Foreign AM Broadcast Band DX: Circa 1970's

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Dan Greenall, who shares the following recordings and notes:

Foreign BCB DX 1970's

Reception location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

Receiver and antenna: Hallicrafters S-52 or Realistic DX-150A and a longwire antenna

Notes: Although I did not focus much on foreign broadcast band (medium wave) DXing in the 1970's, I did manage to save a few brief recordings of a handful of stations logged from my location in southern Ontario, Canada.

1. Radio Margarita, La Asuncion (Isla Margarita) Venezuela 1020 kHz

2. Radio Clarin, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 860 kHz

3. XEMO, Tiajuana, Mexico 860 kHz

4. Radio Sutatenza, Bogota, Colombia 810 kHz

5. XERF, Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila, Mexico 1570 kHz (ID given by well known personality Paul Kallinger)

USSR Shortwave Broadcasters: Circa 1970's

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Dan Greenall, who shares the following recordings and notes:

Broadcaster: USSR shortwave broadcasters 1970's

Frequency: various

Reception location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

Receiver and antenna: Hallicrafters S-52 using a longwire antenna

Notes: Around 1970, there were other stations in the Soviet Union (USSR) that could be found on the shortwaves besides Radio Moscow. Programming on most of these outlets was all in Russian.

Radiostansiya Rodina (Homeland) is heard here with their interval signal and identification in Russian sometime in 1971. Shortwave frequency was likely 7100 kHz.

Radiostansiya Atlantika broadcast to the Soviet fishing fleet circa 1970.

Radiostansiya Mayak (lighthouse) could also be heard on various frequencies during the early 1970's.

Radio Station Peace and Progress, the Voice of Soviet Public Opinion, had some English language programs.

American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) Voice Mirrors circa 1970's

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Dan Greenall, who shares the following recordings and notes:

Broadcaster: American Telephone and Telegraph Company 1970's

Date of recording: circa 1970s

Frequency: various

Reception location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

Receiver and antenna: Hallicrafters S-52 using a longwire antenna

Mode: Single Side Band

Notes: Back in the days before the internet, radiotelephone communications were commonplace, and "voice mirrors" such as these from the American Telephone and Telegraph Company could be heard (usually in sideband mode) all over the shortwaves. These were broadcast so the receiving station could tune them in prior to actual traffic.

These recordings (Dixon and Oakland, California; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and New York City) are from the early 1970's, and receiving location was Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. Receiving equipment consisted of a Hallicrafters S-52 hooked up to a longwire antenna.

WWV Fort Collins, Colorado: Pre 1971

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Dan Greenall who shares the following recording and notes:

Reception location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

Receiver and antenna: Hallicrafters S-52 using a longwire antenna

Notes: Prior to July 1, 1971, time and standard frequency station WWV in Fort Collins, Colorado was giving ID's in Morse code as well as voice every 5 minutes. They were best heard here in southern Ontario, Canada on 10 and 15 MHz.

Radio Canada (SWL Digest) Interval Signal Series: Circa 1970s

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Dan Greenall, who shares the following recordings and notes:

Broadcaster: Radio Canada International Interval Signal Series 1970's

Date of recording: Circa 1970s

Frequency: 9.625 MHz

Reception location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

Receiver and antenna: Hallicrafters S-52 or Realistic DX-150A and a longwire antenna

Notes: Back in the early 1970s, Radio Canada International ran a very popular interval signal series on their SWL Digest program. This was hopefully to help DXer's identify that sought after station. I recall recording a few of these programs, and while going over one of my old cassette tapes recently, I came across a segment where they were presenting a number of African interval signals. Subsequently, I have uncovered five additional segments, or at least, portions of them. As these were originally recorded with an open mike to the speaker of the receiver, some room noise (voices) may be detected, as well as small amounts of unedited material near the ends of some of the segments. These were recorded at Ancaster, Ontario, Canada, likely on 9625 kHz.

PTT Voice Mirrors (Part 3): Circa 1970's

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Dan Greenall, who shares the following recording and notes:

Broadcaster: PTT voice mirrors from the 1970's Part 3

Frequency: various

Recption location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

Receiver and antenna: Hallicrafters S-52 using a longwire antenna

Mode: Single Side Band

Notes:
Point to point stations were commonly found on shortwave in the 1970's outside of the normal SWBC bands. They could often be heard transmitting a repeating test message so a receiving station could tune them in prior to conducting radiotelephone traffic.

1.  U.S. Army radio station ACA, Panama Canal Zone

2.  Oostende Radio, Belgium

3.  PTT, Dakar, Senegal

4.  Reugen Radio, German Democratic Republic

5.  Venezuelan Telephone Company, Caracas

6.  French Telecommunications Service, Djibouti

7.  British Post Office Phototelegraph Network (no location given)

8.  Canadian Overseas Telecommunications Corporation, 

      Yamachiche, Quebec

9.  ENTEL, Bogota, Colombia

10.  Belgian Telegraph and Telephone Administration, Brussels

11.  British Post Office, London, England

12.  France Cables and Radio Company, Fort Lamy, Chad

13.  PTT, Blantyre, Malawi

14.  East African External Telecommunications Company Limited,

        Nairobi, Kenya

15.  International Telecommunications Corporation, Abidjan, Ivory Coast

16.  Office Congolais des Postes et Telecommunications, Kinshasa,Democratic Republic of the Congo

PTT Voice Mirrors (Part 1): Circa 1970's

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Dan Greenall, who shares the following recording and notes:

Broadcaster: PTT voice mirrors from the 1970's Part 1

Frequency: various

Recption location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

Receiver and antenna: Hallicrafters S-52 using a longwire antenna

Mode: Single Side Band

Notes:

Point to point stations were commonly found on shortwave in the 1970's outside of the normal SWBC bands. They could often be heard transmitting a repeating test message so a receiving station could tune them in prior to conducting radiotelephone traffic. These recordings were all made at Ancaster, Ontario, Canada, using either a Hallicrafters S52 or Realistic DX150A receiver hooked up to a long wire antenna.

1.  Australian Overseas Radiotelephone Service, Sydney

2.  Reykjavik Radio, Iceland

3.  Moscow Radio Telephone Station, USSR

4.  Radio Telephone Station, Warsaw, Poland

5.  Overseas Station Berlin, German Democratic Republic

6.  Yugoslav Telegraph and Telephone Administration, Belgrade

7.  Swiss Telegraph and Telephone Administration, Bern

8.  ITALCABLE, Rome, Italy

9.  Netherlands PTT, Amsterdam

10.  Cyprus Telecommunications Authority, Nicosia

11.  Cairo Radio Telephone Terminal, Arab Republic of Egypt

12. PTT and Radio Administration, Tel Aviv, Israel

13. Saudi Arabian Post, Telegraph and Telephone Administration, Jeddah

14.  Moroccan Radio Electrical Centre, Rabat

15.  Companhia Portuguesa Radio Marconi, Luanda, Angola

16.  RCA Global Communications, New York City

17.  France Cables and Radio Company, Lome, Togo

18.  Zambian Post Office, Lusaka

Voice of America (via Okinawa, Rhodes, Philippines, Greenville, & Woofferton): Circa 1970's

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Dan Greenall, who shares the following recordings and notes:

Broadcaster: Voice of America Okinawa Rhodes Philippines Greenville Woofferton 1970's

Date of recordings: various

Frequency: various

Reception location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

Receiver and antenna: Hallicrafters S-52 using a longwire antenna

Notes: In the 1970's, Voice of America relay transmitter sites often gave their location between programs. Some VOA programs were relayed via the BBC site at Woofferton, England (audio from 1971).

Reception of Rhodes in the 41 metre band was not easy here in Ontario, Canada as evidenced by that recording.

The transmitter at Greenville, North Carolina was their largest operation. That recording is circa 1973.

The Okinawa relay was heard on 7165 kHz, and Philippines relay 15185 kHz, both recorded in 1971.

The Yankee Doodle tune was played during most of these interludes.

ETLF, Radio Voice of the Gospel (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia): March 23, 1971

Photo by Rich Post

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Dan Greenall, who shares the following recordings and notes:

Broadcaster: ETLF, Radio Voice of the Gospel, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Date of recording: 3/23/1971

Frequency: 11.890 MHz

Reception location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

Receiver and antenna: Hallicrafters S-52 using a longwire antenna

Notes: Here are two brief recordings from Radio Voice of the Gospel, station ETLF, from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In the first one, from 1971, there is significant QSB (fading) but they are in the clear. Listen for their four note drum interval signal, ID in English, and mention of the date Tuesday 23rd of March.

The second recording, also in English, is from the early 1970's during a transmission to West Africa in the 25 metre band where they are heard signing off.

Radio Difusora do Maranhao: circa 1970s

Photo of Hallicrafters S-52 by Rich (KB8TAD)

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Dan Greenall, who shares the following short recording and notes:

Broadcaster: Radio Difusora do Maranhao, Sao Luiz, Brazil

Starting time: believe it was around 0000 UTC

Frequency: 4.755

Reception location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

Receiver and antenna: Hallicrafters S-52 using a longwire antenna

Notes: This recording was made sometime in 1970 using a Panasonic cassette recorder with an open mike next to the speaker of the Hallicrafters S-52. The familiar tune of Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head can be heard followed by the closing announcements in Portuguese. Lots of QRM and possible het due to station being not exactly on 4755, het disappears when station carrier goes off. Lots of fun on the 60 metre band in those days!

Central African Republic (1970s)

by Dan Robinson

Another from the golden era of tropical band shortwave broadcasting, the Central African Republic was among the easiest stations to hear on its 5,038 khz frequency, especially in early to late afternoon as heard in eastern North America. The 1978 WRTH listed two shortwave frequencies including 7,220 khz which was shown as being for 0730 - 1630 UTC. And that 1978 listing had the country identified as “Central African Empire” instead of CAR. The 5,038 frequency made for quite a mash up in the area above WWV on 5.0 mHz as there were a number of stations in that range, including Cabinda/Angola on 5,033 khz, Sudan on 5,039, and Togo on 5,047 khz, Benguela/Angola and Mocamedes/Angola and Niamey/Niger, along with numerous other Latin American stations. This recording of Bangui as it signed off was made in Levittown, PA using a Hammarlund HQ-180A receiver.

Radio Presidente Balmaceda (Chile): circa 1970s

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

Radio Presidente Balmaceda  9590 kHz in  Santiago Chile was logged at the time of the Allende crisis in 1971. As a DXer I became attracted to the station because it was heard so well in NZ,and offered them a taped English segment to be played prior to sign off one evening. on a pre arranged date. I recorded Maori vocal items which would be novel to the audience and the tape with my EE announcements was played prior to close down at 0500UTC on that date in July 1971.

Radio Afghanistan Station ID (English): Late 1970s

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Manfred Reiff, who shares the following recording and notes:

This second [Radio Afghanistan] recording was made at the end of the 1970s during the soviet occupation of Afghanistan when RA programmes were rebroadcasted via Soviet transmitters. In this case it is the english service beamed to several parts of Asia.

The recording was made one some day at 0900 GMT on 15435 kHz. It was a relay via Soviet transmitter.

RX4M - The Voice of Clipperton station ID: Circa Late 1970s

(Source: North American Pirate Radio Hall Of Fame)

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Colin Newell, who shares two recordings from the late 1970s of the pirate radio station RX4M The Voice of Clipperton. 

Colin recorded both of these station IDs from British Columbia, Canada, using his cassette recorder. Colin also notes that he may be the only person to have ever recorded RX4M off-air. RX4M was inducted into the North American Pirate Radio Hall Of Fame in 2011.  The following is an excerpt from an article written by Andrew Yoder on the NA Pirate Radio Hall of Fame site :

RX4M (Radio Experiment on 40 Meters) put in more time and hours to overcome obscurity, only to quickly fall back into obscurity, thanks to a pirate-unfriendly location in Washington State. Even by the mid-‘80s, few DXers or pirate listeners had heard RX4M, and few remembered it.

The first difficulty for RX4M to overcome was the poor communications of the late ‘70s. When the station began broadcasting in August 1979, there was no Internet and all DX news either was discovered via monthly bulletin or magazine, meaning a minimum delay of two months for information to be reported. 

The next problem was the Pacific Northwest. At the time, very few shortwave DXers and almost no pirate listeners were located in the region. Some young pirate listeners were networking in southern California, toward Los Angeles, but even that was a long haul from the Seattle area. 

Despite a nightly broadcast schedule and boasting two transmitters (20 and 100 watts), no DXers in either NASWA or the Newark News Radio Club (two of the largest shortwave clubs of the time, and two of the best for pirate news) reported RX4M until April 1980 on 7370 kHz.

The few listeners who remember RX4M know it as possibly the only North American pirate to operate with a regular shortwave station, like a licensed outlet. It was on nightly from *0550-0630* UTC with a variety of programs produced by different station staff: News with Tony Giles, Post Office Box 80 with Aaron Richardson, DX Forum with Mickey Anderson, Let’s Talk Technical with Larry Adams, and the Good Morning Show with Jerry Nelson. Other time slots were filled with old-time radio programs, such as Burns & Allen, Jack Benny, Fibber McGee & Molly, Sherlock Holmes, Fred Harris & Alice Faye.

[...]RX4M, the Voice of Cliperton, was never heard again and no shortwave pirate since has adopted its style. At a time when many DXers were bitterly anti-pirate, many reporters said that RX4M programming sounded very professional. 

Israel Radio and Radio Cairo: 1973 Yom Kippur War

Egyptian forces crossing the Suez Canal on October 7 (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Many thanks to Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributor, Dan Robinson, who submits two recordings: Israel Radio and Radio Cairo, both made during the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

Dan comments:

These recordings of Israel Radio, and Radio Cairo were made during the 1973 Yom Kippur war. A lot of history here -- you hear a newscast from Jerusalem, mentions of King Hussein, President Nixon, and others. This was a time when shortwave radio could actually bring you information that was not immediately available, as it is today in 2014 via the Internet and news alerts.

Click on the recording title below to download each recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded players.

Israel Radio:

Radio Cairo:

Yemen Radio (Aden): circa 1970s

Many thanks to Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributor, Dan Robinson, who submits this short recording of Yemen Radio, Aden.

Dan comments:

Yemen was once two countries -- North and South -- with separate shortwave stations in Sanaa, and in Aden.   The country united in 1990, but before that for many years the separate capitals were represented on shortwave, with Aden using the 60 meter frequency of 5.060 MHz.  It was tough to hear.   This recording was made in the 1970's -- you will hear the station ID by a male announcer.

Click here to download this recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Radio Iran, Tehran: circa 1970s

Azadi square and tower, constructed 1971 (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Many thanks to Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributor, Dan Robinson, who submits two recordings of Radio Iran, Tehran.

Dan comments:

Back in the 70's, Radio Iran had an external service, as it still does today, and used the odd frequency of 12.176 mhz which was well heard in North America. Consulting Internet archives, I see an English language program time of 2000 UTC, which sounds about right. The interval signal and sign on are classic examples of old shortwave programming, and this one truly brought Iran right into the living room. The ID: "From the heart of the Middle East, in Iran's capital city, Tehran, the foreign language program department of Radio Iran invites you to listen for the next half hour as we bring you music, news and special features designed to acquaint you with the modern Iran today and to share with you something of the heritage of its fascinating cultural past.

Click on each title to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded players below.

Recording #1:

Recording #2:

Falkland Islands Broadcasting Service: circa 1970s

Many thanks to Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributor, Dan Robinson, who submits recordings of the Falkland Islands Broadcasting Service.

Dan comments:

One of the great rarities for shortwave listeners the world over was, of course, the Falkland Islands Broadcasting Station (FIBS). There was great excitment, I still remember to this day, when FIBS was heard by a well-known DX'er in the western U.S. -- I recall the frequency at the time as being 3.958, which was listed in the the World Radio TV Handbook. Many DX'ers spent many hours seeking out FIBS, and it was only some years later, after the station shifted to a frequency of 2,380 khz that it began to be heard quite widely, though still a challenge. These recordings were made in Washington, DC using a Hammarlund HQ-180A receiver.

If you would like to read a brief history of the FIBS, please click here. 

Click on each title to download recordings as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded players below.

Recording #1:

Recording #2:

Radio 4VEH, Haiti: circa 1970s

Many thanks to Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributor, Dan Robinson, who submits this short recording of Radio Radio 4VEH in Haiti.

Dan comments:

Another shortwave memory for DX'ers was 4VEH, in Haiti, which began in 1950.  This station transmitted on a variety of SW frequencies, including one many of us heard, 15.280 which had a power of only 350 watts.  This recording of the station includes a classic ID:   "Radio 4VEH, the sound of light."  The history of shortwave broadcasting from Haiti is quite interesting and can be obtained through an Internet search.

[Indeed, here is a brief timeline of 4VEH.]

Click here to download this recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Radio Mexico (XERMX), circa 1970s

Many thanks to Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributor, Dan Robinson, who submits this short recording of Radio Mexico on 11,770 kHz.

Dan comments:

Radio Mexico, like Brazil some years later, inaugurated an international service in multiple languages, including English, heard on several major meter bands. This recording was made in the early 70's using a Pilot Radio T-133.

Click here to download this recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below: