My best shortwave memory was hearing live the famous Radio Beijing announcement on June 4, 1989 when the crackdown began and the announcer bravely was reporting on what was happening, by the next hour, Radio Beijing was back to reporting the party line. Wished I had my tape recorder to record it.
I also remember how weird Radio Moscow got right after the Soviet Union collapsed, they were so desperate for money they were broadcasting a program from Aum Shinrikyo, the ones who subsequently attacked the Tokyo subway in the ricin attack.
My favorite SW stations were: Radio Australia, Radio Nederland (they even read one of my letters on air), AFRTS, BBC World Service and Radio Canada International.
But I would also listen to the commie stations, like Moscow and Tirana for a good laugh. Even got a QSL card from Radio Havana (I’m sure the CIA has me in their files).
I listened intently during the Bejing Olympics.
The Free Tibet thing was very interesting.
There is interesting stuff happening on radio Ukraine and Voice of Russia now over the gas pipeline dispute
Thanks for sharing that - fascinating!
I'll never forget listening to Kol Israel on the second night of Desert Storm. The announcer read a statement ordering all listeners to take shelter and don gas masks - a missle warning had just been issued. It took my breath away. And to think - I was using my Hallicrafters Super Skyrider (they knew how to name radios then!) which was made in 1941.
I've heard a lot of broadcasts since, and had many memorable ham QSLs, but nothing compared to that Kol Israel broadcast.
Good ole’ BBC doesn’t feed America anymore. Sigh!
Oh yes, I remember that! I remember listening to Radio Moscow a lot during the coup aganst Gorbachev, and afterwards. And I remember listening to a Romanian broadcast announcing they had executed their dictator.