The Voice of America Jazz Hour: Circa 1980

VOA SiTE B Curtain Antenna Array Near Greenville, North Carolina

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Bob Purse, who shares the following recording and notes from his excellent website Inches Per Second:

Here are two more [shortwave recordings], which I recently came across. These are both segments of episodes of "The Voice of America Jazz Hour", circa 1980, each of which features live recordings of Jazz performers in concert in Europe. I suspect that the recordings shared within this programming might be quite rare, if in fact these tapes were made for VOA and not generally broadcast or released elsewhere. However, it could also be that these performances are actually from released albums, or at least that these performances were later released. By some weird coincidence, these two segments are both 35-36 minutes, even though the show original ran an hour.

The styles of jazz performance heard here are not at all similar the styles within jazz that 1I prefer, and I therefore know nothing about these performers nor have I tried to research them or these performances. But perhaps some of you out there have a taste for this, and I don't ever want to limit this site to things that I want to hear. If anyone has information to share about these recordings, by all means, do, and I'll pass it along.

Voice of America (English): November 22, 2022

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Paul Walker, who shares the following recording of VOA made on November 22, 2022 at 20:34 UTC on 11,850 kHz in McGrath, Alaska. Paul notes that this was actually a program feed error because the Kirundi Language Service is normally broadcast at this time and on this frequency.

Voice of America (via Okinawa, Rhodes, Philippines, Greenville, & Woofferton): Circa 1970's

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

Broadcaster: Voice of America Okinawa Rhodes Philippines Greenville Woofferton 1970's

Date of recordings: various

Frequency: various

Reception location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

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

Notes: In the 1970's, Voice of America relay transmitter sites often gave their location between programs. Some VOA programs were relayed via the BBC site at Woofferton, England (audio from 1971).

Reception of Rhodes in the 41 metre band was not easy here in Ontario, Canada as evidenced by that recording.

The transmitter at Greenville, North Carolina was their largest operation. That recording is circa 1973.

The Okinawa relay was heard on 7165 kHz, and Philippines relay 15185 kHz, both recorded in 1971.

The Yankee Doodle tune was played during most of these interludes.

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 (Internet Stream): June 30, 2001

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

Notes: VOA Communications World hosted by Kim Andrew Elliott. Topics covered included:
- BBC to end shortwave World Service broadcasts to US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Radio Netherlands to broadcast on BBC vacated frequencies for two weeks
- Interview with Ralph Brandi who headed up a "Save BBC" campaign
- Radio Canada website hacked
- VOA new Spanish language program for the Andean region of South America
- 75th Anniversary of RTE in Ireland

Broadcaster: Voice of America

Date of recording: 6/30/2001

Starting time: Unknown

Frequency: Internet Stream

Your receiver and antenna: Internet Stream

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

Voice of America (Studio Recording): July 20, 1969

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Tom Gavaras, for sharing the following recording and notes:

Voice of America studio quality recording of shortwave coverage of Apollo 11. Starts with newscast on the status of Soviet Luna 2 orbiter that was also sent to the moon, Egyptian-Israel conflict at the Suez Canal, Organization of American States call for a cease fire between El Salvador and Honduras, entire cabinet in South Vietnam resigns, American air attacks against the Viet Cong, etc. Followed by latest updates on Apollo 11 (lunar module is on the moon), international reaction to landing on the moon, etc.

Date of recording: 7/20/1969

Starting time: 1730 UTC

VOA "Talk to America" show by Doug Bernard discussing clandestine radio (Internet Recording): June 14, 2005

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Tom Gavaras, who shares the following recording.

Note that we occasionally post recordings that are not airchecks or off-air recordings when they relate to the shortwave radio listening hobby. This is one such recording. Tom shares the following notes:

Notes: Voice of America (VOA) "Talk to America" show from 2005 hosted by Doug Bernard discussing clandestine radio. Guests included Nick Grace, Clandestine Radio Watch and Richard Lafayette, Global Crisis Watch.

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.

VOA (Communications World): January 2003

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Bruce Atchison, for sharing the following recording and notes:

Recorded Communications World off VOA in January of 2003 but I forget the frequency. I used my Uniden CR-2021 receiver.

Note that Bruce is actually featured in this episode with Kim Andrew Elliott!

Palastinian Highjackings in Jordan (1970)

01 Armed Forces Radio & Television Service(AFRTS 8 Sept.1970)- The highjacking situation
02 Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) (8 Sept.1970)
03 Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) (11 Sept.1970)
04 VOA Evacuation announcement (25 Sept.1970)- Ian Holder:"It was a coincidence that I happened to have the recorder running while I was tuned to the Voice of America when this "evacuation from Jordan" announcement was made".

Recorded off-air by Ian Holder, Brisbane, Australia.

Information on the 1970 highjackings in Jordon-
http://middleeast.about.com/od/terrorism/a/dawson-field-hijackings.htm

Josephine Baker (Voice of America Jan. 1972)

Josephine Baker. Shortwave broadcast from the Voice of America,
January 1972.

Recorded off-air by Ian Holder, Brisbane, Australia.
 

More information on Josephine Baker-
http://www.cmgww.com/stars/baker/about/biography.html

VOA- Mars Landing (20 July, 1976)

Voice of America shortwave coverage of the landing of
an unmanned spacecraft (Viking 1) on Mars.

Recorded off-air by Ian Holder, Brisbane, Australia.

Viking 1 (1976) information-

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/viking-1/

https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/sunset-at-the-viking-lander-1-site

Other broadcasts-

https://archive.org/details/@i_holder

Voice of America: July 20, 1979

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Tom Laskowski, who shares this recording of the Voice of America from July 20, 1979 at 0500 UTC on the 31 meter band. Tom notes:

The first 4:30 is from a VOA newscast that aired before the main part of the program. The main recording was presented on the 10th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. I enjoy listening to this every year on the landing anniversary.

Voice of America: November 10, 2001

SRAA contributor, David Malins notes:

Was a high school student of 13-14 years old at the time of the recording who was interested in broadcasting and music - Recorded onto compact cassette at home of grandparent with a large enough back garden to mount a 20-30metre long wire antenna. Remastered recording via audacity for one of shortwaves' very few technical programmes on Shortwave at the time (never managed to tune into a second programme of the series at the same sort of time, despite searching on the web and on the same frequency range that the broadcasts usually were).

The recording is 7:30mins in length, featuring limited talk about "CIBAR", a section dedicated to what "worldband radio" is in regards to Shortwave, the book "Passport to Worldband Radio" and other bits and pieces when it moved onto a personal feature about a George Jacobs (which is when I stopped the tape, having been more interested in the technical and 'how it works' side of broadcasting news). (Never managed to find the name of the programme, but the presenter clearly states November 10th 2001 and the location where the programme was produced in regards to the type of outside antenna he was hoping to rig up before the winter in that part of the states.)

Many thanks for this contribution, David!

Update: Several listeners have written to confirm that this recording is of Kim Andrew Elliott's "Communications World" from the VOA. 

Voice Of America Science World: March 14, 2015

SRAA contributor, Richard Langley, was fortunate enough to capture this broadcast of VOA Science World where he (Richard Langley!) is interviewed. There are few opportunities for a true DXer to hear themselves over shortwave, thus this is a special recording indeed.  

Richard notes:

Live half-hour recording of the Voice of America in English on 14 March 2015 beginning at 02:56:30 UTC on a frequency of 6080 kHz. The broadcast, directed to Africa, is from Vatican Radio's Santa Maria di Galeria transmitter site (250 kW transmitter power, antenna beam 165 degrees). The African-music tuning signal is followed by VOA News and the program Science World featuring an interview with Dr. Richard Langley from the University of New Brunswick on how GPS is being used to study irregularities in the ionosphere and their effects on radio signals.  

The broadcast was received on a Tecsun PL-880 receiver with its built-in whip antenna in Hanwell (just outside Fredericton), New Brunswick, Canada. Signal quality was only fair so the recorded file was electronically filtered to reduce background noise. There is still a noticeable jamming signal on the frequency.

Voice of America: September 30, 2014

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Andre Bagley, for this recording of the Voice of America. Andre writes:

A recording of VOA (Voice of America) at 1730-1830 at 17895 Khz. Received on a Tecsun PL-600 with telescopic whip and attached random wire, near the Great Salt Lake in the United States.

Broadcast appears to focus on Health issues, particularly concerning Ebola and it's effects on daily life in Western Africa. Listen to the last couple minutes for tips they give to avoid getting Ebola.

This recording was made on  30 September 2014 starting at 1730 UTC on 17.895 Mhz. 

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.

Voice of America, English: February 22, 2014

Many thanks to SWAA contributor, Frank, for this recording of the Voice of America. This broadcast was recorded on February 22, 2014 at 17:00 UTC on 13,755 kHz. Frank mentions that one hour of the recording in English originated from the 100 kW Botswana transmitter; 30 minutes of recording originated from the 250 kW Iranawila transmitter.

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

Voice of America: circa 1968

Willis Conover broadcasting with Voice of America in 1969 (Source: Wikipedia)

Many thanks to David Firth, who is kindly sharing shortwave radio recordings he made on his reel-to-reel recording equipment in the late 1960s. Firth is uncovering and digitizing these off air recordings as time allows.

We are grateful for this recording of the Voice of America, which Firth recorded in 1968. 

This recording will surely bring back memories with clips from VOA Jazz Hour (Willis Conover), the VOA Breakfast Show, and VOA Special English. 

The first time I heard Firth's recording, the Willis Conover clip gave me chills. 

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

Afia Darfur/Hello Darfur: February 8, 2014

For your listening pleasure: Afia Darfur/Hello Darfur. This broadcast was recorded on February 8, 2014 starting around 03:00 UTC on 9,845 kHz. While Afia Darfurt was scheduled for the Selebria-Phikwe transmitter site, I believe this particular broadcast may have been relayed by the Voice of America in Greenville, North Carolina, based on signal strength and the VOA interval signal.

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