Mexico City, Mexico (Photo by Jezael Melgoza @jezael)
For your listening pleasure: Radio Educación (XEPPM) from Mexico City. This recording was made on April 6, 2019 starting around 0058 UTC on 6,185 kHz. The receiver used was a WinRadio Excalibur hooked to a large horizontal delta loop antenna—the recording was made in North Carolina, USA.
This recording includes music and news—all in Spanish. Enjoy:
Many thanks to the Numbers Station Research and Information Center who have kindly allowed us to share their published article about a 1966 Spanish numbers station recording made by Don Hibschweiller. Many thanks to Mr. Hibschweiller for kindly allowing us to share his home recording here with the SRAA community.
(Source: Numbers Station Research and Information Center)
The most active period of numbers stations monitoring began in 1980s as in efforts by “Havana Moon” or William (Bill) Thomas Godbey, Simon Mason and writers and editors of the “Monitoring Times” journal. Our site has studied numbers stations monitoring in 1980s. The great activity of numbers stations DX and monitoring lead to creation of online based groups like Enigma and Numbers and Oddities in early 1990s. However, number stations did not appear in 1980s, they been around since at least 1914. In their oldest simple form they started as Morse code transmissions, then live voice readings and finally automated voice transmissions, not stopping there yet as digital mode transmissions also hides numbers groups within.
The period before 1980s,1950s and 1960s were very active in terms of espionage. Many declassified documents tell us about CIA and SIS operations in Baltic States, Soviet Union and Eastern Europe and elsewhere using Morse code messages. Then there is a case of Operation SOLO of FBI infiltration in the American Communist Party and Soviet secret service, where numbers transmissions from the Soviet Union were involved.
Numbers stations were in the air and there were people listening to them. So this brings to the subject of this article: a authentic tape recording of several transmissions of Spanish language Five Digit numbers station recorded in 1966.
The recording was made by Don Hibschweiler, who is currently a morning radio host on 90.1 WFYI Public Radio.
As Don describes “the broadcasts were daily at 1700 EST on 6.805 Mhz. The recording was made on July 20, 1966 at my listening post in West Central Indiana. There are Spanish numbers in groups of five. He always slowed down during the last set of numbers and then says something like, “Toonigh, toonigh”. I also heard one broadcast where the announcer made a mistake. The broadcast was repeated later with the same mistake and a weaker signal. I thought this meant the second broadcast was a recording of the first or both were recorded ahead of time. Also, the difference in signal strength may indicate the use of a directional antenna and/or a different transmitter power.”.
What we have here is a recording of supposedly male voice Spanish language numbers station. The technical issues and specifics of the broadcasts may point to Cuba. Cubans in 1980s to early 2010s used voiced five figure stations with characteristic“Atencion” at the start of the broadcast. This is was known as V02 and V02a before moving on to hybrid digital and voice station HM01 This station however has no such prefixes. It could be old predecessor to Antencion station. CIA was caught using four figure numbers station in Spanish language, so CIA involvement also cannot be ruled out.
Mr Don Hibschweiler came across this station after reading an article on “Electronics Illustrated” 1966 May issue.
The article is called “How to eavesdrop on real spies” featured real use of numbers stations and radio signal announcements as of case of Bay of Pigs invasion and the Rudolf Abel the Russian spy. It also featured some of the frequencies used by the numbers stations back then and the time of broadcast. Thanks to this journal Don was able to tune into this Spanish language number station.
The article points to various other numbers stations used in 1966. The German language station peculiarly plays “The March of the River Kwai” and classical music piece by Strauss as its interval signal. Such station has not been heard and any recording of such would be welcomed.
In the 1960s the first automatic voice machines were developed. In the decade they spread also to Eastern Block. Automated voice creation improved numbers stations as the errors made during live reading were common. Cuba also eventually started using automatic voice transmissions, but this 1966 recording still indicates live or pre-recorded broadcast.
This recorded Spanish language numbers station as for now stands unidentified until new documents pointing to it are found. This is one of the oldest recording of a number station publicly available and stands as important radio history source.
Many thanks to Numbers Station Research and Information Center and Don Hibschweiller for allowing us to republish this article and share this excellent recording.
For your listening pleasure: Radio Educación (XEPPM) from Mexico City. This recording was made on April 1, 2019 starting around 0125 UTC on 6185 kHz. The receiver used was a WinRadio Excalibur hooked to a large horizontal delta loop antenna—the recording was made in North Carolina, USA.
Although XEPPM’s 1,000 watt signal often makes it into North America, it’s rare that it’s so clear and conditions are so quiet. Their jazz selection on this date was excellent. Enjoy:
In February 2019, the South Africa-based company, Sentech, announced that they would close the Meyerton Transmitting Station effective March 31, 2019. Channel Africa used the Meyerton site for all of their shortwave broadcasts, so the closure meant and end to Channel Africa’s shortwave service. At time of posting, there is no news of other relay stations taking over the Channel Africa service.
The following two hour five minute recording of Channel Africa was made on Friday, March 29, 2019 starting about 1558 UTC on 15235 kHz.
The first hour (1600 - 1657 UTC) is Channel Africa’s French Language service.
The second hour (1700 - 1757) is Channel Africa’s English language service.
After the transmitter carrier dropped at the end of the English Language service broadcast, it did come back on for a brief period of time relaying a few minutes of what I believe may have been the program, “Chinyanja-Nkhani Ndi Zochitika Mu Africa.” I assume this was simply a mistake on the part of the station. I did leave this archived recording.
This recording was made using a WinRadio Excalibur SDR receiver connected to a large horizontal delta loop antenna. The receiver location was North Carolina, USA. Enjoy:
For your listening pleasure: The Voice of Greece recorded on March 26, 2019 starting at 22:50 UTC on 9.42 MHz. The receiver was a WinRadio Excalibur SDR and the antenna a large horizontal delta loop. This was received and recorded in North Carolina, USA.
For your listening pleasure: Radio Exterior de España recorded on March 26, 2019 starting at 22:53 UTC on 9.69 MHz. The receiver was a WinRadio Excalibur SDR and the antenna a large horizontal delta loop. This was received and recorded in North Carolina, USA.
Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Russ Edmunds (WB2BJH), for sharing this collection of mediumwave airchecks dating from 1969 to 1978. (Click here to check out all of Russ’ contributions.)
If you’ve subscribed to the SRAA podcast, you might only automatically download the first of these recordings. I would encourage you to view and listen to all 29 recordings on this dedicated Shortwave Radio Audio Archive post.
Click here to download a spreadsheet with full details of each clip.
Auckland, New Zealand by Dan Freeman
The following recording of Radio New Zealand International—primarily in English with service to the Pacific islands—was made on March 16, 2018 starting at 13:40 UTC on 6115 kHz. The receiver was a KiwiSDR located in Canberra, Australia.
Note that the news headlines (10 minutes into the recording) mention the Christchurch mosque shootings massacre.
The following recording of the Persian language service of Radio Farda was made on March 16, 2018 starting at 11:30 UTC on 9990 kHz. The receiver was a KiwiSDR located in Maui, Hawaii using an 80-10 off-center dipole.
Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Tom Gavaras, who shares the following recording and notes:
English language broadcast from 1976 using a 250,000 watt transmitter. Recording consists of newscast and music.
Starting time: 20:30 UTC
Frequency: 9730 kHz
Location: Plymouth, MN
Receiver and antenna: Hammarlund HQ-180, longwire
(KYOI sticker courtesy of the Mount Evelyn DX Report)
Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Tom Laskowski, for sharing the following recording and notes:
Here is a live off-air 47-minute recording of Super Rock KYOI from Saipan in the Northern Marianas Islands. I likely recorded this about 1100 UTC since their signal was best in our early mornings and I believe this was on 11900 kHz.
Their programming was mostly Top 40 rock. I believe the station struggled to retain listeners and ended being sold several times. I'm not sure of the complete story of this station and if it is still the station operating on Saipan. According the the Ontario DX Association's Target Listening publication: Stations on Tinian and Saipan were destroyed by Super Typhoon Yutu in October 2018. Unknown when they will be rebuilt.
Live, off-air, approximately one-hour recording of Iraq's Mother of Battles Radio in Arabic on 27 January 1991 beginning at about 13:30 UTC on a shortwave frequency of 17940 kHz. As Iraq's main shortwave broadcasting facility was put out of action early during Operation Desert Storm but while Iraq still occupied Kuwait, the broadcast likely originated from one of the 500 kW transmitters of Radio Kuwait.
Mother of Battles Radio, named after the phrase "Mother of all Battles" used by Saddam Hussein to describe the upcoming war with the United States, replaced the regular domestic shortwave service of the Broadcasting Service of the Republic of Iraq.
The recording consists of music, talk including exhortations against America and Bush, and frequent station identifications, e.g., "Huna idha'atu Umm al-Ma'arik" ("This is Mother of Battles Radio").
Reception of the broadcast was excellent with no interference until about the midpoint of the recording (around 13:59 UTC) when a faint jamming signal can be heard in the background. The recording is briefly interrupted when checking the signal on parallel frequencies (15600 kHz -- weaker; 9570 kHz -- not heard). There is also a brief interruption at about the 29m:25s mark in the recording due to a tape change.
The broadcast was received in Hanwell, New Brunswick, Canada, using a Sony ICF-7600D receiver and supplied wire antenna draped around the listening room.
Live, off-air, approximately twenty-seven-minute recording of Radio Baghdad, the Broadcasting Service of the Iraqi Republic, in English on 16 January 1991 beginning at about 21:35 UTC on a shortwave frequency of 13660 kHz. The recording is a segment of the 21:00 to 23:00 UTC broadcast to Europe. It likely originated from a 500 kW transmitter at Salah el Deen, Iraq.
This broadcast took place just a few hours before the start of the bombing campaign of Operation Desert Storm. The broadcast was not heard the following day. Programming consists of news, commentary including discussion of the "American Monster," the program "Iraq Today," and Iraqi music.
Reception of the broadcast was fairly good although the audio is somewhat "muddy."
The broadcast was received in Hanwell, New Brunswick, Canada, using a Sony ICF-7600D receiver and supplied wire antenna draped around the listening room.
HEADLINE FROM NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE DATED 16 APRIL 1991
Three live, off-air, recordings of the clandestine Voice of Free Iraq on 6 January 1991 beginning at 14:27 UTC on a shortwave frequency of 17960 kHz (about 28 minutes in length), on 18 January 1991 beginning at 03:28 UTC on 9565 kHz (about 4 minutes in length), and on 3 February 1991 beginning at 18:55 UTC (about 30 minutes in length). The Voice of Free Iraq began broadcasting programs on 1 January 1991 using one medium wave (1053 kHz) and three shortwave frequencies (approximately 9565 kHz, and 15600 and 17940 kHz initially, shifting later to 17960 kHz) contributed by the radio services of Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf Co-operation Council states. A fourth frequency was subsequently added: 9995 kHz. The station likely broadcast from one or more of those countries. According to the New York Times, a studio was located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The station identified as "Idha'atu-l-gumburiya al-'iraqiyya min Baghdad - Saut al-Iraq Al-Hurr." According to newspaper accounts, the station may have been financed by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.
Reception of the three broadcasts varied.
For the broadcast on 6 January 1991, reception, including the initial transmitter tune-up tone, was fairly good. However, at about 14:51 UTC, about 23 minutes into the recording, an Iraqi wideband "bubble" jammer starts up on the frequency. A few minutes later, an oscillating tone is added to the jammer. In the recording, an attempt to monitor the other frequencies of 15600 and 9570 kHz can be heard. 15600 kHz is subsequently jammed.
For the broadcast of 18 January 1991, there is no apparent jamming. Quite possibly, by this time, either Iraq's jamming facilities had been put out of action either directly by coalition bombing of transmitter sites or by attacks on the electrical grid. There is some slight interference and a heterodyne tone.
Similarly, for the broadcast of 3 February, no jamming can be heard. However, there is some fading of the signal and there are periods of local interference towards the end of the recording. It was noticed that the signal on 17960 kHz was in parallel to 9570 kHz. A couple of hours later, the broadcast was also noted on 9995 kHz.
The broadcasts were received in Hanwell, New Brunswick, Canada, using a Sony ICF-7600D receiver and supplied wire antenna draped around the listening room.
Rádio Clube do Pará recorded in Lanzarote, Las Canarias, Spain on December 29, 2018 at 0100 UTC on the frequency of 4885 kHz using Tecsun PL-680 and a piece of wire attached to its telescopic antenna. The transmitter is located in Belem, Brazil. This non-directional transmission had a power rating of 5kW and a multi-path propagation echo can be heard in the recording.
Live, off-air, approximately twenty-minute recording of the Voice of Peace from Baghdad on 29 December 1990 beginning at 21:40 UTC on a shortwave frequency of 11860 kHz. This broadcast originated from a transmitter either in Iraq or Kuwait.
Iraq's Voice of Peace was established in August 1990 to beam programs to American servicemen stationed in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait at the beginning of the month. Programming consisted of music, initially easy-listening music but subsequently changing to a "Top 40" mix, news and commentary in a failed effort to try to demoralize the American troops. Beginning in September 1990, the broadcasts used a female announcer dubbed "Baghdad Betty" by the Americans. Reportedly, Baghdad Betty was replaced by a team of announcers sometime in December 1990. The recording is an example of the news and music programming. It is not known if the female announcer is the famous Baghdad Betty or someone else.
Reception of the broadcast was poor to fair with slight interference and fading. At 21:58 UTC, there is interference splash from WYFR starting up on 11855 kHz. The initial frequency recorded may have been 21675 kHz before switching after a minute or so to 11860 kHz as the radio teletype interference abruptly stops at this point. The recording includes frequent station identifications such as "You are tuned to the Voice of Peace from Baghdad."
The broadcast was received in Hanwell, New Brunswick, Canada, using a Sony ICF-7600D receiver and supplied wire antenna draped around the listening room.
Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Emanuele Pelicioli, who shares the following short clips he recorded on July 8, 2017 from his home in Italy.
Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Emanuele Pelicioli, who shares the following short our clip of The Voice of Mesopotamia recorded on July 15, 2007 at 1541 UTC on 11530 kHz from Italy.
Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Dan Srebnick, who shares the following recording and notes:
This is a very enjoyable review of the first 25 years of Radio Nederland, hosted by Jerry Cowan. It is the complete broadcast with the news, which at the time was feed via HF from Hilversum to Bonaire. The panel of guests include Bruce Parsons, Neville Gray, as well as the head of the English Department of Radio Nederland, Van Dulken.
It was recorded off air in Queens, NY on 11,730 kHz between 0200-0320 GMT (April 16 GMT). It came from the relay site in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles where RNW had a powerful relay transmitter site. There is some interference but not enough to diminish your enjoyment.
Two live, off-air, approximately half-hour recordings of the North American Service of Kol Yisrael, the Voice of Israel, on the second night of the combat phase (Operation Desert Storm) of the First Gulf War, 17/18 January 1991.
The first recording is of the 01:00 UTC broadcast on 18 January on 11605 kHz. The second recording is of the 02:00 UTC broadcast on the same day, initially using the frequency of 11605 kHz but changing to the other two frequencies used, 9435 and 7465 kHz at different times during the recording. The signals originated from 300 or 500 kW transmitters at Yavne, Israel.
At the beginning of the 01:00 UTC broadcast, an announcement is made of a missile attack (from Iraq) and Israeli residents are instructed to move to their prepared closed rooms and to don their gas masks. An extended news bulletin follows. The civil defence instruction is repeated several times during the broadcast. The broadcast, from Jerusalem, included live reports from Tel Aviv. Subsequently, residents are told they can remove their gas masks but should stay in their sealed rooms. The 02:00 UTC broadcast continues the special report including live commentary from both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, including the civil defence information telephone numbers around the country. There is a brief gap in the recording at about the 19m:40s mark due to a tape change. The broadcast concludes with a brief piece of music and the concluding announcement and interval signal.
Reception of the broadcasts was quite good. The 11605 kHz signal was strong with slight radio teletype interference. The 9435 and 7465 kHz frequencies also provided good signals although there was slight hum on one of the frequencies.
These broadcasts were received in Hanwell, New Brunswick, Canada, using a Sony ICF-7600D receiver and supplied wire antenna draped around the listening room.
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