Radio Netherlands: January 1, 1975

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

Radio Nethlerlands shortwave broadcast to Africa recorded in 1975 on 17.810 MHz at 1830 UTC. Transmission opens with a unique trumpet/drums interval signal, singing station identification/jingle, and announcements in the French language.

Rough translation: "This is Radio Netherlands, Hilversum, Holland broadcasting on 16 meters, 17810 kHz." [Singing jingle] "You are listening to the Netherlands Global Radio Network, Radio Netherlands, Hilversum, Holland. Good morning, good afternoon or good evening, according to where you are receiving our signal right now. We are going to spend the next 80 minutes together, and we invite you to listen to our show in the French language."

Starting time: 1830 UTC

Frequency: 17.810

RX location: Plymouth, Minnesota

Receiver and antenna: Hammarlund HQ-180, longwire

Voice of America (French Language Service): June 17, 2020

The following recording of the Voice of America French language service to Africa was recorded on June 17, 2020 at 21:00 UTC on 9740 kHz at a remote KiwiSDR site in the arctic region of Finland.

Channel Africa French and English language services (Final Shortwave Broadcasts from Meyerton Site): March 29, 2019

In February 2019, the South Africa-based company, Sentech, announced that they would close the Meyerton Transmitting Station effective March 31, 2019. Channel Africa used the Meyerton site for all of their shortwave broadcasts, so the closure meant and end to Channel Africa’s shortwave service. At time of posting, there is no news of other relay stations taking over the Channel Africa service.

The following two hour five minute recording of Channel Africa was made on Friday, March 29, 2019 starting about 1558 UTC on 15235 kHz.

• The first hour (1600 - 1657 UTC) is Channel Africa’s French Language service.

• The second hour (1700 - 1757) is Channel Africa’s English language service.

• After the transmitter carrier dropped at the end of the English Language service broadcast, it did come back on for a brief period of time relaying a few minutes of what I believe may have been the program, “Chinyanja-Nkhani Ndi Zochitika Mu Africa.” I assume this was simply a mistake on the part of the station. I did leave this archived recording.

This recording was made using a WinRadio Excalibur SDR receiver connected to a large horizontal delta loop antenna. The receiver location was North Carolina, USA. Enjoy:

Radio Guinea: February 21, 2018

The following recording of Radio Guinea was made on February 21, 2018 starting around 23:00 UTC on 9,650 kHz. The receiver was an AirSpy HF+ SDR using the SDR application SDR-Console. The antenna was a horizontal delta loop. Reception location was North Carolina.

Radio Guinea (French): January 29, 2018

For your listening pleasure: Fifty minutes of Radio Guinea recorded on January 29, 2018 on 9650 kHz starting around 2130 UTC. This recording was made with a WinRadio Excalibur attached to a large horizontal delta loop wire antenna in the eastern US.

This recording has a little music and a lot of clips of various politicians making public statements. Always a treat to hear Radio Guinea on the air.

The Voice of Zaire (La Voix du Zaire) in French: July 1975

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Jack Widner, who notes:

La Voix du Zaire, 15.245khz shortwave, monitored July 1975 in Indiana USA.  This segment is mostly music ending with announcing the start of a program "hygiene et sante".  Approximate time would have been between 1900-2000 UTC.

Receiver/Antenna used: Hammarlund HQ180, 100 foot V-shaped longwire

The Voice of Zaire (La Voix du Zaire) in French: July 1975

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Jack Widner, who shares the following recording and notes:

Music, what sounds like news about Zaire & other countries, and at the end an introduction to a program, "Hygiene et Sante'" (Hygiene & Health).  Time given for 2130, which was probably local time, heard on 15.245 July 1975 about 1930UTC.

Receiver/Antenna used: Hammarlund HQ-180, 100 foot V-shaped longwire

Radio Luxumbourg: March 5, 1982

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Paul Harner, for the following recordings. Jack notes:

Radio Luxembourg used two short wave frequencies for their broadcasts: 6090 and 15350 kHz.  On 6090, the station relayed their 1440 kHz service, which included their English and German language broadcasts.  The 15350 kHz relayed their French language service on 234 kHz long wave.

This recording of RTL's French service was made in the early evening in the midwestern USA on Friday 4 March 1982, which would have been the early Saturday morning in Europe.

Channel Africa: August 31, 2015

Despite dismal propagation, I was quite happy to receive a relatively strong signal today (31 August 2015) from Channel Africa, starting around 16:40 UTC on 15,235 kHz. This recording begins with the French language service (already in progress), followed by the English language service.

Receiver used was a WinRadio Excalibur SDR and a large horizontal delta loop antenna. 

Radio Romania International, English: May 25, 2015

This recording of Radio Romania International was made on May 25, 2015, starting around 00:00 UTC on 9730 kHz using a TitanSDR Pro software defined receiver. 

Deutsche Welle, final Kigali relay broadcast: March 28, 2015

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Richard Langley, for sharing this beautiful QSL card from the early days of the DW Kigali relay station.

Yesterday, Deutsche Welle transmitted its final broadcast from the Kigali, Rwanda relay station. Since I’ve only had moderate luck hearing the Kigali site the past few days–especially on 31 meters–I fired up the TitanSDR Pro (which is still currently under review) and set it to record all three final afternoon broadcasts from Kigali on 12,005, 15,275 and 17,800 kHz

Kigali produced a very strong signal on 17,800 kHz. The TitanSDR recorded the full broadcast, starting with one minute of the transmitter tuning, then one hour of DW’s French language service, followed by one hour of DW’s Hausa language service…then the transmitter went silent.

The recording begins around 1659 UTC on March 28, 2015 on 17,800 kHz:

Radio Exterior de España, final French language broadcast: October 14, 2014

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Frank, for sharing this final French language broadcast of Radio Exterior de España. Frank writes:

This is the final French language shortwave transmission to Europe by Spanish Radio REE, recorded in Europe at 1800 UTC on 9665 kHz, October 14th, 2014

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below. Please subscribe to our podcast to receive future recordings automatically.

International Radio of Serbia: April 18, 2014

Many thanks to SWAA contributor, Frank, for this recording of the International Radio of Serbia. This broadcast includes multiple languages: Russian, English, Spanish, Serbian and French.

Frank recorded this broadcast from his home in Europe on April 18, 2014, on 6,100 kHz, starting at 18:00 UTC. Frank used a Kenwood R-5000 receiver and a Wellbrook ALA 1530+ antenna. This broadcast originates from International Radio of Serbia's transmitter site in Bijeljina (250 kW).

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below. Please subscribe to our podcast to receive future recordings automatically.

Radio Exterior de España, French & English: March 25, 2014

Many thanks to SWAA contributor, Frank, for this recording of Radio Exterior de España.

This REE French and English language service broadcast was recorded on March 25, 2014 at 18:00 UTC on 9,665 kHz. 

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

BBC World Service, French to Africa: February 8, 2014

This broadcast originates from the BBC relay on the (very remote) Ascension Island.

For your listening pleasure: the BBC World Service, French language service to Africa. This broadcast was recorded on February 8, 2014 starting around 06:00 UTC on 9,870 kHz. This broadcast originated from the BBC transmitter site on Ascension Island (250 kW).

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Radio France International: February 8, 2014

For your listening pleasure: Radio France International. This broadcast was recorded on February 8, 2014 around 07:00 UTC on 9,790 kHz. This broadcast originates from the Issoudun transmitter site (500 kW).

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Voice of Indonesia, French language service: February 5, 2014

For your listening pleasure: one hour of the Voice of Indonesia's French language service. This broadcast was recorded on February 5, 2014 by SRAA contributor, Frank, in Europe around 20:00 UTC on 9,526 kHz. Frank was using his Kenwood R-5000 and Wellbrook ALA 1530+ antenna.

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Voice of Nigeria (English/French): December 4, 2013

Enugu, Nigeria (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Many thanks to SWAA contributor, Frank, for this recording of the Voice of Nigeria made from his home in Europe. Frank sent some notes with this recording: 

"Voice of Nigeria (250 kW transmitter) in French and in English, but in English only as a very short excerpt (at the start of the recording, when the CRI transmitter of 500 kW went off the air). Another short piece of English is audible at the end of the recording, when apparently transmitter problems caused termination of the transmission (there should be 1 hour of English language broadcast at 08:00 GMT, but the transmitter fell silent after several minutes)."

Frank, many thanks for these notes and the many recordings you contribute to the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive!

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Voice of Indonesia (English/French): November 10, 2013

Jakarta, Indonesia (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Many thanks to SWAA contributor, Frank, for this recording of the Voice of Indonesia's English and French language services.

Recorded in Europe on November 10, 2013, on 9,526 kHz, starting at 19:00 UTC. 

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Voice of Indonesia: English and French language services

Many thanks to SWAA contributor, Voice of IndonesiaFrank, for this recording of The Voice of Indonesia English and French language services.

Recorded October 27, 2013, on 9,526 kHz, starting at 19:00 UTC. 

Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below: