Shortwave Reception Reports

Exchanging QSL cards with shortwave stations is one of the most exciting elements of the hobby; particularly for SW DXers.  In addition to their own QSL cards, some short wave stations also send program guides/schedules, newsletters, booklets, stickers, and even travel information.  In fact, if you send reports to shortwave stations then you can look forward to accumulating QSL cards and other associated paraphernalia from all over the world. 

Providing Reports

When you listen to a shortwave broadcast you need to record the frequency, date and time, in UTC, when the station was heard.  The best medium for doing that is a formal QSL card designed by you on the computer, or, better still, with a professional SWL QSL card offered by the Dx Adventure Radio Club (DA-RC).

On the card, it can also be beneficial to jot down some details of the program you have SWL.  On this matter, look for some of the following items when listening to the program: 

  • When and how the station identifies itself
  • The name of the program
  • Content of the news or other program
  • Names of the announcer(s)
  • Items unique to the locality of the station

How much information you can record often depends on propagation, the language of the broadcast and the type of program.  The more detail provided in your report, however, the better and more valuable it will be.  Additionally, your reception report must also include a notification of how well the signal was received.

Shortwave reports use the universal SINPO code which is described as follows… 

  • Signal: Refers to the strength of the signal RX
  • Interference: Indicates whether other stations were interfering with the signa (QRM)l
  • Noise: Identifies the presence of atmospheric or other noise on the frequency (QRN)
  • Propagation: Refers to the fading characteristics of the signal (QSB)
  • Overall: Tells the station how well you received their signal

The digits 5 through to 1 are used to indicate the quality of each criterion.

5 – Excellent
4 – Good
3 – Fair
2 – Poor
1 – Poor
 

For example, if you SWL Radio Solomon Islands with a good signal, but had some strong interference from Radio Australia, fair atmospheric noise, and excellent propagation you might use the code 45345 to record the quality of your reception. 

Where to Send your Reports (QSL cards)

To find the address of the station you will need to listen carefully to the broadcast as most stations give out their coordinations at the end of every program. 

Failing that, other options include:

  1. Googling the station’s name on the internet, or
  2. Using one of the references listed on the Shortwave Resources page.

Always be prompt in sending your report to a shortwave station as international broadcast stations use reception reports, among other things, to assess the quality of their signal.  The sooner they receive it the more useful it is to them and the more likely you are of getting a return card.

Standard Contribution

Some international broadcasters might request that you to send postage to cover the cost of a return QSL.  In this case, standard contribution is 1 or 2 $US or 1 International Reply Coupon (IRC).  In most cases, including a self addressed envelope (SAE) is not necessary.

Most major broadcasters, however, do not require contribution.  Using a guide such as the World Radio and TV Handbook or visiting the station’s website can help to identify SW stations that require postage.

What to Expect in Return

If you send an accurate and complete report then within a few weeks or months, you can expect to receive a QSL card from the station.  Although shortwave stations can be much farther away than domestic medium wave stations they tend to reply promptly and often with generous packages.