Category Archives: FM

Configuring the “News Cruiser” for your emergency radio

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By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM

Rob, W4ZNG, endured three weeks without electricity on the Mississippi Gulf Coast as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

When he and I spoke about his experience (and what any one of us might want in our “fertilizer hits the fan” radio kit), he mentioned that during Katrina, all of the local broadcasters were wiped out. There was a local low-power FM broadcaster who got permission to increase power to 1,000 watts and was broadcasting where to get food and water. There was a New Orleans AM station that was on the air, but all of its coverage was “New Orleans-centric.” After a few days, some local FM broadcasters, working together, cobbled together a station that they put on the air and began broadcasting news. Rob also began DXing AM stations at night to get additional news.

Hold that thought for a moment.

A few weeks ago, Andy, W2SRA, pops up on the Radio Monitoring Net (which I run on Tuesday nights) with a list of “Rolling News” medium wave stations that can be heard at least some of the time from my location in the Capital District of New York State. Rolling news stations broadcast news ‘round the clock.

The list includes:

  • 780, WBM, Chicago, IL
  • 1010, WINS, New York City
  • 1030, WBZ, Boston, MA
  • 1060, KYW, Philadelphia, PA
  • 1090, WBAL, Baltimore, MD
  • 1130, WBBR, New York City
  • 1500, WFED, Washington, DC

When I saw that list, I thought “This is a pretty good resource.”

Then a day ago, something clicked, the lightbulb went on, and I realized: “This is exactly the list of stations that I would want if I were in the same situation as Rob after Katrina, where my local stations were dark, and I wanted to know what was going on! I named the list: the News Cruiser.

So, in the predawn hours, I decided to put the News Cruiser list to the test. I plugged the frequencies into several of my radios, and here is what I found. With the CCrane Skywave SSB 2, the signals ranged from copyable with noise to marginal to uncopyable, depending on the station. With the CCrane CCRadio SolarBT the results were better, but often tough to copy. Neither of these radios has the ability to connect to a medium wave loop antenna through a direct wired connection, although they can be inductively coupled to a loop such as the Terk AM Advantage.

The CCrane 2E, a much bigger radio with a much bigger internal ferrite bar antenna, produced markedly improved results. All three of these radios can be powered by off-the-shelf AA or D cells, which I considered to be an advantage during an emergency.

Two other radios, the Qodosen DX-286 and the Deepelec DP-666, which are powered by rechargeable batteries, acquitted themselves quite well when hardwired to the Terk AM Advantage loop antenna, but I prefer radios that can accept off-the-shelf commercial batteries.

If you live in North America, you can create your own News Cruiser list for your emergency radio by consulting https://radio-locator.com/ and using the search function to find stations that broadcast in the “News” format.

Once you have assembled your list, test it out with the radio you would grab in an emergency and see how well they perform. You might find the perfect combination that you like or you might discover that there is some room for improvement.

In any event, I heartily recommend that every household has an emergency radio that can be easily deployed to discover essential information when the fertilizer hits the fan. The point is to discover what works for you and to discover it before it is needed.

Further, I would very much like to know what works for you no matter where in the world you are located. Let me know in the comments below.

Paul Reviews the Radtel RT-880G

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by Paul Jamet

Looking for a versatile radio?

Which radio listener hasn’t dreamed of owning a portable multi-band receiver allowing them to explore the widest possible radio spectrum?

For nearly a year now, walkie-talkies have appeared on the market which, beyond the classic VHF–UHF functions, also allow listening and transmitting on CB (27 MHz) as well as listening to LW/MW/SW bands (LSB/USB/CW). The RADTEL RT-860 has won over those who have tested it.

Read here: Dan Reviews the Radel RT-860

The arrival of the Quansheng TK-11 — available in three versions — has caused quite a stir on social networks. Then, almost at the same time, the RADTEL RT-880 and RT-880G (G for GPS) appeared, also sold under other names such as iRadio UV98.

Among all these available models, I chose — as a radio listener, especially when I’m traveling — the RADTEL RT-880G. My choice is explained mainly by its antenna connectors (SMA-Female and SMA-Male), its large color display, its GPS module, its thousand memory channels, and the possibility of simultaneously monitoring three VHF/UHF frequencies. This device is highly customizable, but its user manual would deserve to be much more detailed and explicit.

The RT-880G comes with a “standard” 18 cm antenna for VHF-UHF bands, which is also used for FM station reception. I haven’t yet tested the device on the 27 MHz (CB) band, for which a dedicated antenna is preferable. No antenna is provided for LW/MW/SW listening.

For listening to LW/MW/SW bands, the device is often shown with small donut-type loop antennas (10 cm diameter).

However, for easier transport, I simply chose this small telescopic SMA-Male antenna, 48 cm long (weight: 20 g): to which it is possible to clip a wire antenna, such as the SONY AN-71, which can prove very useful.

I also used an antenna normally intended for CB, the ABBREE 27 MHz telescopic antenna (130 cm), admittedly heavier (weight: 78 g) and bulkier, but which gives very good results for the HF band.

The purpose of this contribution — which concerns only listening — is to arouse curiosity among mobile (or stationary) listeners, to invite those who own this walkie-talkie to come here and share their experience, and to collect your comments. It is therefore not a full review of the RT-880G, but simply an illustration of what it offers for listening to LW/MW/SW bands.

For LW/MW/SW bands, the RT-880G allows you to set the:

  • step to 1 – 5 – 10 – 50 – 100 – 500 – 1,000 – and 9 kHz],
  • bandwidth [0.5 – 1.0 – 1.2 – 2.2 – 3.0 – 4.0],
  • AGC (Automatic Gain Control)
  • BFO – (Beat Frequency Oscillator) – used for fine tuning SSB reception (the minimum step being 1 kHz).

Sample Recordings

Local park where some of the recordings were made.

Here are a few audio files that will help you form an opinion.  The recordings were made with a smartphone placed near the receiver.  The recordings were made using a smartphone placed near the receiver. The sound quality is quite good, even surprising. Continue reading →

Ultra Convenient, The Benefits of WavViewDX: Visualizing Reception Conditions (A Totsuka DXers Circle Article by Satoshi Miyauchi)

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Nick Hall-Patch, who has kindly provided a translation of this article from the Japanese-language publication PROPAGATION by the Totsuka DXers Circle (TDXC). In this piece, Satoshi Miyauchi explores how WavViewDX can revolutionize SDR analysis by making propagation and reception conditions instantly visible–and shares some remarkable reception examples.

“Ultra” Convenient, The Benefits of WavViewDX: Visualizing Reception Conditions 

by Satoshi Miyauchi

After recording bands using SDR’s such as Perseus or HF Discovery, I was informed by Kazu Gosui via email of a new program that’s “ultra” convenient for analyzing them. When monitoring in real time with Perseus, I have a general memory and notes of what was received at what time.  However, when recording reception data without real-time monitoring, such as during nighttime hours, verifying and analyzing the data across all frequencies takes time. Knowledge and intuition about where to listen are also important elements. While all of this is a skill, I believe that previous tools have been unable to provide a comprehensive view of the day’s conditions. Since I started using WavViewDX, I’ve been using it every morning, efficiently analyzing the SDR recordings I’ve collected.

By the way, recently I’ve been using a timer (the “Scheduler” of SDR Console) to check if the TWR-Africa signal transmitted from Benin, West Africa, is reaching me in the middle of the night. My analysis showed a significant reduction in the time required for confirmation that TWR-Africa was being received before and after WavViewDX was installed, and I’d like to share this with you.

Just to be clear, this article is not intended to be a tedious rehash of the user manual. Rather, it is intended to provide useful, pinpointed tips for use.

  1. I’ll introduce a method I think might be best based on my current setup.
  2. I’ll share some reception reports from my recent morning routine.
  3. I’ll touch on the mysteries of radio wave propagation, a realization I believe is unique to WavViewDX.

But first, a word about WavViewDX: seeing is believing. As shown in the sample image in Figure 5, it visually displays the status of stations received at each frequency, using green bars or white lines, in chronological order, from the lowest frequency band (left) to the highest (right). You can even customize it to analyze North and South America at 10 kHz intervals for TP reception.

The author is Reinhard Weiß from Germany (please see accompanying related articles).  It is an incredibly easy-to-use and intuitive software. Once you start using it, you’ll definitely want to keep it.

Figure 5

First, let’s assume you’ll be importing and analyzing data into WavViewDX.

1.) Timer Reception Tips, Using SDR Console

This is a backward-thinking approach based on the fact that WavViewDX can import files in “folders.” The golden rule is simply to store all files from a single session in a single folder. I’ve been using SDR Console as my primary SDR program for a while now, so when I register a scheduler (for timer scheduling), I click “Add date (yyyy-mm-dd) subfolder” under “Folder”, in Figure 6. This allows me to import the entire folder of recording files from that day into WavViewDX, saving me a lot of time. WavViewDX has a “Select Whole Folder” button, which allows me to import files into WavViewDX with a single click (Figure 7). How amazing! Incidentally, I set up bandwidth recording files to be stored in separate 1GB files. The moment I wake up, the files are instantly imported into WavViewDX, allowing me to quickly check the conditions from midnight to dawn before work.

Figure 6

Figure 7

2) TWR-Africa Reception Recording

Even on shortwave, it’s rare to see signals from Africa, let alone on mediumwave. Until a few years ago, I thought this was impossible. However, I discovered that I could record pre-dawn signals from Africa on my home K9AY loop, including the VOA of the Sao Tome and Principe relay on 1530kHz, as well as the famous TWR Africa (Benin) on 1476kHz. Of course, it’s not easy to receive signals every day, so I was not motivated to record them regularly However, after installing WavViewDX, I was able to easily grasp the pre-dawn conditions, and I set up a scheduler to record as many times as possible every day.

Then, one morning, right around 3:30 AM, on the morning of the March vernal equinox, I noticed a very clear bar on the 1476kHz using WavViewDX (Figure 8). By working in conjunction with WavViewDX, it automatically checks offsets in exact carrier frequency being received against the MWList database, and the > mark quickly lights up in WavViewDX, indicating that it’s TWR Africa! I was surprised when I heard the audio. I was impressed by the exceptionally clear reception. There was a slight beat, and it seemed like at least one other carrier was also in the mix. How such clear audio managed to reach and be heard across nearly 13,300 km as the crow flies is a mystery, but it’s still a moving experience.

Figure 8

I asked @lft_kashima LFT Kashima Fishing Radio, who regularly posts information on X, and he said that the signal wasn’t as good on that day at his location. Since we’re both in the Kanto region and a little farther apart, perhaps that’s the problem, or perhaps it’s just the antenna. He uses a north-south loop antenna, while I use a vertical AOR SA-7000.

While I don’t know the full reason or answer, one possible guess: – Wasn’t the arrival direction north-south? – Did it arrive through a duct somewhere? However, there’s no way to know why the duct ended up at this receiving point. It’s a wonder that I was able to receive such a DX station at this point in the solar cycle, when the number of sunspots is almost at its maximum and the A/K Index was far from calm. This makes daily reception all the more meaningful. It’s a moment that makes me admire nature, the work of radio wave propagation.  I was able to receive this station again in April, and the links to those two results from 1476kHz – TWR Africa are below:

3) The Mysteries of Radio Wave Propagation Discovered Only with WavViewDX

WaveViewDX already clearly shows the reception status on the vertical time axis, but just before the vernal equinox, a phenomenon in which the propagation conditions deteriorated simultaneously across multiple frequencies occurred, albeit for a short period of time. (Audio Sample https://youtu.be/XhXSQFiGQeo) What is this? Figure 9 shows the actual situation at my location on March 17, 2025, after 18:00 UTC.

Figure 9

  1. 1278kHz JOFR Fukuoka RKB Mainichi Broadcasting System 50kw (about 900km distance, 245°)
  2. 1287kHz JOHR Sapporo HBC Hokkaido Broadcasting System 50kw (about 1000km distance, 340°)
  3. 1332kHz JOSF Nagoya Tokai Broadcasting System 50kw (about 270km distance, 270°)

(*Note: The leftmost bar (1242kHz in the Kanto region) is attenuated with a notch filter)

One of the benefits of WavViewDX is that it visually showed the simultaneous drop in signal strength from domestic and international stations, which had been arriving almost smoothly until 18:00 UTC.

I asked Perplexity AI and searched the literature. These possibilities were listed:

“Regarding the phenomenon of simultaneous attenuation of radio signals in all directions for several minutes during nighttime propagation in the medium frequency band (MF band),” it is believed to be primarily caused by the combined effects of the following factors: –

  • Ionospheric Variation Mechanism Sudden E-Layer (Es-Layer) Formation A localized increase in electron density in the upper E-layer of the ionosphere (at an altitude of 100-120 km) at night. This thin ionosphere strongly reflects signals, blocking the normal F-layer reflection path. One measurement data showed signal attenuation of up to 20 dB when the Es layer occurred.
  • F-layer altitude fluctuations: When the F layer (altitude 250-400 km), the main nighttime propagation path, rapidly rises due to thermal expansion, the reflection angle changes, creating a “propagation hole” that causes signals to deviate from the receiving point.
  • Earth’s magnetic field fluctuations disrupt the electron distribution in the ionosphere, causing a sudden increase in absorption.
  • Instantaneous changes in solar activity: The emission of X-rays and charged particles associated with solar flares suddenly changes the electron density in the ionosphere, destabilizing the reflection coefficient and resulting in short-term propagation loss.

Although it was able to provide various possible explanations, I was unable to perform any further verification of these answers myself.

These English translations were prepared for IRCA’s DX Monitor, and are used with the kind permission of  IRCA as well as of the authors and the editor of the Totsuka DXers Circle publication, PROPAGATION.

An Introduction to WavViewDX SDR Playback Software (A Totsuka DXers Circle Article by Kazu Gosui)

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Nick Hall-Patch, who has kindly provided a translation of this article from the Japanese-language publication PROPAGATION by the Totsuka DXers Circle (TDXC). In this piece, Kazu Gosui introduces WavViewDX, an impressive SDR file playback and analysis tool developed by Reinhard Weiß of Germany.

About WavViewDX, SDR File Playback Software

by Kazu Gosui

Introduction

“WavViewDX,” developed by Reinhard Weiß of Germany, is SDR file playback software. It maps the received signals from SDR-recorded files into bar graphs, with time on the vertical axis and frequency (channel) on the horizontal axis, for each of the following channel separations: medium wave (9/10 kHz), short wave (5 kHz), and FM (50/100 kHz).  Clicking the cursor (blue crosshair) plays the received audio. By “visualizing the received signal” through mapping (see also the separate article by Satoshi Miyauchi), you can see at a glance the start and end times of broadcasts, fade in, fade out, channels you should listen to, and channels you don’t need to listen to.

Basic Usage and Screen Description

First, download and install WavViewDX from the WavViewDX webpage (https://rweiss.de/dxer/tools.html). The latest version is version was 1544 as of June 8, 2025, when this was written, but version 1662 is available in October 2025. When you launch WavViewDX, the Main Window (Figure 1) will appear, showing Analysis View, the Operation/Settings Panel, Logbook and Database.

Figure 1

To play back recorded files, you must import them. Click Import to display the Import SDR Recording settings screen. Source files can be selected as single or multiple files, or by folder. Set the reception location, time, channel separation, etc., and begin importing. A progress percentage will appear, and green and white bar graphs will appear on the Analysis View screen. Hovering the cursor over a bar graph and clicking will display a red circle, and the audio recorded for that channel and time will play. Scrolling the mouse will allow you to zoom in and out of the Analysis View.

When you import, a WVD format file is created. Once you’ve imported the files, you can simply load the corresponding WVD file at another time, and the files will be available to play immediately.

In addition to Import and Load, the following settings are available at the top of the Main Window.

  • Analysis: Allows you to select the file/folder and frequency separation when importing.
  • Carrier Views: Displays offset frequencies to identify and estimate the received medium wave station.
  • Database: Links with the MWLIST webpage (https://www.mwlist.org/ul_login.php) to identify and estimate the received medium wave station.
  • Logbook: For documenting stations heard, along with creation of audio recordings during playback.
  • More: Allows you to set multiple options, such as manual tuning and contrast setting.
  • Setup: Allows you to set the sound device and select the file format for recording audio clips during playback.
  • About: Allows you to select the software version, Help, etc.

The Main Window also displays the frequency list linked to the aforementioned Database and the Logbook.  The database frequency list can be selected by region, such as Europe or East Asia. The Logbook allows you to record reception records and associate recorded audio files.

The right side of the Main Window contains the operation and settings panel. At the top are the Frequency Display and Spectrum View. Hovering the cursor over Spectrum View allows you to select PBT (Pass Band Tuning) and NOTCH.

Below these are:

  • Spectrum Zoom (x1, x2, x4), which expands the spectrum;
  • Bandpass Bandwidth Presets ([2.5] etc.), which change the reception bandwidth;
  • Player Time Controls (Play/Pause; -30s etc.), which control the playback time;
  • Carrier View, which displays the offset frequency; (+/- 30Hz, and can be shifted above and below the nominal .000 frequency)
  • Demodulator Modes, which change the reception mode.

(Keyboard shortcuts are available for the above functions.)

  • The AF Highpass Filter adjusts the audio frequency passband to improve intelligibility.
  • The Spike Filter reduces popping during reception.
  • Phasing combines two synchronized recording files to reduce same-frequency interference and noise.
  • NCE (Neighbor Channel Eliminator) reduces interference from adjacent channels.
  • Binaural allows you to select the sideband of the AF output during playback.
  • The AF Audio Recorder allows you to record by clicking during playback. Recording formats include WAV, FLAC, and MP3.

As you can see, there are so many features it’s impossible to introduce them all. Detailed adjustments to each function make it even easier to use; it may seem tedious at first, but give the features a try. The user interface is intuitive, so you’ll quickly get used to it. If you’re unsure how to use something, just press the F1 key and refer to the Help.

Actual Usage 

Let’s try it out. The import settings are set to MW 9+10kHz Channel Analysis Configuration. Configuration, and other settings are set to default. (editor’s note:  “SDR Calibration” allows the use of reference carrier frequencies in the data, for those SDRs without a frequency standard, so that each carrier frequency in the passband will be displayed accurately.)   Once the import is complete, a bar graph will appear. Figures 2 and 3 show the analysis view of the actual file import from early May 2025, during the Hachijojima DXpedition showing evening reception; time is UTC.

Figure 2

Figure 3

9kHz separation is used in Figure 2. You can hear the audio from 630kHz at the time indicated by a circle. Black areas of the bar graph indicate no signal, while white to green indicates good signal reception. If you miss an ID during reception, press the up arrow key to rewind the time by 5 seconds and listen again.   Click Recording to record the ID.

As you can see, the bar graph color changes from black to white and then white to green over time. This indicates that as the day turns from daytime to evening and then nighttime, channels that previously had no reception begin to receive broadcasts. Sunset on this day was 9:29 UTC (18:29 JST), and the received signal fade in was between 8:30 UTC (17:30 JST) and 9:15 UTC (18:15 JST).

Next, click Analysis and switch to MW 10kHz channel analysis. The Analysis View after switching is shown in Figure 3. This shows the reception status with 10kHz separation. Most channels are black, with a few white spots. There is very little green. In this image, there are certainly no 10kHz channels with good audio, but by clicking on the white, we can see some with faint English talk and music. I checked the database and found that these channels appear to be Hawaiian stations (see orange circle marks in Figure 3) that have been active since around 8:30 UTC.

Also, Latin music was heard on 1230 kHz (Orange circle in Figure 3). This may be Radio Dos from Argentina. By visualizing reception status like this, I was able to determine where to listen and where not to listen. During the Hachijojima expedition in May, I was blessed with outstanding reception conditions from the evening through the early morning hours of the following day, and was able to track 187 overseas medium wave stations, including 165 in Australia, 5 in New Zealand, 2 in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Palau, Fiji, Tuvalu, Indonesia, and the Philippines, achieving significant results. Playback and analysis took about a week, which was shorter than usual, thanks to WavViewDX.

Summary 

As mentioned above, WavViewDX has proven to be an efficient tool for analysis, allowing users to discover previously unnoticed stations. Since it can play files recorded with various SDRs, we hope that many DXers will use it. WavViewDX is compatible with multiple PC operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and macOS, and is freeware. According to Reinhard Weiß, additional features and enhancements are planned for the future, so we look forward to seeing its future developments. Finally, we would like to express our gratitude and respect to Reinhard Weiß for developing such useful and excellent software.

Reference Materials 

Table 1. Supported IQ Formats

ELAD FDM-SW2 Generic RAW recordings
GQRX recordings HDSDR
Jaguar Linrad RAW, single and dual-channel
recordings PERSEUS (*.wav)
PERSEUS P22 (*.P22) SDR#
SDR Console SDR Uno
SDRconnect SpectraVue
WiNRADiO DDC WiNRADiO RXW (only for G33)
Winrad

Trying WavViewDX on FM 

WavViewDX is primarily geared toward medium wave DX, but it seems like it can be used for FM DX as well. The image in Figure 4 shows reception from 79-87MHz using an RSPdx-R2 and an indoor YouTwin antenna. It supports stereo and has good audio quality. With an outdoor antenna, it could also be used for FM DX, such as with sporadic E and other short-lived propagation enhancements.

Figure 4

These English translations were prepared for IRCA’s DX Monitor, and are used with the kind permission of  IRCA as well as of the authors and the editor of the Totsuka DXers Circle publication, PROPAGATION.

Surprisingly Capable: Mario Checks Out the Raddy RF750 Plus

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Mario Filippi, who shares the following review:

Raddy RF750 Plus AM/FM/SW/NOAA Radio

by Mario Filippi

I purchased one of these tiny radios several months ago. It’s my daily go-to AM broadcast band  radio.  So far, it performs excellently on AM.  Using the rotatable ferrite antenna,  I’ve received stations as far away as Chicago and Detroit at night.  FM broadcast band capability is also excellent in my experience for such a small radio.  As for SW, the only luck I’ve had is with powerful broadcasters when the Raddy’s telescoping antenna is connected to an outdoor ham antenna.  It receives local NOAA WX as good as any other radio I’ve owned.

Raddy 750 Plus

The case is all metal, feels nice and hefty in the hand.  A shade under a half-pound in weight. 3 3/4 inches high (approx. 9 cm) with attached rotatable antenna.   The speaker size is exceptional for such a small radio and the audio’s very acceptable to the ear.  The speaker grill can be used to tune the radio manually by the way. The fit and finish are excellent.  Has a rechargeable battery with included USB charging cord.  Excellently-written 25-page owner’s manual in English.

?I use the Raddy app to control the radio.  You can opt not to use it though.  You’ll definitely need to read the manual then, due to the plethora of options.

Raddy’s SmartPhone App Works Great

All said, since I bought this radio mainly for daily AM broadcast reception and occasionally checking NOAA weather, I’m very pleased.  Price is very reasonable, mine was under $40 at the time.

Wonder if anyone else has one of these radios and what their opinion is?  Thanks for reading and 73’s.

You can purchase the Raddy RF750 on Amazon.com or at Radioddity.com (affiliate links).

2026 Tesla Standard Model Y and Model 3 trims will eliminate AM and FM tuners

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dennis?Dura for sharing this article from Radio?World, which reveals that Tesla will eliminate AM and FM tuners from its 2026 Standard Model Y and Model 3 trims—a move the National?Association?of?Broadcasters calls a “disservice to millions of drivers” who rely on broadcast radio for news, community and emergency alerts.

You can read the full article at Radio World by clicking here.

A Radio Postcard from Seoul

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Mark Hirst, who shares the following guest post:

A Radio Postcard from Seoul

Hechi is a mascot for the Seoul Metropolitan Government

by Mark Hirst

I recently spent a very memorable week in Seoul, motivated to travel there by Hallyu or the Korean Wave, a cultural phenomena exemplified by the TV show Squid Game, animated movie K-Pop Demon Hunters, boy band BTS, and girl group Blackpink.

While I can credit Netflix and its huge library of Korean TV and film content for introducing me to K-drama, it was KBS World Radio and its Weekend Playlist programme on shortwave that led me to K-pop.

Early on in my holiday planning, I discovered that KBS has a public exhibition called KBS ON located in their headquarters building. Later during the trip, radio would appear unplanned in one of the other museums I hoped to explore.

Travelling to Seoul of course was a unique radio listening opportunity to hear and record stations that would otherwise require a Web SDR or internet streaming. Armed with a relatively recent copy of WRTH, I was able to compile a list of radio stations with the intention of making some short audio and video recordings.

What follows is a description of my experiences at KBS ON, some historical references to radio at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History, and notes about the radio stations I was able to hear during my stay.

All photos are my own.

The Korean Broadcasting System

The Korean Broadcasting System or KBS is the national broadcaster of Korea, providing radio, TV, and internet based content to its national audience. KBS World is the outward facing arm of the organisation providing similar services to an international audience.

The headquarter buildings of KBS are located in Yeouido, an area of Seoul that also hosts Korea’s National Assembly Building. Technically a river island, Yeouido is bordered by the Han River, offering spectacular views of central Seoul and a skyline familiar to K-drama fans everywhere.

The main KBS building is a short walk from Yeouido station on Line 5 and Line 9 of the Seoul metro system. Your route takes you through Yeouido Park where you can see a preserved Douglas C-47 cargo plane dating from the Korean War.

The main building sits along side several other KBS related areas including the KBS Hall and KBS Art Hall. Even to the untrained eye, it’s obvious that the facility is communications related with a prominent red and white antenna tower on the main building, with red scaffolding on an adjacent block housing another tower and communication dishes.

Other notable locations at the site include a roadway and building entrance where K-pop idol groups arrive every Friday to record Music Bank, a programme that showcases the latest hits of the music genre. This photo opportunity is so popular with fans that it has a dedicated playlist on the KBS World English YouTube channel.

KBS ON Exhibition Hall

The KBS ON Mural featuring the mascot Kong

The KBS ON exhibition is part of a range of locations promoted by the official visitor guide to Seoul, details of which can be found here.

Accessing the exhibition is through distinctive blue bordered doors into a large reception area. The exhibition proper then begins at the top of a short flight of stairs.

Although all sections of the tour are in Korean, section overviews are also provided in other languages. QR codes link to audio commentaries to provide the remaining explanations for non-Korean visitors.

The audio commentary supports the following languages:

  • Korean
  • English
  • Simplified Chinese
  • Japanese
  • Bahasa Indonesia
  • Vietnamese
  • Spanish

The tour proceeds through a series of linked sections and topics which are described below.

KBS History

This section is comprised of information panels outlining the origins of KBS. Originally known as the Gyeongseong Broadcasting Station (callsign JODK) beginning in 1927, the name KBS emerges in 1945 following the liberation of Korea from Japan. KBS was established as a public broadcaster in 1973.

On Air

Through a series of large screens, this section describes the various channels KBS provides including terrestrial TV, international radio, cable, and Digital Multimedia Broadcasting, a radio transmission technology developed in South Korea.

Current Affairs / Culture programme

As a public broadcaster, this section highlights the current affairs and educational output of KBS.

Virtual Studio

This interactive section demonstrates the familiar ‘blue screen’ or chroma key technology used in news and weather forecasts. Visitors are encouraged to present their own Korean weather forecast!

Drama

The visitor is treated to a display of props and magnificent costumes from Korean period dramas, with panels and displays highlighting the role of KBS in driving growth in the K-drama industry.

Props and Costumes

Entertainment programme

Supported by large screens, this area showcases a range of local programming including talent and variety shows.

Music Bank

While the shows in the previous sections will be unfamiliar to most, Music Bank is more well known to overseas fans of K-pop. This high profile programme features live performances every Friday evening from the big names of the genre with a lottery system for fans to attend recordings.

Vertigo

This section demonstrates AI based technology developed by KBS to allow a single fixed camera to track individual members of an idol group simultaneously as they sing and dance on stage. Previously, these so-called ‘fancam’ shots required a separate camera for each performer incurring extra costs and logistics problems.

Examples of Vertigo in action are shown on large screens, featuring performances by girl groups STAYC and Illit.

Visitors can step on to a virtual stage adjacent to the displays where a single camera will automatically track your face and body without physically moving. Continue reading →