NDR - Gruss an Bord: December 24, 2022

Live, off-air, three-hour recording of the special annual Gruss an Bord broadcast from German broadcaster NDR, Norddeutscher Rundfunk, on 24 December 2022 beginning at just after 18:00 UTC. The broadcast features music and greetings to and from mariners around the world. The Christmas greetings were recorded at two events on the third Advent Sunday (11 December) in Leer and on the fourth Advent Sunday (18 December) in Hamburg.

Relatives and friends had the opportunity to wish their loved ones at sea a happy holiday and a happy new year. The Leer event featured the Bingumer Shanty Choir and Anne-Fleur Schoch and her band while the Hamburg event featured Beatles experts Stefanie Hempel and The Silver Spoons. The broadcast was primarily in German with some greetings in English, Filipino, and Portuguese as well as German. A number of songs in English, too. A news bulletin (in progress when recording began) precedes the program for a few minutes.

In addition to being carried on the NDR Info and NDR Info Spezial networks, the broadcast was transmitted around the world on shortwave using transmitters in Nauen (NAU), Germany; Issoudun (ISS), France; Tashkent (TAC), Uzbekistan; and Okeechobee, Florida (RMI), U.S.A.; and was organized by Media Broadcast.

The schedule was:
1800-2100 on 6030 ISS 250 kW / 251 deg to North/East Atlantic
1800-2100 on 6080 TAC 100 kW / 301 deg to West/Central Europe
1800-2100 on 9740 NAU 250 kW / 130 deg to Indian Ocean - West
1800-2100 on 11650 ISS 250 kW / 148 deg to Indian Ocean - SoAf
1800-2100 on 13725 NAU 250 kW / 205 deg to Southern Atlantic
1800-2100 on 15770 RMI 100 kW / 044 deg to North/West Atlantic
RMI, Radio Miami International, experienced a power outage and was off the air for about the first two hours of the broadcast.

The recording is primarily of the transmission on the frequency of 11650 kHz for about the first two hours and 6030 kHz for the third hour as the signal degraded on 11650 kHz.

The program was received outdoors on a Tecsun PL-880 receiver with a Tecsun AN-03L 7-metre wire antenna in Hanwell (just outside Fredericton), New Brunswick, Canada, in AM mode with 2.3 kHz filtering. Reception was good for the most part on both recorded frequencies although, as previously mentioned, signal quality on 11650 kHz degraded during the second hour of the broadcast necessitating the switch to 6030 kHz. There was some adjacent channel interference on 11650 kHz at times. Also, there was about a one-minute dropout of the 11650 kHz frequency around the start of the second hour of the broadcast. The last minute or so of the broadcast on 6030 kHz was interfered with by a co-channel digital transmission from Radio Romania International.

Russ Edmunds' Mediumwave DX Airchecks 2: 1996-2013

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Russ Edmunds, who has kindly shared another collection of mediumwave airchecks (click here to check out all of his contributions).

Russ notes that the reception location was Blue Bell, PA using a Hammarlund modified HQ-150 and a 4' air core amplified loop.

Russ also shares details about each recording in the following table. All recordings have been embedded below:

KSKO Paul Walker's Christmas Special: December 23, 2022

The following recording of Paul Walker's Christmas Special on KSKO was recorded on a live relay from Space Line Bulgaria on 5900 kHz on Friday, December 24, 2022 starting around 00:10 UTC.

This recording was made on the U Twente WebSDR in the Netherlands.

New Star Broadcasting Station V13: November 22, 2022

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Ian Pillar, who shares the following recording and notes:

Notes: Number Station Recording

Location Taiwan
Enigma ID V13
Name New Star Broadcasting Station
Voice Female (Mandarin Chinese)
Mode USB + carrier

Broadcaster: New Star Broadcasting Station V13

Date of recording: 11/22/2022

Starting time: 0100

Frequency: 13974

Reception location: NSW Australia

Receiver and antenna: KiwiSDR Loop Antenna

VLT4 ABC Radio (Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea): May 3, 1971

QSL courtesY of The Radio Heritage Foundation

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

"You are tuned to ABC Radio in Papua New Guinea; 9PA, VLT, and VLK..." This is the announcement from VLT4, the Australian Broadcasting Commission station in Port Moresby on 4890 kHz shortwave, on May 3, 1971 at 1100 hours UTC. A musical request program is ending, then station ID as above and into ABC national news. This was before independence in PNG. The station used a 10 kw transmitter on this frequency and could sometimes be heard in eastern North America with a readable signal.

Broadcaster: VLT4 ABC Radio Port Moresby Papua New Guinea

Date of recording: 5/3/1971

Starting time: 1100

Frequency: 4.890

Recption location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada

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

Halloween 2022 Pirate Radio Recordings (Various): October 30, 2022

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Matt Todd, who shares the following pirate radio recordings and notes:

Audio recordings of numerous Shortwave Radio Pirates recorded around Halloween 2022. This is typically the most active time of the year for Shortwave Radio Pirates.

Location: Hugo, MN

Receiver and antenna: Sdr Play with a wire loop antenna around the perimeter of the attic

Mode: Single Sideband

Please note that pirate radio broadcasts often contain adult language.

Voice Of Christmas (Pirate Radio): December 8, 1996

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

Broadcaster: The Voice of Christmas (pirate radio)

Date of recording: 12/8/1996

Starting time: 1610 UTC

Frequency: 6955 kHz

Reception location: Thamesford, Ontario, Canada

Receiver and antenna: Panasonic RF-3100 and longwire antenna

Mode: Single Side Band

Notes: Pirate radio station The Voice of Christmas as heard in Thamesford, Ontario, Canada on December 8, 1996 at around 1610 hours UTC. The frequency was 6955 kHz USB.

Here are a few blended airchecks with Christmas music and frequent station ID's by the Pirate Elf stating they are "the only pirate radio station broadcasting from the North Pole." P.O. Box in Providence, Rhode Island given for reception reports. Concludes with their "interval signal" tune.

Radio Nacional Arcangel San Gabriel LRA36 Base Esperanza Antarctica: February 20, 1999

Esperanza Base seen from Hope Bay (Image source: NOAA)

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Dan Greenall, for sharing the following recording and notes:

Notes: After many tries, this one was finally logged while on a "DXpedition" to a cottage near Bancroft, Ontario. Here is LRA36, Radio Nacional Arcangel San Gabriel from Esperanza Base, Antarctica as recorded in Coe Hill, Ontario, Canada on February 20, 1999 at 2257 hours UTC on 15476 kHz shortwave. They are heard giving announcement in Spanish including station ID, frequency used and transmitter power (10 kilowatts). This station was usually not audible at all or too buried under the noise level, however, on this occasion, the signal came up enough to get a clear ID.

Broadcaster: LRA36 Radio Nacional Arcangel San Gabriel, Base Esperanza, Antarctica

Date of recording: 2/20/1999

Starting time: 2257

Frequency: 15.476 MHz

Reception location: Coe Hill, Ontario, Canada

Receiver and antenna: Panasonic RF-3100 and longwire antenna

XFM (Pirate Radio): October 30, 2022

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Bryce Belcher, who shares the following recording and notes:

Broadcaster: XFM

Date of recording: Oct 30, 2022

Starting time: 8:45 EST

Frequency: 6865 MHz

Your location: Columbus, Ohio

Receiver and antenna: Tecsun PL-880 with just the telescopic antenna

Mode: Single Side Band

Safe for children?: No

Notes: Some RF noise—the signal gets stronger but was weaker in the beginning of the recording. Recorded October 30, 2022

Please note that pirate radio recordings often contain adult language.

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.