BCLing isn't, at least in my opinion, about self-medalling, especially when it comes to QSLing. However, if your ears (and eyes)  are on the spectrum since a bit of time, you realize when you achieve an uncommon result.  Verifications wise, transmitting stations who relay, around the world, programmes from big broadcasters usually have shown a strict policy. All reports have to be confirmed (and consequently, are forwarded there) from the main station, not from the transmitting post. VOA, and other US Government "sponsored" shortwave transmissions (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, Radio Sawa, RadioFarda) are run by IBB, International Broadcasting Bureau. (while BBC ones are under VT Communications control). Udonthani station, in Thailand, despite the general policy, answered my report (sent directly to an e-mail address found on WRTH 2010, and concerning a Radio Sawa broadcast on the 15 MHz band) with a nice card depicting the relay station itself. Very glad of this one, as the card is nice, and it comes from the place where the broadcast has been aired, not from a secretary using an Excel grid (and not an audio archive) to confirm reports. Many of those relays, following the general HF dismissal trend, may be switched off soon. Try to confirm as many of them as you can before they're gone. It's a broadcasting era that will be over.

73,
Chris

Guys, you can laugh about it, but for me there is no such thing like waking up and switching on radios. Once, I was used to do that very early, at dawn (which in my area, is a true nature gift, as shown in the picture along this post). Nowadays, it's a bit later, but it's always in time to see if propagation is there, sharp like I try to be. Many times you end up with just the usual signals, or even less. Other mornings, instead, you can be surprised. And it's that being surprised every time like it was firt one that shows you're (yet) on the right path. When you'll see as "standard" what you're hearing, it will be time to change hobby. Since I'm still on a nice ground (at least, one that means something to me), here is what made my day this morning. On the receiver inside home, the R71 with the "Mini-Whip", AFN Key West was so strong on 7811 kHz, that I could go outside with my Degen DE1106 and find it, at 05.01 UTC (the clock on the receiver is still to be adjusted!), with a fine signal. Defeneatly, a morning bugle call (with a nice 20 degrees Celsius temperature, to reach over 30° during the day). And I was glad to be there!
 

73,
Chris

Old Andrew Oldham's Orchestra LP title well pictures the reception situation at my QTH. I'm now pretty persuaded I've a better window on Asia, but sometimes US signals can reach quite an intensity. It's what happened on the night of last 15th August, while I was cruising 15 MHz (which lately counts among my favorite bands, as it offers a really wide bouquet of catches!). For each entry, QTH is Aosta, in north-western Italy, receiver is the SDR "Pappradio" (I'm, day after day, amazed at its performance), and aerial is a Discone.

15230 kHz – 23.10 UTC – Radio Australia – Programme in English – 15th June 2011. Shepparton, Australia, transmitting site, beam to west Oceania.

15560 kHz – 23.20 UTC – Radio Australia – Programme in English – 15th June 2011. Shepparton, Australia, transmitting site, beam to south Oceania (note the strenght different with previous entry!).

15585 kHz – 23.22 UTC – Radio Free Asia – Programme in Mandarin – 15th June 2011. Tinian, Marianas Islands, transmitting site.

15600 kHz – 23.32 UTC – FEBC – Programme in Burmese – 15th June 2011. Bocause, Philippines, transmitting site.

15610 kHz – 23.27 UTC – WEWN – Programme in English – 15th June 2011. Vandiver, Alabama, US, transmitting site.

Believe it, or not, I still have to QSL Radio Australia. This will be the time.

73,
Chris

Sometimes, usually when she sees me handling huge stacks of reception report envelopes ready to be mailed, my wife asks: "you've heard a station that identified, what's worth to have a piece of paper saying you did it?". I answer her – and myself – that I do it because it matters to the people on the other side of the radio (host, authors, engineers, and so on). Sadly, the fact many important broadcasters (like BBC, or REE) did stop to answer listeners reports, seems to give some reasons to my wife. Luckily, sometimes the opposite happens. As many of you will probably know, since last January 5910 kHz doesn't carry anymore Marfil Estereo, but  Alcaravan Radio, always from Colombia (tx in Lomalinda, to be precise). During the night, the signal is pretty good, and the channel in Europe is free from interference. So, I did a recording and fired it, along with the report, to the e-mail address I found for the station on the WRTH 2010. A couple days after, the nice e-qsl you can see above was in my mailbox. I did discover not only that at Alcaravan they do care a lot for their listeners, but also that their QSL manager, Mr. Rafael Rodrigues, is a DXer himself. You can find his radio blog ("DX desde Colombia") linked on the column on the left. Give it a visit. It's worth!

73,
Chris 

How much China can you find on 6 MHz at night? More than you would expect. See the below log from last 15th June. Two different PBS (on five frequencies, with varying signals: it’s interesting, as I always thought they had the same irradiation pattern, given they provide a regional service), and what I’m led to log as Taiwan (that channel is sometimes jammed with CNR1, and being both in Mandarin, if someone could confirm, I’d be grateful). For all the entries, receiver is SDR “Pappradio”, with a “Discone” as antenna. QTH, as always, Aosta in north-western Italy.

PBS Xizang (Lhasa transmitting site)

• 6025 kHz – YL talk in Tibetan and music – 21.48 UTC – 15^th June 2011
• 6050 kHz – Music programme, and short OM talk in Mandarin – 21.58 UTC – 15^th June 2011
• 6110 kHz – OM and YL talk in English, music – 22.33 UTC – 15^th June 2011
• 6130 kHz – YL and OM talk in English – 22.38 UTC – 15^th June 2011

PBS Sichuan (Xichang transmitting site)

• 6060 kHz – Music, then YL talk – 22.12 UTC – 15^th June 2011

Radio Taiwan International (Tentative)

• 6150 kHz – OM talk in Mandarin – 22.44 UTC – 15^th June 2011

Next challenge, after reception, will be QSLing the PBS. Tibet should be easier, Sichuan looks like a harder one. But if you don't try…

73, Chris

The wonderful thing about shortwaves is that they work as the sky of the Valley where I live. You can watch it as many times as you want, but you won't ever recognize the same cloud, or color. Check out what I experienced last monday, 20th June, on 9705 kHz. At 5.00 UTC, through my R71 and "Mini Whip" antenna, "La Voix du Sahel", the State run station from Niger, was identifying in French, after the traditional flutes signal. Less than twenty hours after, and  – on the "Pappradio" SDR with Discone antenna – Ethiopia, in local language (I can't say if it was  Amharic, Oromic or Tigray) signed off with the national anthem. In a word, exciting! And who said that, out of tropical bands season, African DX are out of question?!
 

73,
Chris