SWLing Post readers,
I’m currently helping a BBC reporter who is producing an upcoming program about shortwave radio—and she’s hoping to tap into the incredible collective knowledge and experience of the SWLing Post community.
There are a few specific things she’s still trying to track down:
- Recordings of what was heard when stations like Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, or Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty signed off. In other words, do you have final recordings for any of these broadcasters?
- Audio recordings of a coronal mass ejection (CME) as heard on shortwave. I’ve heard this before–those broadband waves of fading–but I have no recordings.
- Personal experiences of listening to shortwave while living in a closed or restricted country.
If you have recordings, firsthand experiences, or even strong leads, your contribution could help shape this program.
If you’d like to help, please leave a comment on this post–I’ll share your contact details with the producer.
As always, I’m continually amazed by the depth of knowledge and experience within this community—thank you in advance for any help you can offer!
Greetings!
My name is Jorge Garcia Rangel, and I am in the city of Barinas, Venezuela. I have been a DXer since I was 16 years old; today I am 58. I would like to share an old historical recording.
It is the final broadcast of the BBC’s late news bulletin from its former headquarters at Bush House, on December 7, 2012, at 11:00 UTC on the frequency of 9740 KHz.
You can listen to or even download the audio at the following link:
https://app.box.com/s/96b7778647bd25d58c44
I hope you find it useful!
Hi during my 10 years at sea between 1965 and 1975 I made quite a lot of reel to reel recording and cassette recordings from various radio stations Aden , Singapore, Western Australia etc. it will take a bit of sorting through as I have many many tapes and cassettes recorded in the 60s and 70s !
I am not sure exactly what I can do to help . IF you think it is likely that any of this material is likely to be of any use please let me know. Regards
Paul Lethbridge ( G3SXE)
Hi Thomas, I have a recording of a sign-on for VOA from Botswana, then week-old news and then holding music. Also various other VOA frequencies, sometimes programming, sometimes holding music. This was just as the stations were being shut down. Here it is: https://youtu.be/8F5e7NKcvJc?si=L3HFgHN_1cDVyhmC I can send a downloaded version of this video if it’s helpful. I also have another video with various African VOA stations before they went off air. Including VOA Studio 7 to Zimbabwe, with clear jingle and station ID. Here it is: https://youtu.be/KhoOLisPDoE?si=TkYGWh_E6SpSKmk7 Again, I can download the video and share, if it’s helpful.
I have a recording of the May 10, 2024 CME while listening to WRMI 5950, with Hal Turner reporting on the storm when the storm itself washes his signal out. This is in stereo -separate radios plugged into L & R channels which makes for intense listening, as the rapid-fire waves sweep between speakers. I have it on cassette tape however, and am having technical issues with my clunky computers… so making a digital transfer may take some time….
Hey! I never commented here before but I saw this and thought I should. Im a 24 year old merchant mariner, and I take a shortwave radio everywhere I go. During my first time away at sea, the Ukraine war was getting into full swing, the ship I was on had very limited internet, sometimes none, I was the only Brit and we had genuine worries about ww3… Not to mention it was an 8 month stint. Having a shortwave radio, I would listen when I could, take notes on world news and make a sort of bulletin on the crew mess blackboard. News of the Philippines, Europe, the football… It helped. The ability to get world service and others was and always will be a big deal. When I’m on land I usually listen to pirates, amateurs, number stations and oddities for fun, but it must be said, shortwave is important, it’s more widely used than some people realize and it’s a hell of a thing.
Hi. very interesting subject. Looking forward to the program broadcast. If we could listen to it at all now that access to many programs is restricted overseas.
I do not have any recording buy I can share a short account of my experiences working as a Radio Officer in the Merchant Navy from mid 70s to late 80s. In those days satellite communications were rare and shipping business relayed on radio communications for daily operations. Broadcasting shortwave was a link with the world when at sea or far away places. I as a radio operator was fortunate enough to have at my disposal the ship’s receivers and have one tuned to BBC almost all day along.
Let me know if this would be of interest to your research.
If so let me know a means of contact.
Best regards.
I grew up in USSR / Ukraine, and in 80s – 90s was an avid listener of BBC Russian service, and Radio Liberty in Russian.
When I started listening Radio Liberty was still jammed, and jamming of BBC was just stopped.
My favorite programs were about culture and music.
Jazz program from Radio Liberty was the best jazz radio show I’ve heard to this day, and made me a jazz fan. Its archive is available here: https://ds.it.net.ua/
The archive of my another favorite from BBC is here: https://seva.ru
I have a brilliant sample of the last programme on SW: RAI International in Russian which contained the shortest (I suppose) news block ever been. The announcer said: I have only one news for you today: Starting October the 1st RAI will stop all broadcasts on SW (the whole text was a little bit longer – about 40 sec). He also said good-bye, stood up and went out of the studio keeping the microphone on.
I have a recording from VOA Africa on 15580kHz for 16th March 2025 at 19:59 around the time that VOA, RFE and RL were being shutdown. It was playing music which then shut off without any kind of announcement. It may have continued for a while on other frequencies, but I tuned in on later days and heard nothing.
I also have the last broadcast of Radio Netherlands in English (with QSL Card), and a recording of Radio Prague (which begins with an announcement they are shutting down), also in English.
I have a short recording of Radio Bulgaria in English announcing will be ceasing transmissions.
Hi Mark, I would love to hear the VOA Africa audio please.
Perhaps it is best to send the link to Thomas?
Thank you, Jo
Link sent to Thomas