The Shortwave Radio Audio Archive
Shortwave radio recordings including international broadcasters, numbers stations, pirates and utility stations.
The Shortwave Radio Audio Archive · Thomas Witherspoon
Show overview
The Shortwave Radio Audio Archive has been publishing since 2024, and across the 2 years since has built a catalogue of 105 episodes. Releases follow a weekly cadence.
None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-US-language Technology show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 2 days ago, with 21 episodes already out so far this year. The busiest year was 2025, with 54 episodes published. Published by Thomas Witherspoon.
From the publisher
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)
Latest Episodes
View all 105 episodesRadio Sandino (Managua, Nicaragua): March 25, 1984
Rádio Nacional da Amazônia: August 14, 1984
Israel Broadcasting Authority, Jerusalem: Circa 1971
Rádio Nacional da Amazônia: July 16, 2025
V32 Persian/Farsi Numbers Station: March 16, 2026
V32 Persian/Farsi Numbers Station: March 15, 2026
Many thanks to SRAA contributor Dan Greenall, who shares the following recording and notes: I made the following recording (March 15, 2026 at 1822 UTC on 7842 kHz USB)) of V32 using a Kiwi SDR in Alvito, Italy. The "tavajjoh" (3X) announcement comes around the 6:09 mark, after which the numbers seem to run together more, rather than distinct groups of 5.
Radio Ghana: Circa 1971
Many thanks to SRAA contributor Dan Greenall, who shares the following recording and notes:Broadcaster: Radio Ghana circa 1971Frequency: 11.850Recption location: Ancaster, Ontario, CanadaReceiver and antenna: Hallicrafters S-52 using a longwire antennaNotes: Back in 1971, Radio Ghana from Accra had an external service, this one beamed to North America and the Caribbean on 11.850 MHz shortwave. Here are two brief recordings of their drum interval signal followed by sign on in English.
Radio Farda (Being Actively Jammed): January 28, 2026
Many thanks to SRAA contributor Jim Jordan, who shares the following recording of Radio Farda being actively jammed. Jim also shares these notes:Broadcaster: Radio FardaDate of recording: January 28, 2026Starting time: 1700 UTCFrequency: 7.5 MHzYour location: NW UKYour receiver and antenna: Lowe HF 150 plus 50m randomNotes: A bit reminiscent of trying to listen to Radio Liberty during the Cold War
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, 2026Starting time: 2358 UTCFrequency: 19.052 MHzReceiver location: ThailandReceiver and antenna: Kiwi SDR with Wellbrook loopMode: Single Side BandNotes: 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.
V32 Persian/Farsi Numbers Station: March 13, 2026
Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Dan Greenall, who shares the following recording and notes:Broadcaster: V32 Persian/Farsi numbers station Date of recording: March 13, 2026 Starting time: 0226 UTCFrequency: 7.842 MHz Receiver location: Israel Receiver and antenna: Kiwi SDR with MLA-30+ Active antenna Mode: Single Side Band Notes: Background material obtained via Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty.This radio signal first started broadcasting on February 28, about 12 hours after the United States and Israel began bombing Iran.A man's voice can be heard speaking Persian, counting out a series of apparently random numbers. The numbers are read out for varying stretches of time, followed by a pause in which the word tavajjoh -- which translates as "attention" -- is spoken three times. (around the 48 second mark in the attached recording)Beginning on March 4, the signal started to be jammed, with a cacophonous screech of electronic noise that made it all but impossible to hear the numbers. The original transmission paused for a period of time, then moved to another shortwave frequency.The transmission, that has been dubbed V32 by at least one group, is called a numbers station, a Cold War-era tool that employs radio transmissions and old-school cryptology to transmit secret messages, usually to spies around the world. It's location is suspected to be somewhere in central Europe.The attached recording of V32 was made on March 13, 2026 around 0230 hours UTC on 7842 kHz upper sideband USB using a Kiwi SDR located in Israel. I began the recording on 7841.9 kHz, but switched after a few minutes to 7842 kHz. This will account for the change in voice pitch. Also attached is a brief recording of the jamming signal, or “bubble jammer”, made on March 6, 2026 on 7910 kHz (V32’s original frequency) at 0218 UTC.
Polish Radio External Service (Via WRN and WRMI): September 26, 2025
Many thanks to SRAA contributor Liam Spencer, who shares the following recording and notes:Broadcaster: Polish Radio External Service (Via WRN and WRMI)Date of recording: September 26, 2025Starting time: 02:59 UTCFrequency: 9.455 MHzReception location: Berthoud, Colorado, USAReceiver and antenna: Sihuadon D-808 with telescopic antennaNotes: After the withdrawal of most Overcomer Ministry broadcasts in the Summer of 2025. WRMI began relaying the World Radio Network North American stream to fill the empty hours. While this is great for many shortwave listeners, as we get to hear stations that used to broadcast on shortwave again. WRMI isn't making any money from broadcasting the World Radio Network, and it is unknown how long these will last. On September 26th, I recorded the Polish Radio External Service, as they became part of my daily listening thanks to WRMI. I used a cassette tape to record the broadcast. Sometime during the recording, a few seconds of the broadcast were cut as I had to flip over the tape to continue recording.
Radio Ndarason Internationale: October 26, 2025
Many thanks to SRAA contributor Paul Walker, who shares the following field recording of Radio Ndarason Internationale on 12,050 kHz made on October 26, 2025 at 1836 UTC in McGrath, Alaska.
Radio Netherlands ('Media Network' Program): April 29, 1982
Many thanks to SRAA contributor Paul Harner, who shares the following recording and notes:Broadcaster: Radio Netherlands 'Media Network' ProgramDate of recording: April 29, 1982Starting time: UnknownFrequency: unknownReception location: St.Louis, MOReceiver and antenna: Sony ICF-2001Notes: This is a partial recording of "Media Network," though most of the program is on this recording. My interest in this specific show was the feature on Radio Luxembourg, This program is not in the Jonathan Marks archive of his "Media Network" shows.
Radio Union (Lima, Peru): July 1, 1994
Many thanks to SRAA contributor Paul Harner, who shares the following recording and notes:Broadcaster: Radio Union, Lima Peru July 1994Date of recording: July 01, 1994Starting time: 0730-0815 UTCFrequency: 6115 kHzYour location: St.Louis, MOYour receiver and antenna: Icom IC R-71-AMode: Single Side BandNotes: Radio Union in Lima was a longtime favorite station of mine from the late 1980s through the 1990s. Radio Union was well heard in the overnight hours, and featured salsa, chicha, and huayno music. Long after it left shortwave, I listened to the station online, until it closed down a few years ago.
Radio Netherlands ('Media Network' Program): April 23, 1987
Many thanks to SRAA contributor Paul Harner, who shares the following recording and notes:Broadcaster: Radio Netherlands 'Media Network' ProgramDate of recording: April 23, 1987Starting time: UnknownFrequency: Either 6165 or 9590 kHzReception location: St.Louis, MOReceiver and antenna: Icom IC R-71-ANotes: I recorded "Media Network" using a timer, and reused these tapes weekly. In this case, it became a time capsule. It is also not a show that is on Jonathan Marks' archive site.
Voice Of America (Breakfast Show): August 02, 1975
Many thanks to SRAA contributor Paul Harner, who shares the following recording and notes:Broadcaster: Voice Of America 'Breakfast Show"Date of recording: August 02, 1975Starting time: UnknownFrequency: unknownYour location: St.Louis, MOYour receiver and antenna: Multi-Band portable
NDR - Gruss an Bord: December 24, 2025
COPYRIGHT NDR Live, off-air, two-hour recording of the special annual Gruss an Bord program from German broadcaster NDR, Norddeutscher Rundfunk, on 24 December 2025. Gruss an Bord features music and greetings to and from mariners around the world. The Christmas greetings were recorded at an event in Hamburg.Relatives and friends had the opportunity to wish their loved ones at sea a happy holiday and a happy new year. The Hamburg event was recorded on the third Sunday of Advent, 14 December, in the Duckdalben International Seamen's Club and was hosted by Susanne Stichler. The program included a number of special guests including Bishop Kirsten Fehrs; Hamburg's Senator for Economic Affairs, Melanie Leonhard; the Federal Government's Maritime Coordinator, Christoph Ploß; and Vice Admiral Axel Deertz. Music was provided by the folk music duo of Frank Grischek and Ralf Lübke. The broadcast was primarily in German, however there were several minutes in English when Filipino seamen were interviewed and some of the songs had English lyrics.In addition to being carried on the NDR Info and NDR Info Spezial networks, the broadcast was transmitted around the world on shortwave using transmitters at Nauen, Germany; Issoudun, France; Tashkent, Uzbekistan; and Okeechobee, Florida, U.S.A.; and was organized by Media Broadcast.The scheduled frequencies (kHz) were: 6030 (via Issoudun) for the Northeast Atlantic, 6080 (via Tashkent) for Europe, 9635 (via Nauen) for the Indian Ocean, 11650 (via Issoudun) for the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, 13830 (via Nauen) for the Southern Atlantic, and 15770 (via Okeechobee) for the Northwest AtlanticMonitors reported that the program did not air on 9635 or 11650 kHz.This recording was made in Hanwell (just outside Fredericton), New Brunswick, Canada. It is of the transmission on the frequency of 15770 kHz for the full two hours.The recording was made primarily using a Belka-DX receiver in pseudo-synchronous (AM2) mode with a bandwidth of 50 Hz - 2.7 kHz outdoors with a Tecsun AN-03L 7-metre wire antenna Reception was quite good for the most part with a bit of fading at times. But that receiver was initially tuned to 13830 kHz with a weaker signal. However, 15770 kHz was being recorded simultaneously with a KiwiSDR 2 software-defined radio receiver in narrow AM (AMN) mode with noise cancelling and with a W6LVP indoor magnetic loop antenna. So, the recording here has about a 4-1/2-minute splice from the KiwiSDR receiver at the beginning with the remainder of the recording from the Belka-DX receiver. A few seconds of the end of the program are missing as WRMI cut over to other programming before the complete end of the program.
Radio Barquisimeto (Venezuela): Circa 1970
Many thanks to SRAA contributor Dan Greenall, who shares the following recording and notes:Broadcaster: Radio Barquisimeto, Venezuela 1970Frequency: 4.990 MHzReception location: Ancaster, Ontario, CanadaReceiver and antenna: Hallicrafters S-52 using a longwire antennaNotes: On 4990 kHz shortwave, Radio Barquisimeto in Venezuela was one of the "regulars" on the 60 metre band here in southern Ontario Canada during the evening hours in the 1970's. On nearby 4980 kHz, you could find Ecos del Torbes from San Cristobal.
BBC World Service: September 28, 2025
Many thanks to SRAA contributor Paul Walker, who shares the following field recording of the BBC World Service on 9410 kHz made on September 28, 2025 at 0603 UTC in McGrath, Alaska. Paul notes that this was an exceptionally strong signal to have been received in McGrath, Alaska.
Emisoras Jesús del Gran Poder Quito: Circa 1989
Many thanks to SRAA contributor David Goren, who shares the following recording of Emisoras Jesús del Gran Poder Quito, which he recorded on cassette tape, most likely in the summer of 1989. This broadcast was received on 5050 kHz.