Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Dan Greenall, who shares the following recording and notes:
Date of recording: 7/29/1997
Frequency: 6.955
Reception location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada
Receiver and antenna: Panasonic RF-3100 and longwire antenna
Mode: AM
Notes: This shortwave pirate broadcaster could be heard well here in Southern Ontario in the late 1990's. They finished each program with their theme song "Secret Agent Man."
Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Fred Waterer, who shares the following recording as King George V addresses the British Empire during Christmas 1934.
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.
Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Tom Gavaras, who shares the following recording and notes:
Aircheck of the start of the Voice of Peace radio ship. Voice of Peace was an offshore radio station that broadcast in the Middle East for 20 years from the former Dutch cargo vessel MV Peace, anchored off the Israeli coast on East Mediterranean. Founded by Abie Nathan and the New York-based Peace Ship Foundation, the station broadcast almost continuously between 19 May 1973 and November 1993. With sounds of the creaking ship, Abie Nathan talks about the struggles, challenges and problems to get the Voice of Peace on the air in an emotional broadcast.
Note: The tape was recorded in the Middle East and was provided to me. Unfortunately, what was previously recorded on the tape did not erase when the broadcast was recorded. You will hear in the background Angie by the Rolling Stones, whistling and a talking played at half speed and double speed -- none of these were part of the broadcast. We did our best to edit and filter out those background sounds.
Frequency: 1.539 MHz
WRNO was the U.S. shortwave station founded by Joseph Costello III as described here and went on the air in February 1982 as a commercial international broadcaster. Another recording can be found in the archive but this is one of the earliest recordings of the station after it first went on the air.
As described by Wikipedia, WRNO was the first privately owned shortwave station licensed in several years at the time of its approval by the FCC: “Before Costello's efforts, there were only three non-governmental American shortwave broadcasters on the air; by the end of the decade, that number had increased to sixteen.[2] WRNO shortwave had a rock music format, branded as the "World Rock of New Orleans" and operating from noon to midnight (GMT-6) daily. Originally a separate broadcast from the FM station, eventually WRNO turned to simulcasting WRNO-FM, which also had a rock music format. During the early 1990s WRNO turned to leasing airtime to religious and political commentators (for a time, it was the shortwave home of Rush Limbaugh's program) until a damaged transmitter forced the station off the air for several years.” In 2001 the station was purchased by Good News World Outreach, a non-profit religious broadcaster.” This article in SWLing Post shows the transmitter of WRNO as of 2009.
A bit of shortwave trivia not widely known — Joseph Costello appeared in the first pilot of “Communications World” the VOA program for shortwave listeners originated by Dan Robinson, who went on to be a foreign correspondent, congressional reporter, and chief White House correspondent for VOA through the 1980’s, 1990s and 2000s.
In the 1970’s shortwave listeners were surprised by the appearance in the 60 meter band of a station that seemed to be a re-activation of Portugal’s station in the Azores islands. The frequency was 4,865 khz and the signal was quite strong as heard on the east coast of North America. What everyone thought was actually a broadcast from the Azores turned out to be — NOT. According to Jerry Berg, in his On the Shortwaves 1945 to turned out to be none other than Radiodifusao Portuguesa with transmissions on the old frequency of Azores from years before. What a disappointment for country hunters! Anyway, here is a recording of what we all thought was Azores direct, made in the 1970s. You can hear the full ID by the announcer toward the end followed by the Portuguese national anthem.
Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Dan Robinson, who shares the following recording
Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Tom Gavaras, who shares the following recording and notes:
During the Tiananmen Protests in 1989, a courageous announcer at Radio Beijing went on the air with the following announcement:
“This is Radio Beijing. Please remember June the third, 1989. The most tragic event happened in the Chinese capital, Beijing. Thousands of people, most of them innocent civilians, were killed by fully armed soldiers when they forced their way into the city. Among the killed are our colleagues at Radio Beijing. The soldiers were riding on armored vehicles and used machine guns against thousands of local residents and students who tried to block their way. When the army convoys made a breakthrough, soldiers continued to spray their bullets indiscriminately at crowds in the street. Eyewitnesses say some armored vehicles [inaudible] foot soldiers who hesitated in front of the resisting civilians. Radio Beijing’s English department deeply mourns those who died in a tragic incident and appeals to all its listeners to join our protest for the gross violations of human rights and the most barbarous suppression of the people. Because of the abnormal situation here in Beijing, there is no other news that we could bring you. We sincerely ask for your understanding and thank you for joining us at this most tragic moment.”
The above announcement was followed by a regular newscast.
According to some sources, the announcer was apprehended by the authorities almost immediately and detained for several years where he was separated from his family and underwent extended reeducation campaign.Broadcaster: Radio Beijing
Date of recording: 6/4/1989
Starting time: 0400 UTC
Frequency: 11695 kHz
Reception location: Minnetonka, MN
Receiver and antenna: ICOM R71A
Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Tim Harrold, who shares the following recording and notes:
To mark the 30th anniversary of the Romanian Revolution, a recording of "Austrian Shortwave Panorama", Radio Austria International's weekly DX programme presented by David Hermges. This was a special edition broadcast a few days after Romania's 1989 revolution originally broadcast on 31st December 1989 (although this recording is of a repeat from sometime in 1990). Contains off-air recordings of Radio Bucharest and Radio Free Europe (in English, Romanian and other languages) recounting the events of the revolution. (Sent via The Shortwave Radio Audio Archive)
Frequency: 13.730 MHz
Reception location: Birmingham, UK
Receiver and antenna: Toshiba portable, telescopic antenna
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.
Many thanks to both Dan Robinson and Jerry Berg who made me aware of this excellent--extremely rare--recording of the Voice of Biafra.
This broadcast was recorded by Al Sizer in North Haven, CT, on September 8, 1969 on 6,145 kHz starting at 2140 GMT. The receiver used was a Realistic DX-150. Mr. Sizer introduces the recording:
Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Emilio Ruiz, who shares this recording of Radio Havana Cuba's Spanish Language Service. This recording was made on February 16, 2016 starting at 6:00 UTC on 11.760 MHz. This recording was made in Chiapas, México with a Keenwood R-600 and Magnetic Loop antenna.
USS SHAW exploding in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on December 7, 1941
For your listening pleasure: one hour, seven minutes of the pirate radio station, Radio Free Whatever.
I recorded this broadcast on December 15 2013, starting around 2:40 UTC, on 6,925 kHz AM. This broadcast was a tribute to WWII and Pearl Harbor and contains news clips and music from the same time period. I believe my recording begins about five or so minutes into their broadcast.
By Denoel Paris and other photographers [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Jack Widner, who shares the following off-air recording and notes:
Radio Bucharest, Romania, on Shortwave New Year's Eve 1989. The beginning is missing. Frequency not logged but was probably 6155 or 11830, time 0200 UTC.
The Ceausescu regime had finally been toppled and executed outside the capital Bucharest. These were heady times; Romania was one of the last of the "Iron curtain" countries to change its Communist government.
But now Ceausescu is out and Romania has its first taste of fresh air. This program reflects that new-found liberalisation. The announcer at 0102 says "FREE Romania" and at 01:12 - 02:33 the American Ambassador Alan Green Jr sends greetings from President GHWB. After that, the majority of the program is traditional music and celebrations of Romanian new year. The two announcers are full of national pride!
There is a slight gap at 11:19 - 11:23. Frequency and contact information are at the end of the program, 25:15.
The picture of Bucharest is the cover of a verification card from 1967 in my possession.
Heard in Pennsylvania, December 1989.
Paul's reel tape containing this Radio Netherland's recording
Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Paul Harner, who notes:
Radio Nederland's "What's New" was a Saturday night program that featured hits from the weekly Dutch Top 30. The show was co-hosted by American Bruce Parsons and Australian Graham GIll. Based on the charts from that week, this show aired on 6 November 1976. Shows like "What's New" introduced me to pop/rock artists that didn't receive airplay in the USA. It also introduced me to other shows on Radio Nederland later on, such as "His And Hers," "Happy Station," and especially "Media Network."
Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Jim Jordan, who shares this three part recording of Radio Polonia and notes:
After the declaration of martial law in Poland on December 13, 1981 Radio Polonia ceased broadcasting. Broadcasts in English instead continued from a military base near Warsaw Airport. The staff of Radio Polonia returned to the air soon afterwards and here are three broadcasts from that period in Poland's history. Of some of the presenters that you will hear, Konrad Gocman is in retirement and works as a translator. However Benny Ludkiewicz (aka "Bengt Scotland") unfortunately passed away a couple of years ago. Anyone who is interested in the old North American service from Warsaw may like to read have a read of this. The writer used to work with the late Sol Flapan and his wife Anna, who used to deal with the English section's correspondence right up until the 1990s http://www.tc.umn.edu/~marqu002/Chap10.pdf
Jim made the following recording in South Shields, UK, using a National Panasonic RF2200 and a random long wire on 6.135 MHz:
STS-51-L crew: (front row) Michael J. Smith, Dick Scobee, Ronald McNair; (back row) Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis, Judith Resnik.
Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Tom Laskowski, who submits these notes with his timely off-air recording of the BBC World Service from January 28, 1986:
Thirty years ago today the US Space program came crashing down with the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger.
I was a student at Purdue University at the time, living in a dormitory.
I decided to make some recordings knowing this would be a historic event.
This is a recording I made of the BBC on the evening of Jan 28 (0200 UTC on January 29). The frequency was most likely 5975 kHz or 9590 kHz. The dorm environment didn't make a great place for SWL reception and the recording is noisy but still of decent quality.
Recorded using a Sony ICF-2001 with a wire attached to a window screen for an antenna.
Click here to download as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:
Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Tom Laskowski, who notes:
Radio Canada International recorded on September 13, 1979.
This 26 minute program starts with a ten minute-long news broadcast followed by a program highlighting Canada's rising bank rate, and a story about anorexia nervosa. The recording was made using a cheap GE portable with indoor antenna.
This was probably recorded around 0100 UT likely on the 49 meter band. (5960 kHz?)
SWLing Post reader and SRAA contributor, Frank, writes from Germany:
First let me say that I enjoy your blog a lot.
After a 2005-13 hiatus, I have rediscovered a childhood hobby and your reviews have helped me find my way to the post-Sony portable shortwave radio markets.
First, I obtained my “childhood dream” radio (Sony ICF 2001D), because at the time I made these recordings I was still in school and 1300 DM would have equaled over 1 year of pocket money, so a Supertech SR16HN had to do. I thought I got some fine results with this Sangean-Siemens re-branded receiver then, using a CB half-length antenna, a random wire, and much endurance.
I kept regular logs throughout the years, wrote to 50 international and pirate stations for QSL and compiled this cassette.
A few years before I got that trusty SR16HN, however, I recorded a few number stations (such as G3, Four Note Rising Scale etc) with an ordinary radio cassette recorder, and in 1991 I put them onto this tape as well. The other recordings are done with the same radio placed right in front of the SR 16HN.
Feel free to make use of these recordings. Most of it are the well-known international state-owned shortwave stations of the past; plus European pirates; plus number stations; and at the end, a few (off-topic) local Am and FM stations interval signals.
As I said, this collection I made shortly after the Wende/reunification period, when all former-GDR state broadcasters changed their names, sometimes more than once.
Please continue your good work on the blogs! Weather permitting I am often outside cycling and always have the tiny Sony ICF 100 with me (which I call my then-student’s dream radio of the later 90ies).
SRAA contributor, Brian Smith, writes:
Want to know what shortwave radio sounded like in 1974? This 55-minute recording, recovered from a cassette, was never intended to be anything but "audio notes": I was an 18-year-old shortwave listener who collected QSL cards from international stations, and I was tired of using a pen and a notepad to copy down details of the broadcasts. I wanted an easier way to record what I heard, and my cassette tape recorder seemed like the perfect means to accomplish that goal.
But it wasn't. I soon discovered that it was simpler to just edit my notes as I was jotting them down — not spend time on endless searches for specific information located all over on the tape. To make a long story shorter, I abandoned my "audio notes" plan after a single shortwave recording: This one.
Still, for those who want to experience the feel of sitting at a shortwave radio in the mid-1970s and slowly spinning the dial, this tape delivers. Nothing great in terms of sound quality; I was using a Hallicrafters S-108 that was outdated even at the time. And my recording "technique" involved placing the cassette microphone next to the radio speaker.
Thus, what you'll hear is a grab bag of randomness: Major shortwave broadcasting stations from Canada, Argentina, Spain, Germany and Albania; maritime CW and other utility stations; and even a one-sided conversation involving a mobile phone, apparently located at sea. There are lengthy (even boring) programs, theme songs and interval signals, and brief IDs, one in Morse code from an Italian Navy station and another from a Department of Energy station used to track shipments of nuclear materials. And I can't even identify the station behind every recording, including several Spanish broadcasts (I don't speak the language) and an interview in English with a UFO book author.
The following is a guide, with approximate Windows Media Player starting times, of the signals on this recording. (Incidentally, the CBC recording was from July 11, 1974 — a date I deduced by researching the Major League Baseball scores of the previous day.)
Guide To The Recording
00:00 — CBC (Radio Canada) Northern and Armed Forces Service: News and sports.
07:51 — RAE (Radio Argentina): Sign-off with closing theme
09:14 — Department of Energy station in Belton, Missouri: "This is KRF-265 clear."
09:17 — Interval signal: Radio Spain.
09:40 — New York Radio, WSY-70 (aviation weather broadcast)
10:22 — Unidentified station (Spanish?): Music.
10:51— Unidentified station (English): Historic drama with mention of Vice President John Adams, plus bell-heavy closing theme.
14:12 — Unidentified station (Spanish?): Male announcer, poor signal strength.
14:20 — Unidentified station (Spanish): Theme music and apparent ID, good signal strength.
15:16 — Unidentified station (foreign-speaking, possibly Spanish): Song, "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep."
17:00 — Deutsche Welle (The Voice of West Germany): Announcement of frequencies, theme song.
17:39 — Unidentified station (English): Interview with the Rev. Barry Downing, author of “The Bible and Flying Saucers.”
24:36 — One side of mobile telephone conversation in SSB, possibly from maritime location.
30:37 — Radio Tirana (Albania): Lengthy economic and geopolitical talk (female announcer); bad audio. Theme and ID at 36:23, sign-off at 55:03.
55:11 — Italian Navy, Rome: “VVV IDR3 (and long tone)” in Morse code.
SRAA contributor, Richard Langley, writes:
Live one-hour recording of the PCJ Radio International special broadcast celebrating the 70th anniversary of Radio Canada International in English via WRMI on 16 March 2015 beginning at 01:00 UTC on a frequency of 7570 kHz.
The broadcast was received on a Tecsun PL-880 receiver with its built-in telescopic whip antenna in Hanwell (just outside Fredericton), New Brunswick, Canada. Signal quality was generally good.
The Shortwave Radio Audio Archive (SRAA) is a collection of shortwave radio recordings that you can download or listen to as a podcast. The collection grows every day and includes both historic recordings and current recordings from the shortwave radio spectrum.
The goal of this site is for shortwave radio enthusiast to have a place to store, archive and share their radio recordings with the world.
Click here to learn how to contribute and archive recordings.
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![By Denoel Paris and other photographers [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/51a013dee4b0a2a2d2ef73e9/1504612444525-GPNN6VAMPY2OIRA9V4OY/Romanian_Revolution_1989_Demonstrators.jpg)
