Category Archives: Current Events

Shortwave Radio: One of 5 popular espionage techniques from former USSR

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(Source: Top Secret Writers)

Shortwave radios have been a tool of the espionage trade for many years. Radios can transmit information encoded to be picked up by the receiver and then decoded.

This technique was used throughout World War I, World War II, and the Cold War. Like Steganography, radiograms are still being used today.

[…]The techniques were used by the Soviets during the Cold War many years ago, but it seems that they have remained long-lasting fixtures in Russian Espionage.

We actually reported on this back when news broke about the russian agents who used numbers stations for espionage purposes. Yep, shortwave radio is your friend if you don’t want people tracing where you are and what you’re listening to.

Mind you, when you live in a country that suppresses free speach, you also reach for a shortwave radio.

Read the full article that details four other popular espionage techniques from the former Soviet Union.

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Public Diplomacy Magazine features array of articles on the state of international broadcasting

It is a rare occurrence when so much attention is given to the topic of international broadcasting. Financial hardship combined with a rapidly changing media landscape set a stage where broadcasters are being forced to a precipice of change. How well they quickly evaluate restructuring their message and the medium they use to deliver it could very well determine the future of broadcasting on the shortwaves.

This issue of Public Diplomacy Magazine covers the scope.

(From: RNW Media Network)

PD Magazine, Summer 2011 of the University of Southern California Center on Public Diplomacy, is devoted to international broadcasting. Its contents include:

Also available is the pdf version.

Thanks to RNW Media Network, Kim Andrew Elliot and Richard Cuff for the tip.

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Passion for Morse Code, Night of Nights featured in NY Times

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Many of you reading the SWLing Post are not only passionate shortwave radio listeners, but also amateur radio operators. My love of shortwave radio listening eventually led me to obtain my ham radio license, and as a result, to learn about Morse code. I had always admired Morse code–a.k.a. CW (Continuous Wave)–as a mode of communication in the amateur radio world.

The Italian, hand-crafted Begali Simplex is this author's way of sending code in style. (Photo courtesy: Begali)

Several years ago my passion for CW finally encouraged me to learn it, during which time I practiced it almost daily with my ham radio mentors. During the process of learning code, I went from struggling to hear the difference between “dits” and “dahs” to being able to distinguish letters, symbols, words and phrases. Today, we chat over the SW radio bands about all sorts of things–radios, the weather, our families–in Morse code, or what we like to call “the sacred language.” Indeed, it is sacred…in its simplicity and its efficacy. Morse code is more intelligible than voice-over long-distance radio transmission, because the receiver or radio operator only needs to distinguish between the short and long “dit” and “dah” sounds, truly form following function.

And speaking of function, Morse code used to have a vital role in our communications landscape. The following article, from the NY Times, sheds some light on a little maritime radio history. For a Night Each Year, the Airwaves Buzz With Morse Code

Morse code/CW frequencies–how to find morse code on the shortwaves

Don’t be fooled by the NY Times article’s title: the airwaves are always filled with the sounds of Morse code 24/7. Don’t believe me? Simply turn on the SSB (single-side band) mode on your portable shortwave receiver, then tune between the following frequencies:

1800-2000 kHz

3500-3600 kHz

7000-7200 kHz

10100-10150 kHz

14000-14150 kHz

18068-18110 kHz

21000-21200 kHz

24890-24930 kHz

28000-28300 kHz

This is by no means a comprehensive list of all frequencies where you’ll hear CW; rather, it represents the main amateur radio watering holes for CW/Morse code operations.

Want to learn Morse code? Check out this article on QRPer.com!

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BBC World Service audience dwindling in transition to internet-based media

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A lesson here is when you pull out of shortwave radio broadcasts you lose very large swatches of listeners–especially when many in your audience lack access to the internet.

(Source: Journalism.co.uk)

The BBC World Service’s global audience has dropped by 14 million in the past year, according to the broadcaster.

Overall audience for the year has been estimated at 166 million, down from 180 million last year.

However, it claims online the World Service’s audience has risen by 40 per cent in the past 12 months.

In the BBC World Service annual report, published today, the broadcaster blamed the overall fall on the numerous service closures and changes which were implemented following cuts to its funding.

Read full article at Journalism.co.uk.

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Shortwave plays vital roll in Somalia

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I found this BBC profile on Somalia quite indicative of many countries in Africa. In light of cuts that the BBC World Service has been facing, this short article, about Somalia’s fragmented media landscape, admits that shortwave plays a vital roll in domestic news.

The TV and press sectors are weak and radio is the dominant medium. There are around 20 radio stations, but no national, domestic broadcaster. Many listeners tune to Somali-language media based abroad, in particular the BBC Somali service. The latter is available on shortwave, and via FM relays in Mogadishu (91.1), the Somaliland capital Hargeisa (89.0), and elsewhere.

They go on to say:

The Somali diaspora – in the West, the Gulf states and elsewhere – sustains a rich internet presence. But domestic web access is hampered by practicalities such as limited access to mains electricity. There were 102,000 internet users by September 2009 (Internetworldstats). In secessionist Somaliland and Puntland the authorities maintain a tight hold on broadcasting.

Shortwave listeners in Somalia, one should note, also listen to the likes of the Voice of America, Radio Netherlands Worldwide, Radio France International and many others. Most of whom are facing cuts right now as national budgets are being tightened in the economic recession. To those living in Somalia, where the media is fragmented and untrustworthy, shortwave radio represents a lifeline of information.

As we mentioned in this previous post, please consider speaking up on behalf of those without a voice. Let international broadcasters and their governing bodies know how crucial shortwave services are into impoverished regions of the world.

 

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RNW cuts are a go

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Unfortunately, it appears the RNW budget cuts will take place–details will emerge in October.

From RNW:

The Dutch parliament has voted against two motions which might have blunted the effect of the budget cuts facing Radio Netherlands Worldwide.

One motion called for a separate debate devoted to the future of RNW. Previous debates tackled the cutbacks facing all public broadcasting. The other criticised the decision-making as hasty and called for a postponement.

Effectively, this vote means that the cabinet’s plans to move RNW from the education, media and culture ministry to the foreign ministry and cut the budget from 46.3 million euros to 14 million will definitely go ahead.

RNW’s management will now draw up a redundancy plan, which is expected to be completed in October.

Again, it’s still not too late to voice your opinion. As with the BBC WS cuts, perhaps there is still some hope.

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Hague giving BBC World Service £2.2 million to save Hindi shortwave broadcasts

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This is fantastic news for BBC World Service’s Hindi shortwave broadcasts. The allocated funds will be given to BBC WS over a 3 year period.Kudos to

Foreign Secretary, William Hague (photo source: Wikimedia Commons)

Foreign Secretary, William Hague, for recognizing the impact of BBC Wold Service’s Hindi language service.

Sadly, the cuts in funds earlier this year will still eliminate vital language services like Albanian, Macedonian, Portuguese for Africa, Serbian, and English for the Caribbean.

(Source: the Guardian)

The BBC World Service’s Hindi short-wave broadcasts have been saved from the axe after the foreign secretary, William Hague, agreed to give extra money to the highly regarded international broadcaster.

Hague has agreed to give an extra £2.2m annually to the World Service for the next three years from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office budget.

This slightly reduces the impact of a controversial 16% cut in the World Service’s FCO grant, announced as part of the government’s comprehensive spending review in October.

Read full article in the Guardian.

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