Category Archives: Shortwave radio

One alternative to lockdown lunacy

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This Sunday coming 26th April 2020, DJ Frederick’s Free Radio Skybird will be broadcasting another show in its weekly spring run at 1100 UTC (1200 UK) on 6070 kHz via Channel 292. 

This week’s episode features Justin Patrick Moore’s Radiophonic Laboratory and One Deck Pete’s “Radio connects us all” mix featuring Patrick McGoohan, Sasskia, Mokka and Camille Murray. We’ve also the debut of Shane Quentin from the excellent Garden of Earthly Delights radio show who’s bringing us a bit of “Radio Re-flex-ology”.

Tune in using your shortwave radio in the 49 Metre band on 6070 kHz or by using the link here. It’s going to be one interesting hour!

What you can actually do in ten seconds

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A big shout to Gerry Hectic who told us about this compilation when they were originally looking for contributors. This compilation has over 200 10-second tracks and is released by ATTN:Magazine here. What’s great about it is that ALL proceeds from the sale of the set are donated to the charity Cool Earth who work alongside rainforest communities to halt deforestation and climate change.

There’s ten seconds from a variety of sources including Gerry Hectic, Justin Patrick Moore and Madtone amongst many many others! Cheers to Jack Chuter for including our track!

Best job done in a long while

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We’d been putting it off for a couple of days and it’s finally done, the bed by the pond is cleared of that purple horrible flowered thing that was taking over (though we left a bit behind the hebe). To say we’re chuffed is an understatement! It took us a good few hours and it was hard work but we were entertained with birdsong and the sound of a constantly croaking frog from the pond!

And here’s the latest instalment of Free Radio Skybird that’s to be broadcast on Easter Monday at 1100 UTC (12 Noon UK) on 6070 kHz via Channel 292. It’s features a host of great stuff including Justin Patrick Moore’s Radiophonic Laboratory at 24.08 and One Deck Pete’s “Tunes to cheer you up” at 36.55 with Funk Reverse with “In & Out” (DJ Moy’s dub version). Listen to the show here or tune in Monday with a shortwave radio or using an online SDR here.

https://soundcloud.com/djfrederick/free-radio-skybird-6070-khz-april-13-and-19

Tune of the week/month

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And out of Braga, Portugal is Far Down Records that brings us this minimal classic from Sasskia called Half of me. It may not sound like there’s much going on on first play, but we guarantee you that this tune will get under your skin!

If all goes well, this tune will be featured alongside tunes from Mokka and Camille Murray on a forthcoming mix called “Radio connects us all” which will be broadcast on Free Radio Skybird on April 26th at 1100UTC on 6070 kHz via Channel 292.

The mix was influenced by the above youtube that features Patrick McGoohan, the Red Sands Maunsell Forts and an offshore pirate radio station. What more do you want out of a telly programme, Grant Mitchell and the Queen Vic? We don’t think so!

More on the Dangerman episode and about the tunes used on it have a look here. Thanks very much to This is a music show for passing the info on!

Turn your radio on…

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Here’s an “off the radio” recording of One Deck Pete’s “Radio fanatics of the world unite” mix as broadcast on Free Radio Skybird this morning via Channel 292 on shortwave. “Tune in and rip the knob off” as Bill Mitchell use to say on various pirate radio station jingles in the 1990’s.

Bouncing off the ionosphere

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Here’s a lovely piece of radio-related graphics which we received the other week thanks to DJ Frederick. It’s a Free Radio Skybird log book designed and produced by the graphic artist NanSea Griggs. It’s an excellent hand-crafted booklet in a folded over card cover which is a collaged, hand stamped, one-off piece which we love here! Have a look at her other work for the cassette label whythetapesplay. Designwise it’s a refreshing breathe of fresh air which makes us shout “Bring back the Prittstick, PVA and the John Bull printing kit to graphic design!”

Just a reminder that Free Radio Skybird will be on the air tomorrow Sunday 29th March at 1100 UTC (1200 UK) on 6070 kHz via Channel 292. The programme will feature Justin Patrick Moore’s Radiophonic Laboratory (at 10 mins in) and One Deck Pete’s “Radio fanatics of the world unite” mix (at 25 mins in) and other interesting stuff. If you haven’t got a shortwave radio tune in here and enjoy something “a little way different” as they say.

Music to soothe the storm

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It’s been dreadful here today, the wind and rain lashed against the windows, there’s been horrible dark skies and we’ve been watching the news on the telly with stories of people who have suffered some very bad luck due to Storm Ciara. And the storm still ain’t ended yet…

https://soundcloud.com/djfrederick/free-radio-skybird-february-2020-shortwave

To soothe those storm nerves, here’s a sneak preview of Free Radio Skybird that’s scheduled to be transmitted via Channel 292 on Sunday 16th February at 1400 UTC/UK on 6070 kHz shortwave including at 42 minutes in One Deck Pete‘s “Less is more” mix. There’s some new tunes from Mai, Mohammad-Reza Shajarian & Seventh Soul and Blanco. Tune in and blank out that wind and rain!

Free Radio Skybird coming to you soon…

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It seems like it’s been a while since DJ Frederick’s Free Radio Skybird was last on the shortwaves. Don’t worry, it won’t be long until the next one on Sunday 16th February at 1400 UTC/UK on 6070 kHz via Channel 292. The show will be rebroadcast on Sunday 23rd February at 1100 UTC/UK on 7440 kHz. If you haven’t got a shortwave radio it can also be heard on the SDR link on Channel 292’s site here.

The programme will feature Justin Patrick Moore’s Radiophonic Laboratory and One Deck Pete (from Weeds up to me knees) presenting the Skybird Mailbag. There’ll also be an airing of Pete’s “Less is more” that has new tunes from Mai, Mohammad-Reza  Shajarian & Seventh Soul and Blanco.

Mixes from previous shows are available at our audio podcast page here. The programme will be available on DJ Frederick’s Soundcloud page a day or so before transmission date if you want to hear it in true stereo but we here prefer the show with added noises from the ionosphere. Tune in and turn on! #shortwavesnotdead #madtone #freeradioskybird

Happy New Year 2020!

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A big Happy New Year to all our readers and hope you have a great year to come especially in the garden. If you need to listen to some music to wipe out the memory of Jools Holland’s Annual Hootenanny – Honestly it’s recorded live here’s a recording of One Deck Pete’s “Nine and a half minutes at 90 bpm” mix which was transmitted on Free Radio Skybird via Channel 292 on 7440 kHz on 5th January 2020 at 1200 UTC. Here’s the tracklisting:
Frapp – Petals
Blundetto – Take me with you (instrumental)
Lama’s Dream – New Horizons
Mario Pinosa Trio – Vientos De Libertad

All the best for 2020 from all of us at Weeds. Happy gardening! #shortwavesnotdead, #gardeningsnotdead, #freeradioskybird

Free Radio Skybird’s last flight of 2019

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The last transmission of 2019 from DJ Frederick’s Free Radio Skybird will be on Tuesday December 31st at 0900 UTC on 6070 kHz shortwave via Channel 292. The show will be rebroadcast on Sunday 5th January at 1100 UTC/UK on 7440 kHz. If you haven’t got a suitable shortwave set it can also be heard on the SDR link on Channel 292’s site here.

The programme will feature Justin Patrick Moore’s Radiophonic Laboratory and One Deck Pete (from Weeds up to me knees) presenting the Skybird Mailbag. There’ll also be an airing of Pete’s “Nine and a half minutes at ninety BPM” that has new tunes from: Frapp, Blundetto, Lama’s Dream and Mario Pinosa Trio. Mixes from previous shows are available at our audio podcast page here.

The programme will be available on DJ Frederick’s Soundcloud page a day or so before transmission date if you want to hear it in true stereo but we here prefer the show via the ionosphere. Tune in and turn on! #shortwavesnotdead #madtone #freeradioskybird

By the way we’re always looking for decent tunes to play on our spot on Free Radio Skybird. If you know of anything “up our street” so to speak, do contact us via the blog or at onedeckpete (at) gmail (dot) com and if we like it we’ll play it. Free Radio Skybird is now available via 5 FM stations in the USA WSCS, WMNB, KBOG, KOWS and WEJP as well as good old shortwave via Channel 292 and the above is the transmission zone when the conditions are good.