The Media Network Vintage Vault 2024-2025

MN.10.03.1993.Transcription Changes

09 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This transcription version of Media Network was sent to about 150 stations who subscribed to a condensed version of the show. Obviously propagation re...

MN.09.10.1997. Stanford Visit to Archimedes

09 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

By the mid-nineties, the Internet was starting to interest many people in the communications business. We made trips to Silicon Valley to figure out w...

MN.09.06.1988 WLW and Asian Ambitions

09 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This edition of the programme starts with an interview with Jim Vastenhoud. He was one of the authors of a fact finding survey to Asia where Radio Net...

MN.03.09.1992. Norway, Antennas and Spy Update

09 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This programme carries the news about the launch of Classic FM in the UK and several stations having been recovering from storm damage. Jonathan Marks...

MN.03.07.1996. Sony SW600 & Listener Calls

09 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

We had just installed a new answerline recorder. Listeners want to know about the Sony SW600, the existance of a portable MP3 player, frequency change...

MN.15.10.1992. Mediaraad Report & RTL Satellite

05 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

The programme starts with the voice of the late Paul Holmes, a New Zealand broadcaster who worked at RNW in 1980. I did shifts with him. International...

MN.27.02.1992. WARC Malaga and Voice of Russia, Moscow

05 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

There are rumours in Holland about the start of a second TV service from RTL, to be called RTL-5. Vasily Strelnikov reports from Moscow about the star...

MN.15.10.1992. Caracol Reportage

05 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

We're trying to work out why listeners have not received the latest Radio Netherlands programme schedule On Target from Costa Rica. Typhoon Brian hit ...

MN.07.05.1992. VOA Koreas WSHB

05 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This programme starts with a link to Bill Whitacre who reports on the start of a VOA Kurdish language radio service. Bill also explains that VOA has s...

MN.07.02.1992.Kashmir, Iraq and Andorra

05 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Another listener driven programme. Kanwarjit Sandhu spots a station called the Voice of Free Kashmir. It seems to be a separate station from Azad Kash...

MN.06.08.1992. Radio Free Asia & Bloopers

05 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

We start with receiver news. Yaesu Musen announces a new FRG-800, which is supposed to have better dynamic range than the FRG-8800. Radio Free Europe,...

MN.05.02.1992.DX Nightmare SRI 5XX

05 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This programme starts with an interval signal contest with a difference. We played 3 signals at the same time, and one of them was backwards. Can you ...

Mn.04.11.1988.VOA Relay Stations Feature

05 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

The tape of this programme has not survived well, so I have only included part of this programme. I think it's interesting because it explains the pla...

MN.04.06.1992 Caribbean Bandscan

05 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Media Network was putting the bang back into WorldBand Radio. We begin with news about QSL cards, which I made myself in the Keukenhof. We also look a...

MN.11.07.1990. VOA in Brazil

14 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

We started with news about Radio Tirana, VOA Liberia, Spectrum Radio in London has a problem with interference from Radio Caroline. BBC is changing it...

MN.26.12.1991. News Mix Finnish Local Radio

14 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This programme had good news about Radio Canada International. Andrew Simon was also investigating commercials on RCI. Radio Denmark is closing its sh...

MN.19.09.1991 Drake R8

14 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

A very technical edition of the programme, but then we were never afraid of talking tech on Media Network. After announcing some frequency changes, we...

MN.04.07.1991. Sony Car Radio Review

14 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This programme was recorded on location at the HAM-FEST in Friedrichshaven, Southern Germany. We talked to Uwe Bräutigam of the German clubc ADDX abo...

MN.04.04.1991. RN Pacific Expansion

14 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This news edition covers media developments in Yugoslavia and a group in Canada supporting Croatian independence. Radio Libertas has been using WHRI. ...

MN.07.03.1991 Vilnius and Brussels

14 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This was a news edition of the programme which starts with a short survey of English programmes coming out of the Baltic States and the Soviet Union. ...

MN.17.01.1991 Profile of Radio Free Europe

14 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Try our national anthem contest, although the closing date was in 1991. Radio Vilnius, Lithuania is calling members of the public to help defend broad...

MN.21.02.1991. RTL4 and more

14 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This edition includes tuning suggestions from Arthur Cushen – Caribbean Beacon is trying a shortwave relay. Bob Tomalski is delighted that a univers...

MN.28.02.1991 Free China Broadcasts

21 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This programme looks at the private initiatives beaming into mainland China as a result of events at Tiananmen Square in 1989. Now, two years later, t...

MN.21.11.1991. Century Closes & Radio Caroline

21 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

The programme starts with the news that Irelands only commercial radio network Century FM has closed. We analysed why. Herbert Visser called with news...

MN.18.04.1991. Whats up in Jaffna?

21 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This was a news programme in which we looked at DX programmes to replace RCI's DX Digest which has ceased transmission. World of Radio from Glenn Haus...

MN.16.05.1991.anniversary contest

21 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This was a news edition of the programme. Kol Israel is planning to cut its shortwave broadcasts in half. We also aired the impossible context present...

MN.13.06.1991. US Private SW Commercial Scan

21 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

There are terrible shortwave conditions at the moment because of solar flares. We looked at new stations, including Radio Northern, the Voice of Oro i...

MN.10.01.1991. BFBS to the Gulf

21 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Radio Tirana has stopped using the Internationale and announced some curious changes to its transmissions, including taking adverts! Vasily Strelnikov...

MN.05.03.1992 News Updates

21 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

A listener-powered edition of the programme, with a range of updates from the shortwave bands. What power is being used by Radio Luxembourg on 15 MHz?...

MN.03.05.1991. BFBS London train profile

21 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This was one of the few broadcasts to originate from a train. I was on my way back from London after meeting Richard Astbury, of British Forces Broadc...

MN.12.07.1994. AFN Berlin closedown

24 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

This edition of the programme includes the news that the American Forces Radio relay in Berlin is to sign-off. We also reported on the death of North ...

MN.09.06.1988 Asian Relay Station

24 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

At one time, Radio Netherlands was planning to build a third relay station to improve its shortwave radio coverage into South Asia and China. the late...

MN.30.11.1995. Quito Radio Profile

24 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Twenty years ago, I was part of a Radio Netherlands delegation to a conference in Quito, Ecuador on the future of radio, especially community radio. A...

MN.20.01.1983.PAOAA

23 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This was the first of several visits we made to the VERON amateur radio news station, which operated at that time out of a tower in the Sikkens (now A...

MN.29.09.1983 AM STEREO

23 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Here we are 32 years after this programme was made and some people still hope that AM stereo is going to work. Of course, AM Stereo was analogue techn...

MN.13.01.1983 Malta

23 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

I remember Malta on my radio map because Deutsche Welle built a relay station for North Africa on the island, which was later nationalised. Malta star...

MN African Safari 1981 Capital Radio

23 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This is a very early Media Network magazine documentary about broadcasting in Southern Africa, when apartheid South Africa had stations operating from...

MN.06.01.1983 Dutch UNIFIL Radio

23 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

In 1983, Media Network broadcast a series of features on forces broadcasting. At the time, the Dutch were part of a UN peace keeping mission in Lebano...

MN.05.05.1983 BFBS Profile

23 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

In 1983, Media Network ran a series of thematic features on Forces Broadcasting. This was the final part, which featured the British Forces Broadcasti...

MN.26.08.1987. Nicaragua & New Radios in Berlin

02 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This was a new edition of the programme covering the strange move by President Reagan to use clandestine Radio Liberation broadcasting from El Salvado...

MN.23.08.2000 Offshore Radio Revivals

02 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

A nice summer edition of Media Network in which Diana and I looked at a revival of Radio Caroline in the Netherlands, organised by Sietse Brouwer from...

MN.08.04.1988 The Lost Indonesian Radio Safari

01 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Media Network broadcast several radio safari's during its 20 year run. Looking back on them now they provide an illustrated time capsule of what (radi...

MN.01.09.1983. Zimbabwe & Satellites

01 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This was an early attempt to do longer investigative features. We start the programme looking at the challenges facing the satellite broadcast industr...

Radio South Atlantic May 1982

01 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Radio South Atlantic was a short-lived clandestine radio station started by the UK Ministry of Defence with programmes aimed at Argentine troops on th...

MN.25.09.1987. Guatemalan Mysteries

05 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This programme has a strong Latin American flavour starting with the news of test transmissions from Radio For Peace International in Costa Rica. Sky ...

MN.06.10.1987. Superconductors & Lightning

05 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Jonathan gets a tube of "on-air" radio toothpaste. China is being relayed by Swiss Radio International, some transmissions being well heard. We starte...

MN.08.01.1987. Riyadh & Scanners

05 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

A New Year has dawned but without the expected reduction in Soviet jamming of Western broadcasters. West German television airs the wrong new year spe...

MN.02.07.1987. Iranian Clandestines

05 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

We start this programme with news of a two-in-one RS-10 and RS-11 amateur radio satellite launched by the Russians. Pat Gowen reports. Pat Gowen passe...

MN.02.10.1987. Europe No 1 & Citizen's Radio

05 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

We're postponing a series of features until the satellite link with Madagascar is resorted after maintenance. Europe-1, a commercial network in France...

MN.04.09.1987. The US Emergency Broadcast System

05 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This edition of the programme discusses how the US Emergency Broadcast System works. This was a predecessor to what is now called the Emergency Alert ...

MN.12.02.1987. Vanuatu & Telex Decoding

05 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Vanuatu has been counting the cost of a major cyclone to hit this Pacific island chain. They’ve asked Radio Australia to help out while repairs are ...

MN.27.09.1987. Mali Relays Beijing & Batteries

04 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This news edition of the programme starts with a major raid by Amsterdam police on the four largest pirate radio stations in the Dutch capital. We sol...

MN.06.08.1987.BellsfromBreda

04 Oct 2014

Contributed by Lukas

I remember this edition of Media Network broadcast in August 1987. At that time digital recording was only just becoming possible, using a PCM adaptor...

MN.04.04.1985 Brannigan and Edwards

01 Sep 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Great to hear the voices of John Brannigan, a Scottish radio propagation specialist, who was the perfect interviewee. He really knew his field and cou...

MN.04.07.1985. Expo85 and Radio Tampa

01 Sep 2014

Contributed by Lukas

One of a series of Media Network programmes that originated from the 1985 Expo in Tsuba, just North of Tokyo. I used the visit to the expo to visit Ak...

MN.07.02.1985. Radio Jackie London

01 Sep 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Radio Netherlands won't be getting access to 747 kHz. Things are going to plan for PA6FLD ham radio station operating from the new Flevoland transmitt...

MN.12.09.1985. Radio Impacto

17 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

In 1985, we didn't know much about a new station that had gone on the air in Costa Rica, but was clearly targeting listeners in neighbouring Nicaragua...

MN.13.06.1985.Future of the cassette

16 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

I remember going on a trip to the BASF chemical factory in Ludwigshafen, Germany. We went to see why Chrome Dioxide cassette tape was such a superior ...

MN.18.07.1985. WRUL Scituate

16 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

We delve into the Media Network archives to look back at the early days of commercial shortwave broadcasting from the United States. On October 15, 19...

MN.19.09.1985. Copenhagen Safari

16 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This was my first visit to Copenhagen when the radio and television production were in two separate houses in the downtown area of the city. Radiohuse...

MN.25.08.1983. Caroline & Enormous Confusion

05 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Radio Caroline is back from the North Sea, complete with sounds of the generators. And we talk to Ruud Hendriks, producer of the media show on Veronic...

MN.07.07.1983 Gabon

04 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Africa Number One is still around, although unless you're in Libreville, Gabon, you'll need to listen online. Mind you, the station's audio quality vi...

MN.25.02.1993 - Bosnia and Yacht Boys

03 Aug 2014

Contributed by Lukas

A news edition of the programme, most of it triggered by listeners. Norman Scott reports that Dr Gene Scott is planning major expansion of his shortwa...

MN.03.05.1990 Dayton Hamvention

28 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

I have only made it once to the Dayton Hamvention, the largest meetup of amateur radio operators anywhere on the planet. My trip was in April 1990, an...

MN.14.05.1990 Radio Volga & Studio 11

26 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This programme from 1990 profiles the Russian Forces Radio station Radio Volga set up in the GDR. We also look at how synchronous detection works on t...

MN.23.04.1992 Sangean Radio Visit

24 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This edition of the programme in 1992 came together out of the blue. I suddenly got a tape from Taiwan from David Monson, a presenter on BRT Brussels ...

MN.23.07.1992.Moscow Radio Profile

24 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Long before Putin there was a different type of media in Moscow. It was just gradually breaking free of the old Communist era, experimenting with all ...

MN. 21.12.1989. US Invades Panama

21 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

We live in troubled times (again). Bumped into a Media Network programme recorded in December 1989. We were reporting on the media surrounding the US ...

MN.12.10.1989 Vilnius & VOA Bethany

20 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Interesting programme which revealed that Radio Vilnius, Lithuania was no longer using material sent to the station from Radio Moscow. We also profile...

MN.02.06.1983 HCJB Quito

20 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This is a very early Media Network from the summer of 1983. Yes, the presentation is dated and it has nothing like the pace of later programmes in the...

MN.15.09.1983 Korean Airliner Shot Down

18 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

On July 17th 2014, a commercial aircraft from Malaysian Airlines, flight MH17, was shot down over Ukraine. The exact details of who was responsible ar...

MN.11.02.1988.Radio Bop & Basicode

29 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This edition of the programme reports on a raid on Radio Bophutatswana. We also profiled Radio RIAS in West Berlin, which has announced TV broadcasts ...

MN.15.07.1993 DC777 and Phase Track

19 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The date of this programme is only approximate. It contains an interesting interview with Pat Gowen, G3IOR, who has concerns about interference being ...

MN.17.02.1983. Broadcast Museum & Contest Results

03 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

We all sound rather young and hesitant in this early edition of Media Network, except Pete Myers. This was a regular edition of the programme with a l...

MN. Radio Beijing. June 3rd 1989

03 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

In 1989, satellite television was in its infancy. I remember watching events in China unfold on CNN, which had only just been added to the cable syste...

MN.16.06.1983 Luxembourg & Satellites

02 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

We got several hundred reactions after publicity on the BBC Radio 4 programme In Touch. This edition looks at launch of Ariane 6. Roger Broadbent repo...

MN.12.05.1983. Propagation Mysteries Explained with John Brannigan

02 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This edition has African Media News from Richard Ginbey. Mediumwave is expanding in Southern Africa. Parakou in Benin is being heard (later went to th...

MN.29.01.1988. Aspidistra & Lebanon

01 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This news edition of the programme starts with a report that Radio Al Quds (The Holy One) is taking a far more active role. The station was first thou...

MN.26.02.1988 Guatemala & Deutsche Welle

01 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

A news edition of the programme. TROS, AVRO and Veronica are thinking of going commercial in the Netherlands, TV-SAT is given up for lost, Deutsche We...

MN.15.05.1983. Zimbabwe

01 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

A collection of short news items in this edition of the show. Roy Neal reports on ham radio plans from Skylab with astronaut Owen Garriott. Pete Myers...

MN.22.09.1983.ABC Radio Suriname

01 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The Ampies Broadcasting Corporation started in Paramaribo, Surinam in 1975. "It was a new station with influence in a new republic", said the founder ...

MN.13.10.1983. Radio Montserrat

01 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Media Network was a radio programme on Radio Netherlands. We had no travel budget. But we did have enthusiastic contributors who were travelling aroun...

MN.14.04.1983. RadioPrague & OMD

01 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

In 1983, the UK pop group Orchestral Manoevers in the Dark released an album called Dazzle Ships. OMD, then at their peak of popularity, opted for a m...

MN.24.02.1983.Latin American Clandestines

01 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

I believe that 1983 was probably one of the best years for listening to shortwave. All kinds of stations were popping up between 3 and 30 MHz on the r...

MN.27.12.1984 - What time is it?

29 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

In the 1980's you could find time signal stations quietly ticking away on the shortwave dial. WWVH from Hawaii, CHU from Canada, VNG from Australia. T...

MN.22.10.1987. Time Signals and Listeners Letters

29 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This vintage Media Network programme looked at changes to the Time Signal Station VNG in Lyndhurst Australia and we compiled a feature looking at how ...

MN.03.03.1994 World Radio Network London

25 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This edition of Media Network is just over 20 years old. I found myself in London and decided to visit the facilities of World Radio Network who had t...

MN.24.12.1981. Polish Martial Law on the radio

17 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

A very early Media Network covering what we could hear about the worrying developments in Warsaw. On December 12–13 1981, the Polish regime declared...

MN.04.10.1990 Inside Radio Berlin International

17 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This is the edition of Media Network where we looked at the future of Radio Berlin International, the Voice of the GDR. We had visited the broadcast c...

MN.21.09.2000 DRM Test Results & Bombshell announcement

01 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

I note some recent discussions about the future of DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale - not digital rights management). The current discussion makes it sound...

MN.18.05.2000 Being in two places at once London/Hilversum

01 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The first part of this programme comes from Earls Court, from what used to be called the Cable & Satellite convention. We explain why broadband DSL is...

MN Island Montage Radio St Helena & Easter Island

27 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Found this pre-broadcast montage which comes from two different Media Networks, one aired in the 1990's and one in June 1981. No prizes for spotting t...

MN.11.05.2000. South African Radio Scan

20 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Found this example of the Media Network safari to Capetown in May 2000. We answer listener questions to gadget guru Bob Tomalski who explains about th...

MN.28.11.1991. Antenna Special & VOA Botswana

15 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Following a promo about a documentary on Pearl Harbour, we start a news edition of the programme. There are updates on Radio Caroline running aground,...

MN.29.03.1984. AFN Soesterberg

14 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Back in 1984, many of us in Hilversum bought an NTSC compatible TV. That wasn't easy because it had to be specially ordered, ordinary TV's only had PA...

Media Network Gigantic Jingle Collection

14 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

May 2022: This is a re-issue of a file first published in 2012, but which was buried on this archive site. Following comments on Facebook, I have re-r...

MN.31.05.1984.Red Cross Profile

14 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

This edition of Media Network from 30 years ago looked at how the International Committee for the Red Cross set up its communications system based on ...

MN.27.01.1983. Victor Hafkamp & ICOM ICR-70

13 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

An early Media Network from 1983. We looked at the construction of KNLS in Alaska. There were also plans to build a mediumwave station KBQN on America...

MN.24.09.1981. Karl Braun Dream Receiver

13 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

No apologies for my high voice. Media Network was just a few months old and I had been at Radio Nederland for just over a year. This program was recor...

MN.15.05.1986. Hoaxes, Satellite Dishes and More

13 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

With every major disaster there are always those willing to set up a hoax, often to attract attention to themselves. Nowadays Facebook, Twitter, Livel...