{"id":34642,"date":"2018-10-28T07:27:43","date_gmt":"2018-10-28T11:27:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=34642"},"modified":"2018-10-28T07:27:43","modified_gmt":"2018-10-28T11:27:43","slug":"pure-nostalgia-marks-shortwave-recording-of-radio-tahiti-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/10\/pure-nostalgia-marks-shortwave-recording-of-radio-tahiti-music\/","title":{"rendered":"Pure nostalgia: Mark’s shortwave recording of Radio Tahiti music"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

(Map Source: Wikimedia Commons)<\/p><\/div>\n

Many thanks to SWLing Post<\/em> contributor,\u00a0Mark Pettifor, who writes:<\/p>\n

One of the great things about DXing and SWLing is the variety of music\u00a0 one can hear. One of my favorite stations to listen to on shortwave for “exotic music” was Radio Tahiti, Papeete, French Polynesia, when they were still on shortwave.<\/p>\n

If my memory serves me correctly, I believe something happened to the transmitter, and they never got back on SW. They were on mediumwave through December of 2016 (738 kHz); now they are on FM only. (Maybe us hobbyists should start a funding website to put them back on shortwave!)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Many a Saturday night I would turn on the DX-160 (my first SW rig) and let it warm up for a while, before tuning in 15170 to see how band conditions were. If the band was good, I’d get ready to record through the air. Once I started recording, I’d often leave the room and shut the door, because having three brothers around meant the possibilities were high for having “extraneous interference” on my recordings.<\/p>\n

Saturday evenings were a good time to tune in, because of a music program that aired with a good selection of island music. The program had an announcer who spoke in the island vernacular (Tahitian?), and when that program ended they switched to French.<\/p>\n

Here is a 30-min recording of Radio Tahiti on 15170 kHz from a while ago, most likely around one of the solar maxima of either 1980 or 1991. I’m leaning toward the 1980 cycle. My apologies for not being able to be more specific than that. I kept terrible records of my recordings. This would be recorded either with the DX-160 or a DX-302. Apologies too for the jump in volume at around the 2:37 mark.<\/p>\n

So close your eyes, imagine you are lying in a hammock on a beach somewhere in the South Pacific, with a warm breeze off the ocean and your favorite cooled beverage nearby, listening to some of the best island music anywhere.<\/p><\/blockquote>\nhttps:\/\/archive.org\/download\/RadioTahitiShortwaveTDKC601B_201810\/RadioTahiti_Shortwave_TDK_C60_1B.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

Click here to download an MP3 of this recording.<\/a><\/p>\n

Wow Mark!\u00a0 Thank you so much for sharing this recording–it certainly brings back memories of listening to Radio Tahiti on my Zenith Trans-Oceanic!<\/p>\n

Post<\/em> readers: Anyone else cruise Radio Tahiti for the amazing music?\u00a0 Please comment!<\/p>\n

\n

Do you enjoy the SWLing Post?<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Please consider supporting us via\u00a0Patreon<\/span><\/a>\u00a0or our\u00a0Coffee<\/span>\u00a0Fund<\/span><\/a>!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Your support is greatly appreciated. Thank you!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor,\u00a0Mark Pettifor, who writes: One of the great things about DXing and SWLing is the variety of music\u00a0 one can hear. One of my favorite stations to listen to on shortwave for “exotic music” was Radio Tahiti, Papeete, French Polynesia, when they were still on shortwave. If my memory serves […]<\/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":[3,305,746,43,5],"tags":[7396,7397,4106,737,7398],"class_list":["post-34642","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","category-nostalgia","category-recordings","category-shortwave-radio","category-swlers","tag-mark-pettifor","tag-radio-tahiti","tag-recordings","tag-shortwave-radio-recordings","tag-tahiti"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-90K","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":34647,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/10\/lennart-shares-radio-tahiti-qsls\/","url_meta":{"origin":34642,"position":0},"title":"Lennart shares Radio Tahiti QSLs","author":"Thomas","date":"October 29, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor,\u00a0Lennart Weirell, who writes: The posting about Mark's shortwave recording of Radio Tahiti brings back memories from the 80s. In 1982 I visited Tahiti with my family during a holiday from Malaysia, where I was working at that time, and could listen to Radio Tahiti\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","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\/2018\/10\/QSL-1-Tahiti-1024x745.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/QSL-1-Tahiti-1024x745.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/QSL-1-Tahiti-1024x745.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10733,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/09\/nothing-on-the-bands-check-out-the-shortwave-radio-audio-archive\/","url_meta":{"origin":34642,"position":1},"title":"Nothing on the bands? Check out the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive!","author":"Thomas","date":"September 6, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Alas! Lately,\u00a0the sun has been playing tricks on those of us who\u00a0enjoy\u00a0the magic of radio wave propagation. Due to solar disruptions in the ionosphere, propagation has been fickle, albeit with a few good openings. And it's not likely to get any better or more predictable over the next couple of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"SWRAA-Shortwave-Archive-iTunes-Logo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/SWRAA-Shortwave-Archive-iTunes-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":63453,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2025\/07\/dan-takes-us-on-a-south-pacific-tour\/","url_meta":{"origin":34642,"position":2},"title":"Dan takes us on a South Pacific Tour!","author":"Thomas","date":"July 25, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Greenall, who writes: In years gone by, many Pacific island nations relied on shortwave radio to air their programs across the vast expanses of ocean. These included countries such as Kiribati, Tahiti, Fiji, Saipan, New Caledonia, the Marshall Islands, Cook Islands, and Papua\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","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\/2025\/07\/KTWR-1984--scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/KTWR-1984--scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/KTWR-1984--scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/KTWR-1984--scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/KTWR-1984--scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/KTWR-1984--scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11134,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/10\/shortwave-radio-recordings-the-talking-machine-show\/","url_meta":{"origin":34642,"position":3},"title":"Shortwave Radio Recordings: The Talking Machine Show","author":"Thomas","date":"October 20, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"For your listening pleasure: 30 minutes of \u00a0The Talking Machine Show\u00a0via WWCR. This broadcast was recorded October 18, 2014 at 2300 UTC, on the shortwave frequency of 9350 kHz. A big hat tip\u00a0to SWLing Post reader,\u00a0Thomas Ally, who first\u00a0informed me about The Talking Machine Show\u00a0via WWCR. As many of you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"EdisonRecordSleeveLivingArtist","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/EdisonRecordSleeveLivingArtist.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":8825,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/02\/more-1968-recordings-on-the-shortwave-radio-audio-archive\/","url_meta":{"origin":34642,"position":4},"title":"More 1968 recordings on the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive","author":"Thomas","date":"February 23, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"I've now added a total of five recordings by David Firth, circa 1968, to the SW Radio Audio Archive. Click below for direct links: Voice of America Radio Australia Radio Peking Radio Switzerland Radio Moscow Note that you can subscribe to the SW Radio Audio Archive as a podcast via\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"IMG_0135","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/IMG_0135-300x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":8667,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/01\/shortwave-radio-recordings-behavior-night-3\/","url_meta":{"origin":34642,"position":5},"title":"Shortwave Radio Recordings: beHAVior Night","author":"Thomas","date":"January 23, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"For your listening pleasure:\u00a0beHAVior Night, a shortwave radio show\u00a0which showcases music from the first four decades of the 20th Century. This show was recorded on Friday, January 17, 2014--last week. You can catch beHAVior Friday afternoon\/evening at 17:00 EST\/22:00 UTC on 7,490 kHz (WBCQ). Click here to download the recording\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Gramophone","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Gramophone.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34642","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=34642"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34642\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34642"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34642"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34642"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}