Radio Australia from the point of view of many DX'ers was our favorite shortwave broadcaster. Many times the staff would personal letters in response to my outreach to their presenters. This practice was done by other shortwave broadcasters but generally for response to DX reports as QSL cards. The demise of shortwave come from major governments following the advice of corporate executives who didn't want to continue with shortwave even though the world still needs it and it has more listeners in the Orient than any other continent. At its peak, Radio Australia had a budget of 38 millions which was cut to 19 million in the 21 century. That isn't much when one considers the product and that other shortwave broadcasters at their peak would spend 750 million per year. The 38 million was a drop in the bucket. Few people realize that Radio Australia did experimental broadcasts in DAB mode that were heard very successfully in New Zealand the the South Pacific. The needs of the South Pacific region are just as great as they ever have been and FM signals from distant locations cannot serve these areas effectively like AM and Shortwave broadcasts once did. The internet when it fails looses all signal input and not all pacific nations have internet. With the recent cyclone that hit southern New Zealand, the people of the Pacific were not warned because the FM signals did not propagate to the area where the listeners were located. High powered DAB with AM and Shortwave broadcasts is surely needed. China utilizes shortwave in these modes with FM very effectively. Therefore, Radio Australia and other great broadcasters are needed today more than ever for a reliable news and entertainment source. Sincerely, Tom Roberts, PhD, Ham Operation and Broadcaster.
Heard Radio Australia back about this time . I was a high school student in southern Illinois USA listening late at night . It was magical . It was really hard to believe that I could hear something from so far away . It’s sad that those days of shortwave have passed.
I very much agree on how magical it was to hear signals from that part of the world. At the time (70's and early 80's) I was living in western Canada and marvelled at the long distances those signals travelled to get to my listening location. Not just Radio Australia's high powered international broadcasts but the more modestly powered broadcasters such as Radio New Zealand as well as ABC's domestic shortwave broadcasts and the more exotic sounding broadcasts from the likes of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.
Thanks putting the old memories for us. When I was young I used to listen to Radio Australia. on my old Shortwave Radio, It was not clear but I love it. Now a days its on net, crystel crisp clear, but i dont enjoy it as on Shortwave Radio.
I have cassette recordings dating back to my own monitoring with a Realistic Dx150, 1975 to 1984. I should sort them out and post them. Everything from OAS, RSA, HCJB, Belgium, Norway, cairo, etc.
Incredible stuff! My archive goes back to 1974 and I thought that was precious! This is priceless! PURE Gold - thank you for doing this all those years ago.
We learned that Radio Australia's shortwave broadcasts will cease after January 31, 2017. ABC's Northern Territory SW service will also close at the end of January. RA will be heard online and I see they are looking into partnerships with the TuneIn app, etc.
Broadcasting over the air is very expensive, takes a lot of electric power. Broadcasting online is cheap and the sound quality much better. We are lucky to have lived at the end of one era and the beginning of another.
I would LOVE to share your off air recordings on the Shortwave Radio Archive: shortwavearchive.com Do you have the original recordings in MP3 or .WAV format? Thanks so much for sharing these recordings! Thomas
I do. But my first goal is to get the original reel to reel tape digitized. What I posted was from a shortened cassette copy made about 1980. My reel to reel deck no longer works so I will use a commercial service.
+Richard Clifford Not quite the Australian Government. Radio Australia is (was) the overseas service of the national broadcaster, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). ABC is mostly funded by triennial allocations from the Federal purse, but retains a high degree of autonomy in operational decisions. A few years back, after dodgy Prime Ministerial machinations which aborted a commercial tendering process, the ABC was administratively awarded a Federal contract to produce international TV. The Federal Govt. changed a couple of years later & the succeeding Govt. decided to scrub the contract. Twenty-odd million dollars p.a. were reefed out of the ABC budget. ABC responded to this fiscal reaming with a fit of pique, culling RA program makers and cutting distribution (satellites & FM regional re-broadcasts as well as HF). Funds thus scavenged went into propping up the international TV operation.
Radio Australia from the point of view of many DX'ers was our favorite shortwave broadcaster. Many times the staff would personal letters in response to my outreach to their presenters. This practice was done by other shortwave broadcasters but generally for response to DX reports as QSL cards. The demise of shortwave come from major governments following the advice of corporate executives who didn't want to continue with shortwave even though the world still needs it and it has more listeners in the Orient than any other continent. At its peak, Radio Australia had a budget of 38 millions which was cut to 19 million in the 21 century. That isn't much when one considers the product and that other shortwave broadcasters at their peak would spend 750 million per year. The 38 million was a drop in the bucket. Few people realize that Radio Australia did experimental broadcasts in DAB mode that were heard very successfully in New Zealand the the South Pacific. The needs of the South Pacific region are just as great as they ever have been and FM signals from distant locations cannot serve these areas effectively like AM and Shortwave broadcasts once did. The internet when it fails looses all signal input and not all pacific nations have internet. With the recent cyclone that hit southern New Zealand, the people of the Pacific were not warned because the FM signals did not propagate to the area where the listeners were located. High powered DAB with AM and Shortwave broadcasts is surely needed. China utilizes shortwave in these modes with FM very effectively. Therefore, Radio Australia and other great broadcasters are needed today more than ever for a reliable news and entertainment source. Sincerely, Tom Roberts, PhD, Ham Operation and Broadcaster.
Heard Radio Australia back about this time . I was a high school student in southern Illinois USA
listening late at night . It was magical . It was really hard to believe that I could hear something from so
far away .
It’s sad that those days of shortwave have passed.
Yes, I agree.
I very much agree on how magical it was to hear signals from that part of the world. At the time (70's and early 80's) I was living in western Canada and marvelled at the long distances those signals travelled to get to my listening location. Not just Radio Australia's high powered international broadcasts but the more modestly powered broadcasters such as Radio New Zealand as well as ABC's domestic shortwave broadcasts and the more exotic sounding broadcasts from the likes of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.
Thanks putting the old memories for us. When I was young I used to listen to Radio Australia. on my old Shortwave Radio, It was not clear but I love it. Now a days its on net, crystel crisp clear, but i dont enjoy it as on Shortwave Radio.
I have cassette recordings dating back to my own monitoring with a Realistic Dx150, 1975 to 1984. I should sort them out and post them. Everything from OAS, RSA, HCJB, Belgium, Norway, cairo, etc.
Do it
That would be excellent!
Bring back the good memories.....I remember learned '''English For You'' frm Radio Australia
Incredible stuff! My archive goes back to 1974 and I thought that was precious! This is priceless! PURE Gold - thank you for doing this all those years ago.
Thanks for bringing back some great memories.
It's great to hear these recordings fron the 1960's! I did alot of DXing as a young teenager in the late 1960's.
Beautiful shortwave radio.
I wish internet were never created.
Thank you very much for this video,a piece of art.
We learned that Radio Australia's shortwave broadcasts will cease after January 31, 2017. ABC's Northern Territory SW service will also close at the end of January. RA will be heard online and I see they are looking into partnerships with the TuneIn app, etc.
Broadcasting over the air is very expensive, takes a lot of electric power. Broadcasting online is cheap and the sound quality much better. We are lucky to have lived at the end of one era and the beginning of another.
I am sad that short wave radios were cease to broadcast.
The "click go the shears" interval signal is beautiful.
Great RA voices:
Vic Kennedy 3'-9'22";
Brian Bogle 9'20"-11'13";
Denis Gibbons (presenting & singing) 11'54"-23';
Mailbag with Keith Glover 23'-28'.
.
DFITH 224 I STARITED LISTENING TO SHORTWAVE IN THE 8OS
Dfirth 224 shortwave radio AUSTRALIA 1969 this cool
Best wishes from México.
DFIRTH 224 I STILL LISN TOO SHORTWAVE
tanks english service of radio australia.
DFIRTH 224 SHORTWAVE RADIO AUSTRALIA 1969 THIS COOL
I would LOVE to share your off air recordings on the Shortwave Radio Archive: shortwavearchive.com
Do you have the original recordings in MP3 or .WAV format?
Thanks so much for sharing these recordings!
Thomas
I do. But my first goal is to get the original reel to reel tape digitized. What I posted was from a shortened cassette copy made about 1980. My reel to reel deck no longer works so I will use a commercial service.
DFIRTH 224 I LIKE THE MUSIC FROM AUSTRALIA 🇦🇺
Beautiful memories. Thank you for sharing. 73 iz5pqt
DFIRTH 224 I WAS BORN IN 1963 I AM 59 YEARS OLD
Dfirth 224 I was born in March 23 1963 iam 59 years old
Dfirth 224 what is your hobbies?
greetings from México.
DFIRTH 224 MY HOBBIES ARE PAINTING PICTURES AND LISTENING TO SHORTWAVE AND SSB I THINK ABOUT GETTING MY HAM LICENSE I HAVE 4 SHORTWAVE RECEIVERS
Now, the Australian Government has shuttered Radio Australia for all intents and purposes.
+Richard Clifford
Not quite the Australian Government.
Radio Australia is (was) the overseas service of the national broadcaster, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). ABC is mostly funded by triennial allocations from the Federal purse, but retains a high degree of autonomy in operational decisions.
A few years back, after dodgy Prime Ministerial machinations which aborted a commercial tendering process, the ABC was administratively awarded a Federal contract to produce international TV. The Federal Govt. changed a couple of years later & the succeeding Govt. decided to scrub the contract. Twenty-odd million dollars p.a. were reefed out of the ABC budget.
ABC responded to this fiscal reaming with a fit of pique, culling RA program makers and cutting distribution (satellites & FM regional re-broadcasts as well as HF). Funds thus scavenged went into propping up the international TV operation.
Difrth I like the music from Australia 🇦🇺 😌 👌 😎 😏 ☺️ 🇦🇺 😌 👌 😎 😏 ☺️
Dfirth myb hobbies are painting pictures and listening to shortwave and ssb I have shortwave receivers iam thinking about getting my ham license
DFIRTH 224 ME AND MY COUSIN ARE GOING TO A SWAP MEET IN NOVEMBER 6 SUNDAY MORNING AT 8:30AM
Dfirth 224 me and my cousin are going to a swap meet in November 6 Sunday morning 🌄 at 8:30 am in Milwaukee
saludos desde México.