Tag Archives: Radio Australia

Shortwave Radio Recordings: Radio Australia’s Jazz Notes

The Age National Times: Radio Australia may cut broadcasts to China/Indonesia

Thanks to Richard Cuff for bringing this item to my attention:

The ABC could soon abandon international shortwave radio broadcasts to China and Indonesia, ending more than 70 years of beaming news and current affairs on high frequency into Asia.

But the public broadcaster’s management insist it will not flick the switch on shortwave services of Radio Australia to Papua New Guinea and tiny Pacific nations for now.

ABC international chief Lynley Marshall said the older shortwave technology was still relevant in the Pacific, despite a drive to make mobile and internet devices the ”primary” way of delivering news.

Staff had grown increasingly alarmed in recent months that the shortwave service to the Pacific would be canned – including a popular Tok Pisin [a service we recently mentioned] to PNG – raising fears expats and locals would be vulnerable to dangerous news blackouts during natural disasters or regional strife.

Radio is the cheapest and most widespread source of news in poorer Pacific provinces. Most nations run only a 2G mobile network with little coverage outside capitals. When Prime Minister Julia Gillard visits Port Moresby on Thursday almost twice as many locals will hear news of the trip on radio than see it on television or read it in newspapers.[…]

Richard also posted this relevant comment in the SW Programs discussion list:

[…]I believe this would be the service more audible in Western Europe.

However the Pacific service – which is the service we’re more likely to hear in North America – appears to be safe for now, as mobile/Internet technologies aren’t adequate enough in that region.

Radio Australia has become my staple, reliable shortwave radio news and entertainment source. I certainly hope RA does not cut services in the same manner as RNW or RCI.

Shortwave Radio Recordings: Saturday Night Country

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Emma Swift is filling is hosting Saturday Night Country while Felicity Urquhart is on maternity leave. (Photo: Radio Australia)

Emma Swift is hosting Saturday Night Country while Felicity Urquhart is on maternity leave. (Photo: Radio Australia)

As on many Saturday mornings, this past weekend I sipped my morning coffee while listening to ABC’s Saturday Night Country from Radio Australia’s Shepparton shortwave transmission site on 9.58 MHz…some 9,800 miles from my home.

In this program, Emma Swift continues to fill in for Felicity Urquhart (who is on maternity leave). Swift, who is an amazing host and songwriter in her own right, focuses in this show on country drinking songs (amongst others) and on a few nostalgic country songs in the final set. Fortunately, I captured the whole show in two recordings.

Click here to download the first recording and here to download the second as MP3s. Alternatively, you can simply listen via the embedded player below:

The Archive.org download page for these recordings can be found here.

Shortwave Radio Recordings: Radio Australia, Jazz Notes

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This Jazz Notes starts with a performance of "evidence" by Thelonius Monk

This week’s Jazz Notes starts with the Thelonious Monk song”Evidence” interpreted by the Blaine Whitaker Group (Photo source: Ohio University)

This morning at 13:30 UTC, I enjoyed listening to 11,945 kHz, home of Radio Australia and their Wednesday music show, Jazz Notes. I recently posted a recording of Jazz Notes and described my fondness for this particular show. Moreover, I find that the sonic texture of the shortwave ether enhances the nostalgic character of one my very favorite music genres.

As on most mornings, the signal out of Shepparton, Australia, on 11,945 kHz was very strong; the audio fidelity was, in consequence, very impressive for a transmission emanating from some 9,800 miles away.

Click here to download the full recording of Jazz Notes as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Radio Australia’s Jazz Notes

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Jazz Notes presenter, Ivan Lloyd (Photo: Radio Australia)

One Radio Australia music program I make a point of listening to each week– besides Saturday Night Country–is a wonderful show called Jazz Notes.

Jazz Notes showcases the best in Australian jazz, often featuring new and original recordings made in ABC’s studios. The show is hosted by Ivan Lloyd and has been offered on Radio Australia for several years. I listen to the show every Wednesday morning at 8:30 am EST. If you’ve never heard of Jazz Notes, I can understand why, since it’s only a 30 minute show and begins at the half hour–but it’s certainly worth hearing.

Next week, make a point to tune your shortwave radio to 5940, 9580 or 11945 kHz on Wednesday at 13:30 UTC. As you will hear in the following recording, listeners in North America will be most impressed by the strong signal out of Shepparton, Australia, on 9,580 kHz. Even an inexpensive portable receiver can pick up this robust broadcast.

Click here to download the full recording of Jazz Notes as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Saturday Night Country takes you ‘down under’ for the holidays

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Felicity Urquhart, host of ABC’s Saturday Night Country. (photo: ABC)

If you’ve been reading the SWLing Post for long, you’ll know how much I love ABC’s Saturday Night Country, which I tune to every Saturday morning starting on 9,580 kHz.

Yesterday, host Felicity Urquhart produced another great mix of interviews and music, including some uniquely Australian Country Christmas songs.

You can download the recordings of the show as MP3s by clicking here for the first hour of Saturday Night Country on 9,580 kHz and here for the rest of the show on 11,945 kHz, or by simply listening via the embedded player below: