Voice of Korea (English) and Voice of America: June 13, 2018

Voice of Korea, DPRK recorded in London, UK on June 13, 2018 at 1300 UTC on the frequency of 15245 kHz using a Tecsun PL-310 radio with a clip-on long wire antenna. In this broadcast, the official announcement is made regarding Kim Jong Un's meeting with the US president, Donald Trump, in Singapore. The transmitter has a power rating of 200 kW and is located in Kujang, DPRK. One hour into the recording, the radio was tuned upwards into the frequency of 15580 kHz to record the news bulletin from the Voice of America. The transmitter of the latter station is located in Selebi-Phikwe, Botswana and has a power rating of 100 kW.

Radio Pilipinas: May 31, 2018

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Ian Pillar, who submits the following recording of Radio Pilipinas and notes:

Date of recording: 5/31/2018

Starting time: 0210 UTC

Frequency: 17820 kHz

Receiver location: Perth WA Australia

Receiver and antenna: Tecsun PL-380, longwire antenna

Mode: AM

XVRB Europe: August 21, 2011

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Marcel Strücker, for the following recording and notes:

The inaugural programme on XVRB Europe was heard on Sunday 21st of August 2011. The XVRB Europe programs were broadcast on a monthly basis, each one hour long. The project was meant to entertain shortwave radio enthusiasts. Dutch radio host Mike Wilson was the originator of the project which lasted until April 2013 when XVRB Europe ran out of money.

The show was well received. Swiss, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Swedish, British, Belgian, Greek and Dutch shortwave listeners e-mailed their reception reports. One British shortwave veteran even sent Wilson money 'to keep up the good work'.

The one hour shows were produced in Rotterdam, The Netherlands and sent to the German transmission site in Wertachtal. After closure of this site, the XVRB programmes came from Nauen, near the city of Berlin.

Both transmission sites produced a 150 kW signal, wich was picked up all over Europe.

Radio Canada International (9/11 Coverage): September 11, 2001 - Part 2

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Bill Hemphill, who shares the following recording from Radio Canada International made on September 11, 2001. Bill notes that he originally made these recordings on MiniDisc and believes he started the recording around 5:00-6:00 pm EST, tuned to 5.960 MHz. Bill also adds:

I recorded this after I got home from work. Having worked in Tower 2 on the 92nd floor in 1979 & 1980, this was a very emotional day for me. I flipped the radio onto RCI to hear a different view from the US stations. I recorded two hours onto a MiniDisc. There is a break at where I switched discs at about the one hour mark. I'm not sure of the exact time, but it would be around 2200 UTC.

Radio Canada International (9/11 Coverage): September 11, 2001 - Part 1

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Bill Hemphill, who shares the following recording from Radio Canada International made on September 11, 2001. Bill notes that he originally made these recordings on MiniDisc and believes he started the recording around 5:00-6:00 pm EST, tuned to 5.960 MHz. Bill also adds:

I recorded this after I got home from work. Having worked in Tower 2 on the 92nd floor in 1979 & 1980, this was a very emotional day for me. I flipped the radio onto RCI to hear a different view from the US stations. I recorded two hours onto a MiniDisc. There is a break at where I switched discs at about the one hour mark. I'm not sure of the exact time, but it would be around 2200 UTC.

Three stations sign on--Rhodesia, Zambia and Swazi Music Radio: February, 1976

Photo of Dan Robinson's Hammalund HQ-180A.

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Jack Widner, who shares the following recording and notes:

Three shortwave stations from Southern Africa signing on in 1976.  

The first is the Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation on 3396khz, the date is probably February 4, the time is 0355UTC.  This was during the white occupation.  The dips in the audio is due to my tape lifting from the heads slightly  until it smooths out.  Identification and a long list of FM affiliates.  

The second is the Zambian Broadcasting Corporation on 4911khz, believed  to be February 16.  This is an anthem-like clip of a band, an announcement by a woman, then in English "One Zambia One Nation" before a local language program.  The het is awful.  

The third is the sign on for Swazi Music Radio on 4980; their Interval Signal was a pop music instrumental of the day called "Popcorn."  Programs were DJ playing current hits.  Time given would be 0400 and the date also given: 24 February 1976.  

Monitored on a Hammarlund HQ-180 with 100 foot inverted V longwire in Indianapolis, IN.

La Voz Del Llano (Part 1): September 2, 1984

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Paul Harner, who shares the following off-air recording and notes:

Here is a recording of La Voz Del Llano on 6,115 kHz from 2 September 1984. The first part is about 10 minutes, the second is 2 hours and 15 minutes. It was originally recorded on an open reel tape at 1 7/8 ips.

BBC World Service - New Year's Eve, Millennium Celebration: December 31, 1999

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Tom Laskowski, who shares the following recording and notes:

New Year's Eve has always been a good night to stay home and play radio. This recording is one I won't ever have the chance to hear live again. Here are the last four minutes and forty seconds of the GMT year 1999 and the first 25 minutes twenty seconds of the year 2000. As a tradition I would always welcome the GMT New Year by tuning in to the BBC to hear the chimes from Big Ben (which I believe were heard live).

Date of recording: 12/31/1999

Starting time: 23:55:20

Frequency: 6.175 MHz

Receiver location: South Bend, Indiana

Receiver and antenna: Icon IC-725 transceiver

Radio Budapest: August 20, 2004

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Benjamin Bilyeu, who shares the following recording and notes:

Date of recording: 8/20/2004

Starting time: 0230 UTC

Frequency: 9.790 MHz

Receiver location: Cookeville, Tennessee, USA

Receiver and antenna: Grundig Satellit 800 with 50 foot long wire outdoor antenna

Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal (Flanders International Radio): June 24, 2004

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Benjamin Bilyeu, who shares the following recording and notes:

Date of recording: 6/24/2004

Starting time: 2200 UTC

Frequency: 11.635 Mhz

Receiver location: Cookeville, Tennessee, USA

Receiver and antenna: Grundig Satellit 800 with 50 foot long wire outdoor antenna

Radiotelevisione Italiana (RAI), English: June 24, 2004

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Benjamin Bilyeu, who shares the following recording and notes:

A recording I made of RAI (Italy) broadcast 0054 UTC 24 June 2004 on 11.800 Mhz--when they still broadcast to North America. I recorded this broadcast using a Sony dual cassette deck connected to the line out jacks of my Grundig Satellit 800 receiver with 50 foot outdoor longwire antenna.

Radio RSA - The Voice of South Africa: March 14, 1982

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Tom Laskowski, who shares the following recording and notes:

Every Saturday night during the early 1980s [in South Bend, Indiana] I would regularly tune to 9580 kHz at 0200 to listen to Radio RSA (Channel Africa as it is now known) to hear DX Corner, their regular DX program. This episode from March 14, 1982 was a look at the brand new hot radio, the Sony ICF-2001. The audio isn't great but should be listenable. I think this was recorded using my new Realistic DX-302. Enjoy!

Radio Bucharest: December 31, 1989 (Romanian Revolution)

By Denoel Paris and other photographers [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Jack Widner, who shares the following off-air recording and notes:

Radio Bucharest, Romania, on Shortwave New Year's Eve 1989.  The beginning is missing.   Frequency not logged but was probably 6155 or 11830, time 0200 UTC.

The Ceausescu regime had finally been toppled and executed outside the capital Bucharest.  These were heady times; Romania was one of the last of the "Iron curtain" countries to change its Communist government.

But now Ceausescu is out and Romania has its first taste of fresh air.  This program reflects that new-found liberalisation.  The announcer at 0102 says "FREE Romania" and at 01:12 - 02:33 the American Ambassador Alan Green Jr sends greetings from President GHWB.  After that, the majority of the program is traditional music and celebrations of Romanian new year.  The two announcers are full of national pride!

There is a slight gap at 11:19 - 11:23.  Frequency and contact information are at the end of the program, 25:15.

The picture of Bucharest is the cover of a verification card from 1967 in my possession.

Heard in Pennsylvania, December 1989.

Voice of Korea: September 3, 2017

Voice of Korea, DPRK recorded in London, UK on September 3, 2017 at 1338 UTC, on the frequency of 15245 kHz using AirSpy, SpyVerter, SDR# software and a 2 x 6m long wire dipole antenna. The transmitter has a power rating of 200 kW and is located in Kujang, DPRK. North Korea's successful sixth nuclear test is officially announced at 5 minutes, 6 seconds into the recording. Severe jamming can be heard concurrently with the transmission.

Radio Havana Cuba (Aircheck): August 2, 2017

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Anthony Messina, who shares the following recording and notes:

This is an aircheck of Radio Habana Cuba on 6145 from 8/2/17 via a KiwiSDR in Alexandria, VA at 1:15am EDT roughly. 

2017 BBC Midwinter Antarctica Broadcast: June 21, 2017

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Cap Tux, who shares the following recording and notes:

BBC World Service Antarctic Midwinter Broadcast 2017. Cerys Matthews (Catatonia) presents music requests and special messages to the staff at the British Antarctic Survey, broadcasting in English, June 21 2017, 2130-2200 GMT on 5985 kHz (transmitter power of 300kW, transmitter location: Woofferton, UK).

Recorded in Scotland using an SDRPlay RSP2 using SDRuno and a homebrew passive Mag Loop

Radio Australia: June 20, 1987

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Tom Laskowski, for the following recording of Radio Australia. Tom notes:

A program from Radio Australia called Talkback recorded in June 1987. This episode looked at the story of the closing of the Lyndhurst transmitter site. The program was titled "The Lyndhurst Special". I probably recorded this around 0400 UTC or later back when the nighttime frequency of 17795 kHz put in a good signal during the summer months at night. Enjoy.

Location: South Bend, IN, USA

Receiver: Sony ICF-2001

Listeners record final moments of the Radio Australia shortwave service: January 31, 2017

Many thanks to all of the SRAA contributors who have shared their recordings of the final moments of Radio Australia. Below, you'll find a number of recordings from around the world.

If you have a recording you would like to share, please submit it to us and we'll add your recording.

The first SRAA contributor, Mark Fahey, lives near Sydney, Australia. Mark recorded the shortwave service and RA satellite feed simultaneously. Mark shares the following recordings and notes:

Recording 1

This is RA’s final few minutes on shortwave – it was recorded on 17840kHz.
The file picks up the regular program ending, then into a Promo for RA “Pacific Beat” (a Pacific current affairs program), then the classic RA Interval Signal then the transmitter clicks off and the void is heard.

Recording 2

The file starts at exactly the same time as the first file, but in this example we are monitoring the Network Feed from Intelsat 18 at 180.0 degrees east (above the equator right on the international date line). This satellite feed is the way Radio Australia gets to the network of FM Transmitters they have scatted around the Pacific Region (which is why they feel they don’t need shortwave anymore for – most populated areas of Radio Australia’s target area now is covered by a network of Radio Australia FM transmitters).

Ian P notes:

Recorded from A Global Tuner in Broome, WA, Australia
Receiver: Icom PCR-1000 Antenna: Discone
Last 30 Minutes Of Radio Australia On Short Wave

Phil Brennan writes:

I managed to catch the last 45 seconds of the NT ABC broadcast on 5025 kHz. Unfortunately it's from my phone and not of great quality, but it may be the only recording of it given the time of day and propagation conditions.

Click here to view on YouTube.

Dan Hawkins writes:

I set up the 909X (also my favorite travel radio) on a chair in a backyard and ran the little ANT-60 reel-up antenna up to a pear tree. This is a recording of Radio Australia Pacific Service on 17840 kHz that includes the last top of the hour newscast at midnight, 1-31-2017 UTC. It includes promos, an ID and a news story on the shortwave closure. Less than a hour later there was no more RA on shortwave. RA came in very well for northern California on several frequencies. Conditions were fantastic for this one considering the 7,800 mile transmission distance. Birds and traffic are also heard in this hand-held field recording. I didn’t bring the tripod. I’ll miss Radio Australia, but I still have excellent reception of RNZI.

Click here to view on YouTube.

Launch of Apollo 17 (1972)

Last Apollo flight to the Moon.
Voice of America (VOA) shortwave coverage.
Broadcast begins Thursday [Australian time]
Dec. 7 1972 at 02-30 GMT.

Information on the mission of Apollo 17-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_17

http://io9.gizmodo.com/the-real-story-of-apollo-17-and-why-we-never-went-ba-1670503448

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_Cernan

Recorded off-air by Ian Holder, Brisbane, Australia.

Radio Havana Cuba: December 12, 2016

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Anthony Messina, for the following recording and notes:

African music program followed by an interview. Recorded onto cassette tape via a Tecsun PL-880 transferred onto Audacity. QTH (location of recording) was Haddon Heights, NJ USA at 12:30am EST 12-12-16