CHU Canada: Four Recordings Including Final Moments Transmitting on June 22, 2026
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CHU Transmitting Site in Ottawa, Canada (Source: NRC)
Many thanks to several SRAA contributors who have shared recordings of CHU Canada during its final days as a shortwave time signal station.
This first recording was sent to us via Ronald McKinnon and is the National Research Council’s own recording of the final minutes of CHU on the air. Here are the notes that accompanied this recording:
Broadcaster: National Research Council CHU
Date of recording: June 22, 2026
Starting time: 14:08:00 UTC
Frequency: 3.33 MHz
Location: Ottawa, ON Canada
Receiver and antenna: Raddy RF320 with built-in antenna
Notes: This is a recording of the last few minutes of the NRC CHU time signal over shortwave at 3.33MHz.It was recorded on June 22, 2026 just as the broadcast was being shut down. The broadcast had been in operation in one form or another for over 90 years. The recording was made from just outside the station in Ottawa in order to obtain maximum signal quality.The NRC's home page about this station:
https://nrc.canada.ca/en/certifications-evaluations-standards/canadas-official-time/nrc-shortwave-station-broadcasts-chu
SRAA contributor, Bryce Belcher, shared the following recording of CHU with notes:
Broadcaster: CHU
Date of recording: June 21, 2026
Starting time: 0:12 UTC
Frequency: 3330 kHz
Reception location: Washington, D.C
Your receiver and antenna: Na5b websdr
Notes: This is my last-ever recording of CHU Canada, as they have shut down all the transmitters today, June 22. Recorded with the Websdr na5b located in DC. https://na5b.com:8901
SRAA contributor, Emilio, shared this longer recording with notes:
Freq: 7850 kHz
Date: Friday, 5 June 2026
Time: 17 UTC
SINPO: 45343
RX Grid locator: EK36kp
State: Chiapas
Country: Mexico
Receiver: Kenwood R-600
Antenna: long wire about 10 meters.
Recorded by: Carlos Emilio Ruiz Llaven
SRAA contributor, Jerry Johnston, shares his recording with these notes:
The recording starts at 1359 UTC, so the final pip occurs just after 11 minutes. Frequency was 7850 kHz, USB mode to reduce noise. This was recorded in Lexington, KY. A storm had just passed, so local noise was high. I let it run another 5 minutes to get the pirate activity.
