1449 KHz Maldives (25 kW) is 9125 km / 5670 miles bearing 280 degrees from Sydney. Last night around 11:30 pm, distinctive music was heard. This station is a total receiving system sensitivity test for DXers. Apart from Western Australia, where 1449 KHz Racing Radio Mandurah mostly blocks the channel, DXers in all other Australia states should likely hear Maldives, especially now that the formerly interfering NZ station is off air. MW DXing can often be concentrated on one channel for targeting especially distant station(s). Presently, 1449 KHz Maldives is the most distant signal received nightly in Sydney.

Current Maldives sunset local time is 6:21 pm (UTC+5). This corresponds to 11:21 pm (UTC+10) local Sydney time. Monitoring 1449 KHz within plus or minus circa 30 minutes of Maldives local sunset time will enable temporal sunset signal enhancement. This has been demonstrated during multiple late evenings at Sydney. The winter season is another enhancement factor.

We would be interested to hear if any Australia / NZ DXers can currently hear 1449 KHz Maldives.

(Male, Maldives 1449 KHz TX site featuring low angle horizon take-off)

Todd Emslie to ICDX-AM iog (2026-07-31)

The 355-meter Liblice transmitters are no longer in use and need millions in repairs. A buyer could save the country’s tallest structures.
Czechia’s tallest structures are looking for a new owner, but whoever takes them on will inherit a massive repair bill and the possibility that the iconic towers could eventually disappear.

The Liblice B radio transmitters near Český Brod, two 355-meter towers completed in 1976, have been put up for sale by Czech Radiocommunication (CRA) after losing their original purpose with the end of medium-wave broadcasting. The twin towers, which rank among Europe’s tallest guyed structures, are now facing an uncertain future.

While local residents and preservation groups hope the site can be transformed into a new attraction or repurposed for emergency services, the current owner has warned that significant investment will be required to keep the structures standing.

CRA has not announced a fixed asking price for the Liblice transmitters, instead leaving the final amount open to negotiation with potential buyers. However, the company estimates that the new owner would need to invest at least CZK 170 million in urgent repairs and maintenance.

The most pressing issue is the towers’ anchoring system. Experts have determined that the existing support cables have a lifespan only until the end of 2026, with replacement costs estimated at around CZK 120 million. Further expenses would include anti-corrosion protection and carrying out a major overhaul of the elevators that run inside the towers.

The future owner would also be responsible for maintaining aviation warning lights and other safety systems, as the towers represent a significant obstacle for aircraft. CRA has warned that additional hidden defects may be discovered once detailed inspections are carried out.

Even demolition would be a costly undertaking, requiring extensive planning, environmental measures, waste removal and safety precautions due to the size and location of the structures.

The Liblice transmitters originally served as part of the country’s medium-wave radio network, but their importance declined with the transition to digital broadcasting. Medium-wave transmissions from the site ended in 2021, and the towers have largely stood unused since then.

Local initiatives have opposed plans for their removal, arguing that the structures have become a recognizable landmark of the region. The civic association Spolek přátel obce Liblice has suggested several possible future uses, including opening the towers to tourists or allowing them to serve emergency services or the military.

The towers are equipped with elevators reaching the top, which could potentially make visitor access possible if the necessary safety upgrades were completed. However, such a transformation would require a significant investment and agreement between the owner, authorities and potential operators.
https://www.expats.cz/czech-news/article/czechia-s-tallest-towers-could-disappear-unless-someone-saves-them

Ydun Ritz (2026-07-26)

https://kurzwellenradio.wordpress.com/2026/07/25/junglinster-radio-towers-to-be-demolished/

“Not publicly accessible”, says the Wikipedia-German datasheet, but a youngster disagreed and climbed one of the three towers anyway, in April 2025, Luxemburg’s newspaper “Das Wort” noted on Wednesday, citing the incident as a reason as to why Radio Tele Luxemburg (RTL), the site’s owner, may have considered the landmark a mere problem and wanted to get rid of it.

As a rule, locals like plans like RTL’s – see Moosbrunn, where the Austrian Radio transmitter site didn’t command a great fan community (the interested visitors usually came from far away). In Junglinster, the local government granted permission to blow the upper sections of the towers up, and to demolish the lower legs by less spectacular means. The local government had few other options than to grant permission, writes “Das Wort”. The demolishment won’t begin before October, it appears.

If it is up to RTL, the owner of the area, the site would become a residential area, Luxemburg’s “L’Essentiel” wrote in October last year – plus industrial real estate or business parks (Gewerbeflächen). That wouldn’t necessarily hurt Junglinster. The question to decide – civic participation looked set at the time – is if you prefer green meadows, or new buildings and new people in your neighborhood.

I’m not sure about this, but broadcasts by Radio Onda, Radio Gloria and Radio Slovakia currently seem to come from Junglinster, on 6140 kHz shortwave (as of today, Radio Slovakia’s German service is still there). Those would probably come to an end, too.”

Franz Bleeker, Germany via Alexander Miatlikov to WOR iog (2026-07-25)

I repeated direction finding during daylight to minimise any skywave errors and this places 1624kHz emanating from the area of Rostok, Germany.
This is  probably from Marinefunksendestelle Hohe Düne – within Rostock (Marinestützpunkt Hohe Düne, Warnemünde area)

Located at the northeastern edge of the Hohe Düne naval base, it has three antennas served by around five transmitters with power between 1 and 2.5 kilowatts, radiating in F1B, STANAG 4285, and SSB voice modes, fed remotely from the naval communications center in Glücksburg. It’s the smaller of Germany’s two Baltic transmitter sites, apparently used mainly for
near-range (North Sea/Baltic) coverage.
https://wiki.utdx.de/index.php?title=Marinefunksendestelle_Hohe_D%C3%BCne
Google maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/J2ZRMDVGiiAr9Cnu9  (also visible from Streetview) 54.185N 12.132 E
Note this signal is centred on 1624kHz but is listed with a nominal carrier frequency of 1622.2kHz

Steve Whitt, MWCircle iog (2026-07-25)

Some stations I could hear via SDR KIWI BONAIRE: (25/07/2026)
1500 R. 2000 (Cunamá). Venezuela
1490 R. DINÁMICA (Caracas). Venezuela.
1440 R. MARÍA (Catia La Mar). Venezuela.
1320 R. APOLO (Tumero). Venezuela.
1260 BBN Red de Radiodifusión Bíblica (Caracas).
1200 R. TIEMPO (Caracas).
1130 R. IDEAL (Maiquetía/Macuto).1090 UNIÓN RADIO (Caracas).
990   R. TROPICAL (Caracas).
910   RQ FM CENTER (Caracas).
830   R. SENSACIÓN (San Antonio de los Altos).
710   R.CAPITAL (Caracas).
670   R.RUMBOS (Caracas).

Francisco Sanchez (2026-07-25)

x-band in Europe
Observed last few days that a STANAG 4285 style digital transmission has appeared centred on 1624kHz.
This is likely from Glücksburg in Germany (but to be confirmed with direction finding).

Steve Whitt, MWCircle iog (2026-07-24)

Another update on Venezuela AM radio.

910  S9 + 18, very low mod, Caracas, R 910 Center 20 kW, * Now good Audio, trad Venezuelan Music
1130  S9 + 20, BLANK CARRIER, Maiquitia/Marcoto, R Ideal 10 kW – this is in the Earthquake area near La Guaira,
Now Good Audio, with music
1260  S9 + 15, Talk/Music, Poor Mod, Caracas,R Biblica,  10 kW, Now good Audio, Talk
1490  S9+5 , BLANK CARRIER, Caracas, R Dinamico, 10 kW, Now good audio, Music
1500  S8 + 5, Music, Cumana, R 2000, 10 kW, OFF AIR
1420  (S9) OFF AIR, Caracas, Radio Sintonia, 5 kW
1450  S9  , Talk, Catia La Mar, Radio Maria, 5 kW, NOW Back on air

Ruud Poeze (2026-07-22)

According to the June, 2025 PAL MW list, 3RPH Melbourne is the only 1179 KHz Australia transmitter. Already with 3RPH program modulation ceased, 1180 KHz Radio Marti, Florida (100 kW) has been recently heard in eastern Australia. 

Regards, Todd Emslie to ICDX-AM iog (2026-07-19)

Is the future of Medi 1 still uncertain?
It seems uncertain because SNRT, its new owner, is refusing to comment, but the transmitter’s power has been reduced on 171 kHz.
The history of this established radio station is quite curious. It was on March 28, 1978, during a visit to France by Hassan II, that the decision was made to create a Franco-Moroccan commercial radio station, and the project management was entrusted to the French company SOFIRAD.
The Franco-Moroccan agreement establishing this radio station, as well as its specifications, remained confidential, and its legal status remained unclear because the documents were never published in the Official Bulletin.
Radio Méditerranée Internationale Médi 1 was launched in 1980 and was 25.5% owned by the Moroccan Bank for Foreign Trade, 25.5% by the Omnium Nord Africain group, and 49% by France.
The French stake was held through the Compagnie Internationale de Radio et Télévision (CIRT), whose parent company was SOFIRAD, which belonged to the French state. From the outset, France (which held only a minority stake) guaranteed that this radio station would never become part of the French public broadcasting holding company, Audiovisuel extérieur de la France.
A state subsidy (in the range of 1 to 2 million euros) was paid to Médi 1 for about twenty years. However, this subsidy was insufficient to achieve operational balance. Subsequently, the strong growth of the Moroccan advertising market and the de facto exclusivity enjoyed by Médi 1 improved its results: profits reached 1.4 million francs in 1994. The station took advantage of this to invest in and modernize its facilities in order to increase its audience in Algeria and Tunisia via longwave broadcasting.
Médié 1 was independent of France, but for 30 years, the CEO was Pierre Casalta: a former journalist with Radio Monte Carlo and close to Sofirad. From 1991, CIRT, representing Sofirad, was responsible for recruiting French journalists and making them available to Médi1. A subsidy of 7 million francs from the French government covered personnel costs.
Following France’s withdrawal, Médi1 became a private, commercial company. French and Moroccan partners, including banks and large corporations, were represented on the board of directors.
In recent years, the Moroccan government’s desire to create a public broadcasting sector, including the acquisition of 86.3% of Médi1 radio by the National Broadcasting and Television Company (SNRT), has brought this operation to fruition.
It is impossible to have a clear vision of the future of longwave radio in Morocco, especially since SNRT has ceased broadcasting from its Azila transmitter. Médi1 covers Morocco on FM. Longwave radio covers the greater Maghreb region (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania, and part of Libya), as well as the Mediterranean coast (Spain, France, and Italy).
Maintaining the Nador transmitter represents a significant financial burden. The antennas underwent major upgrades in 2009 at a cost of €30 million, 50% of which was funded by the Moroccan government. However, the transmitters have not been replaced and are now nearing the end of their lifespan.

Radio Magazine Facebook group (2026-07-17)

3RPH: Despite ceasing all programming on 1179kHz, the transmitter has actually been left running with a continuous blank carrier. I phoned 3RPH to enquire about this, but was only told that they were not sure of what they were planning for the transmitter. The ACMA could not give me any further details either.
I am now wondering if 5RPH and 6RPH are also running blank carriers on 1197kHz and 990 kHz respectively.

Only time will tell if 1179kHz is soon to be re-used by another station, as it is all in the air at the moment.

Robert Copeman to ICDX-AM iog (2026-07-17)

5RPH is evidently off, just now from near Adelaide I was receiving on 1197 khz  Brisbane (switch) mixing out with another English language station – possibly newstalk NZ?? They were talking about Rugby but I couldn’t get a positive ID.

Luke Eygenraam to ICDX-AM iog (2026-07-17)