Many thanks to David Firth, who is kindly sharing shortwave radio recordings he made on his reel-to-reel recording equipment in the late 1960's. Firth is uncovering and digitizing these recordings as time allows.
We are grateful for this recording of Radio Moscow, which Firth recorded in 1968.
Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:
For your listening pleasure: the BBC World Service. This broadcast was recorded on February 8, 2014 starting around 11:00 UTC on 9,740 kHz. This broadcast originated from the Kranji transmitter site (125 kW).
Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:
Peter Fry, host of Saturday Night on Radio New Zealand
If you've ever had the distinct pleasure of tuning to Radio New Zealand International when their musical request show, Saturday Night, is on the air, chances are that you've become, like I have, addicted to this show.
The show's inimitable host, Peter Fry, has one of the best radio presences in the business. His warm personality and penchant for playing absolutely anything back-to-back will captivate you. You'll hear songs and genres (including comedy skits) spanning the decades, and Fry offers his excellent commentary between sets.
What amazes me, too, (when I stop to think about it) is the relatively robust audio fidelity from RNZI's shortwave signal here in eastern North America, especially considering that this broadcast originates in Rangitaiki, on the north island of New Zealand, and is powered by only 50 kilowatts, a modest signal by international broadcasting standards. RNZI's signal crosses the Pacific at the speed of light–and at 6 watts per mile, by my calculations–delivers my Saturday Night as clearly as if it originated...well, locally.
The RNZI signal travels a full 8,249 miles (13,276 kilometers) to reach my radio.
Yes, shortwave radio is magic. And so is Peter Fry's show: Enjoy.
Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:
This broadcast was recorded on February 8, 2014 starting around 07:59 UTC on 9,765 kHz. This broadcast originated from the Rangitaiki, NZ transmitter site (50 kW).
Hotuna da Bidiyo - Ra'ayi Riga (Source: BBC Hausa)
For your listening pleasure: the BBC World Service, Hausa language service. This broadcast was recorded on February 8, 2014 starting around 06:30 UTC on 9,870 kHz. This broadcast originated from the BBC transmitter site Woofterton (250 kW).
Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:
This broadcast originates from the BBC relay on the (very remote) Ascension Island.
For your listening pleasure: the BBC World Service, French language service to Africa. This broadcast was recorded on February 8, 2014 starting around 06:00 UTC on 9,870 kHz. This broadcast originated from the BBC transmitter site on Ascension Island (250 kW).
Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:
For your listening pleasure: NHK World English language service. This broadcast was recorded on February 8, 2014 starting around 05:00 UTC on 9,770 kHz. This broadcast originated from the Issoudun transmitter site (500 kW).
Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:
IRIB's northeast gate along Valiasr Ave. (Source: Wikipedia)
For your listening pleasure: Voice Of Islamic Republic Of Iran Hebrew language service. This broadcast was recorded on February 8, 2014 starting at 4:23 UTC on 9,755 kHz.
Though this recording was made with a filter width of 9 kHz, the audio sounds narrow and "tinny."
Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:
For your listening pleasure: Radio France International. This broadcast was recorded on February 8, 2014 around 07:00 UTC on 9,790 kHz. This broadcast originates from the Issoudun transmitter site (500 kW).
Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:
For your listening pleasure: Afia Darfur/Hello Darfur. This broadcast was recorded on February 8, 2014 starting around 03:00 UTC on 9,845 kHz. While Afia Darfurt was scheduled for the Selebria-Phikwe transmitter site, I believe this particular broadcast may have been relayed by the Voice of America in Greenville, North Carolina, based on signal strength and the VOA interval signal.
Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:
For your listening pleasure: one hour of the Voice of Indonesia's French language service. This broadcast was recorded on February 5, 2014 by SRAA contributor, Frank, in Europe around 20:00 UTC on 9,526 kHz. Frank was using his Kenwood R-5000 and Wellbrook ALA 1530+ antenna.
Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:
For your listening pleasure: one hour of Radio Thailand's English Language service. This broadcast was recorded on February 4, 2014 by SRAA contributor, Frank, in Europe around 19:00 UTC on 9,965 kHz.
Note that the interval signal begins about one minute into the recording. This broadcast was transmitted from Udon Thani (250 kW).
Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:
For your listening pleasure: two hours of Radio Liberty's Russian Language Service. This broadcast was recorded on February 2, 2014 by SRAA contributor, Frank, in Europe around 15:00 UTC on 11,890 kHz. This broadcast was relayed through the Woofferton site in the United Kingdom (300 kW).
Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:
For your listening pleasure: over 6 hours of China Radio International's English language service. This broadcast was recorded on January 31, 2014 by SRAA contributor, Frank, in Europe around 7:00 UTC on 17490 kHz.
Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:
One of my favorite shortwave radio broadcasters is Radio New Zealand International. RNZI has authoritative news--with a focus on NZ and the Pacific islands--music, sports and their own unique character, though they operate on a very modest budget by international broadcasting standards.
The RNZI interval signal is charming and unmistakable: the call of the New Zealand Bellbird.
For your listening pleasure: two full hours of Radio New Zealand International, recorded on January 17, 2014 starting around 7:59 UTC on 9,765 kHz.
Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or listen via the embedded player below:
This Radio Japan (Japanese language) broadcast was recorded on January 7, 2014 starting a little before 02:00 UTC on 5,960 kHz. The broadcast begins with a few seconds of Radio Japan's interval signal.
Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:
For your listening enjoyment: The Voice of America's Learning English service (formerly VOA Special English).
This VOA broadcast was recorded on January 4, 2014 starting a little before 01:30 UTC on 7,465 kHz. It begins with a few seconds of VOA’s interval signal.
Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:
Victory Avenue (Calea Victoriei), a major avenue in central Bucharest, Romania (Source: Wikipedia, Mihai Petre)
For your listening enjoyment: Radio Romania International‘s English language service.
This RRI broadcast was recorded on January 4, 2013 starting a little before 01:00 UTC on 7,325 kHz. It begins with a few seconds of RRI’s interval signal.
Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:
The Palace of Culture in Iași, built on the ruins of the Royal Court of Moldavia, hosts the largest art collection in Romania. (Source: Wikipedia)
For your listening pleasure: two hours of Radio Romania International's Romanian language service.
This broadcast was recorded on January 4, 2014, on 7,340 kHz, starting at 01:00 UTC.
Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Yesterday–New Year's Eve, 2014–I spent some time listening to a few broadcasters as the new year passed through their time zones. While I missed hearing Radio New Zealand International (the first to welcome the New Year on the air), I did manage to catch Radio Australia, and the New Year was celebrated with no fanfare; one program merely ran into the next, and there was a brief mention of 2014's arrival in the headline news.
Oh, but it wasn't that way when we moved into the year 2000...
Back in December of 1999, before setting off to visit family for the New Year, I had a sudden notion: I decided it would be fun–and a bit novel–to record radio broadcasters as each moved into the new millennium. As we were packing the car to travel, I changed my mind about using my Grundig Yacht Boy 400 to accomplish this fairly ambitious, round-the-world listening/recording endeavor; instead, I grabbed my ham radio transceiver, an Icom IC-735, and packed it, along with a hefty 12-volt power supply. While my IC-735 lacked AM filters (at the time) it had much better sensitivity than the YB400, especially when hooked up to a decent antenna. I also had the foresight to take along a few odds and ends, including a mechanical antenna tuner and a spool of long wire.
To record the broadcast, I used my trusty Aiwa AM F70 MiniDisk recorder–remember those? Upon arrival at our extended family's home, they kindly permitted me to erect a long wire antenna in a sloping configuration in their yard. It did a fine job netting the airwaves. The MiniDisk recorder recorded brilliantly, allowing me to monitor levels and even edit afterward.
As a result, I spent New Year's Eve 2000 recording station after station as the earth turned. It was great fun, and meanwhile had very little impact on our family celebrations as I simply left the recorder running for long periods of time.
While I have yet to dissect the many hours of recordings, if memory serves, I think I managed to record Radio New Zealand International, Voice of Russia, Radio France International, NHK, Voice of America, and Radio Canada International as each rang in 2000. The IC-735 performed quite well, save a lack of bandwidth filters, as I only really had two–very wide, and very narrow.
So, for your New Year's Day listening pleasure: I hope you'll enjoy, as much as I did, listening to Radio Australia ring in the new millennium yet again. In the news items, you'll hear that Russian President Boris Yeltson has handed the reigns over to Vladimir Putin, and remarks about the (lack of) problems resulting from the infamous Y2K threat.
Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen below:
President Vladimir Putin (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
(Adapted from original on SWLing Post)
This morning, I tuned to the Voice of Russia (a.k.a. Radio VR) English language service to hear the state news agency's take on the sweeping changes President Vladimir Putin implemented yesterday.
I expected the story to be somewhat buried amongst international headlines, but instead I heard no mention within the one hour news broadcast.
Here's a recording of the broadcast from today at 13:00 on 12,075 kHz (which begins to fade toward the end):
I then searched through some spectrum recordings I made yesterday and discovered VOR's American Hour broadcast on 9,395 kHz, starting at 23:00 UTC.
Even though this is the American Hour, I would have expected some mention of the news agency changes in the international news selection.
So, don't turn to Voice of Russia broadcasts to learn about the overhaul of Russian state media. Ironically, VOR News prominently featured an article on their website regarding these changes within the state media. Indeed, it was this article I posted yesterday on the SWLing Post.
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