Cessation of North Vietnam Bombing (1968)

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On October 31st, 1968 US President Lyndon Johnson announced that all bombing of North Vietnam would cease as a result of North Vietnam coming to the conference table. In his televised speech President Johnson said, "I have now ordered that all air, naval, and artillery bombardment of North Vietnam cease as of 8 a.m., Washington time, Friday morning. I have reached this decision on the basis of the developments in the Paris talks. And I have reached it in the belief that this action can lead to progress toward a peaceful settlement of the Vietnamese war.

BBC shortwave broadcast recorded off-air
by Ian Holder, Brisbane, Australia.

Voice of Korea: October 17, 2016

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Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Paul Walker, who notes:

This is the English service broadcast for The Voice Of Korea to "Latin America" from Kujang, North Korea. Recorded 0430-0530UTC October 17, 2016 using a Tecsun PL880, Welbrook ALA1530LNP, EmTech ZM2 antenna tuner and DXEngineering HF Preamp.
Listening location is Galena, Alaska. A village of 500 people in the rural central interior, 300 miles east of Nome and 300 miles west of Fairbanks

Radio Cairo: August 17, 2016

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Live, off-air, approximately one-and-one-half-hour recording of Radio Cairo in English on 17 August 2016 beginning about 23:00 UTC on a shortwave frequency of 9965 kHz. According to a High Frequency Coordination Conference registration, the signal originates from a 250 kW transmitter at the Abis transmitter complex, near Alexandria, Egypt, and was beamed 325° to western Europe and eastern North America. Radio Cairo is operated by the Egyptian Radio and Television Union, the public broadcaster of Egypt, operated by the Egyptian government.

The broadcast includes music and various features, including news (at about the 15-minute mark in the recording) and "Arabic by Radio" -- lesson 94 (starting around the 52-minute mark). The broadcast concludes with the news in brief, sign-off announcement, and about five minutes of music before time pips for 00:30:00 UTC. Times mentioned in the broadcast are Cairo local times, that is, in Central African Time (UTC + 2 hours).

Most Radio Cairo transmissions currently suffer from extremely poor modulation making them completely unintelligible. This recording is a rare example where the broadcast is somewhat understandable for the most part. However, the audio is muffled at times with music passages sounding somewhat better than most of the spoken word. The "Arabic by Radio" segment is, on the other hand, quite clear. The original recorded audio has been amplified by 400% to produce the archived audio file. 

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 5.09 kHz RF filtering. Reception must be considered only fair despite a strong signal since modulation was weak and slightly distorted or "muddy." However, there was no interference and negligible signal fading.

Radio Thailand on the Death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej: October 15, 2016

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King Bhumibol Adulyadej was an amateur radio operator with call sign HS1A. He was featured on this postage stamp issued by Thailand in 1997.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej was an amateur radio operator with call sign HS1A. He was featured on this postage stamp issued by Thailand in 1997.

Live, off-air, one-hour recording of Radio Thailand World Service (HSK9) in English on 15 October 2016 beginning a few seconds before 19:00 UTC on a shortwave frequency of 9390 kHz. The signal originates from a 250 kW transmitter at the International Broadcasting Bureau facility in Ban Dung District, Udon Thani, in northeastern Thailand, and was beamed 329° to Europe. Radio Thailand World Service is operated by National Broadcasting Services of Thailand and is carried over AM and FM stations in Thailand as well as being relayed on shortwave.

This broadcast was one of the first English-language Radio Thailand World Service broadcasts produced after the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, which occurred on 13 October. The Radio Thailand World Service broadcasts are prerecorded and there were no announcements of the death of the king during the shortwave transmissions on 13 October. Regular programming on Radio Thailand World Service was suspended on 14 October in homage to the king and replaced with archival material on the king's projects during his reign. Also, 14 October was declared as a public holiday for Thai citizens to pay their respects to the king. The recording starts with time pips, the bell peals interval signal, sign-on announcement, and then the prerecorded 7:00 a.m. (Indochina Time) "Morning News Hour."  The national and global news bulletins as well as the business news have extensive reports about the death of the king and the national and international response. The segments "ASEAN Focus," "Take on Thailand" (with an item on the Broadcasting Museum in Bangkok), "Weather Flash," and "What's on in Thailand" fill out the hour. The broadcast also includes government and public service announcements as well as commercials. 

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 9.0 kHz RF filtering. Reception was very good with a strong signal, no interference, and negligible fading.

Radio Australia: September 28, 2016 (violent storm report)

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Image: Bureau of Meteorology

Image: Bureau of Meteorology

This morning, I made a short recording of Radio Australia as they reported on the power outages that affected an entire territory in the wake of the worst storms southern Australia has seen in decades.

This recording begins around 12:59 UTC on September 28, 2016 and runs only for a few minutes. This was recorded from 9,580 kHz in western North Carolina:

Radio Tahiti: February 7, 1982

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

Date of recording: 2/7/1982

Starting time: 0616 UTC

Frequency: 11.825

Location: South Bend, IN

Notes:
This was one of the first DX stations I logged when I got started in SWLing - DXing. Radio Tahiti was a nice music station to listen to on cold winer nights here in the northern hemisphere. Sadly this is no longer on the air, but I was happy toke this recording. I used a DX-302 with outside wire antenna. Recorded Feb. 7, 1982 on a frequency of 11.825 kHz possibly 15.170 kHz.

Shortwave Service: August 2, 2016

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Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Mark Hirst, who submits the following recording and notes:

Date of recording: 8/2/2016

Starting time: 19:00

Frequency: 11.850

Location: Hampshire, United Kingdom

Receiver and antenna: ICOM IC-7100, Wonder Wand Wide Bander antenna

Notes: A test transmission from Shortwave Service (www.ShortwaveService.com) consisting of voice, music and continuous tones. The radio DSP Noise Reduction circuit is turned on and off during the recording to reveal the raw signal and to get clarity on some of the announcements.

Radio Nigeria Kaduna: September 1, 2016

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Radio Nigeria Kaduna recorded in London, UK on September 1, 2016 at 1830 UTC, on the frequency of 6090 kHz using AirSpy, SpyVerter, SDR# software and a 2 x 6m long wire dipole antenna. The non-directional transmitter has a power rating of 100 kW and is located in Kaduna-Jarji, Nigeria. The signal is usually a challenging catch in Europe; the station ID can be heard at 9 minutes 54 seconds into the recording.

Armed Forces Radio and Television Service: December 24, 1986

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Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Scott Nelson, for the following recording and notes:

Date of recording: 12/24/1986
Starting time: 2053 UTC
Frequency: 15.330MHz
Location: Minot, North Dakota
Receiver and antenna: Sony ICF-6500W with indoor random wire
Notes: Programs includes "Your Dollars", PSAs, "Your Money Minute", 
IDs, ads, News, Xmas music, "Armed Forces Digest", 
"Paul Harvey News".

Radio Moscow: January 08, 1987

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Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Scott Nelson, for sharing the following recording:

Date of recording: 1/8/1987
Starting time: 0411 UTC
Frequency: 6.000
Location: Minot, North Dakota
Receiver and antenna: Sony ICF-6500W with indoor random wire
Notes: Programs include "News and Views", ID, "News in Brief", "Roundabout the USSR", various programming.

Voice of Nigeria sign on: May 16, 1982

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QSL Card courtesy of Paul Greaves (W4FC) 

QSL Card courtesy of Paul Greaves (W4FC) 

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

I used to make it a habit to tune to this station just to hear this great Inverval
Signal and sign-on. This usually boomed in on 7255 kHz at sign-on. I have not listened
in years but hope it is still there. I probably logged this on my ICF-2001 back then.

Date of recording: 5/16/1982 

Frequency: 7.255

Starting time: 0530

Location: South Bend, Indiana

BBC World Service: August 31, 1997 (Death of Diana, Princess of Wales)

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Diana's coffin is borne through the streets of London on its way to Westminster Abbey (Source: Wikimedia - Public Domain Image)

Diana's coffin is borne through the streets of London on its way to Westminster Abbey (Source: Wikimedia - Public Domain Image)

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Scott Nelson, for sharing the following recording and notes:

BBC World Service on shortwave announcing the death of Princess Diana.  Special news programming and commentary on this sad event. 
  • Starting time: 0400 
  • Frequency: 5.975 
  • Receiver: Radio Shack DX-392 with built-in whip.
  • Location was Pierre, South Dakota

WRNO New Orleans: October 31, 1986

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Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Scott Nelson, who submits the following recording and notes:

WRNO - Shortwave from New Orleans.  "The Rock of the World". Recorded in Minot, North Dakota with a Sony ICF-6500W receiver to a cassette tape.  Transferred from cassette to mp3 format using Audacity software. This recording contains many IDs, ads, rock music, business news.

International Day Ecos del Torbes via WRMI: August 12, 2016

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Live, off-air, half-hour recording of the special DX program "International Day Ecos del Torbes," celebrating the 40th anniversary of Club Diexistas de la Amistad (CDXA, Friendship DX Club) and the 26th anniversary of the program "América en Antena" (American Antenna) transmitted by WRMI, Radio Miami International, using a transmitter at Okeechobee, Florida, on 12 August 2016 from 21:30 to 22:00 UTC on a shortwave frequency of 15770 kHz. The program aired a half hour later than advertised. The listed transmitter power is 100 kW with an antenna beam azimuth of 44° directed to Europe. The recording begins and ends with the WRMI station identification.

Ecos del Torbes is a radio station in San Christóbal, Táchira State, Venezuela, which began broadcasting on 9 August 1947. Still transmitting as YVOD on 780 kHz in the AM broadcast  band, it used to also broadcast on shortwave as YVOC, 4980 kHz, and YVTX, 6190 kHz, amongst other frequencies over the years. It ceased shortwave broadcasting in March 2003.

The program is primarily in Spanish with a brief introduction in English. Ecos del Torbes station identifications are given in Spanish, English, and French. The program was aired multiple times by WRMI.

The broadcast was received outdoors on a Tecsun PL-880 receiver with a Tecsun AN-03L 7-metre wire antenna in Hanwell (just outside Fredericton), New Brunswick, Canada, in AM mode with 9 kHz RF filtering. Reception was excellent with no interference and negligible atmospheric noise.

SAQ, Grimeton Radio: July 3, 2016

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Transmitter hall and antenna array. Image courtesy YouTube.

Transmitter hall and antenna array. Image courtesy YouTube.

ALEXANDERSON ALTERNATOR IN THE GRIMETON VLF TRANSMITTER. THE DRIVE MOTOR IS AT THE EXTREME RIGHT; THE SPEED-INCREASER GEARBOX IS JUST TO ITS LEFT. NOTE THE BRONZE-COLORED SHAFT COUPLING. IMAGE AND CAPTION COURTESY GUNTHER TSCHUCH AND WIKIMEDIA COMMO…

ALEXANDERSON ALTERNATOR IN THE GRIMETON VLF TRANSMITTER. THE DRIVE MOTOR IS AT THE EXTREME RIGHT; THE SPEED-INCREASER GEARBOX IS JUST TO ITS LEFT. NOTE THE BRONZE-COLORED SHAFT COUPLING. IMAGE AND CAPTION COURTESY GUNTHER TSCHUCH AND WIKIMEDIA COMMONS.

Live, off-air, approximately seven-and-a-half-minute recording of a morse code (CW or continuous wave) transmission in English from station SAQ, Grimeton Radio, Sweden, on 3 July 2016 beginning about 09:00 UTC on a very low frequency (VLF) of 17.2 kHz. The signal originates from the historic Alexanderson alternator transmitter at Grimeton near Varberg on the west coast of Sweden, running at about 80 kW. The antenna is essentially omnidirectional.

The broadcast was one of two taking place on Alexanderson Day, 2016; the other being at 12:00 UTC. The transmitter was tuned up before each broadcast with many sequences of VVV VVV VVV DE SAQ SAQ SAQ being sent. The message began at about 09:00 UTC, lasted about 7 minutes and 20 seconds, and is as follows:

CQ CQ CQ DE SAQ SAQ SAQ <BT>
THIS IS GRIMETON RADIO/SAQ IN A TRANSMISSION USING THE ALEXANDERSON 200 KW ALTERNATOR ON 17.2 KHZ. <BT>
IT IS NOW 20 YEARS SINCE THE ALEXANDER ASSOCIATION STARTED. THEN MOSTLY WITH MEMBERS OF EARLIER AND PRESENT EMPLOYEES AT GRIMETON RADIO/SAQ. WE ARE NOW 650 MEMBERS AND OF THEM 26 NONE SWEDISH. THE STATION IS NOWADAYS MANAGED BY GRIMETON WORLD HERITAGE FOUNDATION. SIGNED: WORLD HERITAGE GRIMETON RADIO STATION AND THE ALEXANDER-GRIMETON VETERANRADIOS VAENNER ASSOCIATION <AR> <BT>
FOR QSL INFO PLEASE READ OUR WEBSITE: WWW.ALEXANDER.N.SE WWW.ALEXANDER.N.SE <BT>
DE SAQ SAQ SAQ QRX AT 12 UTC <SK>

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 CW mode with 0.49 kHz RF filtering. The CW tone is about 763 Hz and the message was sent at about 16 words per minute. Reception was fairly good with some atmospheric noise (QRN).

Radio Vanuatu: July 18, 2016

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Radio Vanuatu signing on in Bislama. Instrumental music until 1838 UTC when the national anthem is played. Welcome to the broadcast day, morning devotion, and news at 1900. Includes frequency announcement, ID's, and two health advice advertisements. Adjacent channel interference on both sides from CRI on 7255 and 7265. Usually the CRI broadcasts will drown Vanuatu out before 1900 (even on my radios with synch) but they were mostly loud and clear this morning. Transmitted with 10 kw from Port Vila to Vanuatu. Received in Sydney, Australia, with a Sangean ATS-909X and a Kestrel active loop.

Medi 1 (Morocco): July 15, 2016

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Medi 1 recorded in London, UK on July 15, 2016 at 2100 UTC on the frequency of 9575 kHz using a Tecsun PL-680 radio with the Lowe PR-150 preselector and DX Engineering NCC-1 phaser connected to two Wellbrook ALA1530S+ antennas (positioned indoors) to mitigate severe local man-made interference. News in Moroccan Arabic at the start, news in French one hour into the recording.