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Souvenir Programme: Official Opening of 2ZB

On Wednesday, 28th of April, 1937 the Hon. F. Jones, M.P., Postmaster-General and Acting Minister for Broadcasting, officially opened Station 2ZB in Wellington, New Zealand….

The Samoan Earthquakes and the Early Radio Scene in American Samoa

American Samoa is a small group of small islands in the exotic South Pacific with a total land area of only 76.8 square miles, a little more than the area of Washington DC.  There are five main islands, and two coral atolls, with a population of 45,000, most of whom are bilingual in both Samoan and English. 

ARAMCO Radio in Saudi Arabia and BFBS radio programming in Nepal

The earliest beginnings for ARAMCO Radio in Dhahran Saudi Arabia can be traced back to the late 1930s when the Arabian American Oil Company played music over a set of loud speakers that were installed at a company swimming pool.  The Arabian American Oil Company was established in 1933 and with its exponential growth it has become the largest and most valuable commercial company in the world.

Nepal Earthquake: The Current Radio Scene in Nepal

The current radio scene in Nepal indicates that the most significant form of radio coverage in Nepal is achieved by more than 500 FM stations; government owned, commercial, and community stations. Programming is on the air in a multitude of local and regional languages, and also in English, Hindi and Urdu for wide area coverage.  Off air relays in several languages from the BBC in London are also heard on some FM stations.

The Collection of Adinei Brochi PY2ADN

Martin Butera (PT2ZDX-LU9EFO), travels to the city of Americana, in the interior of Sao Paulo, to meet his colleague Adinei Brochi (PY2ADN), owner of one of the private collections of the most important radio transmitters in Brazil.

Early Music Recordings from ZJV Suva

Some early recordings of Fijian music made by station ZJV Suva.

Two Lochs Radio

Britain’s smallest commercial radio station and community broadcaster for the Gairloch and Loch Ewe areas of Wester Ross, Scotland, on 106 and 106.6 FM.

Radio Six at Sixty

On 6th June 1963, a group of schoolchildren gathered in the attic of a house on the Ardrossan seafront in Ayrshire to launch their very own radio station. Cobbled together with tins, clockwork gramophones, and lots of wire, the opening day’s programmes were line fed to a radio receiver two floors down. But it was a start and, against the odds, the station survived in a variety of forms and today can be heard 24/7 on the internet.

DW Turns 70

To mark their 70th anniversary German broadcaster DW (Deutsche Welle) published this video report on their website.

A Tour of Asia’s Oldest Radio Station

A tour of Asia’s oldest radio station, which introduced Sri Lanka and India to Elvis Presley, is a journey through broadcast history.

No All India Radio, Only Akashvani Henceforth Says Govt Diktat

All India Radio is going off air. It is being replaced by Akashvani. The next radio bulletin that you listen to in English on the government-run service will begin with the announcement, “This is Akashvani” in place of “this is All India Radio.”

Rádio Universitária – Goiânia, Brazil

Martin Butera continues his fascinating visits to radio stations and this time shows us one of the most important university radio stations in Brazil. A station that transmits in the AM band and with its 20 KW, it has been able to be heard by different DXers in 5 continents.

Radio Alhara – No Limits

Radio Alhara was launched in 2020 as a way for five friends to stay in touch during the coronavirus lockdowns. It was initially broadcast from Bethlehem, Ramallah and Amman but now you’ll hear presenters and DJs from around the world.

American Shortwave Stations on the Air in 1926

During the year 1926, a total of five American shortwave broadcasting stations were on the air, though generally with relay programming from the mediumwave parent station, as was the case back then. 

Interview with Gustavo de Faria Franco

Martin Butera (PT2ZDX – LU9EFO), visited LABRE (Liga de Amadores Brasileiros de Radio Emissão), to interview the new Vice President and Treasurer of IARU region 2.

Radio Weddings: Gleason Golden Wedding Interview

On six previous occasions here in Wavescan, we have presented interesting information about Radio Weddings, weddings that were broadcast live over a radio broadcasting station.  Down there in Jacksonville Florida, Wendy Heape came across some of the information about our presentations of Radio Weddings, and she made contact.

Bird Calls on Radio

Adrian Peterson takes a look (and listen) to some more bird calls that have featured on radio stations around the globe.

Ocean Island

Back in the year 1908, just eight years after Marconi inaugurated his first permanent wireless station in England, the Pacific Phosphate Company announced that they hoped a wireless station could be installed on Ocean Island. During the following year (1909), another announcement indicated that the wireless station would be capable of long distant transmission.  In addition, the specific location on Ocean Island for the projected station would need to be approved by a Wireless Engineer, they said.

American Shortwave Stations – 1928

At the beginning of the year 1928, there were six international shortwave stations on the air in the United States

Recent Radio Developments in Europe and Africa

Recent radio news in four different countries, two in Europe and two in Africa, indicate a positive direction for mediumwave and shortwave broadcasting, rather than a negative.