{"id":34637,"date":"2018-10-27T07:13:50","date_gmt":"2018-10-27T11:13:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=34637"},"modified":"2018-10-27T07:13:50","modified_gmt":"2018-10-27T11:13:50","slug":"why-shortwave-radio-makes-an-idea-a-powerful-weapon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/10\/why-shortwave-radio-makes-an-idea-a-powerful-weapon\/","title":{"rendered":"Why shortwave radio makes an idea &#8220;a powerful weapon&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Digitech-AR-1780-keypad-closeup-radio-dial-e1515698199697.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-30160\" src=\"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Digitech-AR-1780-keypad-closeup-radio-dial-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"625\" height=\"469\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Many thanks to <em>SWLing Post<\/em> contributors Rich Cuff and Mike Hansgen who share the following Op Ed piece from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smh.com.au\/national\/an-idea-is-a-powerful-weapon-why-radio-is-the-answer-20181023-p50bf9.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the Sydney Morning Herald<\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>Warning: put down any power tools and ensure you\u2019re not operating heavy machinery before you read the next sentence. We\u2019ve been outflanked!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Of course, unless you\u2019re completely benighted or under some sort of strange, personal news blackout that prevents you even glancing at the front pages of newspapers, you\u2019ll probably have already realised that China is extending and developing its relations with our close Pacific neighbours. This was, after all, only to be expected. Beijing and Taipei have long recognised the value of these countries\u2019 votes in the United Nations; it&#8217;s not much of a step from there to glance at the map and recognise the islands\u2019 have other significance as well. As China began expanding its international reach it was only natural it would similarly strengthen other relationships, including defence links.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">[&#8230;]Nature abhors a vacuum and so, as we\u2019ve been demonstrating less and less interest in this region, others have occupied the space.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The clearest example of this has been the strategically idiotic, fiscally-driven and wilfully blind destruction of Canberra&#8217;s lone voice in the region, the (once vital) ABC shortwave service, Radio Australia.<\/p>\n<p>Sure, the internet\u2019s better than a crackly radio signal. But simply to access the net requires computers and bandwidth, neither of which are readily available to the audiences in the South Pacific. And even if someone can manage to obtain a connection, the next problem is finding services, particularly news and information ones, that are relevant to your situation.<\/p>\n<p>Someone in Apia (Samoa) is unlikely to be transfixed by events in Adelaide (South Australia) unless, of course, it\u2019s their Seven\u2019s team playing at the oval. Similarly a person in Buka (Bougainville) is likely to be bored by reports from Belgrade or Bulgaria, although not information about BHP Billiton. RA provided an independent, reliable news service specifically dedicated to the needs of its audience. Critically, it offered a vital, secure and trusted way of connecting islanders to their capitals and, through that, to the world.<\/p>\n<p>The big advantage of shortwave services was that they could be heard; were relevant; and formed a starting point for a community. But as far as the ABC was concerned the broadcasts were nothing more than a big bag of money to raid in order to boost its domestic budget.[&#8230;]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smh.com.au\/national\/an-idea-is-a-powerful-weapon-why-radio-is-the-answer-20181023-p50bf9.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read this full article at The Sydney Morning Herald.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many thanks to SWLing Post contributors Rich Cuff and Mike Hansgen who share the following Op Ed piece from the Sydney Morning Herald: Warning: put down any power tools and ensure you\u2019re not operating heavy machinery before you read the next sentence. We\u2019ve been outflanked! Of course, unless you\u2019re completely benighted or under some sort [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[960,3,43],"tags":[3422,7395,1012,367,4655],"class_list":["post-34637","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international-broadcasting","category-news","category-shortwave-radio","tag-mike-k8rat","tag-opinion","tag-richard-cuff","tag-sydney-morning-herald","tag-why-shortwave"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-90F","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":34257,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/09\/shortwave-radio-evolves-into-an-iot-network\/","url_meta":{"origin":34637,"position":0},"title":"&#8220;Shortwave radio evolves into an IoT network&#8221;","author":"Thomas","date":"September 26, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source:\u00a0Maritime Digitalisation & Communications via Richard Cuff) KNL Networks is building a mesh network of base stations on ships for securely transmitting operational and machinery data to shore Shortwave radio can be used for data transmissions from ships to shore and between vessels as an alternative, or even complementary, service\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Spectrum-Digital-Modes-1024x486.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Spectrum-Digital-Modes-1024x486.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Spectrum-Digital-Modes-1024x486.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":59082,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/02\/eton-elite-executive-on-sale-for-150\/","url_meta":{"origin":34637,"position":1},"title":"Eton Elite Executive on sale for $150","author":"Thomas","date":"February 24, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Richard Cuff, who notes that the Eton Elite Executive shortwave portable is on sale via LifeHacker for $150. Click here to check it out!","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Deals&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Deals","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/deals\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Elite-Executive.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Elite-Executive.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Elite-Executive.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":64685,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2025\/11\/radyo-pilipinas-world-service-rpws-returns-to-shortwave\/","url_meta":{"origin":34637,"position":2},"title":"Radyo Pilipinas World Service (RPWS) Returns to Shortwave","author":"Thomas","date":"November 21, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Richard Cuff, who shares the following news via the Philippine News Agency: The government\u2019s international service, Radyo Pilipinas World Service (RPWS), is set to resume shortwave broadcasts on 1 December 2025 from the Philippines Transmitting Station in Tinang, Tarlac. The relaunch comes through a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;International Broadcasting&quot;","block_context":{"text":"International Broadcasting","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/international-broadcasting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Tecsun-PL-990x-PL-990-9.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Tecsun-PL-990x-PL-990-9.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Tecsun-PL-990x-PL-990-9.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Tecsun-PL-990x-PL-990-9.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Tecsun-PL-990x-PL-990-9.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Tecsun-PL-990x-PL-990-9.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":30862,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/02\/budget-proposes-drastic-cuts-to-radio-marti\/","url_meta":{"origin":34637,"position":3},"title":"Budget proposes drastic cuts to Radio Mart\u00ed","author":"Thomas","date":"February 15, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Note that the Edward R. Murrow Transmitting Station--the last VOA\/BBG transmitting site in the US--is the main provider of Radio Marti over shortwave. No doubt, this proposed cut could close the site permanently. The end of an era. (Source: Miami Herald via Mike Hansgen) Trump\u2019s budget includes drastic cuts to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Broadcasters&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/VOA-site-B-Wallpaper-MainBuilding2-1-1024x640.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/VOA-site-B-Wallpaper-MainBuilding2-1-1024x640.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/VOA-site-B-Wallpaper-MainBuilding2-1-1024x640.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6783,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2013\/06\/bbc-world-service-audience-increase\/","url_meta":{"origin":34637,"position":4},"title":"BBC World Service audience increase","author":"Thomas","date":"June 26, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Richard Cuff shares this information regarding the BBC World Service: Shared link: http:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/culture\/tvandradio\/bbc\/10139865\/World-Service-triumphs-in-the-face-of-adversity.html An article in the Daily Telegraph reflecting on the BBC's\u00a0recently-released audience figures, showing a year-over-year increase-- attributed to Persian and Arabic TV. Note the hopeful tone - the World Service budget is actually slated to\u00a0increase as of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Broadcasters&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"BBC-World-Service-007","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/BBC-World-Service-007-300x180.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":63613,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2025\/08\/old-school-static-wins-the-spy-wars\/","url_meta":{"origin":34637,"position":5},"title":"&#8220;Old-school static wins the spy wars&#8221;","author":"Thomas","date":"August 11, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Richard Cuff, who shares this Komando.com piece on how old-school shortwave number stations remain active in espionage. Intelligence services \u2014 notably Russia \u2014 still send coded beeps and voice-read numbers using one-time pads because radio is simple, anonymous, and hard to trace. Sure, we\u2019re\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/SWLingPost-Numbers1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/SWLingPost-Numbers1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/SWLingPost-Numbers1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34637","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34637"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34637\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34637"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34637"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34637"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}