Category Archives: Shortwave Radio

Radios in the Netflix post-apocalyptic Argentinian miniseries “The Eternaut”

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Balazs, who writes:

Hi Thomas,

I have just finished the series, “The Eternaut” (published at the end of April), and the story features old one-way or two-way radios in several places; see the attached pictures.

(Fun fact: one of the main characters used the call sign LU5DA and is shown a map for an antenna setup, the call sign in reality belongs to Radio Club Río de la Plata and (according to Google) their address matched the map.)

Trailer of the series in English:

with best regards,
Balazs

Kyodo News Radiofax English Edition: June 12, 2025

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Carlos Latuff, who shares the following Kyodo News radiofax from June 12, 2025. Carols writes:

Today’s Kyodo News English Edition radiofax, received in Porto Alegre, Brazil, 16970 kHz:

– US orders all nonessential personnel to leave US Embassy in Baghdad
– China fighter jet has near miss with SDF patrol plane: Japan gov’t
– Japan urges China to prevent recurrence
– US, China agree on framework to ease tensions
– Critical minerals give China an edge in trade negotiations
– Japan Coast Guard warns off Taiwan research ship in EEZ
– Dozens of LA-area mayors demand to stop intensified immigration raids
– Nearly 400 arrested or detained since Saturday
– UN launches a rescue operation after 8 migrants die off Djiboutian coast

Can You Help Locate Recordings of ZANLA Broadcasts from Mozambique?

I recently received an inquiry via the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive from someone hoping to find historic recordings of Voice of Zimbabwe, the station operated by the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) during the late 1970s. The clandestine broadcasts originated from Mozambique and were part of the liberation struggle in what was then Rhodesia.

Here’s the message I received:

“Hello. I was wondering if you had any way to help me find recordings from the ZANLA broadcasts from Mozambique; Voice of Zimbabwe. I think the main broadcasting period was during the late 70s. Quite sure a lot of the recordings from that time have been erased/poorly preserved. Would greatly appreciate the help. Looking forward to hearing from you.”

Indeed, recordings from this period and station are quite rare and may not have been widely archived. But given the dedicated community of shortwave listeners and DXers here at the SWLing Post, I’m hopeful someone out there may have an off-air recording or some sort of lead—even a logbook entry with notes.

If you happen to have any recordings, reception reports, or even recollections related to the Voice of Zimbabwe/ZANLA, please comment on this post.

Orbiting outer space via shortwave

Greetings to all SWLing Post community, we are off in orbit again on those shortwaves of ours, bringing you a couple of interesting shows to hopefully pique your imagination.

The first Imaginary Stations offering is on Saturday 14th June 2025 at 1100 hrs UTC on 6160 kHz and then again on Sunday 15th June 2025 at 0900/1300 hrs UTC on 6160 kHz and at 2000 UTC on 3975 kHz and 6160 kHz (via the services of Shortwave Gold) and it’s the second episode of Starship Skybird.

Like our first episode do expect more sounds from space, tunes from across the cosmos and if all goes well, we’ll have a reknowned astronomer on hand to give us a live commentary on what they can see in the night sky from the station’s roof (subject to weather and atmospheric conditions of course). Tune in that shortwave radio and join us reaching for the stars and beyond!

On Wednesday 18th June 2025 via WRMI  at 0200 UTC we bring you some audio excitement with the Kearsarge Mountain Transmission Service, KMTS. Expect some strange and wonderful music and sounds from the radio spectrum. 

More on Starship Skybird here:

For more information on all our shows, please write to [email protected] and check out our old shows at our Mixcloud page here.

FastRadioBurst 23

AP: Congressional letter obtained by AP outlines drastic job cuts expected at Voice of America

(Source: The Associated Press)

Congressional letter obtained by AP outlines drastic job cuts expected at Voice of America

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration appointee overseeing the Voice of America has outlined job cuts that would reduce employment at the state-run news organization from over 1,000 people to 81.

The Voice of America, which has delivered news to countries all over the world for the better part of a century, has been largely silent for two months following an executive order by President Donald Trump. He believes Voice of America, and similar organizations like Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, have reported with a liberal bias.

Most of VOA’s employees have been on administrative leave since mid-March amid reports that layoff notices were forthcoming.

Kari Lake, who has been overseeing the U.S. Agency for Global Media for Trump, outlined planned employment changes in a letter Tuesday to U.S. Sen. James Risch that was obtained by The Associated Press. Lake said Trump had directed the agency “to reduce the performance of its statutory functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function required by law.” [Continue reading…]