Radio Cook Islands (Recording #1 Mediumwave): circa 1993

A view from the driveway entrance to the Radio Cook Islands studio in 1993. Insulators on an antenna (T2FD or multiband dipole) can be seen as dark spots against the cloudy sky. A feedline is also seen rising above the left side of the building. (Photo: Guy Atkins)

SRAA contributor, Guy Atkins, writes:

In 1993 I was fortunate to have the opportunity to visit Rarotonga with my wife, courtesy of a nice award through my company which afforded me an all-expenses-paid trip anywhere we’d like to go.

I chose the South Pacific island of Rarotonga, partly because I wanted to visit Radio Cook Islands after listening to their “island music” on 11760 and 15170 kHz through my teenage years.

During our visit to the island I recorded 90+ minutes of RCI on 630 kHz with a local quality signal using a Grundig Satellit 500 and a Marantz PMD-221 recorder.

Sadly, RCI will likely never be on shortwave again; a fire in the local tele-comm building a few months before my 1993 visit destroyed RCI’s transmitter. I had an amusing exchange with the secretary when I visited; she insisted that their station was still on shortwave. Of COURSE we’re on the air she said, because “the frequencies are published right here in the newspaper!” The engineer and announcer confirmed, though, that the silence on their former frequencies was for real. They indicated they were covering the outer islands just fine with FM translators and had no intention of restarting shortwave.

Recordings

The programming of Radio Cook Islands is bilingual, and announcers are fluent in both English and Cook Islands Maori. Music selections on RCI encompass all styles, to appeal to many age groups. These recordings was scheduled to include as much local music as possible.

RCI programming includes all the hallmarks of a small, non-professional station: stuck records & tape carts, dead air, poor modulation, and other miscues.

However, that’s part of the flavor of local radio, and these errors are heard throughout this recording. Particularly noticeable is the bassy, over-modulation of the studio announcer during sign-on announcements.

Recording 1

Notes: National anthem & hymn; sign-on announcements & music.
Music; weather; sign-off announcements & national anthem.
Local & regional news; weather; ads; music.

Recording 2 follows in the next post....

Radio Canada International anniversary special: March 16, 2015

SRAA contributor, Richard Langley, writes:

Live one-hour recording of the PCJ Radio International special broadcast celebrating the 70th anniversary of Radio Canada International in English via WRMI on 16 March 2015 beginning at 01:00 UTC on a frequency of 7570 kHz. 

The broadcast was received on a Tecsun PL-880 receiver with its built-in telescopic whip antenna in Hanwell (just outside Fredericton), New Brunswick, Canada. Signal quality was generally good.

Radio Vilnius 1990-1991 (1st Recording): March 28/29, 1990 and April 3, 1990

Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributor, Richard Langley, has digitized a set of historic off-air recordings documenting the independence of Lithuania through Radio Vilinus.

We will feature Richard's full description and comments in this first post and recording.  Subsequent posts will describe each individual recording of the set. 

Many thanks to Richard for this archived archived audio:

Radio Vilnius 1990-1991

On 11 March 1990, Lithuania was the first Soviet republic to declare its independence. The Soviet Union issued an ultimatum to the Lithuanian authorities to renounce independence or suffer the consequences.

On 17 March 1990, Lithuania rejected the demand and the Soviet Union responded by applying economic sanctions and occupied parts of Vilnius, the capital city. In January 1991, the Soviets launched a larger scale operation against Lithuania. On 11 January, Soviet military units seized several building in Vilnius and elsewhere. On 12 January, civilians congregated outside some strategically important buildings such as those of the Supreme Council (the Seimas Palace), the Radio and Television Committee, the Vilnius TV Tower, and the main telephone exchange in an attempt to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Soviet military. In the early hours of 13 January, tanks and soldiers attacked the TV tower. Fourteen Lithuanians and one Russian soldier died.

Subsequently, Soviet forces surrounded and entered the Radio and Television Committee building and forced the TV station off the air. Shortly thereafter, a small TV studio in Kaunas was used to resume TV transmissions and put out a call for help. Radio transmissions were also affected. Although Soviet forces were in the vicinity of the Supreme Council building, they retreated instead of attacking. The occupation and military raids continued for several months following the attacks.

Subsequent Lithuanian-Russian negotiations resulted in the signing of a treaty on 31 January. A referendum on independence held on 9 February overwhelmingly supported the full and total independence of Lithuania. Other republics of the Soviet Union declared their independence and following the resignation speech by Mikhail Gorbachev on 25 December, the Soviet Union was dissolved the next day. The last Russian troops left Lithuania on 31 August 1993.

Radio Vilnius, the external service of Lithuanian Radio, transmitted news about events in Lithuania and the other Baltic republics even at the height of the Soviet attacks. The broadcasts were made, in part, using transmitters elsewhere in the Soviet Union. However, there was a temporary interruption in these broadcasts after the occupation of the Radio and TV Centre by Soviet troops early in the morning of 13 January. They resumed on 25 January.

Radio Nederland’s “Media Network” programs of 20 January 1991 and 14 January 1992 featured reports on Radio Vilnius and the Soviet occupation. The sound files of these programs are available on the Web (“Media Network Vintage Vault“).

I have six recordings of Radio Vilnius English Service shortwave broadcasts between March 1990 and January 1991. These were received in Hanwell, New Brunswick, Canada, using a Sony ICF-7600D receiver and supplied wire antenna draped around the listening room.

Recording 1 (30 minutes):

28 March 1990, 22:00 UTC, 11770 kHz (00m:00s – 00m:55s)

Strong signal. Interval signal (IS) and station identification (ID) but the transmission was cut off in mid-sentence: “This is Radio Vilnius. Hello and welcome to our daily broad” All that could be heard faintly on this frequency then was Radio Liberty in Russian (“Govorit Radio Svoboda”). Initially could hear nothing on Radio Vilnius parallel frequencies until about four minutes into the broadcast when a very faint signal on 12060 kHz could be heard (not recorded).

29 March 1990, 22:00 UTC, 12060 kHz (00m:55s – 02m:04s)

Weak signal. IS, station identification, and first part of “News About Lithuania.” Radio teletype interference. Checked other frequencies.

3 April 1990, 22:00 UTC, 17665 kHz (02m:06s – 30m:02s)

Improved signal. Receiver briefly switched to other frequencies to check quality during the recording. IS, ID, “News About Lithuania,” report on the occupation of the Lithuanian Prosecutor’s Office on Friday night (30 March), music, sports news, “Lithuanian by Radio.”

CBC North Quebec Service (RCI Sackville): October 6, 2012

I snapped this photo of the RCI Sackville transmitter site in June 2012--several months prior to the site's closure. All of the towers seen in the background have since been demolished. 

I recently discovered this off air recording of the CBC North Quebec service. This recording was made in North Carolina on October 6, 2012 on 9,625 kHz, starting around 1059 UTC. 

This recording includes the North Quebec Service sign on, the TOTH CBC News and about 20 minutes of CBC Montreal's "All In A Weekend."

Sadly, the RCI Sackvillle site has now been completely closed down and all of her towers have been demolished. 

beHAVior Night via WBCQ: January 16, 2015

For your listening pleasure: beHAVior Night, a shortwave radio show which showcases music from the first four decades of the 20th Century.

This show was recorded on Friday, January 16, 2015, beginning at 2000 UTC on 7495 kHz:

Special Radio Netherlands broadcast via WRMI: January 18, 2015

Last week, I received a message from Peter De Groot, who announced a special broadcast of Radio Netherlands Worldwide (RNW).

RNW has been off the air for more than 2.5 years, so we can assume this was not sponsored by RNW.

Though scheduling (and the fact I forgot to start a spectrum recording–!) interfered with my ability to listen to the first broadcast on January 17, I was able to catch the January 18 broadcast at 01:00 UTC on 7,570 kHz. The show was relayed by WRMI.

The broadcast came in so strong, when I heard the interval signal, it instantly transported me back to the days when Hilversum targeted eastern North America. Gave me chill bumps.

I was able to record the entire program but did not include the WRMI station ID before and after the special.

For your listening pleasure, one full hour of Radio Netherlands Worldwide via WRMI in Florida USA–click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below. Enjoy:

Radio Berlin International, final episode: October 2, 1990

Many thanks to Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributor, Richard Langley, who writes:

[The following is a] recording of the penultimate English broadcast from Radio Berlin International (RBI) and the last broadcast in the particular time slot. It was also the last broadcast of the popular DX program DX-tra.

RBI ceased broadcasting at the end of the day on 2 October 1990, the day before German reunification took place.

In addition to the final episode of DX-tra, the recording features the news (in progress as the recording starts a minute or two after 00:45), Commentary, RBI Press Review, and Spotlight on Sport. There are several “goodbye” songs including “The Final Countdown” by the Swedish hard rock band Europe, and “Goodbye Blue Sky” by Pink Floyd and some announcer goodbye comments like “the voice of the disappearing German Democratic Republic,” “that was it,” and “the last day of the good old GDR.”

The 45-minute recording ends with the familiar RBI interval signal and, at 01:30 UTC, the first part of the German-language transmission, also the last in its time slot.

This recording was made in Hanwell, NB, Canada, with a Sony ICF-7600D receiver and supplied wire antenna draped around Richard’s home office. This recording begins around 0045 UTC, October 2, 1990 on a frequency of 9,730 kHz.

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

A Tale of Two Cities via Global 24: December 30, 2014

The company rehearses Treasure Island, the second program in The Mercury Theatre on the Air series, presented July 18, 1938 (Source: Wikipedia)

Tuesday morning, I tuned my WWI era BC-348-Q to Global 24 on 9395 kHz. The signal, via WRMI’s transmitter, was quite strong.

At 2:00 UTC, I heard an announcement that The Mercury Theatre on the Air radio play of A Tale of Two Cities was about to begin.

Not wanting to miss an opportunity to record this timeless Dicken’s classic, I quickly switched over to the Elad FDM-S2 SDR to record the broadcast live. Fortunately, I captured the full broadcast and the fidelity is almost as good as a local station.

For your listening pleasure this New Year’s Day, please enjoy A Tale of Two Cities by The Mercury Theatre on the Air courtesy of Global 24:

Yemen Radio (Aden): circa 1970s

Many thanks to Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributor, Dan Robinson, who submits this short recording of Yemen Radio, Aden.

Dan comments:

Yemen was once two countries -- North and South -- with separate shortwave stations in Sanaa, and in Aden.   The country united in 1990, but before that for many years the separate capitals were represented on shortwave, with Aden using the 60 meter frequency of 5.060 MHz.  It was tough to hear.   This recording was made in the 1970's -- you will hear the station ID by a male announcer.

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

Pirate Joe via WBCQ: July 17, 2014

For your listening pleasure: one hour of Pirate Joe.

My good friend–and SWLing Post reader–Mike Hansgen recently apprised me that WHVW’s Pirate Joe show is being relayed on WBCQ here in North America in the afternoons. Last week, July 17, 2014, I recorded Pirate Joe starting at 3:00 PM (EDT)/19:00 UTC. Propagation was not in our favor, so the signal strength is low, but the program is still enjoyable.

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

Radio Iran, Tehran: circa 1970s

Azadi square and tower, constructed 1971 (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Many thanks to Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributor, Dan Robinson, who submits two recordings of Radio Iran, Tehran.

Dan comments:

Back in the 70's, Radio Iran had an external service, as it still does today, and used the odd frequency of 12.176 mhz which was well heard in North America. Consulting Internet archives, I see an English language program time of 2000 UTC, which sounds about right. The interval signal and sign on are classic examples of old shortwave programming, and this one truly brought Iran right into the living room. The ID: "From the heart of the Middle East, in Iran's capital city, Tehran, the foreign language program department of Radio Iran invites you to listen for the next half hour as we bring you music, news and special features designed to acquaint you with the modern Iran today and to share with you something of the heritage of its fascinating cultural past.

Click on each title to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded players below.

Recording #1:

Recording #2:

Falkland Islands Broadcasting Service: circa 1970s

Many thanks to Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributor, Dan Robinson, who submits recordings of the Falkland Islands Broadcasting Service.

Dan comments:

One of the great rarities for shortwave listeners the world over was, of course, the Falkland Islands Broadcasting Station (FIBS). There was great excitment, I still remember to this day, when FIBS was heard by a well-known DX'er in the western U.S. -- I recall the frequency at the time as being 3.958, which was listed in the the World Radio TV Handbook. Many DX'ers spent many hours seeking out FIBS, and it was only some years later, after the station shifted to a frequency of 2,380 khz that it began to be heard quite widely, though still a challenge. These recordings were made in Washington, DC using a Hammarlund HQ-180A receiver.

If you would like to read a brief history of the FIBS, please click here. 

Click on each title to download recordings as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded players below.

Recording #1:

Recording #2:

Radio 4VEH, Haiti: circa 1970s

Many thanks to Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributor, Dan Robinson, who submits this short recording of Radio Radio 4VEH in Haiti.

Dan comments:

Another shortwave memory for DX'ers was 4VEH, in Haiti, which began in 1950.  This station transmitted on a variety of SW frequencies, including one many of us heard, 15.280 which had a power of only 350 watts.  This recording of the station includes a classic ID:   "Radio 4VEH, the sound of light."  The history of shortwave broadcasting from Haiti is quite interesting and can be obtained through an Internet search.

[Indeed, here is a brief timeline of 4VEH.]

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

Radio Mexico (XERMX), circa 1970s

Many thanks to Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributor, Dan Robinson, who submits this short recording of Radio Mexico on 11,770 kHz.

Dan comments:

Radio Mexico, like Brazil some years later, inaugurated an international service in multiple languages, including English, heard on several major meter bands. This recording was made in the early 70's using a Pilot Radio T-133.

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

Radio Madagascar English Service

Many thanks to Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributor, Dan Robinson, who submits this short recording of Radio Madagascar English Service with station ID.

Dan comments:

"Little known to many shortwave listeners, although a peek in the World Radio TV Handbook would have revealed, was the existence of Radio Madagascar's "International Service"   With a frequency of 17.730 mhz in the 16 meter band, this was one of the more difficult catches, though on a good propagation day such as this one, the station could be heard quite well in North America.   Here, you hear the station ID in the clear by a woman during a musical program.  Radio Madgascar was also quite good with QSLing and many listeners have one or more of their classic cards in their collections."

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

Radio Mali Bamako (International Service 16 Meters) circa 1970s

Many thanks to Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributor, Dan Robinson, who submits this recording of Radio Mali Bamako

Dan comments:

Another in the unusual category from my 1970's archives is Radio Mali, with what it called its "International Service".   Mali, at some point in the 70's had acquired new shortwave transmitters -- it would be interesting history to determine where they came from, perhaps former Soviet Union or Eastern bloc.  These were listed in WRTH's and this reception was from the 16 meter band, heard in the afternoon in Levittown, PA.   This was among many stations I heard on the first radio I used as an SWL, a Pilot Radio T-133, my grandmother's radio, which I still have today.  I have played this audio at SWL Fests here in the United States, and offer it here on the archive as another example of SW stations of the past.

Many thanks for sharing this recording of Radio Mali Bamako, Dan.

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

Moroccan Radio & Television System - Rabat

Many thanks to Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributor, Dan Robinson, who submits this recording of the Moroccan Radio & Television System - Rabat.

Dan comments:

While the Voice of America long had a relay transmitter in Morocco, one of the biggest challenges for DX'ers was hearing the Moroccan Radio & Television System local program in the 25 meter band. As I recall, this was on 11.730 mhz and in this recording you can hear, at about the 22 second mark, the English ID by a male announcer. Time of the program was 1730 - 1800 UTC.

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

Windward Islands Broadcasting Service (WIBS): circa 1970s

Many thanks to Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributor, Dan Robinson, who submits this recording of the Windward Islands Broadcasting Service (WIBS).

Dan comments:

Collectors of QSL cards will recognize WIBS -- it was one of the most reliable verifiers in the 1960's and 1970's. The country eventually became, as everyone knows, Grenada, and replaced the original WIBS card with one for Radio Grenada that looked quite similar.

Windwards Islands BC Service was one of those great regulars for DX'ers in the 70's -- it could be heard as high as the 21 mhz band, but was probably most often remembered using 15.045 mhz. In 1972, it became Radio Grenada, and later Radio Free Grenada.

Excellent histories can be seen here:

• http://www.thegrenadarevolutiononline.com/radio.html 
• http://www.ontheshortwaves.com/WIBS.html 

Many of us remember enjoying hours of broadcasts from the old WIBS, including cricket and BBC news relays, along with some fascinating local commercials and othe programming.

Click the title of each recording below to download as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded audio players.

Windward Is Broadcasting Service (Raw Recording):

Windward Islands Broadcasting Service (1970's Recording):

Radio Turks & Caicos VSI8 circa 1970's

Grand Turk Lighthouse, Scott 339, 2 Feb 1978 (Source: http://lighthousestampsociety.org)

Many thanks to Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributor, Dan Robinson, who submits this short recording of Radio Turks & Caicos.

Dan comments:

In the 1970's, one of the rare appearances on shortwave was Radio Turks & Caicos (VSI8) which at the time was using, only for a short time, a frequency in the 60 meter band, of 4.788 mhz. There is one mention I can find in the DX press, from DX LISTENING DIGEST MARCH 2003 ARCHIVE, from a SWL who recalled "Turks & Caicos Islands. VSI`s afternoon show on 4.788 MHz``

Those who have collected copies of NASWA or other bulletins probably have other historical records. Unfortunately, I no longer have the logbook details with date and exact time, but it was late afternoon, just as 60 meter frequencies began to be dominated by Brazilian and African stations. As I recall, 4.788 battled with an Angolan station, on 4.795, Radio Comercial, as well as with stations below 4.788.

Two recordings here, one a shortened version -- both end with a Radio Turks relay of a newscast from VOA, where I would eventually spend nearly 34 years as a correspondent. Among other things, reception of Radio Turks demonstrated the great flexibility of the HQ-180 receiver, which provided not only notch capability but fine (vernier) tuning and multiple selectivity positions. So, another blast from the past 1970's -- Radio Turks & Caicos.

Click the title of each recording below to download as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded audio players.

Radio Turks & Caicos (RAW recording):

Turks & Caicos (English 4,788 khz) 1970's (shortened version):

Radio Tahiti, English

Many thanks to Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributor, Dan Robinson, who submits this short recording of Radio Tahiti's English language service--a very rare recording. 

Dan comments:

"Radio Tahiti was one of the most popular stations on shortwave for many years, audible on several shortwave frequencies. Many SWLs and DX'ers recall the pleasure of listening to hours of broadcasts, which because of the antenna orientation of the station, could be heard at strong levels, at almost all times of the day, including the middle of the afternoon on the East coast of North America. Primary frequencies were 15.170 and 11.825, though others were used. What many people might not recall, or perhaps never heard, was the only English language portion broadcast by Radio Tahiti, called "English by Radio". This recording, made early in my SWL career, was made with the first radio I ever used, a 1940's Pilot T-133, with a classic slide-rule type dial. This may indeed be the only recording in existence of this rare English from Radio Tahiti. Also included -- a recording of Radio Tahiti at sign off, and a longer raw recording of the station in Tahitian and French."

Click the title of each recording below to download as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded audio players.

Radio Tahiti English:

Radio Tahiti Sign-Off (circa 1970's):

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