Radio New Zealand International: June 28, 2014

Milford Sound, New Zealand

For your listening pleasure: three hours of Radio New Zealand International, recorded on June 28, 2014 starting around 7:59 UTC on 9,700 kHz.

This recording begins with the The RNZI interval signal: the charming and unmistakable call of the New Zealand Bellbird. After top-of-the-hour news breaks, you’ll hear Peter Fry’s music request show, Saturday Night (click hear to read more about Fry).

Peter Fry will be retiring this week.  His last show will be Saturday (July 5th). I will certainly miss hearing Peter Fry on the air, but wish him the best in retirement.

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

Radio New Zealand International: June 28, 2014

Thomas

Radio Gambia: June 26, 1972

10th anniversary of Radio Gambia postage stamp (Source: Radio Filatelia)

Many thanks to Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributor, Dan Robinson, who submits this short recording of Radio Gambia from June 26, 1972. 

Dan comments:

"This classic recording of Radio Gambia was made as the station signed on just before 0600 UTC on 4.820 khz. That frequency was plagued by utility station interference at the time, making reception of Gambia one of the most challenging tasks for SWLs. This recording was made from a Hammarlund HQ-180C receiver."

As Dan states, this is not armchair listening... it's much, much better.  It's what real DX is all about: back in time forty-two years, through the static, one uncovers the faint voice of Radio Gambia.

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 Gambia: June 26, 1972

Dan Robinson

Radio Impala: June 26, 2014

Yesterday, while recording the BBC coverage of Portugal v. Ghana in the World Cup, I noticed a relatively strong carrier on 17,540 kHz. A quick check of schedules and I realized this was the Rwandan based station, Radio Impala–a new catch for me.

Radio Impala broadcasts music and commentary daily from 17:00 – 18:00 UTC (7:00 – 8:00 PM Rwanda time) on 17,540 kHz out of the Talata-Volondry, Madagascar transmitter site.

I was able to record almost 45 minutes of the show before the signal began to fade. Click here to download the recording, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Radio Impala: June 26, 2014

Thomas

BBC World Service, World Cup (Portugal vs. Ghana): June 26, 2014

Yesterday, I tuned to the BBC World Service on 17,830 kHz at 16:00 UTC, hoping they would be covering the USA vs. Germany game of the FIFA World Cup. I was pleased to hear World Cup coverage the moment I tuned in–but was a little disappointed that BBC had selected the Ghana vs. Portugal game.  Still, I can’t complain; this BBC service is, after all, intended for Africa. And a lot was at stake for Ghana…

So, I listened to the BBC coverage of that game while watching the USA vs Germany game stream over ESPN. I also watched a little of the Portugal/Ghana game, and realized I had an advantage over others streaming the game because the shortwave coverage from the BBC was almost 5 seconds ahead of the live stream. That’s the power of shortwave: goals at the speed of light!

For your listening pleasure, here is the full recording I made from the BBC World Service today. Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

BBC World Service, World Cup (Portugal vs. Ghana): June 26, 2014

Thomas

Radio Romania International: June 26, 2014

For your listening pleasure: Radio Romania International‘s English language service.

I recorded this broadcast with the Elad FDM-S2 on June 26, 2014, starting at 00:00 UTC on 9,700 kHz.

This broadcast originates from RRI‘s Tiganesti transmitter site.

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

Radio Romania International: June 26, 2014

Thomas

BBC midwinter broadcast to the British Antarctic Survey Team: June 21, 2014

Every year, the BBC broadcasts a special program to the 41 scientists and support staff in the British Antarctic Survey Team. 

As promised on the SWLing Post, here are the recordings of the BBC World Service’s thirty minute broadcast to the British Antarctic Survey. The broadcast started at 21:30 UTC on June 21, 2014 and was broadcast on 5,875, 5,985, 7,350 and 9,890 kHz.

As in previous years, this broadcast was lighthearted, filled with humorous shout-outs from the team’s family and friends. Even a couple of special guests were included. Listen for yourself:

This excellent recording was made by SWLing Post reader, Dominik, in Europe:

BBC midwinter broadcast to the British Antarctic Survey Team: June 21, 2014

Dominik B

Click here to download Dominik's recording as an MP3.

Post reader Rob Wagner (VK3BVW), in Australia, could receive the broadcast on three frequencies (5,875, 5,985, and 7,350). He's included clips of each broadcast on his excellent blog, The Mount Evelyn DX Report.

As for me, I was traveling to visit family yesterday afternoon when the broadcast started.  I knew from listening endeavors on previous visits that receiving a broadcast indoors at their home is not feasible; there is some sort of power line noise in that area that overwhelms anything on the short or medium wave bands, unless the station is very strong.

To cope with this noise, I knew I would need to move my operation outdoors, away from the house, and employ an outdoor antenna. So I packed the following, all into my small flight case: the CommRadio CR-1, a NASA PA-30 15 foot passive wide-band wire antenna, and the Zoom H2n Handy Recorder.

I hung the PA-30 antenna in a nearby tree, spread a wool army blanket on the ground for lounging, and put the mini flight case to use as a stand to hold the radio and recorder. The CR-1 required no external power supply, as its internal battery had been charged in advance (one of the reasons I love this little receiver for travel).

To try out the set-up, I tuned around the bands. Conditions were rough, thunderstorms were in the region, but I was most impressed that I could hear several broadcasters on 31 meters. I knew that the BBC broadcast would be a tough catch; after all, none of their transmissions were targeting my part of the globe–rather, the opposite!

When I tuned to the BBC broadcast on 7,350 kHz, here's what I heard:

BAS Midwinter Broadcast: June 21, 2014

Thomas

This is (very) rough copy; for five or so minutes, you'll hear me switching between AM/USB and LSB to find the best mode for the signal. I also check the other BBC frequencies to see if any were more audible.

In the end, using ECSS (zero-beating the signal in USB) seemed to work best.

For fun, I had also brought along the Tecsun PL-660--a choice portable radio for weak signal DX. I tuned to 7,350 and could just hear the BBC signal in the noise, but voice and music were unintelligible.

Middle Eastern And Ecuadorian Music (Circa 1976-1978)

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Greg Shoom, for this recording of Middle Eastern and Ecuadorian Music from the late 1970's

Greg comments:

"Recorded from shortwave radio stations around 1976-1978 in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The Ecuadorian music is from radio station HCJB in Quito, Ecuador. I am not sure of the origin of the middle eastern music, but I think it might be from the Voice of Iran."

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.

Middle Eastern And Ecuadorian Music (Circa 1976-1978)

Greg Shoom

Radio New Zealand International: June 6, 2014

Many thanks to SWAA contributor, Greg Shoom, for this recording of Radio New Zealand International. 

Greg recorded this broadcast of RNZI from his home in Toronto, Canada on June 6, 2014, on 11,725 kHz, starting at 04:59 UTC, using a Sony ICF-2010 receiver with a Sony AN-12 active antenna.

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 New Zealand International: June 6, 2014

Greg Shoom

Bogusman Radio: May 26, 2014

For your listening pleasure: European pirate radio station, Bogusman Radio.

This recording was submitted by UK-based SRAA contributor, London Shortwave who writes:

"[This is] something I caught on my Lowe HF-150 on May 26 while scanning the 49 meter band. It sounds like a local pirate radio station and it appears that the program was pre-recorded and then left on repeat for that evening (speech and music).

My recording starts at 20:05 UTC on the frequency of 6,305 kHz. I used DX Engineering's NCC-1 Phaser and two Wellbrook antennas to cope with local QRM."

Bogusman Radio: May 26, 2014

London Shortwave

Download

Many thanks to London Shortwave for this contribution to the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive. Subscribe to our podcast to download new recordings automatically.

Radio Station of Macedonia (VOG): June 11, 2014

Last night, while learning the ropes of the new Elad FDM-S2, I noticed some great music on 9,420 kHz, the former Voice of Greece frequency.

It was then that I realized yesterday (June 11) marked the one year anniversary of the day that the Greek government shut down ERT and the Voice of Greece. If interested, click here for some audio I recorded that very night.

Amazingly, one year later, 9,420 kHz is still active out of the Avlis transmitter site and last night, the Radio Station of Macedonia (a.k.a., ERT 3) was playing an excellent mix of Greek music and jazz.

Click here to listen to the 51 minute recording, made with the Elad FDM-S2 software defined receiver, starting at 00:50 UTC:

Radio Station of Macedonia (ERT 3): June 11, 2014

Thomas

Tip & Elvis Show: May 31, 2014

For your listening pleasure: over two hours of theTip and Elvis Show. This Euro pirate  broadcast was recorded by Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributor, Frank.

Tip and Elvis was broadcasting on 6,220 kHz in AM–you’ll hear some adjacent digital interference, but signal strength is pretty good for (most likely low power) pirate radio. This recording starts around 20:30 GMT on May 31, 2014.

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

Tip & Elvis Show: May 31, 2014

Frank

Radio Thailand: May 22, 2014 (day of 2014 Thai coup d'état)

Thailand coup: Chang Phueak Gate Chiang (Photo: Takeway)

Many thanks to contributors Frank and Ayar who submitted recordings of Radio Thailand made on May 22, 2014: the first broadcast of Radio Thailand after the Thai coup d'état. 

Instead of broadcasting the English language service at the scheduled time, Radio Thailand broadcast patriotic songs and announcements in Thai. Several have confirmed that this was the same content heard on domestic news sources throughout Thailand. 

From Europe, Frank submits the first recording from the 19:00 UTC broadcast on 9,390 kHz:

Radio Thailand: May 22, 2014

Frank

Ayar (HB9EVW) submits this 19:30 UTC recording of Radio Thailand on 9,390KHz. His recording was made in Switzerland using a JRC-525 receiver with a 40m wire dipole antenna:

Radio Thailand: May 22, 2014

Ayar

Radio Beijing: June 3, 1989

"Tank Man" temporarily stops the advance of a column of tanks on June 5, 1989, in Beijing. This photograph (one of four similar versions) was taken by Jeff Widener of the Associated Press. (Source: Wikipedia)

In this off-air recording of Radio Beijing, made on June 3rd, 1989, you'll hear the news reader/editor depart from the script and comment on the massacre of protestors in Tiananmen Square in 1989.

It’s believed this announcer was detained shortly after the broadcast and spent years in a detention (re-training) camp.

We have few details about the shortwave radio listener who recorded this Radio Beijing broadcast.

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

Radio Beijing: June 3, 1989

Unknown

Wolverine Radio: May 26, 2014

A previous eQSL from Wolverine Radio. Try decoding the one at the end of this recording!

For your listening pleasure: 1 hour, 20 minutes of the pirate radio station, Wolverine Radio–recorded May 26, 2014 starting around 1:20 UTC.

Wolverine was broadcasting on 6,950 kHz in the upper side band. Typical of Wolverine, lots of music variety which spans the decades and no commentary other than station ID throughout.

At the end of this recording, you'll hear an SSTV QSL card being transmitted.

Try decoding the QSL image from this recording--it's quite easy! I usually decode Wolverine’s SSTV QSL with Chris Smolinski’s SSTV app for iPhone, but there are other programs to do this. The eQSL above came from a broadcast about two weeks ago and was submitted by SWLing Post reader, Steve Yoth.

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

Wolverine Radio: May 26, 2014

Thomas