Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Sam Ward, who writes:
I am looking for a nice studio version of the old Radio Prague Forward Left interval signal that they used during their communist days. I just like that interval signal very much, and I’d really love to have a nice clean copy of that famous sixties and seventies interval signal.
I know Arthur Cushen had a really nice studio version of that interval signal and I should have asked him for a copy, but we lost touch with each other, and then he passed away. What a truly amazing fellow he was.
Post readers: If you have a nice studio copy of the Radio Prague Forward Left interval signal, please comment. I would be happy to amend this post with the audio, share it with the SRAA, and make sure Sam gets a copy. Thank you!
And, Sam, you’re right: Arthur was an amazing fellow.
UPDATE 19 April 2022: Check out this post and recordings by Mike Barraclough which contain the interval signal.
The New Wave band called Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark made an album in 1983 that started off with the Radio Prague interval signal. The album is called “Dazzle Ships”, and has other “DX-ish” music on it as well.
Here’s the YT video of just that intro, recorded live from a shortwave radio by the sounds of it, but it’s a nice “studio quality” recording:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oWSJpIHhYk
Mark
Have a look at the video
https://jonathanmarks.libsyn.com/2011/04
At about 8 min 23 sec is one bar of the IS and some of the Forward Left music. Its an interesting historical program anyway about Prague.
There’s a studio recording of it in this recent Radio Prague feature on their Interval Signals which can be downloaded.
https://english.radio.cz/radio-prague-international-gets-a-new-jingle-8741724
Have you tried Stephen Cooper’s Interval Signal Ringtones app for Android?
David Kernick’s Interval Signals Online has some good recordings:
http://www.intervalsignals.net/sounds/tch-z-radio_prague_swahili_c1975.mp3
http://www.intervalsignals.net/sounds/tch-z-radio_prague_external_service_c1985.mp3
http://www.intervalsignals.net/sounds/tch-z-radio_prague_external_250868.mp3