (m)

1652 1823 Romax 24332 (q)

1647 1824 Mebo 2 25342 (q)

1629 1908 Blauwe Koe 55444-55555 (m)

1638 1916 Marskramer 45434 (m)

1611 1919 Philadelphia 25332 (m)

1620 1936 King Kong 55444-55555 (m)

Observations

• Some interesting in-band catches from the Netherlands today, plus a new name for me. Zilvermeeuw (Herring Gull in English) was coming in pretty well at just before 4.30pm local time in the afternoon, and using 1575 kHz. And then, just a few minutes later there was activity just a nudge down the band on 1548 kHz when Matrix switched on their transmitter for a test. The signal was good, peaking up to a sinpo of 45444, and it will be no surprise to see more of these in-band frequencies used for international transmissions with British legal stations closing down their AM operations, the most recent being Desi Radio on 1602 kHz.

Friday, January 16, 2026

1638 1441 Dikke Bertha 45444 (m)

1638 1502 Admiraal 35443 (q) report for DB

1633 1507 Jan Tabak 35443 (q)

1620 1514 Florissant 35433 (t)

1620 1519 King Kong 45444 (q) report for Florrisant

1674 1632 Union weak signal-25322 (m)

1611 1641 Arona 34443 (m)

1627 1642 Uniek 34443 (m)

1611 1659 Florissant 45444 (t)

1638 1705 San Antonio 25332-35443 (m)

1647 1724 Brugwachter 45434 (t)

1647 1805 Mebo 2 35433 (q) report for Brugwachter

1620 1820 Luka 35443

1638 1832 Spanningzoeker 35333 (q)

1611 1906 UK44 34333 (m)

1647 1926 Turftrekker 44333 (m)

Observations

• Some great signals were audible well before sunset today, in particular are DB on 1638 kHz and Florissant on 1620. Check out the reception on these recordings:
  
  
  

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

1611 1459 Black Power 25442 (q)

1611 1501 Mosfet 45444 (q)

1611 1505 Luka 35443 (q)

1620 1507 Nachtputter 25232 (m)

1647 1516 Turfsteker (m)

1611 1608 Arona 25332 (m)

1620 1624 Professor Sickbok 35333 (q) report for Arona

1629 1626 Twentana 35333, 45444 at 1852 (m)

1638 1650 Ros Am 35333 (m)

1611 1729 Rhodos weak signal (m)

1620 1742 Ros Am 45444-55555 (m)

1647 1839 Columbia 45444 (m)

1611 1853 Mebo 2 35333 (q) report for Rhodos

1620 1904 King Kong 55444-55555 (q) report for Ros Am

1629 2007 Baantje 35333 (m)

1647 2034 Armada 45434 (q) report for Columbia

Observations

• When station operators turn on their transmitter, they can never be certain where the signal will end up. You could be running one watt of power, 100 watts or 1kw-plus, but there is an uncertainty about radio, which of course, is part of the fun. But when Ros Am signed on today, one thing is for sure - he didn't expect that signal would be heard in Japan. Not on an online SDR, but by a well-known and respected DXer on his very own receiver and antenna, at a distance of approximately 9,000 kilometres. And here is the reception report that was sent to Ros Am, which has been verified and made the station operator very happy indeed!
  

  

  
  

Monday, January, 12, 2026

1611 1454 Mosfet 35433 (m)

1656 1521 Tarzan 25432 (m)

1620 1613 Bizon 45444 (m)

1641 1646 Polka 25432 (m)

1620 1653 Florissant 34333 (r)

1660 1703 Studio 19 44444 (t)

1620 1713 San Antonio 24222 (m)

1629 1732 Bluebird 45444-55555 (m)

1645 1742 Nachtrijder 24322-35443 (m)

1653 1750 Ijsvogel 45444-55555 (m)

1638 1753 Osaka 35433 (m)

1674 1754 Union 25322 (m)

1656 1833 Digitaal 44444 (q) report for Ijsvogel

1655 1837 Meteoor 44444 (q) report for Ijsvogel

1656 1843 Ijsvogel 45444 (q)

1655 1847 Brugwachter 34333 (q)

1620 1847 Luka 44444 (q)

1653 1855 Spanningzoeker 34333-44444 (q) 

1620 2001 Mondeo 45434 (t)