Listen carefully

We’ve posted this up before thanks to discovering the tune off our good friend across the pond Justin Patrick Moore. It’s by Glenda Collins and called It’s hard to believe it. Denis H from The Joe Meek Society send us this alternative take a while ago but last night we found a lot clearer version which features those shortwave radio samples even clearer. Are those a couple of tape rewinds at 0.17 and 0.25?

We can’t remember exactly what Denis H told us but it was something like Joe may have had a subscription to an electronics magazine like Practical Wireless at the time and given his excellent knowledge of electronics he had more than enough skill to put together a shortwave radio. Great to hear the samples in all their glory!

Quaking grass and shortwave space travel

We’ve had this in the garden before and God only knows how it actually got there (have they self seeded themselves or are they the fruits of our anarchistic “throw them anywhere” sowing method) but it’s the wonderful quaking-grass. It’s only a small plant but is great close up and we’ve just found out that the seeds are good source of food for the birds.

We’ve got a flower on our courgette plant we sowed in a pot when we thought it may be a bit late so it’s always worth trying! How’s people’s gardens going? Do send some pictures please!

Also this weekend on the shortwave bands Imaginary Stations bring you Starship Skybird. The show is broadcast on Saturday 7th June 2025 at 1100 hrs UTC on 6160 kHz and then again on Sunday 8th June 2025 at 0900/1300 hrs UTC on 6160 kHz and at 2000 UTC on 3975 kHz and 6160 kHz (via the services of Shortwave Gold).

Start the countdown to this weekend when you can strap yourself in for a trip of a lifetime. Tune in, make yourself a cosmic cocktail if that’s your thing and enjoy the sounds of space.

There’s all sorts of space madness with music (and some great jingles) you may have never heard before from DJ Frederick and Justin Patrick Moore and at 6.15 mins in there’s One Deck Pete presents a ride into space on a 60+travelcard mix. Grab yourself a shortwave radio or tune in via here.

Shortwave’s not hip? Who told you that?

On Sunday 7th July 2024 at 0900/1300 hrs UTC on 6160 kHz and then at 2000 UTC on 6160 kHz and 3975 kHz the Imaginary Stations crew will be bringing you COOL 2 via the services of Shortwave Gold.

Expect entertainment of the summer vacation kind via the ionosphere. They’ll be a live BBQ in the studio with running commentary (plus amateur firefighter), a specialist towel folder to give you tips on how to place your towel on the sunlounger when reserving premier poolside seats, alongside some summer tunes. There’s a mix from our very own galloping gardener One Deck Pete with “A 7 inch single summer special” at 4 mins in featuring Earl Brown, Stereolab, Freda Payne, Anthony Johnson and Martel Robinson. So roll out the beach blanket, blow up that beach ball and get yourself comfy and tune into COOL 2.

Then via WRMI on Wednesday 10th July 2024 at 0200 UTC on 9395 kHz there’ll be the debut show of COOL which was broadcast to Europe the other week which we posted about here. Tune in and enjoy the “summer of shortwave” vibes.

Much more music…

This morning we were happily reminded of a tune from a time gone by from Dimitri From Tokyo/Paris called Love Love Mode (Disorient) which we heard on an early episode of a regular mixcloud programme we’ve been tuning into recently called the Catface Show.

The show is presented by Bob Catface and the shows are 30 minutes in duration featuring a great mix of downtempo and all sorts (and we mean all sorts) of great music. Well worth a listen! Link to it here.

Behind the screen please

Tune into X-Raydio tonight on WRMI at 2200 utc (2300 U.K. time) on 9395 kHz for a bit of an ultrasonic treat.
The show features a piece on Bone Music by Stephen Coates from The Real Tuesday Weld and a flexi disc mix by Shane Quentin. Thanks a million to Stephen and Shane for contributing to the show.
So this evening, slip into one of those light hospital gowns, tie up the back (or is it the front?) and tune into something a little bit different on the shortwaves.

Second Annual Report

Here’s the audio of this morning’s broadcast on WRMI of the KMTS End of year transmission. This programme features two shortwave radio themed mixes from us at Weeds up to me knees. The first mix opens up the proceedings from 00.00:

“Keep it chilled for KMTS
Grey Frequency – Chimes (Rai Internazionale)*
Audiovert – Another Universe*
Lapa – 45th Parallel
U Roy talking about King Tubby’s pirate radio adventures
KUNTARI–Orchid
(*Both tracks from the Cities and Memory shortwave project, more info here)

Then follows some eclectic programming from our good friend from across the pond, Ye olde DJ until 42.10 and then:

“The Circles of your mind”
Upcoast Channel 5 – CODAR
Lullatone – Sunday Morning Shopping with a Stroller
liloieee – Train tracks
Paul Davidson – Midnight Ridim (from the Jamaican release of the single Midnight Rider)
Gats – Schneewittchen 
Love Unlimited – Under the influence of Love

Hope you enjoy the show and do turn it up loud. As the station says on their mixcloud:

“The KMTS transmission service winds down our 2021 activities with this fast radio burst of test tones, sounds and songs.

So click on the radio, turn out the lights, and let exotic sounds from distant mountain top towers, take you on a trip to a land that is far away…”

There will be more to come in the following weeks and months so keep ’em peeled!

A transmission from the lamp

Via WRMI we have another transmission from the mysterious Radio Lavalamp this Sunday/Monday 18th/19th April on 9395 kHz. When the clock strikes 2300 UTC or Midnight UK time DJ Frederick takes to the helm to sail solo in the Lavalamp studio. Expects some chilled tunes!