Madagascar World Voice, Radio Feda: May 15, 2022

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

KNLS sister station Madagascar World Voice broadcasts Radio Feda, an Arabic language Christian program from Madagascar to the Middle East on 13670 kHz at 1900-2000UTC and 13710 kHz from 2000-2100UTC.

This is the 13710 kHz broadcast as received in McGrath Alaska on 15 May 2022.

FEBA Seychelles (Interval Signal): February 22, 1973

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

Some of my old audio cassette tapes from the 1970's contain unedited material from my shortwave listening activities that has never been labelled or properly organized. Upon playing one such cassette, I found this recording of radio station FEBA Seychelles. After cross checking this with some entries in my old log book, I discovered it was made on February 22, 1973 around 1800 hours UTC on a frequency of 11955 kHz. My receiver was a Realistic DX150A and a longwire antenna. Receiver location was Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. A part of their interval signal "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" is played in this recording.

Action Radio (Guyana Broadcasting Service): March 12, 1972

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Dan Greenall, for sharing the following recording and notes:

Broadcaster: Action Radio (Guyana Broadcasting Service)

Date of recording: 3/12/1972

Starting time: believe it was around 0900 UTC

Frequency: 3.290 MHz

Recption location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

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

Notes: "Action Radio" (the Guyana Broadcasting Service) from Georgetown recorded signing on for the day in March 1972 on 3290 kHz shortwave. Their guitar interval signal is heard at first, a short musical interlude, then announcements in English giving frequencies used and local time as 5 o'clock in the morning. Initially taped on a reel-to-reel recorder, a copy was made shortly thereafter on a cassette (now 50 years old) from which this digital version was made.

Trans World Radio (Interval Signal): November 2, 1996

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

Broadcaster: Trans World Radio, Swaziland

Date of recording: 11/2/1996

Starting time: 0358

Frequency: 4.750 MHz

Reception location: Thamesford, Ontario, Canada

Receiver and antenna: Panasonic RF-3100 and longwire antenna

Notes: Here is the interval signal of Trans World Radio in Swaziland as received here in Ontario, Canada on November 2, 1996. If you could hear this station well, it was likely a good time to try for other more difficult catches.

Voice of Korea: May 12, 2022. North Korea officially announces its first COVID-19 outbreak

Quoting The Diplomat:

For the first time, North Korea has confirmed a positive COVID-19 case within the country. The state-run Korean Central News Agency reported on May 12 that a “specimen from persons with fever” in Pyongyang had come back positive for the Omicron BA.2 variant, a particularly contagious strain of the virus. The phrasing of the announcement makes it unclear how many people are infected. KCNA called the development a “most serious emergency case of the state.”

Below is the recording of this announcement being made on the Voice of Korea's English language service. The recording was made on May 12, 2022 at 1908 UTC on 11635 kHz using GPD MicroPC, AirSpy Mini, SpyVerter 2, Wellbrook UMB130 balun and a 2x6m dipole. Demodulation and additional signal audio enhancement was performed in SDR#.

Radio Juventud: Circa 1970

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

Broadcaster: Radio Juventud, Barquisimeto, Venezuela 1970

Frequency: 4.900 MHz

Reception location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

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

Notes: Back in the 1970's, many Venezuelan radio stations could be heard throughout the 60 metre band. 5 of these regularly logged here in southern Ontario belonged to La Cadena Venezolana de Radiodifusion. They were Radio Yaracuy, Radio Lara, Radio Universo, Radio Barquisimeto and Radio Juventud, the latter of these recorded in late 1970 on 4900 kHz identifying their AM, SW and FM stations by call letter and frequency in Spanish. Lead in music is the tune "The Age of Aquarius." They were all good verifiers and the cards were quite similar in design.

Radio Australia: Circa Spring of 1968

The Shepparton transmitter site of ABC/Radio Australia

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Bob Purse, curator of the excellent Inches Per Second audio archive and blog. Bob kindly shares the following recording originally made on reel to reel tape. All of Bob’s recordings are lost and found sound, so the only information he has for each recording are the notes included on tape labels and boxes. If you can identify the date or any other information about this recording, please comment.

Bob notes the following about this found piece:

[…]I found yet another Shortwave broadcast in my collection to pass along. In this case, it is again Australian Shortwave, from Spring of 1968. An I will acknowledge right off the bat that the recording quality is abysmal. It starts poorly and gets worse and worse as it goes along. This is actually why I hadn't shared it before. But I thought the time was right to offer it up, terrible quality and all.

Radio Rabaul: October 21, 1971

(Image by Rich Post, K8TAD)

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

Notes: Radio Rabaul on the island of New Britain, PNG, was a rare visitor to my radio shack in 1971. I was able to make this brief recording (along with one of Radio Bougainville submitted separately) using an open mike in front of the speaker on the Hallicrafters S-52.

Broadcaster: Radio Rabaul

Date of recording: 10/21/1971

Frequency: 3.385 MHz

Reception location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

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

Radio Bougainville: October 21, 1971

Hallicrafters SX-99 Dial

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

Notes: The morning of October 21, 1971, provided some of the best reception of Papua New Guinea stations in the 90 metre band that I ever experienced. These stations were rare visitors to my headphones but I was able to make a couple of short recordings of two PNG stations that morning, and they have survived to this day on that same audio cassette (now 51 years old). This one of Radio Bougainville begins with a local chant followed by announcement on the hour. The station ran 2.5 kw and their signal made it over 13,300 km to my receiver that day. The recording of Radio Rabaul on 3385 kHz will be submitted separately. Audio quality is passable considering the recording was made using an open mic to the speaker of the Hallicrafters S-52.

Broadcaster: Radio Bougainville

Date of recording: 10/21/1971

Starting time: 1100

Frequency: 3.322.5 MHz

Receiver location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

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

La Voix Du Zaire (Interval Signal): November 20, 1971

Hallicrafters S-52 (Image Source: Rich Post, K8TAD)

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

Notes: Another short clip from an old 1971 cassette tape, La Voix du Zaire in French with multiple station ID's. In the 1970's, I typically recorded stations in the hope of catching a station identification and a few details for a reception report. This one did help me get a nice QSL letter from the station.

Date of recording: 11/20/1971

Frequency: 15.245 MHz

RX location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

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

Swiss Radio International: Circa April 26, 1968

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Bob Purse, curator of the excellent Inches Per Second audio archive and blog. Bob kindly shares the following recording originally made on reel to reel tape. All of Bob’s recordings are lost and found sound, so the only information he has for each recording are the notes included on tape labels and boxes. If you can identify the date or any other information about this recording, please comment.

Bob notes the following about this found piece:

This [recording is] from the spring of 1968. [It] is a recording of broadcasts from Switzerland. The sound quality goes in and out here - it's never great, which is often the case with these shortwave recordings, but it's almost all listenable.

Windward Islands Broadcasting Service: November 1971

Hallicrafters S-52 (Image Source: Rich Post, K8TAD)

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

Notes: The Windward Islands Broadcasting Service heard with banana cutting notices for growers in St. Vincent and Granada prior to closing announcements giving frequencies and target areas. Due to "primitive equipment" and low budget during my high school years, the recording was made using just an open mike placed in front of the speaker of the Hallicrafters. The original cassette tape, which is now 51 years old, was used to produce this digital version.

Frequency: 11.975

RX location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

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

BBC World Service (Coverage of Russian Invasion of Ukraine): February 22-27, 2022

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

Notes: BBC World Service broadcast with the first news of the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Broadcaster: BBC

Date of recording: 2/22/2022 - 02/27/2022

Starting time: various: see recording titel

Frequency: 6.195 & 7.285 MHz

Reception location: Hugo, MN

Receiver and antenna: SDRplay RSPdx with wire loop around perimeter of attic

Voice of America Hausa (with English Sign-Off): February 26, 2022

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Paul Walker, who shares the following short recording of VOA’s Hausa language service recorded on February 26, 2022 in McGrath, Alaska on 11,900 kHz at 20:58 UTC. This recording was made with a Tecsun PL-880, DXE preamp and two tunable HF loop antennas.

Paul notes: “Hausa language gets lopped off for an English sign-off message and Yankee Doodle Dandy followed by a carrier cut 1 minute 20 seconds later.”

VOA Communications World: June 24, 1995

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

VOA's Communications World with Kim Andrew Elliott from 6-24-1995, Topics discussed included:

- International radio news
- Discussion about VOA budget and possible consolidation of VOA into the State Department
- Underwriting messages on VOA
- Weather reports on VOA broadcasts to Africa
- Interview with Radio Prague about their innovative use of the internet

Broadcaster: Voice of America

Date of recording: 6/24/1995

Starting time: Unknown

Frequency: Unknown

Receiver location: Orono, MN

Receiver and antenna: ICOM R71A, Longwire

VOA Communications World: July 1, 1995

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

VOA Communications World 7/1/1995

VOA's Communications World presented by Kim Andrew Elliott. Topics discussed included:

- Report on WCCO-TV (Minneapolis, MN) running a modified newscast on another local TV station (KLGT-TV) at the same time and interviews Brian Lambert of the St. Paul Pioneer Press newspaper. Plus, discussion on radio competition in the Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN area.
- Plans of America's public radio broadcasters to distribute programming in Europe
- Radio of-demand and its potential for domestic and international broadcasting
- Interview with VOA's Southeast Asia correspondent, Dan Robinson, about broadcasting in Thailand

Broadcaster: Voice of America

Date of recording: 7/1/1995

Starting time: Unknown

Frequency: Unknown

Receiver location: Orono, MN

Receiver and antenna: ICOM R71A, Longwire

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!

Radio Ukraine International: February 24, 2022

Kiev, Ukraine (Photo by Volodymyr)

The following recording of Radio Ukraine International was made on February 24, 2022 at 12:00 UTC on 5010 kHz via WRMI. The recording was made with an Icom IC-705 connected to a large skyloop antenna.

This is the first broadcast of the English language after the following February 23, 2022 announcement by WRMI:

Due to the increased interest in the current situation in Ukraine, WRMI has resumed its relays of the daily English language broadcast of Radio Ukraine International, the official overseas service of Ukrainian Radio. RUI can be heard daily, except Friday, at 1200-1230 UTC on 5010 kHz.

Note that the first half of this broadcast (Part 1) was made in AM mode. The second part was recorded in lower sideband in order to mitigate fading as conditions changed.

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.

Voice of the Revolution/Guinea - Funeral Observances for Kwame Nkrumah: 1972

by Dan Robinson

In 1972, the Voice of the Revolution, Guinea’s national radio carried the funeral ceremony for Francis Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president after independence. Quoting from the history: “Nkrumah was born in the Gold Coast (later Ghana) in 1909 and was educated there before going to the United States in 1935 where he attended Lincoln University and later, the University of Pennsylvania. Nkrumah spent 10 years in the U.S., and later went to England to study at the London School of Economics. At the same time, he intensified his political activities for the independence of his homeland, which he led to full nationhood on March 6,1957. He was toppled in 1966 in a coup by army officers and remained in exile in neighboring Guinea until his death in April 1972 in Bucharest, Romania, where he had gone for medical treatment.

As reported by AFP from Accra: “The body of Kwame Nkrumah was flown back here today in a special Guinean Air Force plane. The military government or declared all flags to be flown at half‐staff until the former President is buried in Nkroful, a village 190 miles southwest of here where he was born on Sept. 1, 1909.

Return of the pan‐African leader's body to Ghana marks the culmination of protracted negotiations between the governing National Redemption Council here and President Sékou Touré of Guinea. Mr. Nkrumah died on April 27 in Rumania, where he was receiving medical treatment, and his body was taken to Guinea.

At first, President Touré refused Ghanaian requests for the body and gave Mr. Nkrumah a state funeral in Conakry, the Guinean capital. The Ghanaian had spent most of the years of his exile in Conakry, following his overthrow in 1966 in Ghana's first military coup. He was given the symbolic title of Co‐President of Guinea by President Touré.

Radio Conakry, also known as The Voice of the Revolution, was frequently heard by listeners around the world, usually on its shortwave frequencies including 9,650 kHz and 7,125 kHz. Nkrumah had used the station to make speeches from Guinea to the people of Ghana in 1966.

In this recording, made in Pennsylvania in 1972, you hear part of what appears to be a funeral observance held in Conakry, mostly in French but some English. Radio Conakry remained on shortwave into the 2000s, but later was intermittent. After repairs to its transmitter, it returned to shortwave in 2016 and was still being heard as of early 2021, though at weaker levels than before, and mostly in European locations.