Radio Norway

Another great station from days gone by, Radio Norway is no longer on shortwave. At the time of this reception they presented a news program called "Norway this Week" along with other musical and cultural programming.

Radio Prague

Here's one more from Radio Prague. This one pictures the Thermia Palace in Piestany, in what is now Slovakia.

Radio Polonia

Poland's shortwave voice was known as "Radio Polonia" and, in the early '80's, could be heard on 15120 kHz at 0200 UTC with a program of news and features. They're still on the air today as the Polish Radio External Service, and the English service is for European listeners. Still, they can be heard in North America when conditions are good.

Trans World Radio, Monte Carlo

Another QSL from TWR but from their Monte Carlo broadcast. This was another late-night catch (0600 UTC) when I was working the late shift. The program was religious hymns and bible readings.

Radio Sweden

Another great European broadcaster, still on the air today with English beamed to North America, Radio Sweden has a long history of shortwave broadcasting. This card was WAY ahead of its time, heralding the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment.

International Radio Serbia

A very recent card! IRS appears nightly in English on the world bands. In particular, 6190 kHz at 0100 UTC is a good frequency. Primarily a half hour of news, but musical programming may also be featured.

Radio Slovakia International

A great-looking, recent card from Radio Slovakia International, a station with good steady programs and signal here in the US. Of course in my shortwave listening heyday of the '70's and '80's there WAS no Slovakia, it was still part of Czechoslovakia and thus under the Radio Prague banner.

Radio Australia "Morse" card

...featuring the words "Radio Australia" in Morse code on front of the card. I recently heard that RA was discussing abandoning its daily English outlets on 9580 and other frequencies, during morning hours in the eastern US (1100-1200 UTC or so) which I have been listening to for years and years. It will truly be the end of an era.

Radio Sofia, Bulgaria

The last card in my collection from Radio Sofia pictures the Bachkovo Monastery near Sofia.

Trans World Radio

Probably one of the first really mega-Christian broadcasters there were. I remember they had/have a relay on the island of Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles so there was never a problem hearing them. Anyway this relay, as I understand it, was destroyed in a fire but rebuilt in record time.

Voice of Islamic Republic of Iran

Its North American service known also as the "Voice of Justice", this recent card from Iran was accompanied by a slick magazine extolling the virtues of Islam. My comment to the station was that the programming would have benefited from more information about the country and its people.

Radio Moscow, third QSL

Even though the old Radio Moscow under the USSR was of course a propaganda machine, I always thought their QSL's were classic looking. This is the third one in my collection.

KBS Worldwide

The Korean Broadcasting Service broadcasts from Seoul, South Korea. It seems to be a pretty steady broadcaster without a lot of the up and down schedules of other stations.

KBS has great signals, good programs and is always a pleasure to hear. My log from 1980 shows a very friendly program of music, Korean lessons, and culture.

Another card from HCJB

A religious powerhouse on shortwave, HCJB could be heard quite easily. This card confirms a reception report from '72.

Vatican Radio

Vatican Radio is a shortwave powerhouse, broadcasting in many languages all over the world, with information and inspiration for Catholics.

Over the years the Church has reaffirmed its commitment to shortwave broadcasting as a means of keeping in touch with the faithful in both the third world and the industrialized world.

Radio Prague

Another card from Radio Prague, back when it was Czechoslovakia. This card shows a view of the city of Telc, south and east of Prague in what is now the Czech Republic. Check out the frequency of one reception: 21785. Must've been good sunspot numbers.

Voice of Greece

A steady presence on world band, today Voice of Greece broadcasts almost exclusively in Greek to expatriats around the world. But on Sunday, the station does provide a brief English language program.

Then and now, Voice of Greece has a technically fine signal, good programs and excellent music.

Radio ELWA

A Christian broadcaster from Monrovia, Liberia, ELWA was a tough catch on the tropical bands. Disappointingly, there were no program details on the card when received, only the very general "QSL". According to my logs, along with religious programming they also rebroadcast news from the BBC.

They could be found nightly on 4765 around 0500-0700 UTC or midnight to 2 AM local time. Good thing I was working evening shifts at this time! Also, the solar flux index was peaking around 300 at this time (1980), making for a very diverse logbook.

Radio Japan

This card from Radio Japan has held up well, and is another logging from 1980. The program consisted of commentary on Japan's business community and free enterprise, along with a feature on Japan's rock gardens. Japan's international shortwave outlet can be heard nightly in the Americas with a great signal via Radio Canada's Sackville relay.

A recent card from New Zealand

Always a great station to hear, Radio New Zealand International offers terrific programs from the South Pacific. On this particular program RNZI played a musical retrospective of the 1940's (at 3 AM local time!) which I enjoyed thoroughly.


Here's the QSL I received from them, along with a sticker they send to their listeners.

Radio Finland

Radio Finland was not around in my early days of listening (early '70's) or at least not readily audible. But by 1980 they had established themselves as an international shortwave presence. Unfortunately that is no longer the case, as the latest Passport does not show any international shortwave service.

On the reception that netted this card, Radio Finland's program was dedicated to its 1980 Olympic team. Also heard were an interval signal and weather report for various Finnish cities.

Radio Vilnius

I was thrilled to have first heard this station from Lithuania in the early '80's. Radio Vilnius still is an active voice on shortwave today. This card was also rather unusual in that it opened up like a greeting card, with the verification details inside.

HRVC

Continuing with the religious stations, HRVC is fine Christian broadcaster from Honduras. Sadly though, they no longer offer shortwave service or English language service. They still broadcast on medium wave, however.

Many Central American stations still broadcast on the 60 meter (so-called "tropical") band.

WYFR

Family Radio today dominates the shortwave bands, with religious broadcasts at all times in many languages. The Okeechobee (FL, US) transmitter was still fairly new (built in 1977) when this card was received in 1980.

WYFR is known for excellent signals, and Radio Taiwan International uses the Okeechobee transmitters to relay their programs in the Western hemisphere.

Another from Radio Canada International

Actually this may have been my first QSL ever, as it probably was for many listeners in North America. It was either this one or Radio Prague around the same time.

I think RCI has far surpassed one 250 kw transmitter by now. By the way, 9625 kHz is STILL a Radio Canada frequency to this day.