RealMix Radio two years- How it all begin?
Let’s go two years back in time to early March 2024. To one early morning I had been waiting for for a long time. I was excited. The clock hit 07:59, and it was time to switch on the transmitter and press the button. That’s where RealMix Radio’s journey on shortwave began.
Joakim Weckström
23.03.2026
The idea of having my own AM station had been on my mind for a long time, but for years it felt far away. I didn’t know much about transmitters, licenses, or studio technology. The turning point came in 2023, when I heard about the founding of SLART ry, a Finnish shortwave association. Its goal is making shortwave activity possible – which was exactly what I had hoped for. I joined the SLART (and to it´s board), and as licensing and music matters became clearer, starting my own station stopped feeling impossible.
In December 2023, I decided to start the station. In January, we sent a license application to Traficom, and RealMix received permission for 6185 kHz. February became a hectic build phase: I needed an antenna, some kind of “studio,” and a complete transmission chain built from scratch. I attached a metal pole to the end wall of our house and hung a half-wave dipole from it, with both wires just under 12 meters, as I had been advised. The transmitter sat inside the cabin next to the studio desk, connected by an audio cable to my laptop, and I did the final setup just days before launch without meters, proper tools, or real experience.
When the first broadcast went out on 02 March 2024, I knew many people were listening and wondering if a 16-year-old could really do this. The first minutes went smoothly, and RealMix was on the air with 15 watts. Positive feedback and reception reports started arriving by email, and at 09:00 my first show aired on shortwave. The nervousness began turning into joy: “this is starting to sound like radio.”
On the second broadcast day, Sunday, my listener request show aired for the first time. While producing it and reading emails, I quickly understood the community spirit in this hobby, feedback and reception reports gave a huge boost of motivation. During spring and summer 2024, RealMix broadcast regularly on Saturdays and Sundays. I built a new studio, optimized the audio processing, built a new antenna, and raised power to 100 watts. DJ Mac and DJ Pera joined the team, along with news from Mediamonitori.
RealMix also motivated me to learn more about radio production. In autumn 2024, I applied to study radio journalism in Kauhajoki, about 300 km from home. Moving at 17 was a big step, but RealMix continued remotely: streaming made it easier, and big thanks to my dad for taking care of the transmission tech back home. By the window of my “remote studio” (the classroom), I had a portable radio monitoring the broadcast.
There have been difficult moments too. One of the worst was when I was on a train to Kauhajoki listening via remote SDR- after Tampere the signal suddenly disappeared, and the transmitter wouldn’t respond. With nobody at home, I traveled back the next day, installed a backup transmitter, and got RealMix back on the air. The main transmitter needed service and returned back on the air later.
The best moments have happened behind the studio. One highlight was spring 2025, during a partial solar eclipse: between live speaks I went outside to watch the phenomenon and describe it to listeners in real time. And yes – mistakes happen. Once, while starting the request show, the music didn’t play at all; I only heard a strange off-phase-like distortion in my headphones, and while talking on air I tried to figure out what was wrong on the mixer.
The broadcasts are largely built around music I discover by listening to foreign AM, FM, and DAB stations via remote receivers, using Shazam, and through DX listening. In summer, FM conditions sometimes bring stations in for only a few seconds – so music-spotting becomes a speed test. That´s the way I like of finding good tracs, but of course I also follow the world of music on social media. And I’ll admit it: sometimes my current favorite track may end up on RealMix too- because I hope the listener will like it as well.
A lot of work happens behind the scenes: replying to reception reports, programming the rotation and automation, and constant optimization. RealMix isn’t a playlist that repeats endlessly- it’s a programmed system designed so, for example, high-energy dance tracks don’t blast in the morning and consecutive songs flow together. The financial side has been tight at times — equipment, licenses, and electricity aren’t cheap- so my warm thanks go to the family and a few fans who have helped keep shortwave active.
RealMix has now been on shortwave for two years. The journey has included twists, surprises, and happy moments. My goal is to keep the station active, improve the listening experience, and strengthen the connection listeners feel. New program makers are welcome, if you want your voice on shortwave, send a demo recording and something about you to our email.
Thank you to you, the listener, every reception reporter, and everyone who has made RealMix possible!