Audio clip: My tribute to Radio Netherlands Worldwide
/In a previous post, I mentioned a short audio piece--a tribute to Radio Netherlands Worldwide--I recorded for the NRC DX Audio service. Here is a SoundCloud copy of the clip:
Shortwave Radio Recordings: Voice of Greece, Radio Croatia and Radio Romania International
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For your listening enjoyment: Voice of Greece (9,420 kHz), Radio Croatia (9,925 kHz) and Radio Romania International (9,700 kHz). The Voice of Greece and Radio Croatia broadcast an extensive mix of music; while Radio Romania International offers their English and French hours.
I recorded these broadcasts simultaneously via my WinRadio Excalibur, yesterday at 00:00 UTC.
Shortwave Radio Recordings: Radio Kuwait and music variety
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Any of you who've been following the SWLing Post for a while know how much I love recording music over the shortwaves. Lately, Radio Kuwait has been booming into my part of eastern North America with great vivacity.
Yesterday, I recorded several hours of their broadcast on my WinRadio Excalibur. I couldn't help but notice, the last time I posted a recording, that their music had a great deal of variety. Their mix yesterday afternoon encompassed hip hop, country, pop, rock, R&B, and even a little Billy Joel and Donovan.
Though the hip-hop and boy bands don't particularly hold my personal interest, hearing "Mellow Yellow" over 7,000 miles of ether certainly has appeal.
If you're looking for music variety (well, a lot of variety), with some items of cultural interest thrown in, check out Radio Kuwait:
Tribute to Radio Netherlands Worldwide on the NRC's DX Audio Service
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The National Radio Club requested that I read and record my tribute to Radio Netherlands Worldwide for their audio service intended to benefit their visually-impaired readers. The broadcast is divided into sides A and B (of a cassette tape). My narration begins about midway through side B.
Recording Radio Kuwait with the RadioJet's IF recorder
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While playing with the Bonito 1102S RadioJet the other day, I received a strong signal from Radio Kuwait. I thought I'd record the music they were playing, as the fidely was impressive for a signal traveling nearly 7000 miles. Instead of recording the actual audio of the broadcast with the RadioJet's AF recorder, I decided to use the IF recorder, which saves and records 24 kHz of actual spectrum. This is an excellent way to record while leaving it unattended. Later, when you review the material, you can refine and shape your recording of an individual broadcast. Then, if an adjacent signal or some other condition requires you to adjust filters, you can do so just as you would when recording a live broadcast.
Though the file sizes are marginally larger than those the AF recorder produces, it's not a hard drive-eater like broad spectrum recordings on an SDR.
One more (very cool) RadioJet feature: while making an IF recording, the RadioJet embeds UTC time code in the recording. This way, should you make a recording and forget to note the time you begin it, the time code shows up in the display. The Perseus also does this, and I think it's a brilliant addition.
If you want to hear the 30+ minute recording I made of Radio Kuwait, simply listen to the file embedded below, or click here to download the mp3:
Is there anything to listen to on shortwave?
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I am asked this question, or a variation of it, almost every week:
"I've been thinking about buying a shortwave radio, but have heard that shortwave is dying out. Is there actually anything to listen to on shortwave? Should I even bother?"
It's no wonder I get asked this question so much. First of all, the root website for the SWLing Post is SWLing.com, which is dedicated to teaching people the basics of using a shortwave radio. Indeed, if you search the internet for shortwave radio reviews or how to use a shortwave radio, you'll most likely see this site somewhere near the top of the search results. So it makes sense that many of our readers are just starting out in shortwave.
But the primary reason people wonder about shortwave's vitality and want to check its pulse, is due to recent news about shortwave broadcasters leaving the spectrum. Most recently, Radio Canada International, Radio Netherlands Worldwide, Radio Bulgaria have all closed up shop, and broadcasters like the BBC World Service and Vatican Radio have trimmed down their shortwave offerings. It's unfortunate, and does make the continuation of shortwave seem doubtful to those who know less about it.
Question: So is there anything to listen to? Answer: Absolutely!
Regular shortwave radio listeners already know the answer to this question. Sure, the landscape of the shortwaves is changing, but it's such a vast landscape that, even with a few major players dropping out, there is still so much to hear and appreciate. In fact, we've only been talking about governmental international broadcasters, in the main--which doesn't even include pirate radio, clandestine stations, utility stations, religious networks, spy numbers stations, digital modes, and ham radio communications. Among others.
Doubt me? Well, then--check this out:
250 kHz of 31 Meters on a Friday afternoon
Last Friday, I spent a pleasant afternoon reviewing the WinRadio Excalibur software defined receiver (SDR). Perhaps my favorite feature of many modern software defined receivers is their ability to record not only individual shortwave radio broadcasts, but also record radio spectrum. In other words, instead of recording a single station on 9,555 kHz, the WinRadio Excalibur (and similar SDRs) could easily record everything between, say, 9,410 and 9,635 kHz. Later, you can play back the spectrum to listen to and record individual broadcasts as if they were live. At least, this is exactly what I did last Friday at 20:00 UTC.
Fast forward to yesterday: While listening and tuning through the Friday spectrum, I once again realized how many stations are crammed into this relatively small chunk of the shortwave spectrum. Yet I only captured about 250 kHz, or .25 MHz of shortwave spectrum. To put this in perspective, this is a chunk of spectrum so small, you could fit four of them between 95 and 96 MHz on your car's FM dial.
And what did I find? A lot of stations--and a lot of variety! In fact, I then went through and recorded 8 samples of the stronger broadcasts.
Here is some of what I heard just in that wee swatch of spectrum:
Voice of Greece - 9,240 kHz
Voice of Iran - 9,460 kHz
WWTW - 9,478 kHz
Deutsche Welle - 9,490 kHz
Radio Riyadh - 9,555 kHz
Radio Marti - 9,565 kHz
North Quebec Service - 9,625 kHz
Voice of Turkey - 9,635 kHz
Here is how the actual spectrum chunk appeared on the Excalibur's display:
Note from the DDC spectrum window (the one immediately below the tuning knob and S Meter) that there are many, many other stations--indicated as spikes in the spectrum, above--that I did not bother to record.
I didn't set out to find the most active piece of shortwave spectrum--I chose this one pretty much by chance.
Is shortwave radio dead? Only if you're not listening
Perhaps the real fascination I find in listening to recorded spectrum, as I did above, is that each time I go back through a recording, listening carefully, I find so many other items that I would have otherwise missed. In other words, the better your ears, the more you will hear. And there's lots to hear.
So, what are you waiting for?
Prove it to yourself. Pull out your portable radio, your tabletop, your SDR or your general coverage ham radio transceiver, and just listen. There's still a vast, informative, oftentimes mysterious world out there on the shortwaves, simply waiting for your ears.
Join me in the Shortwave Radio Archive Project: post coming soon!
A little more Saturday Night Country via Radio Australia
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I've mentioned before how much I love this show--you don't even need to be a fan of country music to have a true appreciation for it.
Saturday Night Country should be on your shortwave listening schedule. If you live in North America, you'll find the signal out of Shepparton, Australia is so strong that even a mediocre portable radio can receive it with ease.
Here's a two hour and 50 minute taste of Saturday Night Country for your Monday morning:
Radio Netherlands says farewell in style
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Thursday night, by the light of an oil lamp, I tuned my trusty Sony portable shortwave to 6,165 kHz. At 2:00 UTC, I was rewarded with a rich, full signal from Radio Netherlands Worldwide’s transmission site in Bonaire. Here in this off-grid cabin, on sixty rural acres, I bask in the freedom from electrical noise that might otherwise interfere with my shortwave radio listening—at least in this respect, this is the perfect DXpedition cabin. The signal coming out of Bonaire, however, would have overcome any interference: Radio Netherlands, my dear friend of some 32 years, had opened a special frequency for those of us in eastern North America…in order to say their good-byes to the airwaves.
I can only describe the experience of listening as radio bliss…pure radio bliss…marred only by the bittersweet realization that these were RNW’s final days on the air. The experience harkened back to the day when the big broadcasters had booming signals directed toward us.
But, alas. All too brief.
The broadcast was simply entitled Farewell and Thank You. You can hear it just as I heard it—through my recording--here (actual broadcast starts at 1:15):
Then, all day Friday, for nearly 24 hours straight, RNW bid good-bye and farewell to various parts of the world via shortwave, satellite and the internet. I was lucky enough to catch two more broadcasts.
This time of day (19:00 UTC), however, I needed bigger ears than the Sony could provide. I was listening to broadcasts targeting west and east Africa, not North America. Having already charged my laptop battery, I plugged in the Bonito Radiojet (an SDR that I’m currently reviewing) and, just before 1900 UTC, directed her towards 17,605 kHz. Though my Sony found the signal barely audible, the RadioJet produced beautiful fidelity.
This RNW broadcast, entitled The First 50 Years, took listeners through the highlights and history of the Dutch radio service. Here’s the recording I made with the RadioJet:
A final sign-off
RNW headquarters in Hilversum, Netherlands (photo coutesty: RNW)
At 20:00 UTC, RNW broadcast their very final show—a repeat of Farewell and Thank You (above) appropriately targeting Africa once more. I tuned the dial to 11615 kHz and listened again to the full broadcast. This time, however, as the program drew to its close, the broadcast crew added a personal message.
Jonathan Groubert, the talented host of The State We’re In, broadcasted live from Hilversum’s Studio 4 for a deeply touching adieu. Tears were shed, and I’m not ashamed to confess that I, too, listened through a haze of them as these capable and dedicated journalists, whom I’ve grown to trust, signed off the RNW airwaves for the last time.
But listen for yourself:
Jonathan Marks, RNW’s host of MediaNetwork, also featured in the farewell broadcast, recorded the final sign-off from within Studio 4. You can listen to this and read the description on his excellent website.
Dank je wel, Radio Nederland
RNW--my dear radio friends—I’m going to miss you. Your personalities--and the collective personality of RNW itself--your award-winning content, news, reporting, and your integrity stood out amongst all those Cold War broadcasters I listened to growing up—who, as you so well put it, were merely mouthpieces for their respective governments.
Radio Nederland, I loved your broadcasting because you were fearless: you marched to the beat of your own drummer, were not afraid to turn a critical eye even upon yourself, and as a result--in a world of sham journalism, of compromise and hypocrisy—you earned my trust. You had nothing to hide, and you had so many stories to tell.
RNW: I listened.
I wish you (and your intrepid creators) the very best in all that you do. I trust your new incarnation(s), whatever form they take, will do much good in this world which so sorely needs it, and sincerely believe that your integrity will live on.
Final episode of the final Maple Leaf Mailbag now online
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On Facebook, Wojtek Gwiazda kindly shared the following message from Terry Haig (who has been subbing for Ian Jones on the MLMB):
Dear Friends, I am distraught that the final edition of the MLMB did not go out properly this past weekend because of technical glitches. The show can be heard on line by clicking on the search button on the RCI website and writing in "Maple Leaf Mailbag." Then hit "programs" and click "listen."My apologies that we could not spend our final hour together as planned. Once again, I thank you all for your undying love, support, insight, graciousness and generosity. You are wonderful and magical.
I shall never forget you. Be well, everyone. Au Revoir and peace! Terry H.
--------------------------------------------------------- To hear the programme just click here: http://www.rcinet.ca/english/archives/program/the-maple-leaf-mailbag/home/
I should note that, the Maple Leaf Mailbag was one of my favorite RCI shows to catch on shortwave. It was informal, quirky, interactive and always fun. It also had a very strong international listenership. Terry has been an excellent sub, but admittedly, I've really missed hearing my good friend Ian Jones on the show.
Numbers Stations: The English Man came back
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Two weeks ago this Friday, I caught and recorded the numbers station often referred to as the English Man. He was found in the pirate radio watering hole (of 6,925-6,990 kHz) on 6,949 kHz. After sifting through more spectrum recordings taken the following evening by the Microtelecom Perseus, I realized that I caught him once again at the exact same time and frequency. I have his full transmission in the recording below.
Note: The English Man was broadcast in AM, but I had to dig the signal out of the noise. I used a tuning technique I referred to last year in a post--click here for more info.
Recording Radio History: The Queen's Diamond Jubilee via BBC World Service
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Ten years ago, my wife--then fiancée--and I lived in the UK, and were fortunate enough to attend The Queen's Golden Jubilee celebration on the vast lawn at Buckingham Palace. It was without doubt the largest party I've ever attended, packed to the gills with the British public--a thoroughly amazing event, featuring a who's who of past-and-present British musicians and personalities, encouraging attendees to join them in their bit of fun--and, of course, God save the Queen.
Yesterday, I re-lived the energy of that party as I heard (and recorded) the follow-up event these ten years later--The Queen's Diamond Jubilee, on the BBC World Service--as heard from remote Ascension Island.
When hearing live events like this on shortwave--especially ones like this that celebrate national heritage--I know I'm listening to history in the making. The crowds applauding and cheering in a live broadcast over shortwave reminds me of a former era when British Expats across the globe relied on the BBC World Service to connect them with ol' Blighty.
I recorded these broadcasts from my home in the southeastern US, hearing the BBC World Service relay station on the tiny, isolated Ascension Island in the South Atlantic. The broadcast was heard at first on 15,400 kHz, then moved to 9,915 kHz coinciding with their normal broadcast schedule. The broadcast, while completely intelligible, is weak in the beginning, but gains considerable strength by the end. There are summer static crashes heard as storms moved through the southeast US. I divided the broadcast into two parts, coinciding with my shift from one frequency to the other.
I also included a BBC WS news broadcast in Part 2 which followed the end of the show.
Either use the embedded audio player below, or simply click here to download the mp3 files for Part 1 and Part 2.
I used the WinRadio Excalibur to record both of these segments. Its synchronous detection helped deal with fading (QSB) present at the beginning of the recording.
Once again, history is made...and archived on shortwave radio. Enjoy!
Voice of Greece plays music format during strike
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On Monday, May 28, I recorded over 2 hours of popular Greek music programming from the Voice of Greece on 9,420 kHz with a Microtelecom Perseus. Propagation was excellent. UPDATE: Once again, SWLing Post reader, Christos, provided more info on the strike and recording below:
This time only the journalists had gone on strike. So, no news were broadcasted, no newspapers, no news in internet portals. Announcements between songs concerned the artists and cultural events of the same day, such as theatre, movies, concerts etc. The programme recorded from 42nd minute till 99th was from ERT’s archive introducing contemporary songs. The announcements of this part were about the songs, the singers and the composers. The programme recorded from 100thminute and on contained songs of 60ties, 50ties and older. Music programmes' producers made no comments about the strike of their colleagues.
Thanks, Christos!!!
You can listen via the player below, or simply download the MP3 by clicking here.
Click here to check out previous Voice of Greece recordings.
Finding the "English Man" numbers station while scanning for pirates
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While listening for pirate radio stations last night, I recorded a numbers station. I found it on 6,949 kHz at 1:30 UTC, 26 May 2012. It was broadcast in USB for almost exactly ten minutes. The ID was sent for a full four minutes of that time. I have a full recording below. With a quick check on SpyNumbers.com, I'm pretty sure this is a station called, the "English Man."
If you're not familiar with numbers stations, check out this previous post where Shortwaveology author, David Goren, explores numbers stations.
If you have trouble listening to the embedded player below, simply click here to listen to the mp3 file.
Undercover Radio
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Saturday night, I had a chance to record three pirates on 6925 kHz: North Woods Radio, Captain Morgan Shortwave and Undercover Radio. For tagging, I'm posting each individually. The final station from Saturday night is Undercover Radio.
Undercover Radio was broadcasting in AM starting around 03:18 UTC on May 13, 2012. The signal was great and there was a nice mixture of music and plenty of dialog. You can listen to the recording in the player embedded below, or by downloading the mp3 here.
North Woods Radio
/Saturday night, I had a chance to record three pirates on 6925 kHz: North Woods Radio, Captain Morgan Shortwave, and Undercover Radio. For tagging, I'm posting each individually. The first station I recorded Saturday night was North Woods Radio.
North Woods was broadcasting in the upper side band starting around 00:55 UTC on May 13, 2012. The signal was weak at first, but got better toward the end. You can listen to the entire broadcast in the player embedded below, or by downloading the mp3 here.
Radio Strange - Outpost No. 7
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Saturday night, after listening to some Voice of Greece Jazz, I happened upon Radio Strange - Outpost No. 7. This pirate deserves some recognition for the station's homage to retro 8-bit & spacey sounds. I couldn't tell if I was listening to an NES game soundtrack or an episode of Lost In Space. There's even a Beatles song thrown in the mix...with a twist. Good fun.
Here's the recording I made of the full 16 minute broadcast on 6925 kHz at approx. 00:15 UTC on Saturday, April 21--click here to download as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:
Voice of Greece Jazz
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If you need a little jazz music in your life today, you're in luck. Saturday, I recorded over 2 hours of jazz programming from Voice of Greece (see update below) on 9,420 kHz starting around 20:00 UTC on a Microtelecom Perseus. Propagation was good, and other than an occasional static crash, fidelity excellent for the SW bands. You can listen via the player below, or simply download the MP3 by clicking here.
UPDATE: Once again, this long stretch of music with VOG was due to a strike. SWLing Post reader, Christos, comments below:
Another strike-day of ERT, so another non-stop recording for you. On Saturday they played jazz and on Sunday they continued with Greek music. Doing an exception this time, because of the coming general elections on 6th of May, they provided short news bulletins every hour, along with the usual announcements “we are on strike for our rights”. I enjoyed the same program from local FM. It was the only program transmitted from all national networks in both FM and medium waves. I visited the ERT Radio House, (Radiomegaron), the day before your recording was made, to attend a concert and I took a photo of a banner of VOG, in Greek.
Christos kindly sent me the following ERT image with the Voice of Greece in Greek:
The Voice of Greece and shortwave music
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Yesterday, around 7:00PM local, I turned to 7,475 kHz--a favorite spot for Voice of Greece. Once again, they filled my radio room with great Greek and international music...hours of uninterrupted music. Don't believe me? Listen to the four hours of music I recorded. Enjoy!
Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:
Recording of Radio Bulgaria on shortwave
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This morning at 00:00 (Universal Time), I recorded the Radio Bulgaria originating from their Plovdiv, Bulgaria transmitter, 5,420 miles from my home. I started my recording on 5,900 kHz at 00:00, then moved to and stayed on 7,400 kHz after Radio Havana Cuba started transmitting nearby at 00:30 UTC and bled into their frequency (a very common occurrence with RHC). The first hour is (00:00 - 00:59 UTC) Radio Bulgaria's English service, the second hour (1:00 - 2:00 UTC), their Bulgarian Service and third hour, (2:00 - 3:00 UTC) French service.
In this recording, you'll hear multiple announcements regarding the closure of their shortwave service as of Feb 1, 2012. They did mention they will continue services over the internet.
This was recorded with a Zoom H1 on an Alinco DX-R8T--antenna was a vertical delta loop.
Christmas tunes via pirate radio
/Last night--Christmas Eve--I recorded a few minutes of pirate radio station, Wolverine Radio on 6,925 kHz USB. Their signal was very strong here into the shack. Wolverine played a selection of several rockin' Christmas songs. Merry Christmas and enjoy!
If media player does not appear above, please click here to listen via Archive.org.
FYI:Receiver - Alinco DX-R8T, Recorder - Zoom H1 recorded in-line, Antenna - 40 meter vertical delta loop.
