Shortwave listening and everything radio including reviews, broadcasting, ham radio, field operation, DXing, maker kits, travel, emergency gear, events, and more
Radio ZP-30: (Russia) Drone attack repelled; 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany defeat:
Part of Paraguay’s Radio ZP-30 news bulletin (in German) about a Ukrainian drone attack repelled by Russian army, and the preparations for the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany defeat by Soviet Union. Listened in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on a Xhdata d-808 receiver.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares the following illustrated radio listening report of a special Radio Nacional de España broadcast. Note that the Spanish version of this post follows the English version:
This illustrated radio listening report was particularly special to me. It’s a radio station’s acknowledge of the importance of a battery-powered radio in emergency situations.
Spain went through a massive blackout, which left the population used to mobiles without knowing what to do. But then along comes the simple battery-powered AM-FM radio, a device that in developed countries ends up being despised and overlooked, since with a cell phone you can have access to news from all over the world.
However, there’s one *tiny* detail.
No matter how modern (and expensive) a mobile is, it can only work with electricity and, of course, a cell phone signal. And, in a massive blackout like the one Spain, Portugal and parts of Europe were facing, with no cell phone signal or Internet, mobile is useless.
Well, I can speak about this subject with authority, since last year in Porto Alegre, where I live, a flood left me without electricity, telephone and Internet for 6 days.
But back to Radio Nacional de España. They broadcasted today a compilation of audios from news aired by the station during the blackout, and what draws attention is the fact that it highlights the importance of radio in critical situations. One of the phrases in this compilation is pithy:
“Es el dia de los transistores, los viejos, los de pila.”
(It’s the day of radio receivers, the old ones, the ones with batteries).
And there are testimonies from people who said they gathered their neighbors to listen to the news on the radio, or even put a radio on their balcony connected to a speaker so that the neighbors could hear the news from Radio Nacional de España. I believe this was the first time I heard a major broadcaster making such a clear recognition of the importance of the radio.
The younger generations will have to learn that they cannot depend solely and exclusively on the Internet.
Informe Ilustrado de Escucha de Radio y Grabación de Radio Nacional de España de Carlos (29 de abril de 2025)
Muchas gracias al colaborador de SWLing Post y reconocido caricaturista político, Carlos Latuff, quien comparte el siguiente informe ilustrado de escucha de una emisión especial de Radio Nacional de España:
Este reportaje ilustrado sobre la escucha de radio fue especial para mí.
Es el reconocimiento de una emisora ??a la importancia de una radio de pilas en situaciones de emergencia.
España sufrió un apagón masivo que dejó a la población acostumbrada a los móviles sin saber qué hacer. Pero entonces apareció la sencilla radio AM-FM de pilas, un dispositivo que en los países desarrollados acaba siendo despreciado e ignorado, ya que con un móvil se puede acceder a noticias de todo el mundo.
Sin embargo, hay un *pequeño* detalle.
Por muy moderno (y caro) que sea un móvil, solo funciona con electricidad y, por supuesto, con señal. Y, en un apagón masivo como el que sufrieron España, Portugal y partes de Europa, sin señal ni internet, el móvil es inútil.
Bueno, puedo hablar de este tema con total autoridad, ya que el año pasado en Porto Alegre, donde vivo, una inundación me dejó sin electricidad, teléfono ni internet durante seis días.
Pero volvamos a Radio Nacional de España. Hoy han emitido una recopilación de audios de noticias emitidas por la emisora ??durante el apagón, y lo que llama la atención es que resalta la importancia de la radio en situaciones críticas. Una de las frases de esta recopilación es concisa:
“Es el día de los transistores, los viejos, los de pila”.
Y hay testimonios de personas que dijeron haber reunido a sus vecinos para escuchar las noticias por la radio, o incluso haber puesto una radio en su balcón conectada a un altavoz para que los vecinos pudieran escuchar las noticias de Radio Nacional de España. Creo que fue la primera vez que escuché a una gran emisora ??reconocer tan claramente la importancia de la radio.
Las generaciones más jóvenes tendrán que aprender que no pueden depender única y exclusivamente de internet.
Rádio Exterior de España returns to shortwave one day after the massive blackout that affected Spain and other regions of Europe. Porto Alegre, April 29, 18h13 UTC.
RNE Addendum
Carlos also originally confirmed that Radio Nacional de España was operational again on April 29, 2025. He noted:
Rádio Exterior de España returns to shortwave one day after the massive blackout that affected Spain and other regions of Europe. Porto Alegre, April 29, 18h13 UTC.
Massive blackout in Spain, Radio La Red, Argentina, 910 kHz AM:
Part of Radio La Red news bulletin (In Spanish) about the massive blackout in Spain. Listened (indoor) in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on a Xhdata d-808 receiver.
With the massive blackout that hit Spain, Portugal and other regions of Europe on Monday, April 28, once again the good old battery-powered radio proved to be the king. Without electricity, cell phone or Internet signal, people turned to the radio to stay informed. These are just some of the posts that flooded Twitter, from Spaniards grateful to have a simple battery-powered AM-FM receiver in their homes. Does anyone still have any doubts about the importance of the radio?
One BBC article captured a personal account of how radio became a vital lifeline. SWLing Post contributor Balázs Kovács shared this note from the BBC Live Update:
Meanwhile, a friend of our family living in Barcelona reported that her Sony ICF-SW100 proved invaluable during the blackout.
While phone and internet services were unavailable, her SW100 kept her connected to critical news and updates.
In another update, our friend Carlos Latuff noted that Radio Exterior de España — Spain’s external broadcaster — was off the air on shortwave frequencies, likely due to the blackout.
Carlos shared this video from Porto Alegre at 20:26 UTC:
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares illustrated radio listening report covering the funeral of Pope Francis from several international and local broadcasters.
Carlos notes:
Funeral of Pope Francis: BBC, Vatican Radio, NHK and Radio Mitre:
Part of news bulletins from four radio stations (BBC, Vatican Radio, NHK and Radio Mitre) about Pope Francis funeral. Listened in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on a Xhdata D-808 receiver.
