{"id":62314,"date":"2025-03-09T07:33:09","date_gmt":"2025-03-09T11:33:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=62314"},"modified":"2025-03-09T07:33:09","modified_gmt":"2025-03-09T11:33:09","slug":"finding-the-kookaburra-on-shortwave-past-and-present","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2025\/03\/finding-the-kookaburra-on-shortwave-past-and-present\/","title":{"rendered":"Finding the Kookaburra on Shortwave\u2014Past and Present"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

Photo by Matthew Willimott via Unsplash<\/p><\/div>\n

Many thanks to SWLing Post<\/em> contributor, Dan Greenall, who writes:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hi Thomas<\/p>\n

I still have warm memories of tuning into Radio Australia on 9580 kHz at sunrise during my early days of shortwave listening. They would sign on with their Waltzing Matilda interval signal and the sound of the kookaburra bird.<\/p>\n

While doing some listening on the SDR of my friend Ken (VE3HLS) who has retired to northern Thailand, I have discovered you can still hear the kookaburra on shortwave by tuning into Reach Beyond Australia. Their broadcast to Myanmar in Burmese from 1500 to 1530 UTC on 11900 kHz can be very well heard on this Kiwi. There is a brief English announcement at sign and sign off, as well as a few seconds of “kookaburra chatter.”<\/p>\n

Attached are two recordings, the first at sign on (March 7, 2025) and the second at sign off (December 1, 2024).<\/p>\nhttps:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Reach-Beyond-Australia-sign-on-ve3hls.proxy_.kiwisdr.com_2025-03-07T14_59_26Z_11900.00_am.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\nhttps:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Reach-Beyond-Australia-Dec-1-2024.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

Also I’ve included a link to Interval Signals Online where you can find the old Radio Australia sign on.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.intervalsignals.net\/<\/a><\/p>\n

73<\/p>\n

Dan Greenall VE3HLC, London, Ontario, Canada<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Greenall, who writes: Hi Thomas I still have warm memories of tuning into Radio Australia on 9580 kHz at sunrise during my early days of shortwave listening. They would sign on with their Waltzing Matilda interval signal and the sound of the kookaburra bird. While doing some listening […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","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":[3,305,43],"tags":[10271,94,10728,368,6082],"class_list":["post-62314","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","category-nostalgia","category-shortwave-radio","tag-dan-greenall","tag-interval-signals","tag-kookaburra","tag-radio-australia","tag-reach-beyond-australia"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-gd4","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":61829,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2025\/01\/dan-revisits-radio-japan-a-half-century-later\/","url_meta":{"origin":62314,"position":0},"title":"Dan Revisits Radio Japan: A Half-Century Later","author":"Thomas","date":"January 24, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dan Greenall, who shares: Running into an old friend Hi Thomas I was doing some random tuning on shortwave this evening using the KiwiSDR at VK2ATZ in New South Wales, Australia, when I came upon a repeating music box-like tune on 13705 kHz that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Guest Posts"","block_context":{"text":"Guest Posts","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/guest-posts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Radio-Japan-QSL-Dan-Greenall-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Radio-Japan-QSL-Dan-Greenall-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Radio-Japan-QSL-Dan-Greenall-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Radio-Japan-QSL-Dan-Greenall-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Radio-Japan-QSL-Dan-Greenall-1.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":27780,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/08\/ozy-radio-returns\/","url_meta":{"origin":62314,"position":1},"title":"Ozy Radio Returns","author":"Rob Wagner","date":"August 28, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"The flea-powered Ozy Radio has begun testing on 5045 kHz in the 60-meter band. First noted here in Australia on August 28, the station has been missing for several years from its former 3210 kHz allocation. The location has been reported as Razorback, New South Wales, but I have not\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/L1nm7zzcFN0\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":65385,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2026\/02\/music-on-shortwave-from-down-under\/","url_meta":{"origin":62314,"position":2},"title":"Music on Shortwave from Down Under","author":"Thomas","date":"February 20, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"by Dan Greenall Sometimes, while I\u2019m puttering around at my desk, I like to listen to some music on the radio without the chatter of commercials and other talk interruptions. Now, in the dead of winter here in Canada, I often find myself looking for stations in warmer climates to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Music"","block_context":{"text":"Music","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/music\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Online-247.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Online-247.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Online-247.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Online-247.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Online-247.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":57327,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2023\/07\/radio-botswana-barnyard-sounds-mystery\/","url_meta":{"origin":62314,"position":3},"title":"Radio Botswana barnyard sounds mystery","author":"Thomas","date":"July 23, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post and SRAA contributor, Dan Greenall, who shares the following off-air shortwave radio recording and writes: In all of the recordings of Radio Botswana\u2019s famous barnyard interval signal I can find, the barnyard sounds are accompanied by the sound of cowbells. There is usually a rooster\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\/2015\/08\/HalliDial.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/HalliDial.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/HalliDial.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/HalliDial.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":65726,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2026\/04\/bbc-interval-signals-then-and-now\/","url_meta":{"origin":62314,"position":4},"title":"BBC Interval Signals \u2013 Then and Now","author":"Thomas","date":"April 3, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"by Dan Greenall A half century ago, the BBC World Service used a number of different interval signals. \u00a0 A few minutes prior to the start of a broadcast, a recognizable, often repeating tune would be played that would enable listeners to more easily locate the BBC in a crowded\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\/2026\/04\/BBC-Ascension-1970-front.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/BBC-Ascension-1970-front.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/BBC-Ascension-1970-front.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/BBC-Ascension-1970-front.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/BBC-Ascension-1970-front.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":60019,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/06\/can-you-help-dan-identify-this-mystery-interval-signal\/","url_meta":{"origin":62314,"position":5},"title":"Can you help Dan identify this mystery interval signal?","author":"Thomas","date":"June 17, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to Dan Greenall, one of our dedicated Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributors, who writes: Hi Thomas I was going over a few of my old cassettes today and discovered what seems to be an interval signal, but I cannot seem to place it. Recording: Unfortunately, all I can\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Photo by Sai Harish on Unsplash","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Casette-Tape-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Casette-Tape-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Casette-Tape-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Casette-Tape-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Casette-Tape-1.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62314","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=62314"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62314\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":62318,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62314\/revisions\/62318"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62314"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=62314"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=62314"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}