Radiodiffusion Nationale Centrafricaine: Circa 1971

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

Here is a brief recording of Radiodiffusion Nationale Centrafricaine from Bangui on 5038 kHz shortwave circa 1971. Reception was made in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada, where the best reception from African stations was usually late afternoon or early evening local time, just about the time many of these stations were signing off for their broadcast day. Programming was in the French language.

Broadcaster: Radiodiffusion Nationale Centrafricaine

Frequency: 5.038 MHz

Reception location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

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

Radio Afghanistan: Circa 1971

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

Shortwave transmissions from Radio Afghanistan from Kabul in English were difficult to hear at my location in eastern North America. Here is a brief recording, made sometime in 1971, of the station as they concluded their half hourly English broadcast at 1830 hours UTC on 15.265 MHz in the 19 metre band. The other frequency they used for this transmission is given as 17.775 MHz.

Broadcaster: Radio Afghanistan

Date of recording: 1971

Frequency: 15.265 MHz

Reception location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

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

Radio Santa Cruz: November 9, 1996

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

Broadcaster: Radio Santa Cruz Bolivia 1996

Date of recording: November 9, 1996

Frequency: 6.135 MHz

Reception location: Thamesford, Ontario, Canada

Receiver and antenna: Panasonic RF-3100 and longwire antenna

Notes: Radio Santa Cruz from Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia was heard here in southern Ontario, Canada on occasion when propagation favored a North-South path. This brief Spanish language recording was made on November 9, 1996 on 6135 kHz shortwave around 2300 hours UTC.

Radio Santa Cruz Brochure

Radio Japan (Interval Signal): Circa 1970

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

The majority of my vintage shortwave recordings are unfortunately quite brief. This is mostly due to the fact that they were only kept as "proof" of reception and not generally for program content.

I can still remember the thrill of hearing Radio Japan in Tokyo for the first time back in 1970. I used to pick them up on 9505 kHz shortwave around dawn local time here in southern Ontario, Canada. This is a recording of their interval signal with bilingual announcement played just prior to sign on.

Broadcaster: Radio Japan 1970 interval signal

Frequency: 9.505 MHz

Reception location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

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

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)

Voice Of Armenia (Interval Signal): Circa 1999

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

Broadcaster: The Voice of Armenia, Yerevan circa 1999

Frequency: 9.965 MHz

Reception location: Thamesford, Ontario, Canada

Receiver and antenna: Panasonic RF-3100 and longwire antenna

Notes: Here is a recording I made of the Voice of Armenia from Yerevan with their interval signal and multi-lingual ID's circa 1999. Somehow, this country managed to elude me in the 1970's and 80's.

Sudan National Broadcasting Corporation: November 1996

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

Broadcaster: Sudan National Broadcasting Corporation November 1996

Frequency: 9.200 MHz

Reception location: Thamesford, Ontario, Canada

Receiver and antenna: Panasonic RF-3100 and longwire antenna

Notes: In November 1996, the Sudan National Broadcasting Corporation in Omdurman was relatively easy to spot on their out-of-band frequency of 9200 kHz shortwave. In this brief recording, chanting is heard followed by time pips on the hour. Announcements are in Arabic. According to the 1996 Passport to World Band Radio, this particular transmission is listed as Republic of Sudan Radio.

Radio Prague Interval Signals: Circa 1970 and 1999

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

Broadcaster: Radio Prague: 1970 and 1999

Frequency: 7.345 MHz

Reception location: Ancaster and Thamesford, Ontario, Canada

Receiver and antenna: Hallicrafters S-52 and Drake SW-8 using a longwire antenna

Notes:

Here is a brief recording of Radio Prague in Czechoslovakia circa 1970. They are heard with their interval signal and announcement in English. The frequency was 7345 kHz.

The second recording was made June 22, 1999 at 1727 hours UTC on 21745 kHz, with their interval signal and multi-lingual ID's, as the external service of Czech Radio.

In 1970, I received a beautiful cloth bookmark from Radio Prague, and I gave it to my mother as she liked to read, and I felt it would be a way to include her in my newfound hobby of shortwave listening. She used it for the next 46 years, and I recovered it in 2016 after her passing, still in amazingly good condition.

Radio Malaysia (Interval Signal): Circa 1971

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

Broadcaster: Radio Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 1971 (interval signal)

Date of recording: 1971

Frequency: 6.175

Reception location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

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

Notes: Southeast Asia was one of the toughest areas to DX in my early years of SWLing from my receiving post in southern Ontario, Canada. Radio Malaysia from Kuala Lumpur on 6175 kHz made it through one morning in 1971 with their interval signal, then a very lengthy pause (about 35 seconds) before announcement in an Asian dialect. The lack of QRM and QRN helped to make this reception possible. For this, I was rewarded with their very attractive QSL card.

Radio Metallica Worldwide (Pirate Radio): June 4, 1997

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

Broadcaster: Radio Metallica Worldwide (pirate) June 4 1997

Date of recording: June 4, 1997

Frequency: 6.955 MHz

Recption location: Thamesford, Ontario, Canada

Receiver and antenna: Panasonic RF-3100 and longwire antenna

Mode: AM

Notes: Here are three recordings of Radio Metallica Worldwide, a powerful shortwave pirate station that was widely heard all over North America and beyond during the late 1990's, using AM mode on 6955 kHz. These clips are from 1997 and were made in Thamesford, Ontario, Canada.

Listen to Doctor Tornado forget the zip code to his Blue Ridge Summit mailing address, claim to be broadcasting from a vessel in the Atlantic Ocean, use his voice reverberator mike, and send greetings out to other pirate radio stations. He certainly provided plenty of entertainment value for his listeners.

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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.

Trans World Radio Bonaire "The DX Special": Circa 1974

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

Broadcaster: Trans World Radio Bonaire "The DX Special" circa 1974

Frequency: 11.815 MHz

Reception location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

Receiver and antenna: Realistic DX-150A with a long wire antenna

Notes: Trans World Radio from the island of Bonaire in the Netherlands Antilles broadcast on shortwave from 1964 to 1993. They used to put a strong signal into my receiver location in southern Ontario, Canada. The station also used to air a program called "The DX Special", hosted by Al Stewart, which appears to have been produced in their Monte Carlo studio. I recently came across a short recording I made circa 1974, where I happened to catch the end of one of these programs.

Radio Rabaul: October 21, 1971

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.

I posted my first recording of Radio Rabaul in April 2022. Recently, I discovered this second short recording I likely made on that same day, possibly a little later as the signal was beginning to fade. The language was likely Pidgin however you can clearly hear them give out their frequency of "3 point 3 8 5" around the 24 second mark. A 3-tone chime on the hour and station ID are given at the end of the recording.

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 Clube de Mocambique: Circa 1973

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

Broadcaster: Radio Clube de Mocambique 1973

Date of recording: 1970

Frequency: 4.855 MHz

Recpotion location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

Receiver and antenna: Realistic DX-150A with a long wire antenna

Mode: AM

Notes: An infrequent visitor to my listening post in the early 1970's, Radio Clube in Lourenco Marques used a modest 25 kw of power but could occasionally be heard here in southern, Ontario, Canada on 4855 kHz around 0400 or 0500 hours UTC. Their signal had to travel over 13,000 km to reach my receiver and had to fight through the constant static crashes typically found on the 60 metre shortwave tropical band. They commonly aired programs of pop music, and in this brief recording, circa 1973, you will first hear the tune of "In the Summertime." It is followed by the LM chime and identification in Portuguese beginning "Aqui Portugal Mocambique..."

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.

Radio Denmark Interval Signal: circa 1970

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

Broadcaster: Radio Denmark

Date of recording: 1970

Frequency: 15.165 MHz

Reception location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

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

Notes: Here is Radio Denmark on 15165 kHz shortwave as recorded in 1970. Their interval signal is heard followed by announcement in English, then identification in Danish. Sadly, for most North American listeners, all of their programming was also in Danish in 1970.

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.

Vintage AM Radio Airchecks from 1973

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

Ever wonder what it would be like to time travel? Well, just sit back and relax in your favourite armchair, put on the headphones and enjoy the short six and a half minute trip back to 1973. Here is a collection of 23 AM broadcast band radio airchecks / ID's from 23 U.S. states as recorded at Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. Equipment used was a Realistic DX150A hooked up to a long wire antenna. Please bear in mind these recordings were made using an open mike placed in front of the speaker. For example, WTMJ Milwaukee makes an NBC colour TV announcement (blooper) and you will hear a voice in the background ask "how can that be"?

1. KKJO St. Joseph, MO 1550
2. WCFL Chicago, IL 1000
3. WWWE Cleveland, OH 1100
4. WOWO Fort Wayne, IN 1190
5. WHO Des Moines, IA 1040
6. WLAC Nashville, TN 1510
7. WWL New Orleans, LA 870
8. WBAP Ft. Worth-Dallas, TX 820
9. WSB Atlanta, GA 750
10. WBZ Boston, MA 1030
11. WHAS Louisville, KY 840
12. WWVA Wheeling, WVA 1170
13. WRVA Richmond, VA 1140
14. WCCO Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN 830
15. KAAY Little Rock, AR 1090
16. WTIC Hartford, CT 1080
17. WBAL Baltimore, MD 1090
18. WJAR Providence, RI 920
19. WVOK Birmingham, AL 690
20. KOMA Oklahoma City, OK 1520
21. WTMJ Milwaukee, WI 620
22. KSL Salt Lake City, UT 1160
23. KFAB Omaha, NE 1110

Time signal station VNG Lyndhurst (Victoria, Australia): December 13, 1971

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

Broadcaster: Time signal station VNG Lyndhurst Victoria Australia

Date of recording: December 13, 1971

Frequency: 4.500 MHz

Recption location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

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

Mode: AM

Notes: Recorded on December 13, 1971, here is the announcement given by station VNG in Lyndhurst, Victoria, Australia transmitting with 10 kw on 4.5 MHz shortwave. This station was active from 1964 to 1987. Receiving location was Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. Amazingly, the recording was made on a cheap Demonstration Musicassette that had tape placed over the ends so it could be reused. It still plays today and was used to produce this digital version. The announcement is given twice and goes: "This is an Australian Post Office standard frequency and time signal transmission from VNG, Lyndhurst, Victoria on 4.5, 7.5, or 12 Megahertz." This was given during the 15th, 30th, 45th and 60th minute of each hour according to their QSL card.

WWVH: Circa 1971

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

Time signal station WWVH in Kekaha, Kauai, Hawaii was occasionally heard over WWV in Fort Collins, Colorado from my receiving post in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada in the 1970's, particularly on 10 MHz or 15 MHz. Here is a recording of their voice announcement from 1971, when they were still using the term Greenwich Mean Time as opposed to Coordinated Universal Time. The familiar "Aloha" is heard at the conclusion of the announcement.

Reception location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

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