Category Archives: Music

Pirate Radio Recordings: Wolverine Radio

SSTV-28Apr2014-080706For your listening pleasure: 1 hour and 7 minutes of pirate radio station, Wolverine Radio–recorded April 27, 2014 starting around 1:10 UTC.

Wolverine was broadcasting on 6,945 kHz in the upper side band. Typical of Wolverine, lots of music variety which spans the decades and no commentary other than station ID throughout.

I decoded Wolverine’s SSTV QSL (see right) with Chris Smolinski’s SSTV app for iPhone.  As you’ll hear, overall signal strength and audio fidelity were excellent.

Click here to download the recording as an MP3 or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Pirate Radio Recordings: MAC Shortwave

820px-Annex_-_Stewart,_James_(Call_Northside_777)_01

For your listening pleasure: over one hour of the pirate radio station, MAC Shortwave. I recorded this broadcast on April 27, 2014 starting around 00:05 UTC, on 6,950 kHz AM.

MAC Shortwave features host “Jimmy Stewart” and some excellent big band music.

The first SWLing Post reader to identify this MAC Shortwave interval signal gets extra credit!

Simply click here to download an MP3 of the recording, or listen via the embedded player below:

The Mighty KBC: surfing the shortwaves

Many thanks to Peter Quinn at The Mighty KBC for sharing the following announcement for his new summer radio show:BigBeachRadio-KBC

“Great news if you love surf music and like exploring shortwave radio. The Big Beach Radio Show is coming to The Mighty KBC Europe on 6095 kHz for the summer of 2014. The show’s presenter Peter Quinn describes the venture as “a mirage of the perfect day on the beach.”

Peter has been heard on a range of radio stations over the years including Radio Caroline, The Voice of Peace, Island Sound Malta and numerous UK and European radio stations. He says he’s delighted to be appearing on The Mighty KBC and cordially invites you to catch some surf on shortwave every week at 11.00 UTC .

The show starts Saturday 19th April and goes to air whatever the weather. The Big Beach Radio Show Station – The Mighty KBC Freq – 6095 kHz ( 49 meter band shortwave) Day – Saturday Time – 11.00 UTC

Can you help George identify a Radio Moscow tune?

Radio_Moscow_logoGeorge Stein, a subscriber to the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive writes:

“When I used to listen to Radio Moscow back in the mid- to late 1960s, they used to play a little ditty just after they came on the air (at least in English). This tune was NOT the “Moscow Nights” tune so often heard. As I recall it was a lively tune.

On one of my many trips to St. Petersburg in the 90s and the 00s, I would often visit the memorial to the WW2 Leningrad siege, specifically the museum underneath. One time, I heard the melody I am looking for. I was told by someone there, that this melody was played during the siege as a signal that “all is clear” (I presume from German bombing).

I would be grateful if anyone has any information or a copy of this melody.”

Can you help George identify this tune?  If so, please comment!

Pirate Radio Recordings: Chairman of the Board Radio

Frank_Sinatra_laughingFor your listening pleasure: a short 20 minute broadcast from the pirate radio station, Chairman of the Board Radio–recorded Saturday, April 12, 2014 starting around 3:30 UTC.

Chairman of the Board Radio was broadcasting on 6,935 kHz in the upper side band. As you’ll hear, the signal was quite strong, with just a little compression noise.

I really enjoyed this short set of Frank Sinatra tunes. You’ll hear the station ID at the end with a shout out to listeners in Chicago.

Click here to download the recording as an MP3 or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Shortwave Radio Recordings: Radio New Zealand International

450px-New_Zealand_23_October_2002For your listening pleasure: three hours of Radio New Zealand International.

This broadcast was recorded on 9,700 kHz, starting at 07:59 UTC on April 5, 2014. This weekend RNZI broadcast includes Peter Fry’s Saturday Night music request show–always a treat to hear.

Click here to download this recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below. Of course, you will automatically receive this recording if you are subscribed to the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive.

Forbes: “How To Make Music (And Money) From Shortwave Radio”

RFNomadModularGridTwo weeks ago, we posted a video of Evaton Technologies RF Nomad: a modular synthesizer that employs shortwave radio to create unique sounds. As someone who has always been fascinating with music and the sonic texture of the shortwaves, of course I find this product fascinating.

Forbes magazine does too. This morning, @UlisK3LU shared an article in Forbes where Russell Hoffman, who runs Evaton Technologies, explains why he believes using shortwave radio in new RF Nomad will be a hit:

“What’s interesting about shortwave radio is that it isn’t necessarily musical by design, but there are interesting sounds to be found when the station tuning is less than perfect,” he said. “You can hear all sorts of sounds on shortwave, from voice, to music, to Morse Code or encoded digital transmissions. In addition to the sounds that are transmitted intentionally, there are sounds that are artifacts of the medium itself like heterodynes, pops, crackles, hiss, static crashes, fading and the like.”

But here’s my favorite bit:

“Shortwave radio has a long and storied history, full of intrigue, espionage, piracy, rebellion, propaganda, and subterfuge,” he added. “It propagates around the world and can be received on inexpensive equipment. It is universal, because it can be heard anywhere; and yet at the same time, in a world of internet, TV, and satellite radio, it is also the underground — a hidden world parallel to that of our daily experiences. It offers an additional perspective.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself. Thank you, Mr. Hoffman.

Click here to read “How To Make Music (And Money) From Shortwave Radio” in Forbes magazine.

Check out Evaton Technologies and RF Nomad announcements by clicking here.