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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Greenall, who writes:
It seems that fewer shortwave broadcasters utilize an interval signal these days. However, of the ones that do, at least a couple seem to have stood the test of time, going back over 50 years. The bellbird from Radio New Zealand comes to mind, and then FEBA, once broadcasting from the Seychelles Islands, and now airing programs from different transmitter sites, continues to use “What a Friend We have in Jesus”.
Listen to this signature tune here:
FEBA Seychelles recorded February 22, 1973 around 1800 UTC on 11955 kHz, as heard in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada:
FEBA radio via transmitter at Al-Dhabbiyah, UAE (using SDR at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) recorded June 24, 2025 signing off at 0230 UTC on 9540 kHz:
KTWR, Trans World Radio has recently announced they will be ending their shortwave broadcasts from Agana, Guam by October 31, 2025. However, unlike some stations that have vanished somewhat abruptly, there are still a few months remaining to log this station before they are gone from the airwaves forever. As well, with the help of various SDR’s located around the globe, this task should not be too difficult. The attached recording was made this past weekend on June 8, 2025, through the use of a Kiwi SDR located in northern Thailand on a frequency of 11965 kHz. At first, there is just background noise, but then, you will hear their transmitter come onto the air and power up for a few seconds. Their interval signal is played a number of times followed by sign on in English at 1100 hours UTC.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dan Greenall, who writes:
Hi Thomas:
One of the benefits of DXing in 2025 is the ability to tune into a signal far from your listening post, yet still get strong, generally clear reception, all by simply finding a suitable receiver much closer to the station’s transmitter site. Well, sometimes it is not quite that simple. For example, the selection of Kiwi SDR’s from which to choose, is far less in Africa and South America than what is available in Europe or the USA.
Tonight, I came across a decent signal on 4775 kHz while listening on a Kiwi located in Lima, Peru. Just after 2300 UTC (when I began this brief recording), the announcer began rattling off a bunch of station call letters and frequencies in Spanish. This was followed by “Transmite Radio Tarma. Desde Tarma, Peru en America del Sur.” The program that followed was called “Antena Deportiva”, or Sports Antenna in English. This program can be found listed on their website.
Recording:
Tarma, Peru is nestled in the Andes Mountains somewhat northeast of Lima. According to Short-wave.info, their power is listed as 1 kw.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Greenall, who writes:
Many years ago, I used to enjoy listening to distant stations that broadcast a regular English language program to Eastern North America (where I live). They would generally have a newscast and commentary, which was often followed by a daily feature that would help a listener better understand what life was like in other parts of the world.
This type of programming is harder to find these days, but I was recently pleasantly surprised to find that the Tibet Autonomous Region of China (or Xizang in Chinese) has had a couple of daily broadcasts in English for some time. The programs are called “Hello Xizang”. According to their website, Hello Xizang “covers everything from social issues to traditional culture. It brings you news, stories and in-depth reports happening in Xizang. Check it out to gain an insight into modern Xizang and feel the pulse of contemporary Xizang.”
Hello Xizang is an hour long program in English between 0700 and 0800 UTC, and again from 1600 to 1700 UTC (most convenient time for me). A few frequencies to try are 4905, 4920, 6200 and 7255 kHz.
This schedule may not work too well for listeners in North America but quality reception can be had through the use of various SDR’s located closer to the transmitter site. I often use the Kiwi SDR of VE3HLS (Ken) who has retired in northern Thailand, from which I made the attached recording of their switch over from Tibetan to English programming:
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dan Greenall for once again sharing a remarkable collection of vintage off-air AM radio recordings. In this post, he shares recordings made from his home and during his travels across North America and the Caribbean.
Dan writes:
Hi Thomas
Judging by the interest on my Internet Archive page, vintage AM radio audio clips from the 1970’s are among the most popular files. In addition to the one posted on the SRAA in September 2023, here are the remaining ones I have to take you back 50 years.
VOA Marathon 1973
The Voice of America station from Marathon Key, Florida is heard signing off on its frequency of 1180 kHz. This recording was made while on vacation in West End, Bahamas in December 1973. Reception of the station in much of North America was tough due to the signal being south beamed to Cuba. However, at least one listener in New Zealand managed reception as evidenced by the attached QSL image from 1972.
ZNS3 Bahamas 1973
ZNS3 radio on 1060 kHz from Freeport, Bahamas is heard with a station identification jingle. The recording was made while on vacation in West End (near Freeport) on Grand Bahama Island in December 1973.
Bermuda AM/FM airchecks 1975
Brief airchecks from 5 local radio stations recorded while visiting Bermuda in March 1975. They are as follows:
ZBM1 1230 kHz
ZBM2 1340 kHz
ZBM-FM 89.1 MHz
ZFB1 960 kHz
ZFB-FM 94.9 MHz
WVMT Burlington VT 1975
Brief aircheck from radio station WVMT in Burlington, Vermont on 620 kHz recorded in March 1975 in Montreal, Quebec. Starts with “Mandy” by Barry Manilow, station ID, then into NBC news.
XERF Ciudad Acuna, Mexico 1971
Short audio recording of radio XERF on 1570 kHz as received in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada in November 1971.
“This is radio station XERF in Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila, Mexico. This is Paul Kallinger, your good neighbor along the way.”
Used a Hallicrafters S-52 communications receiver and a longwire antenna.
KPCR Bowling Green, MO 1973
KPCR radio in Bowling Green, Missouri as heard in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada on 1530 kHz during an overnight DX test on December 17, 1973. They only ran 1000 watts, but 50 kw WCKY in Cincinnati was off the air that night. Used a Realistic DX150A receiver and a longwire antenna.
KFDI Wichita, KS 1974
A brief aircheck from KFDI Radio 1070 in Wichita, Kansas as heard in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada on February 22, 1974. Receiving equipment was a Realistic DX150A using a longwire antenna.
WDXR Paducah, KY 1974
WDXR radio in Paducah, Kentucky is heard signing off for their broadcast day. This recording was made circa 1974 while they were operating on 1560 kHz. Receiver location was Ancaster, Ontario, Canada and equipment was a Realistic DX150A and longwire antenna.
WANN Annapolis, MD 1974
A brief aircheck of WANN radio in Annapolis, Maryland heard here signing off for their broadcast day. The recording was made circa 1974 while they were operating on 1190 Khz, A lucky catch for me since WOWO in Fort Wayne, Indiana was usually heard on 1190. Receiver location was Ancaster, Ontario, Canada, (40 miles SW of Toronto) and equipment used was a Realistic DX150A and a longwire antenna.
WCPC Houston, MS circa 1974
One of the easiest ways to log the state of Mississippi on the AM broadcast band in the 1970’s from my location near Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, was WCPC in Houston, MS on 940 kHz around local sunset. Here they are giving a station ID as heard on a Realistic DX-150A receiver and a long wire antenna.
XEMO Tiajuana, Mexico circa 1971
Here is a brief English language aircheck from radio station XEMO in Tiajuana, Mexico as received in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada (a distance of 3392 km or 2108 miles) circa 1971. They were broadcasting on their frequency of 860 kHz. At the very end, there is a quick “X E M O Tiajuana Mexico” in Spanish.
WGR Buffalo, NY 1973
Here is a brief aircheck/jingle from radio station WGR in Buffalo, New York on 550 kHz as recorded in 1973 at Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. That same year, the song “Get Down” by Gilbert O’Sullivan reached number 7 on the Billboard Top 100, and WGR aired it regularly as heard here in the second recording, Most of the time they would just ID as “GR-55”.
Vintage AM radio airchecks 1975 recorded from Bermuda
These brief vintage AM broadcast band airchecks were recorded in March 1975 while vacationing in Warwick, Bermuda at the Belmont Hotel.
1. ZDK, Antigua, West Indies 1100 kHz
2. WKAQ, San Juan, Puerto Rico 580 kHz
3. Radio Paradise, Basse Terre, St. Kitts, West Indies 1265 kHz
4. WHN, New York, NY 1050 kHz
5. WKBR, Manchester, NH 1250 kHz
6. WRKO, Boston, MA 680 kHz
7. CFBC, St. John, NB, Canada 930 kHz
KKJO St. Joseph, MO 1973
In the wee hours of October 28, 1973, this DX recording was made of radio station KKJO in St. Joseph, MO broadcasting on 1550 kHz in the AM broadcast band. My receiving post was some 800 + miles distant in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. I was using a Realistic DX150A communications receiver hooked up to a long wire antenna. You can hear the station fade gradually in and out a number of times during the recording, but fortunately faded in around the 2:49 mark to catch their station ID and announcement about returning to Central Standard Time. Paul Simon’s “Kodachrome” is heard at first, and Art Garfunkel’s “All I Know” afterward, 2 very popular songs in 1973.
KRLD Dallas, TX 1974
KRLD in Dallas, Texas on 1080 kHz was not heard often at my listening post in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada during the 1970’s. WTIC in Hartford, CT was normally received on this frequency instead. Here is a recording made in early 1974 when KRLD managed to make it through. My receiver was a Realistic DX150A hooked up to a longwire antenna.
Vintage AM radio airchecks 1973 part 2
Here are a few more airchecks from the AM broadcast band recorded in 1973 at Ancaster, Ontario, Canada unless otherwise noted below.
1. WLW Cincinnati, OH 700 kHz
2. WIRK West Palm Beach, FL 1290 (recorded in West End, Bahamas)
3. WINZ Miami, FL 940 (recorded in West End, Bahamas)
4. WSMB New Orleans, LA 1350 (recorded in West End, Bahamas)
5. WDBO Orlando, FL 580 (recorded in West End, Bahamas)
6. WPOM Riviera Beach, FL 1600 (recorded in West End, Bahamas)
7. KFYR, Bismarck, ND 550
8. KWAM Memphis, TN 990
9. WPTR Albany, NY 1540
10. WOKY Milwaukee, WI 920
11. WIBC, Indianapolis, IN 1070
12. WPDX Clarksburg, WVA 750 (special DX test early hours of Feb. 18, 1974)
13. WMAQ Chicago, IL 670
14. WBT Charlotte, NC 1110
15. WNOE New Orleans, LA 1060
16. WSM Nashville, TN 650
17. WJR Detroit, MI 760
Since then, I had been intending to give a listen, and finally, last night (April 18 UTC) I was able to do so. It is only a brief 10-minute segment in both English and Spanish and runs roughly from 0150 to 0200 UTC:
I made the recording (above) on 11780 kHz through the use of a Kiwi SDR located near Rochester, New York. It was a bit of a tease, I think. 15 minutes in each language would be nice.
73
Dan Greenall, Ontario, Canada
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