Radio Canada International: November 2, 1981

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Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Tom Laskowski, who notes:

Radio Canada International recorded on November 2, 1981. This is another from my archive of old recordings of Radio Canada International's Shortwave Listeners Digest. This contains part three of Larry Magne's interview with Perry Ferrel from Gilfer Shortwave, Glenn Hauser's DX tips and an item from Jonathan Marks about HAP. Recorded using my Sony ICF-2001 likely on 15.325 MHz around 2100 UTC. Again, the audio quality isn't the greatest. Enjoy!

Radio Netherlands, Happy Station Show: November 16, 1980

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Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Richard Collings, who notes:

Surprises galore for host Tom Meijer on his 42nd birthday: includes Tom being caught out by the technical team who play a recording of him trying to sing the classic Perry Como song 'It's impossible' as a send-up. Also birthday wishes in song from several members of the foreign language teams at Radio Nederland (as it was then known) in 1980.
This recording was made on Sunday 16th November 1980 from 0930 to 1020 GMT. Recorded off-air on 9,895Khz in Plymouth, Devon, UK. Tom Meyer also makes reference to the date being the 52nd anniversary of the 'Happy Station Show'.

The Mighty KBC: January 10, 2016

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Live off-air three-hour-long recording of a transmission from the The Mighty KBC on 10 January 2016 beginning at 00:00 UTC on a frequency of 6040 kHz from a transmitter at Nauen, Germany, operating at 125 kW and beamed to North America. This was the first regular Saturday night (in North America) transmission by KBC using this new frequency and the new start time. KBC is based in Ede, The Netherlands.

Reception was good with negligible interference and occasional fading. The recording starts with "It's Radio, But Not As We know It" presented by Dave Mason followed by "The Giant Jukebox" presented by Eric van Willegen ("Uncle Eric"). Both programs feature mostly "oldies" pop music with commentary and announcements in English with some announcements and commercials in Dutch. Kim Andrew Elliott's digital segment begins at about 02:20 UTC.

The broadcast was received on a Tecsun PL-880 receiver with its built-in telescopic whip antenna indoors in Hanwell (just outside Fredericton), New Brunswick, Canada, in AM mode with 5.0 kHz RF filtering. 

Media Zoo tribute to Howard Rose: July 26, 2002

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Many thanks to SRAA contributor, David Malins, who notes:

This is a scheduled repeat of "The Media Zoo" tribute to Howard Rose (founder and editor of "The Radio Magazine"), re-airing archive footage of mainly radio discussion that Howard Rose was involved with. Received in South West Herefordshire, United Kingdom, using a Sharp Shortwave Radio Cassette Corder on 5935kHz Shortwave at 2200UTC approx. Presented by Eric Wiltshire in Riga transmitting the program at 100kW power.
Audio is semi-incomplete due to breakages in the tape, but is for the most part complete, with the intro added at the beginning of the recording that was repeated at least twice during the recording.
The recording in the main is full of banter from various broadcasters, discussing radio broadcasting as part of their tribute to the late Howard Rose, who was the founder and editor of the radio magazine - and being a custodian for promoting deregulation of the UK radio industry.

France Info Lille 1377 kHz Final Sign-off: December 31, 2015

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Live off-air recording of the last two and three-quarter hours of programming from Radio France station France Info Lille on 31 December 2015 beginning at about 21:25 UTC on the medium-wave frequency of 1377 kHz. The signal originated from a 300 kW transmitter just outside Camphin-en-Carembault (near Lille).

The recording consists of the network-produced special New Year's Eve programming of talk, news, weather, and interviews. The midnight (Central European Time) countdown, live from Les Champs-Elysées, is just before 1:34:30 in the recording. The programming is interrupted in the middle of a tune with the transmitter switch-off at about 00:14 UTC on 1 January 2016 with no closing announcement. The switch-off was coincident with that of many medium-wave transmitters in France, Luxembourg, and Germany on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day.

The broadcast was received by the Web-interface wideband software-defined radio at the University of Twente in Enschede, The Netherlands, with a "Mini-Whip" antenna in AM mode with 8.09 kHz RF filtering.

RTV Tunisia: December 25, 2013

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RTV Tunisia recorded in London, UK on December 25, 2013 at 0515 UTC, on the frequency of 7225 kHz using a Lowe HF-150 radio with Lowe PR-150 preselector and a Wellbrook ALA1530S+ antenna. The transmitter was located in Sfax, Tunisia. The shortwave relay of this service appears to be off-air as of 2014.

France Bleu Alsace 1278 kHz Final Sign-off: December 31, 2015

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Live off-air recording of the last two and three-quarter hours of programming from the Radio France station France Bleu Alsace on 31 December 2015 beginning at about 21:25 UTC on the medium-wave frequency of 1278 kHz. The signal originated from a 300 kW transmitter just outside Sélestat (near Strasbourg).

The recording consists of the network-produced "Special Réveillon" New Year's Eve programming of talk, interviews, and pop music. The midnight (Central European Time) countdown is just before 1:34:00 in the recording. The programming is interrupted in mid-song with the transmitter switch-off at about 00:12 UTC on 1 January 2016 with no closing announcement. The switch-off was coincident with that of many medium-wave transmitters in France, Luxembourg, and Germany on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day.

France Bleu Alsace, also known as France Bleu Elsass, transmits programming at times in Alsatian as well as French but the network-produced New Year's Eve broadcast was solely in French.

The broadcast was received by the Web-interface wideband software-defined radio at the University of Twente in Enschede, The Netherlands, with a "Mini-Whip" antenna in AM mode with 8.09 kHz RF filtering. There is some weak co-channel interference during the first part of the recording.

RTL 1440 kHz Final Sign-off: December 31, 2015

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Live off-air recording of the last one and one-half hours of programming from legendary broadcaster RTL (formerly Radio Luxembourg) on 31 December 2015 beginning at about 21:28 UTC on the medium-wave frequency of 1440 kHz from Marnach, Luxembourg. The transmitter was switched off at 23:59:10 UTC, coincident with many other medium-wave transmitters in France and Germany on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day.

The recording begins with the China Radio International program Kultur Kollage (in German) in progress. This is followed by CRI - Panorama beginning at 22:00 UTC and Chinesische Literatur. The program is interrupted in mid-sentence at about the 57-minute mark by the national anthem of Luxembourg ("Ons Heemecht"). The transmitter is switched off five seconds later.

The broadcast was received by the Web-interface wideband software-defined radio at the University of Twente in Enschede, The Netherlands, with a "Mini-Whip" antenna in AM mode with 8.09 kHz RF filtering.

(Image of Marnach transmitter site courtesy of Google Maps)


RTL 1440 kHz Final Sign-on: December 31, 2015

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Live off-air recording of the final sign-on and first three hours of legendary broadcaster RTL (formerly Radio Luxembourg) on 31 December 2015 beginning at 03:55:44 UTC on the medium-wave frequency of 1440 kHz from Marnach, Luxembourg. The transmitter switched off at 22:59 UTC on 31 December 2015, coincident with many medium-wave transmitters in France and Germany permanently switching off on New Year's Eve or early on New Year's Day.

The transmission begins with the carillon interval signal, followed by the programming of Deutschlands Hit-Radio. Between about 04:30 and 05:00 UTC, there is religious programming from Radio Freundes-Dienst. The recording ends at about 07:00 just as the program from China Radio International (in German) begins. 

The broadcast was received by the Web-interface wideband software-defined radio at the University of Twente in Enschede, The Netherlands, with a "Mini-Whip" antenna in AM mode with 8.09 kHz RF filtering.

The Amateur Astronomer (via WBCQ): December 31, 2015

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The Amateur Astronomer host: Troy Riedel

The Amateur Astronomer host: Troy Riedel

Troy Riedel received a unique Christmas gift this year from his son: a one hour block of broadcast time on WBCQ (5,110 kHz). Within a few days, Troy solicited questions and produced  a radio show based on his favorite hobby: Amateur Astronomy. He had his show prepared well in advance of the December 30th broadcast time. Most impressive!

Read the full story behind Troy's broadcast on the SWLing Post. 

This broadcast of The Amateur Astronomer was recorded in North Carolina on December 30, 2015 starting at 19:57 EST ( December 31, 2015 at 00:57 UTC) on WBCQ 5,110 kHz:

Radio Netherlands, Happy Station Show: December 23, 1979

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Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Richard Collings, who notes:

The Happy Station Show of Sunday 23rd December 1979. A pre-recorded special Christmas show with Tom Meijer. Broadcast from 0930 to 1020GMT [on 9895 kHz and received in Plymouth, Devon, UK].