by Dan Greenall
The Far East Broadcasting Company in Manila is currently celebrating 80 years on shortwave, while at the same time, planning to close down in March 2027.
I first heard them from my listening post in southern Ontario, Canada back in 1972, and received this colourful QSL from them.
They used to broadcast a number of their programs in unusual dialects, but many were in English, as can be seen from this page from the 1972 World Radio TV Handbook.
Their interval signal came from the hymn “We have heard the Joyful Sound.” Two versions of it can be found on Jerry Johnston’s website of shortwave interval signals, one from 1993, and another from 2005 (which is the same version they use today in 2026). Find Jerry’s recordings here: https://www.iaswww.com/swmp3/intervalsignals/simple_is.php
The SWLing Post recently received news from contributor Paul Walker that the FEBC would be shutting down its shortwave service in March 2027. https://swling.com/blog/2026/08/febc-philippines-plans-to-close-march-2027/
The good news is, there is still time to log this station before they are gone forever. Listen to a couple of recent recordings made using a KiwiSDR in northern Thailand.
#1 – Interval signal followed by sign on in Mongolian. Recorded October 4, 2026 at 1114 UTC on 15330 kHz
#2 – Sign off in Japanese followed by interval signal. Recorded October 3, 2026 at 1426 UTC on 15620 kHz
#3 – Made April 17, 2025 around 0013 hours UTC, they are supposedly switching from Lu to Lahu. If you listen carefully, you can pick out “FEBC” around the 2:11 mark. The frequency of this broadcast was 12055 kHz and I was using a remote SDR receiver located in northern Thailand.
#4 – Made July 6, 2025 beginning at 2257 hours UTC, you will hear the interval signal they have been using for many years, “We Have Heard the Joyful Sound.” While the Asian language used for this broadcast on 12055 kHz is unknown, you will again hear a clear “FEBC” around the 3:03 mark of this recording.
They are currently using 100 kW transmitters in Bocaue and Iba, Philippines. Programs are aired in many languages I have never heard of, but none are in English. You can have a look at their broadcast schedule here: https://shortwave.live/freq?station=FEBC+Manila&language=&target=&band=&hour=17&minute=45