Hi Folks,
Today I listened to Radio Australia for the very last time. 15240 kHz and 15415 kHz were plagued with local noise and not especially strong signals. So 17840 kHz was the best option for my final moments with this grand old shortwave broadcaster. Mount Evelyn is about 200 km south of the Shepparton transmitter site – not far enough for proper F layer reflection and off the side of the beam, so the signal was a bit scratchy. But I was there for the end and that’s the important thing!
Thank you to all the SWLing readers who have been so kind in their comments about our national broadcaster. I know RA meant much to so many people around the globe. But I’ll have more to say on this in the near future. Thanks to Thomas for helping to promote the Save Radio Australia cause. The fight is not over yet!
Here are the last two minutes of the broadcast today, including the audible switch-off click and a few parting comments from me.
73 and good DX to you all.
Rob Wagner VK3BVW
loved them listened to them in north American on a becker short wave car radio adapter in my car. was a good station.
The end of an era alright. I really enjoyed listening to RA when I was holidaying overseas, and working there was great too.
Thank you Rob for sharing. Very sad day indeed. I have listened to them off-an-on since 1960 and they were an especially welcome companion during the days I regularly traveled in Asia. I even remember that they piped them into hotel rooms in Indonesia and I think Singapore before they had satellite TV in each room!
Thanks for sharing your memories, Bob.
Have listened to RA since 1975 and sad to see that Australia loses its voice in the world of short wave radio.
Vale Radio Australia December 1939 – January 2017
Thank you, Rob, for your recording and thoughts.
How very sad indeed.
It’s all been said before. Very sad. Thanks Rob for sharing.
Very sad, indeed. For years I have used Radio Australia on 9580 KHz as my morning alarm clock. This morning, I awoke to nothing but static.