RNZ marks 75 years of broadcasting shortwave into the Pacific
It has been 75 years since Radio New Zealand commenced broadcasting on shortwave frequencies into the Pacific region.
RNZ goes live with new Pacific shortwave transmitter
Shortwave transmission to the Pacific is “more important now” than in 1990 when RNZ Pacific first broadcast into the region, New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister says. RNZ went live on Thursday with its new Pacific shortwave transmitter, replacing its old one that dates to 1989.
Wakkanai Air Station, 1966 -1967
One of the most interesting assignments during my USAF years was to a small ELINT (ELectronic INTelligence) gathering post, Wakkanai Air Station. Located at the northern end of Japan’s most northerly island, Hokkaido, Wakkanai AS was blessed with a climate that, coupled with it’s distance from any major population centers, made it pretty much the end of the earth in the minds of most Japanese, and to the GI’s stationed there.
VOA Okinawa Relay Station
In running through boxes of photos I came across a series of snapshots taken in 1968 during a tour of the VOA facility that then operated from a site near Okuma village in the north part of Okinawa. Googling the web didn’t produce much on the station so I figured why not post them for broadcasting/radio buffs, or whoever might be interested.
Incredible find at a flea market in Brazil
Martin Butera, our editor in Brazil, South America, finds the phone of Alexander Graham Bell, more than 140 years old, in perfect condition.
The Story of Terezinha Felix Cardoso (PT2TF)
Martin Butera talks to Terezinha Felix Cardoso (PT2TF), one of the oldest YLs in Brazil about her life in amateur radio.
Celebrating Marconi
An event at the Marconi Museum inside the Vatican on Saturday celebrates 150 years since the birth of the man who set up Vatican Radio. Present, alongside the Prefect and directors of the Dicastery for Communications, were also Vatican Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, and Guglielmo Marconi’s grandson.
The surprising silence of DRM transmissions in Brazil: Interview with Francisco Braccini
Our Brazilian correspondent Martin Butera interviews Francisco Braccini about the status of DRM in Brazil.
100 Years of Radio in Africa
Radio is thriving across Africa. Exact figures are difficult to come by because audience research differs across countries. But studies estimate radio listenership to be between 60% and 80% of the continent’s 1.4 billion population.
Radio, someone still loves you
On August 1, 1981, video killed the radio star. Or so new wave band, The Buggles, yelled to the world the day MTV was launched in New York, USA. In Fiji, families gathered around the radio together for at least a decade more. Some still do.
How a community radio station is spearheading education for the poor in Maharashtra
Vishwas Radio 90.8 is taking school education to the doorsteps of underprivileged students on the other side of digital divide, with no home internet access.
Radio Luxembourg, the station that changed our world
In collaboration with various partners and using digital media, the Centre for Contemporary and Digital History announced its newest research project on Radio Luxembourg.
100 years of radio in South Africa – and still going strong
Monday, 18 December 2023 marks 100 years since radio was introduced in South Africa, with the first experimental broadcast going out from Railway Headquarters in Johannesburg on 18 December 1923.
PNG’s NGI Region Gets a Boost with New 10kW MW Transmitter
A 10kw MW transmitter for the NGI region was officially commissioned at the Kurakakaul Transmitter Farm, East New Britain Province by Minister for ICT, Hon. Timothy Masiu, and ENB Governor Hon. Michael Marum.
Interview with Enivaldo Alves Silva PT2CA
Martin Butera (LU9EFO – PT2ZDX), prepared this special report on the relationship that exists between Esperanto, radio amateurs and the media, specifically shortwave transmissions.
PNG’s NBC Celebrates 50 Years of Broadcasting Excellence
The National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) of Papua New Guinea kicked off its 50th Anniversary celebrations today with a vibrant city-wide float, showcasing the corporation’s rich history and commitment to serving the nation. The celebrations, themed “One Voice, One NBC, One Future,” will continue for five days, culminating in spectacular fireworks display and dinner at Ela Beach.
Remembering Radio Pioneers 100 Years On
One hundred years ago Gisborne became the home of one New Zealand’s first radio broadcasting stations. Station 2YM was started by three Gisborne amateur radio operators — Percy Stevens, Ivan O’Meara and Bob Patty. They obtained one of the first broadcasting licences on October 27, 1923.
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.
At 88, “A Voz do Brasil” draws new listeners, keeps loyal audience
Radio broadcast A Voz do Brasil (“The Voice of Brazil”) is celebrating its 88th anniversary. The program is the oldest still on air in the Southern Hemisphere, according to the Guinness Book of Records.
Centre renamed in honour of advocate
A community centre in Invercargill for people with visual disabilities has been renamed to honour the advocacy of a passionate Southland man. He was also called “the world’s only professional DX-er [DX-ing is the hobby of receiving and identifying distant radio or television signals],” after he asked the stations for which he had already been doing monitoring if he could be put on their payroll as a regular staff member.
Died: Stuart Epperson, Who Put Preachers and Political Talk on the Nation’s Radio Waves
Stuart Epperson, cofounder of a radio empire that brought Christian preaching and conservative talk to the largest media markets in the United States, died on July 17 at the age of 86.
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.
Return to Guadeloupe: The Radio Scene on outlier islands
We return to the radio scene on Guadeloupe, and in particular to the radio scene on the other nearby islands that form part of the this French overseas department in the Caribbean.
Whale Stranding at King Island and the Local Radio Scene
Adrian Peterson takes a look at the history and local radio scene on King Island, off the northern coast of Tasmania, Australia.
VOA Voyager: Three Mobile VOA Stations in the United States
On three separate occasions, VOA, the Voice of America, has commissioned a mobile radio station for use within the United States. On each occasion, the intent was to obtain information and recordings about lifestyle and events throughout the nation for inclusion in their worldwide English and foreign language programming.
The Sun, Radio Propagation and the Brasilia Planetarium
Martin Butera takes a look at how the sun impacts radio propagation, with a bonus photo-tour of the Brasilia Planetarium.
The Saga of Radio Antwerpen
During the 1920s and 1930s, a multitude of small radio broadcasting stations (some formal though most were informal), took to the air throughout Belgium, rather like what was happening in many other countries throughout the world. The stations in Belgium were installed in private homes, business locations, church buildings, and even out in the fields; wherever was convenient.
The Radio Scene at the End of the Highway: Cooktown Part 2
This is our second topic on the radio scene at Cooktown at the end of the highway in Cape York Peninsula, at the far north of coastal Queensland in Australia. Unexpectedly, Cooktown was the second largest town in Queensland at the height of the nearby gold rush in the 1880s. Back then, the state capital Brisbane had a population of 50,000 and Cooktown had a population of 30,000.
Coffee and Radio – with Ivan Dias
Today Coffee and Radio brings you an interview with DXer Ivan Dias
Dario Monferini – RIP
Italian DXer Daro Monferini has died after a long illness. The death of Dario Monferini has come as a shock to those involved in shortwave radio. Blogs announced the passing of Dario on the morning of October 17, 2022, after the news was spread rapidly via social media. Dario was a well-known DXer worldwide whose contribution to the hobby is well-documented.
Disney AFRS Poster
In 2022 Susan Knisley found this in a cabin in Athol, ID. She sent it to us and we added it to our collection of Long Lost Radio History Images.