BFBS London: February 16, 1991

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Roberto Ciappi, who shares the following recording and notes:

Notes: BFBS Special daily broadcast to the British troops in the Persian Gulf area, during the 1991 Gulf War against Iraq. They were using BBC transmitters in the UK.

Broadcaster: BFBS London

Date of recording: 2/16/1991

Starting time: 0920 UTC

Frequency: 21.59 MHz

Reception location: Northwest Italy

Receiver and antenna: Sony CFD-444S Stereo cassette recorder with telescopic antenna

Radio Romania International: December 23, 2021

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

Date of recording: 12/23/2021

Starting time: 0058

Frequency: 7.325 MHz

Reception location: Hugo, MN

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

Notes: Program Information:

0:00 Interval Signal
1:57 Intro
3:00 News
6:45 Story about prime minister in discussion with EU about pandemic
10:05 Story about 1989 uprising
14:35 Personality of the Year
15:50 Music
18:50 Society Today
25:25 Visit Romania
30:00 Sport
32:30 Folk/Christmas Music
44:05 Happenings in Romania
53:25 Music
57:00 Information and Sign off

Radio Piepzender, December 26, 2021: 7445 kHz

Recording of Radio Piepzender, December 26, 2021, at 1320 UTC (shortwave frequency of 7445 kHz)

Station: Radio Piepzender
Place of reception: Europe
Language: English & Dutch
Frequency: 7445 kHz shortwave
Date: December 26, 2021
Time: 13.20 UTC
Transmitter location: Zwolle, The Netherlands
Transmitter power 0,2 kW
Receiver: SONY ICF SW1 portable
Location of receiver: outdoor (far away from buildings to limit the man-made noise interference)
Antenna: internal telescopic 0,5 meter long
Recording device: SONY portable cassette tape recorder

Telstar Radio, December 25, 2021: 6045 kHz

Recording of Telstar Radio, December 25, 2021, at 1353 UTC (shortwave frequency of 6045 kHz)

Station: Telstar Radio
Place of reception: Europe
Language: English & Dutch
Frequency: 6045 kHz shortwave
Date: December 25, 2021
Time: 13.53 UTC
Transmitter location: Nauen, Germany
Transmitter power 100 kW
Receiver: SONY ICF SW1 portable
Location of receiver: outdoor (far away from buildings to limit the man-made noise interference)
Antenna: internal telescopic 0,5 meter long
Recording device: SONY portable cassette tape recorder

Radio Austria International in German, August 3, 1996: 6155 kHz

Recording of “Kurzwellenpanorama” programme, a German language media show of Radio Austria International, transmitted on_August 3, 1996 on the shortwave frequency of 6155 kHz. Recording has been made in Europe, using SONY ICF SW 77 receiver and the 20 meter longwire antenna located in the urban downtown city, with the balloon, mount only around 2 meters above earth level close to the building’s walls. For the recording of the programme a small SONY cassette recorder was utilized, with a modified cable connecting the line-out socket of SONY SW 77 receiver and the MIC socket of the cassette recorder.

In the recording you can hear the voice of Mr. Wolf Harranth known to DXers all over the world from his programmes on Radio Austria International (e.g. “Kurzwellenpanorama”, "DX Telegram"). Wolf Harranth died on August, 3, 2021 at the age of 80 years.

VOA Ashna Radio, 11 December 2021: 9835kHz

Recording of VOA Ashna Radio in Pashto & Dari on December 11, 2021 at 1430 UTC (shortwave frequency of 9835 kHz)

Station: VOA Ashna Radio
Place of reception: Europe
Language: Pashto & Dari
Frequency: 9835 kHz shortwave
Date: December 11, 2021
Time: 14.30 UTC
Transmitter location: Woofferton, United Kingdom
Transmitter power 250 kW
Receiver: SONY ICF SW1 portable
Location of receiver: indoor
Antenna: outdoor 15 meter wire
Recording device: portable wav file recorder

Radio France International (Mandarin): May 10, 2002

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Andy Wang, who shares the following recording and notes:

Notes: The content of this recording is a news: North Korean defectors seek asylum from US consulate in Shenyang.

Broadcaster: Radio France Internationale

Date of recording: 5/10/2002

Starting time: 10:00UTC

Frequency: 12.025MHz

Recption location: Shenyang, China

Receiver and antenna: MeiDuo Radio Receiver and Casette Recorder CP6941 with antenna on it

Radio IRRS (relaying "Wavescan"), December 5, 2021, 9510 kHz

Recording of Radio IRRS Italy, December 5, 2021 at 1158 UTC (shortwave frequency of 9510 kHz)

Station: IRRS Italy
Place of reception: Europe
Language: English
Frequency: 9510 kHz shortwave
Date: December 5, 2021
Time: 11.58 UTC
Transmitter location: Romania
Transmitter power 100 kW
Receiver: SONY ICF SW1 portable
Location of receiver: indoor
Antenna: outdoor 15 meter wire
Recording device: portable wav file recorder

The Voice of the Voyager (Pirate Radio): August 20, 1978

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

Voice of the Voyager pirate shortwave radio station transmission starting with interval signal, opening with "We will Rock You/We are the Champions," introductions of staff including RF Wavelength, AF Gain, Disco Dan, Disco Dave and others. Broadcast included The Minnesota-Ohio Corporation Mystery Theater: The Heath Heresy, Nighttime Melodies, beer reviews and more. August 20, 1978 on 5,850 MHZ at 0355 UTC. 100 watts.

The Voice of the Voyager had been broadcasting on Saturday nights for about eight months. One week later on August 28, 1978, a yellow car pulled into the driveway of the house where the Voice of the Voyager had been broadcasting from and two official-looking men got out and walked up to the front door. They flashed credentials identifying them as being from the St. Paul, MN office of the FCC. Since R. F. Wavelength held a ham license for the address, he had no choice but to admit the men to the house. At first, he denied all knowledge of the Voyager but it soon became clear the FCC knew all about the station and had definitely traced it to that location. R. F. Wavelength finally admitted to being behind the Voyager and with that confession the atmosphere immediately changed. The FCC agents became quite friendly, and told the operators how they managed to track down the station. The Voyager operators were surprised to learn the FCC had planned to bust the station during the previous weeks broadcast on August 20, but that plan was aborted when the Voyager left the air earlier than usual. A special monitoring van had been brought in from the FCC’s Chicago office to help trace the station’s location.

More information and some of the background posted above: https://sites.google.com/site/napiratehof/2010-inductees/voiceof-pancho-villa

Broadcaster: The Voice of the Voyager

Date of recording: 8/20/1978

Starting time: 0355 UTC

Frequency: 5.850 MHz

Reception location: Minneapolis, MN area

Receiver and antenna: Sony ICF-5900W with whip antenna

Bonus Tracks - Radio Sutatenza - Colombia - September 1975 - 5075 Khz

This was one of the bigger and more reliable Colombian voices on the tropical bands in the 1970’s and 1980’s - and according to my crusty and trusty old copy of Passport to World Band Radio from 2007 - Colombia was no longer an entity on the tropical bands of shortwave — or anywhere else on the HF dial from my cursory glance. Received on the DX150B attached to a 60-meter half-wave dipole. Living the dream!

Radio Sutatenza - 5075 Khz from September 1975

NY and Gander, Newfoundland VOLMET AERO Weather

A popular (and interesting) listening option in the 1970’s were the AM VOLMET weather broadcasts from, well, everywhere… they were low powered (typically 5 kw or less) and hearing them from a great distance was quite the thrill. Most common on the West Coast was Honolulu, Tokyo, Hong Kong and (I think…) Bangkok Radio… heard most mornings. Here are a couple of less heard ones from the West Coast; NY Radio and Gander Radio from Newfoundland.

These broadcasts are still on the air (link)- different frequencies and single sideband as opposed to AM.

This capture was from September 1975 on my trusty DX150B with one of the many dipoles I had - this one likely a 25 meter 1/2 wave dipole.

Image below is a QSL card from Shannon, Ireland - this was a VOLMET weather-cast that was audible here in the West Coast quite frequently.

NHK World Radio Japan: November 24, 2021

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Bachtiar Aditya, who shares the following recording and notes:

Every morning I listen to NHK radio here we can learn Japanese live and listen to Japanese cultural music with enthusiastic announcers. I really like listening to NHK radio since 2010. Here I use a cheap radio for only 4 dollars type Radio international F-100 . The signal is quite good from the Indonesian metro, Especially in the morning

Received : Metro, Lampung, Indonesia .

Broadcaster: NHK World Radio Japan

Date of recording: 11/24/2021

Starting time: 04:35 UTC

Frequency: 17810 kHz Shortwave

Reception location: Metro, Lampung, INDONESIA

Receiver and antenna: Cooper Wire 10 metres outside

Radio Rumbos on 4970 khz and Ecos Del Torbes on 4980 Khz - one night in September 1975

What’s not to love! Latin American music and fast talking DJ’s - life always seemed more exciting down there. From my spot in the NorthWest where it rained for 4 months of the year, the endless sunshine and non-stop party of the tropics seemed irresistible. It always felt like a celebration when one tuned in a station from Venezuela, Colombia or Peru on the tropical bands. Heck, even Ecuador knew how to shake their Quetzal tail feathers with some rocking pan pipes! 1975. It was a bygone era. The radio dial was pure gold from 3 MHz to 10 Mhz at night time. One by one they would slip away into the jasmine memories of time. Thank heavens for cassette tape!

Radio Rumbos - 4970 Khz on the 60 meter band! Hola Amigos!

At the time I had a DX150B (Radio Shack) - classic table top radio and (amongst others…) a 60-Meter band half-wave dipole that kind of favoured East and West - still, when there were Latins to be had on 90 and 60 meters, it was night after night reception for weeks on end!

Those were the days my friends - we thought they’d never end.

Ecos Del Torbes - another popular Venezuelan station on the 60 meter band.

TGNA Guatemala City on 3300 khz from October of 1975

As something of a follow-up to some of my previous posts about life in Latin America - well, Guatemala was not much different or better in 1975. Some months after this clip was recorded in October of 1975, there was a devastating earthquake in Guatemala claiming over 25,000 lives. Government inaction lead to more civic unrest fuelling more resistance to the government of the day.

Interestingly, the mission behind TGNA dates back to the late 1800’s and exists to this day - their network of radio stations in Central America play a valuable role in spreading news of the World (from a biblical and Christian perspective I guess as well…) to the rural areas of Guatemala.

The station TGNA was a regular visitor to the West Coast at my Canadian listening perch - most commonly on 3300 khz - and I have an original QSL card. It was, by some comparison, a “mini-HCJB…” - and regular DXers from that time period will know exactly what I am talking about!

Far East Broadcasting Station - Manila, Philippines - October 1975

As mentioned previously, living on an Island in the Pacific (100 miles North of Seattle, Washington…) had its benefits — a clear shot to targets in the Pacific and Asia - some of them quite rare. And while this station (FEBC) was not rare - it is still in existence today, it was a treat to hear something more folksy than the traditional party line stuff from Government broadcasters.

As a side-bar, in 1975 I was active in the Canadian International DX Club, the IRCA (International Radio Club of America…) and would soon join SPEEDX for the the very best of what the hobby would offer in the late 1970’s and into the 1980’s - the heyday of Shortwave broadcasting!

This snippet is from FEBC Manila on one of their Saturday or Sunday afternoon shows - on a 46 year old Cassette that still plays just fine! My radio was the Radio Shack DX150B (still have it - still works!) off of one of my many 1/2 wave dipoles at the time. I lived on a very small farm or ranch - 4 acres - and there was a specific amount of room for antennas…. as my mom would tell me!

Radio Pyongyang - September 1975 - 15630. Khz - English Propaganda

I’m not going to lie - living on the West Coast of Canada in the 1960’s and 1970’s (and hey - for most of my life…) had its challenges where radio reception was concerned. But, and it is a big but, we sat in front of a looking glass that gave us exquisite access to the Eastern and South Asian radio scene that was unique and often tantalizing. Where else in North America did you have an easy shot to Papua New Guinea, Indonesia (at a time when there were hundreds of little shortwave stations!) and medium wave targets from Japan, Russian (on long wave too!), both Koreas, the Philippines and so on — not to mention the Pacific Islands. Now, 46 years later, I am reopening my cassette files for another look see and mastering all of the stuff that has never been touched — and there is a lot. Here now to share with you! Here is a wonderful snippet of North Korea from my “first DX Home…” in the country on a 4 acre ranch (Apples, pears, hazelnuts and sheep!) - I had my trusty DX150B (since November of 1973) and 5 1/2 wave dipoles which I would switch between with a home-brew antenna switch — hence the clicks on this track! North Korea, at the time, had an English series of broadcasts that were almost always sabre rattling harangues - and yet this particular sound-byte sounds somewhat subdued. Either way, it was pretty indicative of the times — and in some way, North Korea has never really changed with the times. The broadcasts were often cryptic and rambling. This was an excellent example.

Radio National de Nicaragua - November 9, 1978 5950 Khz 0543 UTC

In terms of sheer bloodshed per square mile, there were few countries that could touch Nicaragua in the 1970’s.

Like Salvador, there were periods of unrest that were sustained and violent, costing lives in the tens of thousands. At the time, radio was the sole social media for getting word out on what was happening on that particular day or week. State radio tended to tow the party line and stations that did not would often just “vanish” from the air… often along with their staff and radio personalities.

The Nicaraguan Revolution was a decades-long process meant to liberate the small Central American country from both U.S. imperialism and the repressive Somoza dictatorship. It began in the early 1960s with the founding of the Sandinista National Liberation front (FSLN), but didn't truly ramp up until the mid-1970s.

It culminated in fighting between the Sandinista rebels and the National Guard from 1978 to 1979, when the FSLN succeeded in overthrowing the dictatorship. The Sandinistas ruled from 1979 to 1990, which is considered to be the year the Revolution ended.

There was, in the 70’s, an incredible opportunity to document a lot of the activities via the shortwave spectrum - sadly, I got little more than snippets - but this one is a powerful one. Have a listen.

Radio Australia: August 15, 1982

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

Here is a recording of Radio Australia's DX program called Spectrum from August 15, 1982. I believe this was recorded around 0200 UT on 17795 kHz when Australia used to come in well in the evenings here.

Some of the program highlights are:

A roundup of DX news from Bob Padula and Peter Bunn (sp) from the Australina Radio DX Club and interviews with some of the broadcasters gathered at the 1982 ANARC Convention in Montreal. Over-the-phone audio in those days was not too great so the audio is poor in this segment.

Broadcaster: Radio Australia

Date of recording: 8/15/1982

Starting time: 0200 approx.

Frequency: 17.795 MHz

RX location: South Bend, Indiana

Receiver and antenna: Sony ICF-2001 and longwire

Radio TIFC San Jose Costa Rica - 9645 Khz - November 8th, 1978 0400 UTC

Let’s face it - the late 1970’s were, arguably, the very best years for DXing and Shortwave listening - there was very little manmade interference other than the buzzy power line or the occasional TV set or furnace motor. These were the days. Stations like TIFC had no issue cutting through because all they needed was a relatively clear frequency. This was recorded off air in my Fernwood neighbourhood in Victoria B.C. in the late Fall of 1978 on my DX150B and a modest 75’ Inverted L antenna. Who needed noise reduction? Not me!

TIFC San Jose Costa Rica as received on the West Coast of Canada in 1978

Radio Voice of the Voyager - December 31st 1978 to January 7 1979 - 6220 Khz

Pirate radio was the product of the mid to late 1970’s and one example of one of the more adventurous and ahem professional sounding stations was The Voice of the Voyager - apparently from Minnesota - which was widely received at Christmas 1978 extending into January 1979 on its inaugural run. There are not a lot of recordings of VOV - not a lot of great recordings - and this one is noisy at best - but you get the idea. Received on the West Coast of North America - one cold winter!

The Voice of the Voyager -

Snuck in the middle of this recording a surprise (never before heard track) of the Voice of Clipperton! 6205 Khz New Years Day 1979! At 0130 UTC