Radio Gallifrey Intergalactic: March 22, 2014

Last night, after returning from nearly two weeks of travel, I recorded pirate station, Radio Gallifrey Intergalactic. It was great to hear their strong USB signal on the air.

RGI appeared on 6,930 kHz USB around 2:45 UTC (or so) and started their broadcast with a set of audio sweeps and then straight into the Dr. Who theme. At the end of the broadcast, I captured RGI‘s SSTV QSL via the CQ SSTV iOS app.

Click here to download their broadcast as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

The Shortwave Shindig: March 15, 2014

Every year at the Winter SWL Fest in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, radio producer David Goren hostsThe Shortwave Shindig, a live event that celebrates the art and culture of long distance listening. This year, for the first time, the Shortwave Shindig was broadcast live on shortwave. The Shindig signed on for one hour at 10:00 ET (02:00 UTC) on 7,570 kHz via WRMI's new Okeechobee facility. 

Last week, I asked readers on my blog, The SWLing Post, if they could record the Shortwave Shindig.  I received two shortwave recordings and one FM recording--I will add others to this post as they arrive.

Matthew Williams took this photo of his TS-590S and Grundig G3 while recording the Shortwave Shindig.

Our first recording comes from Matthew Williams who recorded the show on his Kenwood TS-590 with an 80 meter doublet antenna in New Paltz, NY:

Ed McCorry made the following recording at his home in Willow Spring, NC. He used an ICOM R-75 with a 120 ft. longwire antenna:

"The Professor" recorded this FM broadcast from inside the hotel where the Winter SWL Fest was held. Evidently, an in-house pirate radio FM station was relaying the broadcast:

KOL Israel: February 26, 1969

Kol Israel QSL card (Source: http://shortwavedxer.blogspot.com/2011/09/kol-israel.html)

This 1969 recording of Kol Israel comes from contributor, Greg Barman, who writes:

Prime Minister, Levi Eshkol (Source: Wikipedia)

"Shortwave listening was an active hobby in my youth and I have a few recording from that time. This was part of a series of experimental shortwave broadcasts from Kol Israel directed to the US and Canada. Reception quality at my location in the Chicago suburbs was generally good. This broadcast includes news about the death of Israeli Prime Minister Levi Eshkol."

Greg used his Knight-Kit Star Roamer receiver with an outdoor long wire antenna.

This recording was made on February 26, 1969 at 04:00 GMT on 9,009 kHz, received and
recorded in Evanston, IL. 

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

The Mighty KBC: March 9, 2014

DJ Eric van Willegen, "Uncle Eric"

For your listening pleasure: two hours of The Mighty KBC, recorded on March 9, 2014 starting at 00:00 UTC on their winter frequency of 7,375 kHz.

As we’ve come to expect, the Mighty KBC’s Giant Jukebox of music has a lot of rock-n-roll and Euro-pop variety, spanning the decades; DJ, “Uncle Eric” knows how to entertain and spin the tunes! Uncle Eric includes Kim Elliott’s digital text modes in this broadcast–if you missed the live broadcast, you can even decode the messages from the recording below.

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Voice of Greece: March 6, 2014

(Photo Source)

For your listening pleasure: two hours, fifteen minutes of the Radio Station of Macedonia (Voice of Greece) recorded on March 6, 2014 starting around 01:50 UTC on 9,420 kHz.

Click here to download as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

beHAVior Night: February 28, 2014

For your listening pleasure: beHAVior Night, a shortwave radio show, relayed by WBCQ, dedicated to showcasing music from the first four decades of the 20th Century.

This show was recorded on 7,490 kHz, starting at 22:00 UTC on February 28, 2014:

Radio New Zealand International: March 1, 2014

Mount Cook, located on New Zealand's South Island, is the highest point in the country. (Source: Wikipedia)

For your listening pleasure: three full hours of Radio New Zealand International, recorded on March 1, 2014 starting around 7:59 UTC on 9,765 kHz.

This recording begins with the The RNZI interval signal: the charming and unmistakable call of the New Zealand Bellbird. Besides the music request show, Saturday Night, you'll also hear a documentary featuring The Beatles (and Beatlemania).

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Radio Progreso: February 28, 2014

For your listening pleasure: one hour, twenty eight minutes of Radio Progreso (Cuba), recorded on February 28, 2014 starting around 2:15 UTC on 4,765 kHz. Though I’m not certain, I’m pretty sure this includes a radio soap opera.

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Voice of America, English: February 22, 2014

Many thanks to SWAA contributor, Frank, for this recording of the Voice of America. This broadcast was recorded on February 22, 2014 at 17:00 UTC on 13,755 kHz. Frank mentions that one hour of the recording in English originated from the 100 kW Botswana transmitter; 30 minutes of recording originated from the 250 kW Iranawila transmitter.

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Radio Australia: circa 1969

Radio Australia's Shepparton transmission site (Photo: ABC)

Many thanks to David Firth, who is kindly sharing shortwave radio recordings he made on reel-to-reel recording equipment in the late 1960s. Firth is uncovering and digitizing these off air recordings as time allows and, thanks to his generosity, we will be posting these recordings on the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive.

The following is a recording of Radio Australia, which Firth recorded in 1969.

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Radio New Zealand International: February 22, 2014

For your listening pleasure: three full hours of Radio New Zealand International, recorded on February 22, 2014 starting around 7:59 UTC on 9,765 kHz.

This recording begins with the The RNZI interval signal: the charming and unmistakable call of the New Zealand Bellbird. The first two hours of the recording feature the music request show, Saturday Night, followed by one hour of Wayne's Music.

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Radio Thailand, English: February 15, 2014

Many thanks to SWAA contributor, Frank, for this recording of Radio Thailand's English language service. This broadcast was recorded on February 15, 2014 at 19:00 UTC on 9,965 kHz.

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Radio City via IRRS: February 15, 2014

Many thanks to SWAA contributor, Frank, for this recording of Radio City via IRRS, Milano, Italy on 9,510 kHz shortwave. This broadcast was recorded on February 15, 2014 at 9:00 UTC and originates from a 150 kW transmitter in Saftica, Romania.

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Radio Amica: March 13, 2010

Many thanks to SWAA contributor, Frank, for this recording of Radio Amica: a free radio (pirate) broadcaster broadcaster. This broadcast was recorded on 7,610 kHz at 19:55 UTC on March 13, 2010. It's believed that Radio Amica used/uses a 1kW transmitter located in Italy.

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Captain Morgan Shortwave: February 13, 2014

For your listening pleasure: thirty eight minutes of the pirate radio station, Captain Morgan Shortwave. 

I recorded this broadcast on February 13, 2014 starting around 1:35 UTC, on 6,924 kHz. This broadcast sounds more like a test transmission than a programmed show. 

Simply click here to download an MP3 of the recording, or listen via the embedded player below:

beHAVior Night: February 7, 2014

Image Source

For your listening pleasure: beHAVior Night, a shortwave radio show, relayed by WBCQ, dedicated to showcasing music from the first four decades of the 20th Century.

This show was recorded on 7,490 kHz, starting at 22:00 UTC on February 7, 2014.

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Voice of Korea: February 14, 2014

The Tower of Juche Idea statue, Pyongyang, North Korea (Photo: Martyn Williams).

Many thanks to SWAA contributor, Frank, for this recording of the Voice of Korea's English language service. Incidentally, you may have noticed that Frank is a very regular contributor here on the SWAA, and we are most grateful for his excellent recordings.

Frank recorded this broadcast of VOK from his home in Europe on February 14, 2014, on 7,570 kHz, starting at 15:00 UTC, using a Kenwood R-5000 receiver and a Wellbrook ALA 1530+ antenna.

Note that VOK mentions the "Shining Star Day": a celebration of the late Kim Jong Il's 72nd birthday. Click here for a VOR report on Shining Star Day.

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Of course, the Voice of Korea is all about broadcasting hard-core propaganda--a type of broadcast I find incredibly fascinating. But let there be no mistake, to live in the DPRK is to live under one of the world's most oppressive regimes.  If you want to hear a moving, inspirational story about one North Korean woman's escape from the DPRK, click here to view Hyeonseo Lee's: My escape from North Korea, a TED Talk.

China Radio International, English: February 5, 2014

For your listening pleasure: over 6 hours of China Radio International's English language service. This broadcast was recorded on February 5, 2014 by SRAA contributor, Frank, in Europe around 7:00 UTC on 17,490 kHz. This broadcast originates from the Kashi-Saibagh transmitter in China (500 kW).

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Radio Peking: circa 1968

Many thanks to David Firth, who is kindly sharing shortwave radio recordings he made on reel-to-reel recording equipment in the late 1960s. Firth is uncovering and digitizing these off air recordings as time allows and, thanks to his generosity, we will be posting these recordings on the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive.

The following is a recording of Radio Peking, which Firth recorded in 1968.

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Radio Switzerland: circa 1968

The Zytglogge clock tower, Bern - Switzerland (Modified photo, original by Cristo Vlahos)

Many thanks to David Firth, who is kindly sharing shortwave radio recordings he made on reel-to-reel recording equipment in the late 1960s. Firth is uncovering and digitizing these off air recordings as time allows and, thanks to his generosity, we will be posting these recordings on the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive.

The following is a recording of the Overseas Service of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (Radio Switzerland), which Firth recorded in 1968.

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below: