The Shortwave Radio Audio Archive

The Shortwave Radio Audio Archive

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. 1d ago

    BBC Radio 4: "The Sound of Soft Power" (May 23, 2026)

    Many thanks to SRAA contributor Andrew, who shares the following recording from Radio 4. “I chose to record the programme on one of my old radios received on the soon-to-be-discontinued Droitwich 198kHz transmitter. The radio is a Pye Mistral (picture attached) which was (almost) the first radio that I even had around 1972. It might even be tuned to the right place on the dial ("Radio 2", 1500m). That was the station that was broadcast on that wavelength back then. It is not a well-performing radio, but it has a wide-ish audio bandwidth and the recording is probably as nice-sounding as it can be on LW - that warm AM sound that you refer to in the programme. Reception was on the radio's internal ferrite rod aerial in one of the rooms of the house here on the South Coast of the UK.” This recording captures a special edition of BBC Radio 4’s The Sound of Soft Power, a documentary exploring the cultural, political, and emotional legacy of international broadcasting and shortwave radio. The programme weaves together archival recordings, listener memories, and contemporary reflections on a medium that once connected the world across borders and ideologies. The documentary also makes extensive use of recordings preserved in the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive, highlighting the importance of preserving off-air recordings as historical documents. In addition, SRAA curator Thomas Witherspoon is interviewed during the programme, discussing both the archive itself and the enduring fascination many listeners still have with shortwave broadcasting. While this is not an off-air shortwave recording in the traditional sense, it is very much connected to the history and culture of shortwave listening. Andrew’s decision to record the programme from BBC Radio 4 Longwave using a vintage Pye Mistral receiver adds another layer of radio history to the experience — capturing the broadcast with the characteristic warmth and ambience of longwave AM reception just as the Droitwich 198 kHz transmitter approaches the end of its service life. For those interested in radio history, international broadcasting, and the sounds of the shortwave era, this programme is well worth hearing. This recording is being published on 27 June 2026 to mark the closure of the BBC Radio 4 Long Wave service from Droitwich on 198 kHz, bringing to a close one of the United Kingdom’s longest-running and most historically significant AM broadcast transmissions. BBC Radio 4: "The Sound of Soft Power" (May 23, 2026) Josephine McDermott Download

  2. 4d ago

    CHU Canada: Four Recordings Including Final Moments Transmitting on June 22, 2026

    CHU Transmitting Site in Ottawa, Canada (Source: NRC) Many thanks to several SRAA contributors who have shared recordings of CHU Canada during its final days as a shortwave time signal station. This first recording was sent to us via Ronald McKinnon and is the National Research Council’s own recording of the final minutes of CHU on the air. Here are the notes that accompanied this recording: Broadcaster: National Research Council CHU Date of recording: June 22, 2026 Starting time: 14:08:00 UTC Frequency: 3.33 MHz Location: Ottawa, ON Canada Receiver and antenna: Raddy RF320 with built-in antenna Notes: This is a recording of the last few minutes of the NRC CHU time signal over shortwave at 3.33MHz.It was recorded on June 22, 2026 just as the broadcast was being shut down. The broadcast had been in operation in one form or another for over 90 years. The recording was made from just outside the station in Ottawa in order to obtain maximum signal quality.The NRC's home page about this station: https://nrc.canada.ca/en/certifications-evaluations-standards/canadas-official-time/nrc-shortwave-station-broadcasts-chu CHU Canada: June 22, 2026 National Research Council Download SRAA contributor, Bryce Belcher, shared the following recording of CHU with notes: Broadcaster: CHU Date of recording: June 21, 2026 Starting time: 0:12 UTC Frequency: 3330 kHz Reception location: Washington, D.C Your receiver and antenna: Na5b websdr Notes: This is my last-ever recording of CHU Canada, as they have shut down all the transmitters today, June 22. Recorded with the Websdr na5b located in DC. https://na5b.com:8901 CHU Canada: June 21, 2026 Bryce Belcher Download SRAA contributor, Emilio, shared this longer recording with notes: Freq: 7850 kHz Date: Friday, 5 June 2026 Time: 17 UTC SINPO: 45343 RX Grid locator: EK36kp State: Chiapas Country: Mexico Receiver: Kenwood R-600 Antenna: long wire about 10 meters. Recorded by: Carlos Emilio Ruiz Llaven CHU Canada: June 5, 2026 Carlos Emilio Ruiz Llaven Download SRAA contributor, Jerry Johnston, shares his recording with these notes: The recording starts at 1359 UTC, so the final pip occurs just after 11 minutes. Frequency was 7850 kHz, USB mode to reduce noise. This was recorded in Lexington, KY. A storm had just passed, so local noise was high. I let it run another 5 minutes to get the pirate activity. CHU Canada Jerry Johnston Download

  3. 6d ago

    BBC Midwinter Broadcast to Antarctica: June 21, 2026

    This is the BBC Midwinter Broadcast to Antarctica recorded on June 21, 2026 at 09:30 UTC in Foulden, Scotland, UK. The radio was an Elecraft KX2 connected to a 31-foot 9:1 random wire antenna in the back garden. The broadcast starts on 9460 kHz, but I then move to 12070 kHz because it had slightly less local noise. BBC Midwinter Broadcast to Antarctica: June 21, 2026 Thomas Witherspoon Download Personal note The BBC Midwinter Broadcast remains one of my favorite SWLing events of the year. I simply love the idea that the BBC would broadcast from two different sites on three different frequencies via shortwave to a relatively small audience of British Antarctic Survey scientists wintering over in Antarctica. It's always a joy to listen live, knowing that they're celebrating midwinter with parties at their stations and hearing the voices, messages, laughter, and well-wishes of loved ones carried to them over the air by shortwave radio. In an age of instant communications, there's still something magical about that.

  4. Jun 18

    Xing Xing Guangbo Diantai (Star Star Broadcasting Station): March 16, 2026

    Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Dan Greenall, who shares the following recording and notes: Broadcaster: Xing Xing Guangbo Diantai (Star Star Broadcasting Station) Date of recording: March 16, 2026 Starting time: 2358 Frequency: 19.052 Your location: Thailand Your receiver and antenna: Kiwi SDR with Wellbrook loop Mode: Single Side Band Safe for children?: Yes Notes: This is a "numbers station" broadcasting in Mandarin Chinese, presumably sending encrypted messages to Taiwanese intelligence agents in mainland China, from Taiwan. It appears to follow a set daily schedule, and begins each transmission with the tune of a Chinese folk song played on a flute. This is followed by station ID, given twice, and a few announcements in Mandarin, then a sequence of numbers read in groups of four. An excellent article about this station can be found on the Mount Evelyn DX Report written by Rob Wagner VK3BVW in May 2025. Xing Xing Guangbo Diantai (Star Star Broadcasting Station): March 16, 2026 Dan Greenall Download

  5. Jun 11

    Radio Sandino (Managua, Nicaragua): March 25, 1984

    Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Paul Harner, who shares the following recording and notes: Broadcaster: Radio Sandino, Managua, Nicaragua Date of recording: March 25, 1984 Starting time: 0730z/1:30 AM local time Frequency: 6200 kHz RX location: St. Louis, MO Receiver and antenna: Sony ICF-2001, longwire Radio Sandino (Managua, Nicaragua): March 25, 1984 Paul Harner Download

  6. Jun 4

    Rádio Nacional da Amazônia: August 14, 1984

    Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Paul Harner, who shares the following recording and notes: Broadcaster: Radio Nacional Da Amazonas Date of recording: August 14, 1984 Starting time: 0809z Frequency: 6180 kHz Reception location: St.Louis, MO Receiver and antenna: Icom IC R-71-A Rádio Nacional da Amazônia: August 14, 1984 Paul Harner Download

  7. May 28

    Israel Broadcasting Authority, Jerusalem: Circa 1971

    Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Dan Greenall, who shares the following recording and notes: Broadcaster: Israel Broadcasting Authority, Jerusalem 1971 Date of recording: Circa 1971 Starting time: 2130 UTC Frequency: 9.625 MHz Reception location: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada Receiver and antenna: Hallicrafters S-52 using a longwire antenna Mode: AM Notes: The Israel Broadcasting Authority used to broadcast in various languages on shortwave in the early 1970's. Their English language transmission to Europe could often be heard well here in southern Ontario, Canada between 2045 and 2130 hours UTC on 9625 kHz. Here is a recording made circa 1971 as they concluded their program in English and switched to French at 2130 hours UTC. Israel Broadcasting Authority, Jerusalem: Circa 1971 Dan Greenall Download The second recording is also circa 1971. It begins with their interval signal, then sign on announcement in English. Israel Broadcasting Authority, Jerusalem (Interval Signal): Circa 1971 Dan Greenall Download

  8. May 21

    Rádio Nacional da Amazônia: July 16, 2025

    Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Liam Spencer, who shares the following recording and notes: Broadcaster: Radio Nacional da Amazonia Date of recording: July 16, 2025 Starting time: 00:05 UTC Frequency: 11.780 MHz Reception location: Berthoud, Colorado, USA Receiver and antenna: Sihuadon D-808 with telescopic antenna Mode: AM Notes: Here's a recording pulled from my radio archive of Radio Nacional da Amazonia from Brazil on the shortwave frequency on 11.780 MHz from July 16th, 2025. What's interesting is that this was recorded on a weekday, and usually, back-to-back music is not heard on weekday evening programming. Along with the announcers who are usually high energy are not in this recording. Around 20 minutes in, I stopped recording and resumed recording at 01:05 UTC until the end of the recording. Rádio Nacional da Amazônia: July 16, 2025 Lian Spencer Download

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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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