SAQ, Grimeton Radio: November 16, 2022

Grimeton Radio

Live, off-air, recording of a morse code (CW or continuous wave) transmission in English from station SAQ, Grimeton Radio, Sweden, on 16 November 2022 beginning at 16:00 UTC on a very low frequency (VLF) of 17.2 kHz. The signal originates from the historic Alexanderson alternator transmitter at Grimeton near Varberg on the southwest coast of Sweden, running at about 80 kW. The antenna is essentially omnidirectional.

The transmitter was tuned up before the broadcast with many sequences of VVV VVV VVV DE SAQ SAQ SAQ being sent. The message, titled UNESCO 50th Anniversary Telegram, began at 16:00 UTC, lasted about 9 minutes and 30 seconds, and is as follows:

CQ CQ CQ DE SAQ SAQ SAQQ <BT> THIS IS GRIMETON RADIO STATION SAQ IN A TRANSMISSION USING THE ALEXANDERSON 200 KW ALTERNATOR ON 17.2 KHZ. <BT> THE 16TH OF NOVEMBER 2022 MARKS THE 50TH ANNIVER4RY OF THE WORLD HERITAGE CONVENTION. UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES ARE IRREPLACEABLE ASSETS OF HUMANITY BUT MANY OF THEM ARE THREATENED TODAY THROUGH UNCONTROLLED URBANIZATION, UNCHECKED TOURISM, ARMED CONFLICT AND CLIMATE CHANGE. TO ENSURE THEIR PROTECTION,INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION TO PROMOTE PEACE, INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER. <BT> SIGNED: LENA SOMMESTAD, CHAIR SWEDISH NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR UNESCO, WORLD HERITAGE GRIMETON RADIO STATION AND THE ALEXANDER-GRIMETON FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATION. <BT> FOR QSL INFO PLEASE READ OUR WEBSITE: WWW.ALEXANDER.N.SE <AR> DE SAQ SAQ SAQ <SK>

Note that <BT> indicates the start of a new paragraph; <AR> means end of transmission; and <SK> means end of work.

The broadcast was received by the Web-interface wideband software-defined radio at the University of Twente in Enschede, The Netherlands, with a "Mini-Whip" antenna in CW mode with 0.40 kHz RF filtering and real-time noise reduction. The CW tone is about 760 Hz and the message was sent at about 15 words per minute. Reception was fairly good with some occasional atmospheric noise (QRN).

Radio Taipei International (Russian Language Service): January 22, 2002

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

Notes: Radio Taipei International was the old name of Taiwan's internation radio service. Its name changed to Radio Taiwan International on 2003. There are many online services which can transcribe voice to text, but with mistakes. I don't understand Russian, could not correct the mistakes. Shenyang is located near the Russian Far East region. I could clearly hear the Russian language broadcast.

Broadcaster: Radio Taipei International

Date of recording: 1/22/2002

Starting time: 11:00

Frequency: 9.490

Recption location: ShenYang China

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

WRUL Shortwave, JFK Assassination (Studio Recording): November 22, 1963

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

WRUL Radio New York Worldwide JFK Assassination Coverage 11/22/1963

WRUL (Radio New York Worldwide) shortwave coverage in English and Spanish of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy including coverage from ABC Radio. Recording provided by Todd Kosovich.

Tropical Radio Telegraph Company (Point To Point): Panama City, Managua, and La Lima

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

Notes: With roots over 100 years old, the Tropical Radio Telegraph Company (a subsidiary of the United Fruit Company) used to operate a few radiotelephone stations in Central America during the years prior to the Internet. They often could be heard on various shortwave frequencies transmitting a repeating test message so the receiving station could tune them in. I managed to pick up 4 of their stations in the early 1970's. These recordings are from La Lima, Honduras; Managua Nicaragua; and Panama City, Panama. I have not been able to find the one from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, but maybe it will surface later.

Broadcaster: Tropical Radio Telegraph Company (point to point)

Date of recording: unknown

Starting time: unknown

Frequency: various

RX location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

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

Mode: Single Side Band

Radio Cidade Oldies: April 26, 2022

Av. Paulista Consolação, São Paulo (Photo by Gabriel Ramos)

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Paul Walker, who shares the following recording of Radio Cidade Oldies made on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, at 0405UTC on 10215kHz. Note that this is weak signal DXing as Paul’s reception location was McGrath, Alaska.

Rundfunk im amerikanischen Sektor: October 22, 1992

RIAS BUILDING IN BERLIN WITH NEON LOGOS NOW USED BY DEUTSCHLANDRADIO (AVDA, WIKIMEDIA)

Live, off-air, approximately 45-minute recording of RIAS, Rundfunk im amerikanischen Sektor, on 22 October 1992 beginning at about 23:15 UTC on 6005 kHz. The signal was broadcast from a 100-kW transmitter in the Britz suburb of Berlin, Germany, using an essentially non-directional antenna.

RIAS began operations as the wired station Drahtfunk im amerikanischen Sektor on 7 February 1946 and began its radio life on 5 September 1946. On 1 January 1994, RIAS was merged into DeutschlandRadio Berlin.

The recording starts with a program of jazz music in progress. Initially, there is a heterodyne of approximately 520 Hz from a co-channel transmitter. At about the 12m:30s mark of the recording, the heterodyne disappears. This might be related to receiver adjustments. At the 15m:50s mark in the recording, station identification is given as "RIAS, Berlin" followed by "Nachrichten" (news). This is followed by autobahn news (preceded by the alert tone) and the program "Nightline." At about the 22m:30S mark of the recording, a new heterodyne appears with a frequency of about 850 Hz but it lasts for only about 30 seconds. This is during a program of pop music. At about the 40m mark of the recoding, the Bow Bells interval signal of the BBC World Service begins in advance of a co-channel transmission to South America from a transmitter at Ascension followed by station identification and the Lilliburlero signature tune.

In the audio file, the 520-Hz heterodyne has been notched out and the audio levels somewhat normalized to make listening a bit more enjoyable.

Reception of the broadcast was fairly good apart from the heterodynes.

The broadcast was received in Hanwell, New Brunswick, Canada, using a JRC NRD-535D receiver operated with a 6 kHz IF filter and with a random-length wire antenna draped around the listening room.

Thanks to Wolfgang Bueschel for help with documenting this recording.

Radio Exterior de España: April 13, 2022

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Paul Walker, who shares the following recording of Radio Exterior de España made on Wednesday, Apr 13, 2022 at 2053UTC on 15520kHz. Paul received and recorded this broadcast in McGrath, Alaska.

Rádio Inconfidência: April 14, 2022

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Paul Walker, who shares the following recording of Rádio Inconfidência recorded on Thursday, Apr 14, 2022, at 0410UTC on 15190kHz. Reception location was McGrath, Alaska.

Rádio Brasil Central: July 8, 2022

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Paul Walker, who shares the following recording of Rádio Brasil Central made on Saturday, July 8, 2022 at 0349UTC on 11815kHz. Paul’s reception location was McGrath, Alaska.

Radio Algerienne: July 29, 2022

Béjaïa, Algeria (Photo by Walid Amghar)

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Paul Walker, who shares the following recording of Radio Algerienne made on July 29, 2022 starting at 2038 UTC on 15,100 kHz. This recording was made by Paul in McGrath, Alaska.

Hurricane Watch Net: September 28, 2022

The following recording was made on September 28, 2022 starting at 1157 UTC on 7268 kHz (lower sideband).

At this time, Hurricane Ian hit the Florida coast as a category 4 storm and had been downgraded to a tropical storm over the Florida peninsula.

This recording was made using a WinRadio Excalubur software defined radio connected to a skyloop antenna near Asheville, North Carolina.

Radio Vanuatu: June 19, 2022

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Paul Walker, who shares the following recording of Radio Vanuatu recorded on Sunday June 19, 2022 at 0636UTC on 11835kHz in McGrath, Alaska.

Independent Broadcasting Authority London (557 kHz): June 15, 1973

Photo by Hugo Sousa

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Nigel Thornbury, who shares the following recording and notes:

Broadcaster: Independent Broadcasting Authority London

Date of recording: 6/15/1973

Starting time: PM

Frequency: 0.557 MHz

Reception location: Birmingham, England

Receiver and antenna: NordeMende Globe Trotter II, internal ferrite rod

Mode: AM

Notes: Beginning of local independent stations in the UK in 1973

Radio Cairo (Sign On): August 11, 2022

Photo by Jack Krier

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Angelo Prieto, for the following recording and notes:

Broadcaster: Radio Cairo

Date of recording: 8/11/2022

Starting time: 15:00 UTC

Frequency: 9.440 Mhz

RX location: Miami, FL

Notes: This is a recording of Radio Cairo from my personal magnetic tape collection. This being the only recording of Radio Cairo i have, i digitized it and then decided to upload it to The Shortwave Archive. The cassette recorder made a hissing noise in the background of the cassette recording, but the loud buzzing was interference from the original recording.

Radio Christian Voice (Lusaka, Zambia): October 14, 1996

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

Broadcaster: Radio Christian Voice, Lusaka, Zambia

Date of recording: 10/14/1996

Starting time: 0400 UTC

Frequency: 3.330 MHz

RX location: Thamesford, Ontario, Canada

Receiver and antenna: Panasonic RF-3100 and longwire antenna

Mode: AM

Notes: Tough to log here in southern Ontario, Canada, Radio Christian Voice from Lusaka, Zambia was operating on the same frequency as time signal station CHU, Ottawa, Canada. Here is what 3330 kHz sounded like on October 14, 1996 around 0400 UTC. A good station ID from Radio Christian Voice can be heard in spite of the time beep interference from CHU.

BBC World Service (Announcing Passing of Queen Elizabeth II): September 8, 2022

Princess Elizabeth circa 1945 (Image Source: Public Domain)

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Anthony Pavick, who shares the following recording and notes:

Broadcaster: BBC World Service

Date of recording: 9/8/2022

Starting time: 1600 UTC

Frequency: 12025 kHz

Receiver and antenna: SDR at University of Twente in Holland

Mode: AM

Notes: This is an off-air recording the BBC World Service on Thursday 8 September 2022 from 1600 to 1800 UTC on 12025 khz from the Kranji relay station in Singapore. It is the 90 minutes before the announcement of the passing of HRH Queen Elizabeth II, with the news bulletin at about minute 93

BBC World Service Reporting on the Death of Queen Elizabeth II

This recording was made on September 8, 2022 at 1959 UTC on 12095 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#.

Malawi Broadcasting Corporation: June 1, 1997

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

Broadcaster: Malawi Broadcasting Corporation

Date of recording: 6/1/1997

Starting time: 0400 UTC

Frequency: 3.380 MHz

RX location: Thamesford, Ontario, Canada

Receiver and antenna: Panasonic RF-3100 and longwire antenna

Notes: Back in the days before the internet, tuning into a radio broadcast from a far away land was often the closest many of us would ever get to that particular country. Still, some of these radio visits were not easy. The Malawi Broadcasting Corporation from Blantyre on 3380 kHz was a rare visitor to my listening post. I managed this brief recording on June 1, 1997 around 0400 UTC. My receiver location was Thamesford, Ontario, Canada. In the first clip, "This is the M.B.C. and the time is 6 'oclock" can be heard. A second clip is then blended in where you can here a jingle and promotional announcement regarding "a shared vision for a country (Malawi)".

Voice of Korea (Interval Signal and Intro): July 13, 2021

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Angelo Prieto, who shares the following recording and notes:

Broadcaster: Voice of Korea

Date of recording: 7/13/2022

Starting time: 20:00

Frequency: 11635 kHz

Note that this recording was made via a remote web-based SDR

Deutsche Welle (Interval Signal): June 11, 2022

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Paul Walker, who shares this recording of Deutsche Welle made on June 11, 2022 at 1515 UTC on 15195 kHz. The reception location was McGrath Alaska and receiver an ATS-25 paired with a loop antenna.