2026 39th NASWA SWL Fest — Program and Forums Schedule
Update as of March 25, 2026
(All Times EDT / UTC -4)
Each session nominally one hour with time for audience Q&A except for In Memoriam (1/2 hour) and The Shortwave Shindig (extended time)
Preliminary Final Schedule, But Still Subject to Change and Additional Info
Friday, May 1
0900 EDT/1300 GMT – The Annual Free Broadcasting (“Pirate Radio”) Report – Larry Will
A review of the past year’s observations of unlicensed radio activity, principally on the shortwaves.
1030 EDT/1430 GMT – The Shortwave Mission of World Christian Broadcasting — Paul Ladd
WCB’s New Life Station Senior Correspondent discusses how the organization uses shortwave radio to maximize the reach of its mission with special emphasis on Alaska’s KNLS and Madagascar World Voice.
1130-1330 EDT/1530-1730 GMT Break
1330 EDT/1730 GMT – WRMI and Shortwave Radio in 2026 — Jeff White
This man of many hats, but mostly recognized as the impresario behind WRMI, Radio Miami International, discusses the operation and objectives of the station, the role of the High Frequency Coordination Committee (HFCC), the National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters (NASB), producing Wavescan, and his perception of shortwave radio’s import and future.
1500 EDT/1900 GMT – Recent Developments in the Portable/HT Radio Space — Dan Robinson
Recent years have brought some interesting new receivers, notably HTs combining HF with other capabilities, such as POC, Internet, GMRS and Amateur. For example, the just released Malahit-based MLite-880 is a portable that took a big leap ahead of competitors, placing pressure on remaining receiver manufacturers to go beyond business as usual.
1630 EDT/2030 GMT – Phased Loop Arrays – Jef Eichner
This final session in the long running series on loop antennas will discuss practical phased loop construction, covering solely the nuts-and-bolts aspects of constructing phased loop arrays. So, no theoretical background nor attendance at previous seminars is required! As always, though, new toys will be displayed for show and tell.
1730-1930 EDT/2130-2330 GMT Break
1930 EDT/2330 GMT — In Memoriam — Sheldon Harvey
Where we recognize and remember those in our realm who have left us in the past year.
2000 EDT/0000 GMT (Friday) — Don’t Try This at Home – The Turbulent Story of KWDB FM 101. – Tracy Wood
Yes, another chronic Fest-attendee launches a radio station. This is a detailed history of KWDB on Whidbey Island, Washington and all the unplanned ups and downs in getting the FM station launched in December 2025.
2100 EDT/0100 GMT (Friday) — The Shortwave Shindig Lives On! – David Goren
The Shortwave Shindig is a longform celebration of the radio waves (short, long and in-between) in art, history, and culture with live music, archival sounds and special presentations. Among other things David will feature an update on the NYC pirate radio scene plus clips (and rare archival bits) from his recent radiodoc, “The Music Man from Africa” a profile of Leo Sarkisian, legendary producer of “Music Time in Africa” on the Voice of America.
David Goren is a radio producer (davidgoren.net), audio archivist (pirateradiomap.com) and avid listener (shortwaveology.net) who counts wavery signals and static as among his favorite sounds.
Saturday. May 2
0900 EDT/1300 GMT – The Annual Scanning and Utilities Report – Tom Swisher
A review of the past year in equipment developments and scanning activities on the utility frequencies used by first responders, the aeronautical sector, the military and other like entities.
1030 EDT/1430 GMT – 30 Years of VHF Signal Propagation Observations From Southern N.J. – Nick Langan
I’ve been FM DXing from Burlington County since 2005 but have paid attention to the bands prior. Technology has evolved, and I make use of several SDRs that receive FM stations via RDS decodes. In this session, I’ll outline what’s worked for me, some of what I love most about FM DX from the mid-Atlantic region, and how anyone in attendance can fairly easily start FM DXing with an SDR. I’ll also tap into my regular DX-related feature for Radio World, of which I am on the full-time editorial staff.
1130-1330 EDT/1530-1730 GMT Break
1330 EDT/1730 GMT – The Little Known Story of Radio Noticias del Continente, Costa Rica – Tracy Wood
I did a lot of research about the station including reading a 300+ page book (in Spanish) about the topic. It seems the Argentine Montonero guerrillas were behind the station. 50 kw HF rhombic. It lasted about two years on 9615 kHz.
1500 EDT/1900 GMT – Internet Radio Redux: Reviving Once Thought Useless Internet Radios – Rob deSantos
Over 20 years ago, the first standalone internet radio devices appeared. For more than a decade, these were widely sold and available but today only a few remain on the market. Better streaming apps and online tools have largely replaced them for most users. Many of the older models are now just “doorstops”. For a radio enthusiast, this hardware revolution is something we have seen repeatedly in other realms of the radio world. However, thanks to open-source software and better networking you can now update or modify older hardware and turn that doorstop into a usable device setup to your own specifications. In this presentation, we will discuss what is out there and a case study on what you do on the cheap.
1630 EDT/2030 GMT – Designing a Mobile App that Predicts FM Signal Strengths – Nick Langan
For my Villanova graduate thesis, I built “RadioLand”, a mobile app that uses Longley-Rice to predict the strengths of FM signals at any given location. Hopefully, by the Fest, a long-awaited update that includes both AM and NOAA Weather Radio listings and signal predictions will be available. I’ll talk about how I came up with the concept, how folks in attendance can use “RadioLand” to help with their monitoring endeavors, and even how I’ve enlisted one of my Villanova students to build a Machine Learning-based model that is trained on the time-tested Longley-Rice.
Topics We Expect to Cover at the 39th (!?) Annual; 2026 NASWA SWL Fest
The Year in Free Broadcasting (so-called “Pirate” Radio)
The Year in Emergency Radio (Scanners and the Roles they Play)
The Shortwave Mission of World Christian Broadcasting (KNLS and Madagascar World Voice)
What Radio Miami International (WRMI) is Up To
Does Shortwave Radio Belong in the 21st Century?
How Does the High Frequency Coordinating Committee Work?
Who and What is the National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters?
Recent (Exciting) Developments in Portable/HT Radio Receivers
Constructing the Phased Loop Array Antenna (No Annoying, Confusing Theory)
The Annual Shortwave Shindig Showcase
The Story of Costa Rica’s Radio Noticias del Continente
The Harrowing Adventures of a Fest Attendee Launching His Own FM Station
Lessons Learned While FM DXing
The RadioLand FM/SW/MW Propagation Predictor
How to Re-Engineer Your Supposedly Obsolete Internet Radio