King George V's third Christmas Message over Shortwave: December 1934

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Fred Waterer, who shares the following recording as King George V addresses the British Empire during Christmas 1934.

Alfons and the Magic Christmas Tree read by Clayton Howard: December 1974

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Paul Rawdon, for the following recording and notes:

[This is] a recording of a story featured on HCJB’s DX Party Line hosted by Clayton Howard. As far as I remember it was recorded in December 1974. It’s a short story from SPEEDX about the reception of Tristan Da Cunha and St Helena.

SPEEDX ran from 1971 until a declining membership forced its closure in 1995 archived copies of its monthly bulletin can be found here: https://worldradiohistory.com/Speedx.htm

Hobart Radio International Christmas & New Year Special: December 20, 2020

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Matt Todd, who shares the following recording and notes:

Hobart Radio International Christmas and New Years Special for 2020. This was recorded December 20, 2020 at 0030UTC on WRMI 7730 kHz in Hugo, MN using an SDRPlay SDR.

Program Information:

Music: Donald Trump (mash up) - Elton John - Boney M - Kate Bush - Band Aid Comedy: Santa Is Indian! / Jack Dee hates Christmas shopping.

KSKO Christmas Special (rebroadcast) via WRMI: December 24, 2020

For your listening pleasure: KSKO Christmas Special broadcast via WRMI on 5950 kHz starting at 2300 UTC on December 24, 2020.

Gruß an Bord NDR: December 24, 2020

For your listening pleasure: NDR - Gruß an Bord ("Greetings on board") Part 2 recorded on December 24, 2020 from 2100-2300 UTC on 6145 kHz.

China Radio International: December 19, 2020

Photo by zhang kaiyv on Unsplash

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Matt Todd, who shares the following recording and notes:

China Radio Plus Broadcast recorded December 19, 2020 at 1502 on 15700khz in Hugo, MN. The transmitter did not seem to be turned on until 1502 despite the scheduled start time of 1500.

00:00 News

03:35 Footprints - About the Gaokao

28:27 I Love Podcasts - "Why We Love the Song Dynasty" and "Ties From the West"

Receiver location: Hugo, MN

Receiver and antenna: Sdr Play with a wire loop antenna around the perimeter of the attic

Radio Netherlands, Happy Station Christmas Broadcast (Studio Recording): December 12, 1956

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Walter Santner, who shares the following studio recording of the Happy Station Show’s 1956 Christmas broadcast:

Radio Canada International, Shortwave Listener's Corner (Studio Recording): December 27, 1987

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Sam Ward, who shares the following studio recording and notes:

[This] recording is of the Shortwave Listener's Corner program from December 27, 1987. This edition of the program was a bit unusual in that I don't think they read anyone's letters, but the program definitely does have an Arctic theme to it, plus, Radio Canada International plays a few Christmas carols sung in the Inuktitut language. I certainly appreciate Ian McFarland giving me this studio recording of the show, since I missed it when it was first broadcast.

ANARC convention live recording featuring keynote by Rudy Espinal of Radio Clarin: June 1979

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

Rudy Espinal of Radio Clarin (Dominican Republic) keynote speech at 1979 Association of North American Radio Clubs (ANARC) convention held in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Convention took place in June 1979.

Swiss Radio International: September 29, 1990

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

Recording of the shortwave station Swiss Radio International on 12.035MHz. Recorded in Pierre, South Dakota, USA, on a Sony ICF-6500W receiver using the built-in telescopic whip. Recording was transferred from its original cassette tape format. Recording includes the sign-on of the English language service, ID, News, and the program DATELINE.

Receiver and antenna: Sony ICF-6500W with built-in telescopic whip

RX Location: Pierre, South Dakota, USA

Date of recording: 9/29/1990

Starting time: 0356 UTC

Frequency: 12.035MHz

VOA "Talk to America" show by Doug Bernard discussing clandestine radio (Internet Recording): June 14, 2005

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Tom Gavaras, who shares the following recording.

Note that we occasionally post recordings that are not airchecks or off-air recordings when they relate to the shortwave radio listening hobby. This is one such recording. Tom shares the following notes:

Notes: Voice of America (VOA) "Talk to America" show from 2005 hosted by Doug Bernard discussing clandestine radio. Guests included Nick Grace, Clandestine Radio Watch and Richard Lafayette, Global Crisis Watch.

Radio Baghdad: September 26, 1990

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Lee Herterich, who shares the following recording and notes:

This is an off-the-air recording of shortwave radio station Radio Baghdad made on September 26, 1990. The political situation was about to lead to the first Iraq war. This was the European service on a frequency of 13,660 khz. which was aired between 20-22 UTC. It was recorded in the Boston USA area. Receiver was a Yaesu FRG-8800 with an indoor wire antenna. Direct recording into a cassette recorder.

Date of recording: 9/26/1990

Starting time: 21:15 UTC

Frequency: 13,660 kHz

Reception location: Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts USA

Receiver and antenna: Yaesu FRG-8800 with an indoor wire antenna. Direct recording into a cassette recorder.

Voice of Korea: October 3, 2020

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Jared Dancel, who shares the following recording and notes:

First 20 minutes of broadcast from Voice of Korea. The news portion includes a letter (heard in the 14 minute mark) from the North Korean leader Kim-Jong Un to the US President Donald Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, which at the time, were recovering from the coronavirus.

Date of recording: 10/3/2020

Starting time: 10:01

Frequency: 11.735Mhz

Location: Tarlac, Philippines

Receiver and antenna: Tescun R9012 with telescopic antenna

Radio Tahiti: circa 1981

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Tony King, who shares the following recording and notes:

TAHITI: Opening announcement in English  6035 khz 1981

Radio Australia and 8DR Darwin (Coverage of Cyclone Tracy: December 25, 1974

A picture taken by the ESSA-8 satellite that shows Cyclone Tracy on December 25, 1974 (Source: Wikipedia via NASA)

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Paul Rawdon, who shares the following recording and notes:

Announcement explaining the reason for a reduced signal strength. Cyclone Tracy put the Darwin transmitter site off air. News bulletin plus other selected items that were broadcast relating to the evacuation of Darwin. Because the local 8DR MW transmitter was damaged a microwave link was set up between Darwin and Shepparton with the programme transmitted back to Darwin on shortwave.

Date of recording: 12/25/1974

Starting time: 2100 UTC

Frequency: 9.58 MHz

Your location: Lower Hutt, New Zealand, 26 December NZDT

Receiver and antenna: Trio 9R59DSM communications receiver with a random length long wire

Pop Shop Radio: September 12, 2020

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

Edition 1 of Pop Shop Radio as broadcast by Channel 292 in Rohrbach Waal in Germany on 6070 kHz at 1600 UTC to 1700 UTC  on 12 September 2020.

This was a rebroadcast of a show first broadcast on  9 September 2020 at 1800 UTC on same station and frequency.

This recording is 'as received' via the WebSDR at the University of Twente in the Netherlands, and as such has all the wonderful static and interference you'd expect.

Show is produced in British Columbia in Canada.

Radio Netherlands: January 1, 1975

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

Radio Nethlerlands shortwave broadcast to Africa recorded in 1975 on 17.810 MHz at 1830 UTC. Transmission opens with a unique trumpet/drums interval signal, singing station identification/jingle, and announcements in the French language.

Rough translation: "This is Radio Netherlands, Hilversum, Holland broadcasting on 16 meters, 17810 kHz." [Singing jingle] "You are listening to the Netherlands Global Radio Network, Radio Netherlands, Hilversum, Holland. Good morning, good afternoon or good evening, according to where you are receiving our signal right now. We are going to spend the next 80 minutes together, and we invite you to listen to our show in the French language."

Starting time: 1830 UTC

Frequency: 17.810

RX location: Plymouth, Minnesota

Receiver and antenna: Hammarlund HQ-180, longwire

Polish Radio (Studio Recording): 1977

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

Notes: Studio recording of Polish Radio from 1977. The recording opens with the Polish Radio interval signal followed by a documentary called "In Defense of Peace." The program covers Poland during WWII including a few brief excerpts of Polish Radio and German radio, discussion on the start of the cold war, atomic weapons/arms race, Poland's pursuit of peace, etc. Music is interspersed through out the recording.

Radio Juliaca (Juliaca Peru): July 1959

Floating Uros Islands at the Lake Titicaca in Peru photo made by rouichi/ switzerland

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Tony King, who shares the following recording and notes:

PERU: Radio Juliaca, Juliaca Peru July 1959. 5015 kHz OAX7X OAX7Z The station came on the air this month and this would appear to be a test transmission playing old time western tunes, mix experiments, and regular ID's. This caption was rebroadcast on Keith Glover's Radio Australia's Mailbox programme the same month as an item of interest to DX listeners.

Radio Canada International: January 9, 1982

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

Notes: Radio Canada International English language shortwave broadcast to Africa that aired on January 9, 1982 including a newscast and the Shortwave Listener's Digest with Ian McFarland. The SWL Digest included Glenn Hauser's look back at shortwave in 1981, report about the Voice of Free China being relayed on WYFR Radio, a taped message from David Monson formerly on Belgium Radio & TV, and an update on the Handicapped Aid Program.

RX location: Plymouth, Minnesota

Receiver and antenna: Hammarlund HQ-180, longwire