Technology & Updates
Transmitters, antennas, audio processing, monitoring and real listener data — the Radio Delta AM technical workbench.
Shortwave radio as a practical workbench
Shortwave changes by season, time, antenna, receiver and propagation. Radio Delta AM combines transmitter checks, remote monitoring and listener reports to understand what really works on air.
What listeners are using
Reception reports show more than where the signal arrived. They also show which receivers and antennas made reception possible.
Receiver & antenna share
A practical overview of receiver brands and antenna types found in confirmed reception reports.
Receiver brand share
Receiver names are grouped by brand or category.
Antenna type share
Antenna descriptions are grouped into practical categories.
Propagation patterns from listener reports
These charts show which bands are reported by month, when listeners report in UTC, and how far each band usually travels.
Real radio, measured by real listeners
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Which bands work through the year?
Reports grouped by month and band.
When shortwave comes alive
Reports grouped by UTC hour.
How far each band usually travels
Average listener distance gives a simple view of each band.
Read technical updates
Transmitters, processing, monitoring, frequency tests and engineering notes.
Explore updates →Technical spotlights
Classic transmitters, restoration, AM modulation and on-air experiments.
Go to spotlights →Watch tests
Practical RF checks, monitoring examples and real on-air results.
Go to videos →Recent listener setups
A few technical reception examples from the listener database.
Radio Delta Knowledge Desk
Technical themes for deeper articles and future updates.
Frequency & band tests
A shortwave frequency depends on season, time, distance, solar conditions and noise.
From RF power to useful coverage
Height, angle, ground system and band choice decide how transmitter power becomes field strength.
Carrier, modulation and reliability
AM needs a stable carrier, clean modulation and reliable RF behaviour.
Processing for shortwave AM
Processing must improve clarity and intelligibility without making the signal tiring to hear.
KiwiSDR and recordings
Remote receivers and off-air recordings show how the signal behaves away from the transmitter site.
Reception reports as measurements
SINPO, distance, time, receiver and antenna data help compare real reception.
Current working model
Detailed broadcast times belong on the Program Schedule page. Technically, Radio Delta works with seasonal anchor bands: 49 metres in summer, 75 metres in winter, and 25 metres for special DX broadcasts.
Looking for times and frequencies? The current on-air planning is listed on the Program Schedule page.
View Program ScheduleHow we test a shortwave broadcast
A good test compares several sources before drawing conclusions.
Choose the band
Season, time, expected coverage, QRM and earlier reports guide the choice.
Monitor locally
Carrier, modulation, audio level and RF behaviour are checked at the station.
Check remotely
KiwiSDR and off-air recordings show the signal across Europe.
Compare reports
SINPO, distance, receiver, antenna and time are compared with monitoring results.
Technical Spotlights
Classic transmitters, processing and experiments that shaped Radio Delta.
R&S SK050 with the Orban 9200
A stable HF workhorse from the Radio Delta archive, preserved close to its broadcast character.
Breakaway software processing
Software processing showed how much clarity and presence could be shaped before the transmitter.
Telefunken S2525/3 on air
A practical and reliable shortwave transmitter with stable coverage and strong audio performance.
R&S SK080 refurbished
Classic broadcast engineering: heavy, analogue and full of AM character.
Technical archive: older transmitter, antenna and audio processing posts remain part of the Radio Delta technical history.
Explore all Technology & UpdatesBuild along: videos & experiments
Real checks and real on-air results.
Transmitter / RF build & checks
Practical steps, measurements, audio-to-RF, modulation and monitoring.
On-air testing & monitoring
Real on-air runs, practical checks and listener feedback.
Help improve the signal. Send a reception report with SINPO, receiver, antenna, location and frequency.
Send a reception report