{"id":66271,"date":"2026-06-09T07:04:40","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T11:04:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=66271"},"modified":"2026-06-02T07:08:24","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T11:08:24","slug":"shortwave-memories-world-radio-tv-handbook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2026\/06\/shortwave-memories-world-radio-tv-handbook\/","title":{"rendered":"Shortwave Memories \u2014 World Radio-TV Handbook"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>by Karl D. Forth<\/b><\/p>\n

Reading through the 1971 World Radio-TV Handbook only as a reference source was interesting, but as I started listening more I also realized I felt part of what was happening \u2013 I could hear many of the countries described, one way or another.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve always liked directories. You can often learn more of what\u2019s happening than you can in a textbook.<\/p>\n

The 25th edition of the directory of international radio and television was published in 1971 in English in Hvidovre, Denmark, and printed in Great Britain.<\/p>\n

Looking at the information, organized by continent and country, you discovered that most European countries had a domestic network of AM and FM stations, including some very high-powered AM stations, along with domestic shortwave services and a full complement of what were called foreign services, the international broadcasts.<\/p>\n

In Africa, many listeners got their news from domestic shortwave broadcasters and some AM stations. In 1971, FM had not penetrated Africa except in a few places. Likewise, Asia had few FM broadcasters outside of Japan and a few other countries. All domestic broadcasts in Indonesia, for example, were on shortwave, there was no AM broadcasting at that time.<\/p>\n

I counted almost 75 advertisers in the 1971 WRTH, including many shortwave stations and makers of professional recording and studio equipment.<\/p>\n

Advertisers included Radio Moscow, Shure stereo cartridges, Voice of America, Radio RSA from South Africa, Radio Sweden, Continental Electronics, Hallicrafters, a Chicago area maker of shortwave radios, and Hammarlund Mfg. Co., a maker of top-line receivers.<\/p>\n

WRTH also had the music signature and description of the interval signal for dozens of stations.<\/p>\n

The United States listing in WRTH had only AM mediumwave stations with more than 10 kW, and no FM stations listed. Also included were Voice of America, and shortwave stations AFRTS, KGEI, WNYW, and WINB.<\/p>\n

Central and South America still had a bounty of mediumwave and shortwave stations, including many smaller private stations<\/p>\n

More than 23 countries were listed with DX programs. WRTH also listed time signal stations (almost every major country had one) and programs in Esperanto. TV had not achieved widespread coverage in many areas, although most countries had at least a few over-the-air channels.<\/p>\n

I should mention two other publications from 1971, both well-written and informative. The first issue of Communications World in 1971, from Davis Publications, was written by Don Jensen and was a great introduction to the hobby. That same year, Communications Handbook, published by Popular Electronics, came out, with a mediumwave and shortwave DXing overview written by Richard Wood that also featured very good descriptive writing and information.<\/p>\n

Karl D. Forth has been interested in radio and DXing for more than 50 years. This story was included in the book Radio Nights and Distant Signals.<\/i><\/p>\n

Karl D. Forth has been interested in radio and DXing for more than 50 years. This story was included in the book Radio Nights and Distant Signals<\/a><\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Please note: all Amazon links are affiliate links that support the SWLing Post at no cost to you.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Karl D. Forth Reading through the 1971 World Radio-TV Handbook only as a reference source was interesting, but as I started listening more I also realized I felt part of what was happening \u2013 I could hear many of the countries described, one way or another. I\u2019ve always liked directories. You can often learn […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_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},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3,305,43],"tags":[11102,5751,208,193],"class_list":["post-66271","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","category-nostalgia","category-shortwave-radio","tag-karl-d-forth","tag-shortwave-memories","tag-world-radio-and-tv-handbook","tag-wrth"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-heT","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":65927,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/shortwave-memories-go-go-radio-moscow\/","url_meta":{"origin":66271,"position":0},"title":"Shortwave Memories — Go Go Radio Moscow","author":"Thomas","date":"May 1, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"by Karl D. Forth Radio Moscow didn\u2019t seem confrontational. We\u2019re here, their attitude seemed to be, and we\u2019re going to offer our opinion on things, which you may or may not like. Looking at the World Radio-TV Handbook in the early 1970s, Radio Moscow was on dozens of frequencies from\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\/05\/Radio-Moscow-graphic.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Radio-Moscow-graphic.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Radio-Moscow-graphic.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":58757,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/01\/kim-elliott-why-we-need-shortwave-2-0\/","url_meta":{"origin":66271,"position":1},"title":"Kim Elliott: Why We Need \u201cShortwave 2.0\u201d","author":"Thomas","date":"January 23, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to a number of SWLing Post contributors who share the following article written by our friend Kim Elliott for Radio World: Why We Need \u201cShortwave 2.0\u201d by Kim Andrew Elliott Debate about the future of shortwave broadcasting focuses on the correct observation that shortwave listening is no longer\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "International Broadcasting"","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\/10\/Radio-Exterior-IC-705-Waterfall-Display.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Radio-Exterior-IC-705-Waterfall-Display.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Radio-Exterior-IC-705-Waterfall-Display.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Radio-Exterior-IC-705-Waterfall-Display.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Radio-Exterior-IC-705-Waterfall-Display.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Radio-Exterior-IC-705-Waterfall-Display.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":59532,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/guest-post-pre-internet-sources-of-shortwave-information\/","url_meta":{"origin":66271,"position":2},"title":"Guest Post: Pre-Internet Sources of Shortwave Information","author":"Thomas","date":"April 21, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Greenall, who shares the following guest post: Sources of SWL Information \u201cPre-Internet\u201d by Dan Greenall When I first discovered the world of shortwave listening, many years before the internet, access to hobby related information was mostly available through over-the-air DX programs, monthly DX\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\/2024\/04\/WDX-SWL-Certificate-1971.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/WDX-SWL-Certificate-1971.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/WDX-SWL-Certificate-1971.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/WDX-SWL-Certificate-1971.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/WDX-SWL-Certificate-1971.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/WDX-SWL-Certificate-1971.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":61491,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/12\/rediscovering-the-golden-age-of-utility-dxing\/","url_meta":{"origin":66271,"position":3},"title":"Rediscovering the Golden Age of Utility DXing","author":"Thomas","date":"December 28, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Greenall, who writes: Hi Thomas Back in the 1970's, I used to enjoy hunting for \"utility\" radio stations outside the regular SWBC bands. When I came across a copy of the Utility DXer's Handbook from 1971 recently on eBay, I couldn't resist purchasing\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\/2024\/12\/udxh-cover.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/udxh-cover.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/udxh-cover.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/udxh-cover.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":38184,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2019\/06\/wrth-a19-season-updates\/","url_meta":{"origin":66271,"position":4},"title":"WRTH A19 season updates","author":"Thomas","date":"June 14, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: WRTH) The latest version of the A19 International and C&OTB broadcaster schedules pdf has been uploaded to the WRTH website. This download is available free of charge and includes the transmission schedules from 180+ International and Clandestine\/Target broadcasters, arranged by country. For maximum usability, these schedules are in the\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\/12\/WRTH-2019-e1545397497805.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/WRTH-2019-e1545397497805.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/WRTH-2019-e1545397497805.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":64114,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2025\/10\/vatican-radio-then-and-now\/","url_meta":{"origin":66271,"position":5},"title":"Vatican Radio – Then and Now","author":"Thomas","date":"October 3, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to\u00a0SWLing Post\u00a0contributor\u00a0Dan Greenall, who shares the following post: When I began shortwave listening back in 1969, Vatican Radio was one of the first stations I came across. That same year, the late Dr. Richard E. Wood authored a book called \u201cShortwave Voices of the World\u201d in which he\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\/10\/2025-10-01-at-06.38.21.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2025-10-01-at-06.38.21.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2025-10-01-at-06.38.21.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2025-10-01-at-06.38.21.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2025-10-01-at-06.38.21.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66271","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=66271"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66271\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":66274,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66271\/revisions\/66274"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66271"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66271"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}