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Radio Prague editors in 1968. Photo: Radio Prague International
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor David Iurescia for sharing the latest installment in Radio Prague International’s fascinating series on the history of Czechoslovak broadcasting. This continuation of the series, “Microphones against tanks: The voice of freedom on the airwaves and the invasion meant to silence it,” explores how Czechoslovak Radio evolved during the political thaw of the 1960s—and how that newly independent voice was confronted by the Soviet-led invasion of 1968. It’s another fascinating look at the important role radio played during one of the most turbulent periods in Czechoslovak history.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Majid Hussain, who points us to this RadioToday report on the BBC’s continuing reduction of its mediumwave footprint.
The BBC has begun the phased closure of some BBC Radio 5 Live AM transmitters, with the first two transmitters scheduled to close at the end of July. The move is part of the BBC’s broader transition toward FM, DAB, television, and online listening, and marks another significant step in the gradual decline of AM broadcasting in the UK.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Paul Jamet for noting that Radio Taiwan International (RTI) is changing one of its frequencies for its French-language broadcasts to Europe and North Africa during August 2026.
RTI will be conducting direct transmissions from its Tamsui transmission center in northern Taiwan every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from August 7 through August 30, 2026.
The revised schedule is:
15145 kHz: 17:00–17:30 UTC
11850 kHz: 17:30–18:00 UTC
The second frequency represents a change from RTI’s previously announced schedule. According to RTI, listeners reported recurring interference on 11995 kHz during the German service broadcasts in July. As a result, the French service will use 11850 kHz instead. RTI thanked listeners who helped test the new frequency over the past several days.
RTI is also offering a special QSL card to listeners who submit reception reports for these broadcasts. Reports can be sent by email to [email protected].
Paul also shared a scan of the special QSL card he received (above) after participating in RTI’s frequency tests last June.
This should provide an excellent opportunity for European and North African listeners to put both frequencies to the test—and perhaps add a special RTI QSL to their collections in the process.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor David Iurescia, who shares the following announcement noting that Radio Taiwan International’s French Service will once again broadcast directly from the Tamsui transmission site in northern Taiwan during August 2026. The special shortwave broadcasts are intended for listeners in Europe and North Africa and will air every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from August 7–30, 2026.
The broadcasts details:
15145 kHz from 1700–1730 UTC
11850 kHz from 1730–1800 UTC
RTI notes that the second frequency has been changed from 11995 kHz to 11850 kHz after listeners reported persistent interference on 11995 kHz during the German Service’s July transmissions. The French Service also thanks listeners who helped verify the suitability of the new frequency.
Listeners who send reception reports to [email protected] will receive a special QSL card commemorating these August transmissions.
Below is the original announcement in French:
Chère auditrice, cher auditeur,
Le service français de Radio Taïwan International est heureux de vous rappeler que, durant le mois d’août 2026, nous procéderons à une diffusion directe depuis le centre de transmission de Tamsui, dans le nord de Taïwan, vers l’Europe et l’Afrique du Nord.
À cette occasion, notre programme en français sera diffusé en ondes courtes tous les vendredis, samedis et dimanches du 7 au 30 août. Voici les fréquences et les horaires de diffusion :
15145 kHz : de 17h00 à 17h30 (temps universel)
11850 kHz : de 17h30 à 18h00 (temps universel)
En raison d’un bruit parasite répétitif sur la fréquence 11995 kHz, signalé par nos auditeurs lors des diffusions du service allemand en juillet, le service français utilisera la fréquence 11850 kHz. Nous remercions tous les auditeurs qui nous ont aidés ces derniers jours à vérifier la possibilité d’utiliser cette fréquence.
Une carte QSL spéciale vous sera envoyée en confirmation de tout rapport d’écoute que vous pourrez nous adresser par courriel à l’adresse du service français de RTI : [email protected].
There’s no better place than AM and FM stations to get local news. I am a die-hard shortwave fan, but it’s on medium wave and frequency modulation that I stay informed about what is happening in my region. So, I decided to follow some news reports from radio stations based in Rio Grande do Sul as the state faces the onset of the El Niño phenomenon in 2026—an event experts had predicted.
The stations I listened to were:
Rádio Bandeirantes, Porto Alegre (94.9 FM)
Rádio Gaúcha, Porto Alegre (93.7 FM)
Rádio Independente, Lajeado (91.7 FM)
Tua Rádio, Caxias do Sul (560 AM)
Rádio Pampa, Porto Alegre (97.5 FM)
These events unfolded just as the population of Rio Grande do Sul was still trying to recover from the trauma of the massive 2024 flood, which devastated numerous municipalities and inundated parts of the state capital, Porto Alegre, where I live.
Downtown Porto Alegre, May 2024.
Naturally, this topic took up significant airtime on these stations. In the case of Rádio Independente in Lajeado—a municipality in a region hit by the recent high waters and severely battered by the 2024 flood—coverage was minute-by-minute. This highlights the fundamental role of radio—something I always like to emphasize—as it relays alerts, provides updates on river levels and flooded areas, and interviews authorities. I had visited Lajeado on June 12, 2024, to document the aftermath of the climate catastrophe that ravaged parts of the city, and I returned two years later, on July 23, 2026, to assess the damage from this latest flood. It’s a personal matter for me, as I was an eyewitness to this tragedy.
Lajeado, June 2024
Lajeado, July 2026
Today, July 28, 2026, the broadcaster Tua Rádio reported on the damage caused by a storm that struck the municipality of Caxias do Sul, detailing the various public services disrupted by the loss of electricity, telephone lines, and the Internet. The presenter even took the time to explain the Beaufort scale, which was used to classify the storm winds that hit the area.
She also advised listeners: “Keep an ear on the radio.”
Once again, we arrive at a conclusion that all of us radio enthusiasts know by heart: everything fails… except the battery-powered radio! Power goes out, phone lines go down, and the Internet cuts out, but people can always rely on their battery-powered radios—something people in Spain, Portugal, and Chile also know well, having faced widespread blackouts in 2025.
The radio monitoring was conducted in Porto Alegre using two receivers: the Xhdata D808 and the Ecopower EP-F23B (the latter equipped with a flashlight and a solar panel).
That’s why I must insist: climate change is already knocking at our door. We need to prepare for the times ahead. And even though we are living through all the modern marvels of the 21st century—with AI and everything else—at the end of the day, what will save us is a battery-powered radio and a pack of candles.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Tracy Wood, who shares the following post from The Japan Times. The article highlights growing concerns over the future of Shiokaze (“Sea Breeze”), the shortwave radio service that broadcasts messages of hope and information to Japanese citizens believed to have been abducted by North Korea. As aging shortwave transmission facilities become increasingly difficult to maintain, supporters worry that one of the few remaining lifelines to the isolated nation could fall silent. Read the full article here: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/07/27/japan/north-korea-abductees-radio/
