The Shortwave Radio Audio Archive

The Shortwave Radio Audio Archive
  • 4.9 (35)
  • Technology
  • Updated Biweekly

The Shortwave Radio Audio Archive is a podcast that contains off-air recordings from the shortwaves. These recordings represent the wide variety of stations found on the shortwave, long wave and medium wave radio spectrums (30-30,000 kHz)

  1. 2d ago

    Radio Payam: July 10, 2026

    Many thanks to SRAA contributor Dan Greenall, who shares the following recording and notes: Broadcaster: Radio Payam Date of recording: July 10, 2026 Starting time: 2049 UTC Frequency: 15.615 MHz Receiver location: Qatar Receiver and antenna: KiwiSDR with MLA-30+ loop antenna Notes: A station called Radio Payam (Radio Message) has been heard recently on 15615 kHz transmitting from Woofferton, UK, with content critical of the Iranian government. The broadcasts are in Persian, and their schedule seems to run from 1700 to 2100 hours UTC. This unofficial station provides a contrast to the Iranian state-run Radio Payam, signaling a new source of anti-Tehran content. This recording was made starting at 2049 UTC on July 10, 2026. using a KiwiSDR located in Qatar, where, oddly enough, QRM from a bubble jammer was considerably less than when listening on similar receivers throughout Europe. “Radio Payam” is mentioned about the 4:36 mark of the recording, and the broadcast concludes at 9:46 when only the bubble jammer can be heard A couple of minutes later, the bubble jammer’s signal goes off the air. Radio Payam (Recording #1): July 10, 2026 Dan Greenall Download Radio Payam (Recording #2): July 10, 2026 Dan Greenall Download

  2. Aug 28

    Radio Peking: Circa 1970's

    Many thanks to SRAA contributor Dan Greenall, who shares the following recording and notes: Broadcaster: Radio Peking 1970's Frequency: 15.060 MHz (likely) Reception location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada Receiver and antenna: Hallicrafters S-52 using a longwire antenna Notes: A recording of the interval signal ("The East is Red" melody) and sign on in Spanish of Radio Peking in the People's Republic of China in the early 1970's. They were heard regularly on shortwave direct from China in the 19 metre band. Radio Peking: Circa 1970s Dan Greenall Download

  3. Aug 21

    Voice of Mongolia (Mailbox Program): May 13, 2024

    Many thanks to SRAA contributor Liam Spencer, who shares the following recording and notes: Broadcaster: Voice of Mongolia (Mailbox Program) Date of recording: May 13, 2024 Starting time: 14:43 UTC Frequency: 12.015 MHz Reception location: KiwiSDR in Khabarovsk, Russia Receiver and antenna: Unknown Notes: Here is a recording of Voice Of Mongolia Mailbox show which occurs every Monday and was hosted by Bilguun and Robert during this time. This was recorded during the 14:30 to 15:00 UTC slot on 12015, which is a challenging catch, even on WebSDRs, due to Voice of Korea interference on the same channel, along with Voice of Vietnam 12020 and CRI on 12010. The transmission was poor anyway. Voice of Mongolia broadcasts are off frequency by 20 or 30 Hz, there's a hum on broadcasts, and distorted modulation. Although the modulation has improved over the past 2 years. As for the mailbox hosts. Bilguun left in November or December 2024 and was replaced by Bumblebee. Robert announced in January 2025 that he needed to travel to New Zealand to visit family and renew his visa. Bilguun returned in April 2025 and co-hosted a mailbox show with Bumblebee and said he was on vacation in the USA. He took over the Wednesday and Thursday programs. Robert returned in May 2025 for 1 or 2 mailbag shows and hasn't been heard on Voice of Mongolia since then. Bilguun has also not been heard from recently. Bumblebee has continued to host the mailbox program since 2024. Voice of Mongolia (Mailbox Program): May 13, 2024 Liam Spencer Download

  4. Aug 11

    BBC World Service Annual Antarctic Midwinter Broadcast: June 21, 2026

    photo by derek oven on unsplash A live, off-air, half-hour recording of the BBC World Service special Antarctic Midwinter Broadcast on 21 June 2026 beginning at 21:30 UTC. The broadcast, hosted by Cerys Matthews, featured messages and music for the members of the staff of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) overwintering in Antarctica at the Rothera (Antarctic Peninsula), King Edward Point, and Bird Island (South Georgia) research stations. In addition to personal messages from family and friends, there were interviews with Professor Dame Jane Francis, Director of BAS; and Lousiane Ferlier, an archivist at the Royal Society in London who is digitizing the photographs of the first midwinter celebration during Robert Scott's discovery expedition of 1901-04. As sometimes happens, the first few words of the introduction were not transmitted: "This is the BBC World Service calling Antarctica ...". The recording is of the transmission on 12070 kHz from the BBC's Woofferton, England, transmitting station. The sender had a registered power of 300 kW with antenna beam 182 degrees. The transmission was received on a Belka-DX receiver with a Sangean ANT-60 7-metre wire antenna outdoors in Hanwell (just outside Fredericton), New Brunswick, Canada, in pseudo-synchronous (AM2) mode with 50 Hz - 2.7 kHz bandwidth. Reception was quite good with excellent signal strength but with occasional lightning burst noise and digital utility station interference. The additional parallel frequencies of 9510 kHz from Woofferton and 9460 kHz from Ascension were heard but not as well as 12070 kHz. A studio quality, slightly longer, podcast version is available on the BBC World Service website. BBC World Service Annual Antarctic Midwinter Broadcast: June 21, 2026 Richard Langley Download

  5. Aug 7

    Radio Exterior de España: Circa 1984-1985

    Many thanks to SRAA contributor Bruce MacDonald, who shares the following recording and notes: Broadcaster: Radio Exterior de Espana Date of recording: Unknown Starting time: Unknown Frequency: not recorded Recorded in Hounslow, west London Receiver and antenna: Sony portable stereo radio cassette player with built-in whip antenna Notes: Recording from late 1984 or early 1985 of the DX programme transmitted by the English section of Radio Exterior de Esapana (REE). This was broadcast to Europe on a Sunday, but I did not record the time of transmission. I did not record the frequency, at a guess I think it would be either on the 49 or 41 metre bands. A typical DX programme of the era, comprising mainly listening tips for hobbyist listeners and radio-related news. For example there's a short mention of the then-upcoming 1985 European DX Council conference which was held in Madrid. There is also a request for news and tips from listeners and an address for reception reports. At the end there's a very plummy English station ID. This may be a bit of a hard listen for some due to intrusive QRM but I think accurately reflects the crowded bands back then, especially if your receiver didn't have a narrow filter. Radio Exterior de España: Circa 1984-1985 Bruce MacDonald Download

  6. Jul 31

    Deutsche Welle (Interval Signal): Circa 1971

    Many thanks to SRAA contributor Dan Greenall, who shares the following recording and notes: Broadcaster: Deutsche Welle and Radio Berlin International 1970's Date of recording: Circa 1971 Reception location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada Receiver and antenna: Hallicrafters S-52 using a longwire antenna Notes: During the height of the Cold War, shortwave broadcasts from both West and East Germany could be heard here in southern Ontario, Canada. Deutsche Welle, the Voice of Germany from Cologne in the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany). Heard here with their familiar interval signal and sign on in English circa 1971. Deutsche Welle (Interval Signal): Circa 1971 Dan Greenall Download

  7. Jul 24

    Radio Berlin International (Interval Signal): Circa 1970

    Many thanks to SRAA contributor Dan Greenall, who shares the following recording and notes: Broadcaster: Deutsche Welle and Radio Berlin International 1970's Date of recording: Circa 1970 Reception location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada Receiver and antenna: Hallicrafters S-52 using a longwire antenna Notes: During the height of the Cold War, shortwave broadcasts from both West and East Germany could be heard here in southern Ontario, Canada. Radio Berlin International, the Voice of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) signing on with their interval signal and ID for their English language program to Great Britain and Ireland circa 1970. Radio Berlin International (Interval Signal): Circa 1970 Dan Greenall Download

  8. Jul 17

    ABC Melbourne (3AR & 3LO) Closedowns: Circa 1950s & November 23, 1978

    Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Sarah Boucher, who shares the following recordings of two ABC Melbourne radio closedowns, captured via the ABC's domestic inland shortwave relays: Recording 1Broadcaster: 3AR Melbourne (ABC) Date of recording: Circa 1950s Shortwave relay: VLH-9 on 9.68 MHz (30.99 metres) Notes: This is a 3AR Melbourne closedown announcement, relayed on shortwave via VLH-9 (9.68 MHz) as part of what the announcer describes as the ABC's "Northern Australian Service." During the sign-off, 3AR identifies itself as also transmitting through the regional stations 2CO Riverina, 3GI Gippsland, and 3WV Western Victoria, alongside the VLH-9 shortwave relay. The announcer then previews the following morning's shortwave frequencies: VLR-6 (6.15 MHz), VLH-11 (11.88 MHz), and VLG-15 (15.21 MHz). The real highlight is the use of the ABC's network chimes (or "gongs") immediately before the sign-off — a once-familiar feature of ABC presentation that is rarely preserved in surviving recordings. The recording concludes with the national anthem (God Save the Queen) and a formal station closedown. 3AR Melbourne (ABC) closedown with network gongs: circa 1950s Australian Broadcasting Commission Download Recording 2Broadcaster: 3LO Melbourne (ABC) Date of recording: 23 November 1978 Shortwave relay: VLR-6 on 6.15 MHz (48.78 metres) Mode: AM Notes: This 3LO Melbourne closedown, relayed on shortwave via VLR-6 (6.15 MHz), is historically significant because it captures the night of Australia's nationwide AM frequency realignment to the new 9 kHz channel spacing plan, on 23 November 1978. The announcer — identified as Don Smire — advises listeners of the frequency changes taking effect that day: Station Old frequency New frequency 3LO 770 kHz 774 kHz 3AR 620 kHz 621 kHz 3WV 590 kHz 594 kHz 3GI 830 kHz 828 kHz The announcement also notes that the shortwave relay VLR-6 on 6.15 MHz is closing down with the network. Unlike the earlier recording, this closedown ends with Advance Australia Fair rather than God Save the Queen — reflecting the gradual transition in Australian broadcasting practice through the 1970s. 3LO Melbourne (ABC) closedown: 23 November 1978 Download A little background: what were VLH-9 and VLR-6?These callsigns belonged to the ABC's domestic inland shortwave network. Before satellite distribution and widespread FM coverage, the ABC used shortwave transmitters to relay its state radio services to remote parts of Australia. Victoria's network used the VLR, VLH, and VLG callsign families to rebroadcast Melbourne programming for listeners in rural and remote areas. Contemporary shortwave enthusiasts often refer to these collectively as the ABC's "Inland Shortwave Services." A note to readersVery little context came with these recordings, so the details above have been pieced together from the announcements themselves and what we know of ABC history. If you can add any further detail — or spot something that needs correcting — please leave a comment below. Corrections and recollections are very welcome.

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The Shortwave Radio Audio Archive is a podcast that contains off-air recordings from the shortwaves. These recordings represent the wide variety of stations found on the shortwave, long wave and medium wave radio spectrums (30-30,000 kHz)

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