Radio Madagascar QSL, arriving in August, 1972. (Details below)

OPENING THE LOGBOOK - AUGUST 1972

Each month, I open the old records to see what I (and others) heard decades ago. It has been fun looking back at old issues of the Australian DX News (ADXN - the newsletter of the Australian Radio DX Club), bringing back lots of memories. Here are some memories from August 1972—54 years ago! 

All frequencies in kHz; all times are UTC (or GMT, as we used to say in those days!).

The Price of the World Radio TV Handbook in 1973

An order form for the 1973 edition of the WRTH was included with the ADXN. The price was A$8.00....and that was for January airmail delivery! Too expensive? Well, you could order the book for A$5.00 via surface mail and receive it in April. 

So, how does that compare with today's prices? I put three large language models (LLMs) to work to calculate what the same book in 1973 would cost in today's money. They gave me three different but similar answers, highlighting that we aren't just looking at the global inflation rate between then and now. Also included are typesetting, design, printing, print run, distribution and freight costs - some of which were well above inflation at certain times over more than 50 years. 

Remember that, in those days, the book was produced in Denmark, and freight costs over 50 years have varied with the economic pressures of the time. For example, in the 2020s, air freight rates and logistics costs spiked due to fuel price shocks, pandemic disruptions, and capacity constraints. While some of that has eased, the structural cost base remains higher than in the 1970s. So, it is not just the basic inflation rate that we must take into account.

Anyway, the final breakdown would be:

Component	Estimate today
Book’s inflation-adjusted production/value	$75–$95
International delivery	$60–$90
Taxes, currency exchange rates, bank fees	$10–$15
Likely delivered price	$145–$160

So, we could probably say that a 1973 book would be around AUD$150. You can make the foreign exchange calculation for your own currency. 

Interesting, huh? For those who say the book is too expensive these days, in today's money, the current prices are actually pretty good. And, of course, we no longer have hard copy production - the last print run was in 2026. This year, I purchased both the ebook and the web app. Still good value when you consider the above calculations.

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Remember the BBC World Radio Club?

I do.....sort of! I remember Henry Hatch, who seemed to know a lot about technical aspects of BBC operations. And there was Peter Barsby, and one or two other announcers. The BBC World Service aired this popular weekly program dedicated specifically to SWLs and DXers. 

Typical segments included: 

• Frequency Updates and Schedule Changes: Announcements of changes to BBC transmission frequencies, seasonal schedules, target areas, and new transmitters or relay stations.
• DXing News and Reception Reports: Highlights of exotic or hard-to-hear radio stations logged by listeners worldwide.
• Technical Advice and How-Tos: Explanations of radio equipment, antenna designs, propagation conditions (solar activity/sunspots), and tips to improve reception.
• QSL and Listener Mail: Answers to mail sent in by "club members," confirmation of reception reports, and feedback from the global shortwave community.

I cannot confirm this, but as far as I can determine, the program first aired on July 1, 1967, running at 0745 on Saturday mornings for 15 minutes. It ended in December 1980 and was replaced by the Waveguide program, which began in January 1981.

A sample of the WRC membership card.

Why do I bring up the World Radio Club? 

Well, during August 1972, WRC ran a "QSL Award" scheme for September, inviting listeners to report on a number of BBC transmissions. Reports were analysed by BBC Engineering staff, and a special Certificate was issued by the World Radio Club. The Award was given for four correctly logged BBC transmissions during September '72.

To qualify, DXers had to provide evidence of receiving one BBC transmission from each of the following: UK, Atlantic Relay, and East Mediterranean Relay, as well as one BBC transmission in any language other than English. Each certificate included details that served as formal verification for the various countries, rather than the general "acknowledgement" normally issued by the BBC. To be eligible, DXers were required to be members of the WRC. In 1972, programs were broadcast on Thursdays at 1245, Fridays at 2345, and Sundays at 0815.

A sample of the WRC listeners' pennant.

A Busy Logbook

Despite being in my last year of secondary (high) school, with final exams looming in October, the radio picked up some juicy signals from Europe and Africa. Reception reports in English, Spanish and French were sent to the following stations:

R. Mil (Santo Domingo) 4930, R. Los Andes (Mérida) 6010, Bamako 5995, R. Inconfidencia (Belo Horizonte) 6000, AIR New Delhi 15235, Talata 7285 and 7295, 4VE (Haiti) 6120, Riga 5935, Libreville 4777, Maseru 4800, R. Atlantida (Iquitos) 4785, Südwestfunk (Rohrdorf) 7265, Ouagadougou 4815, Kinshasa 4880, R. Comercial (Santo Domingo) 4880, R. Nueva América (La Paz) 4796, La Voz de Honduras (Tegucigalpa) 5873, Kampala 4976, Doha 9570, Kathmandu 5000, Maldives 4740,  R. América (Lima) 3240.

Malagasy Republic (Madagascar)

In August, 1972, we knew the large island off the southeastern coast of Africa as the Malagasy Republic. In fact, June 26, 1960, was when the country gained full independence from France while retaining the name Malagasy Republic (First Republic). On December 30, 1975, it was renamed the Democratic Republic of Madagascar (Repoblika Demokratika Malagasy), initiating the Second Republic. From September 18, 1992, it was renamed the Republic of Madagascar (Repoblikan'i Madagasikara), establishing the Third Republic.

My Radio Nederland QSL below was for one of the early test transmissions from the new Talata relay station. Following technical testing and signal alignment of the new 300 kW shortwave transmitters in December 1971 and early 1972, the facility officially entered full-schedule operations to Asia, Australia, and East Africa in mid-1972.

While we are visiting the Malagasy Republic, here is the QSL, schedule and envelope I received in August, 1972 from Radio Madagascar.

The Shortwave Bands in August 1972

ARDXC members noted the following "newsworthy" stations during the month:

3395 - R. Universidad, Mérida, Venezuela at 1056 - Heard by Robert Hanner, believed to be the first reception of this Latin broadcaster in Australia!

4831 - RTV Gabonaise - Franceville, Gabon. A new station heard at 2107 in French and signing off at 2200. It ID'd as "Ici Radio Franceville, station nationale, La Voix de la Renovation", again heard by Robert Hanner. It was not parallel with Libreville on 4777, but running its own programming.

My August monitoring included the following:

2340 - Foochow, Fukien provincial station, China. Noted at 1422 on Aug 23.

2510 - Taegu, South Korea at 1417 with the Korean home service, Aug 21.

5170 - Fukien Front Broadcasting Station (Chinese People's Liberation Army) - Foochow. At 1245 and in parallel with many other freqs including 5900 and 6400, Aug 18.

5995 - Bamako, Mali. French at 0730 after VOA closed, to 0800 s/off on Aug 15.

7265 - Südwestfunk - Rohrdorf, Germany FR. A nice long path signal with pop music at 0600 on Aug 21. Rohrdorf was a 20 kW transmitter in those days.

7470 - R. Liberation - Hanoi, North Vietnam. Chinese at 1020, English at 1030 and // 10010 kHz on Aug 28.

9422 - Voice of the People of Thailand (Clandestine). Thai talks on the Vietnam War at 1314. // 6034 also heard. Transmitters were believed to be located in China's Yunnan Province.

9620 - R. Nove de Julho, São Paulo, Brazil. At 0850 with pops. QRM Canada on 9625, Aug 9.

9988 - Voice of National United Front of Kampuchea, Hanoi. Khmer talk 1100, good level and // 10080, 12005 also heard.

11410 - China Press Agency, Peking. Dictation-speed Chinese news 1220, Aug 18. // 16433 16373, 16105, and 16341 also heard.

11805 - R. Globo, Rio de Janeiro. Adverts and ID 0905, fair signal.

12080 - R. Euskadi (Clandestine). Spanish talks, mx 2152, s/off 2158 after full ID, Aug 9.

15415 - R. Clube de Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. Middle-of-the-day reception at 0045 with a fair-to-poor signal.

Plus lots of international broadcasters on 13 and 11 metres including:

 

21460 VOA-Delano, 21480 R. Nederland-Talata, 21490, 21505, 21575, 21585, 21625 R. Moscow, 21520 Berne, 21560, 21650 Cologne, 21570 NHK, 21580 Paris, 21585 Vienna, 21620 Paris, 21630 BBC-UK, 21640 NHK, 21700 Prague, 21700 Lisbon, 21705 R. Mexico, 21730 Oslo, 25900 Oslo, 25620 R. Nederlands - Lopik.

And Even Some Mediumwave logs in August!

I was never a great mediumwave DXer, lacking the patience and interest, to my eternal shame. This was in the era when many Australian and New Zealand stations switched off their transmitters after midnight local time, often revealing fascinating DX frequencies that delivered signals from across the globe. I really should have made more effort on mediumwave in those days! But somehow I found my hands full with all the shortwave activity! You can see my mediumwave QSL collection here. 

At home, I had a small rotatable loop antenna that worked OK. On August 19, the following were logged:

629 - R.Moscow. Russian Home Service relay via Khabarovsk. Strong at 1807.

670 - Noumea. Interval signal of call of cagou bird at 1858, French national anthem at 1900, then ID by man at 1902. Good clear signal. (See the YouTube video below)

737 - Quadima, Israel. ID at 1830, then English news. Fading badly, but there

just long enough to get an ID.

800 - Amman, Jordan. Arabic songs and anncts at 1828, but very poor signal.

810 - Peking. Chinese talks at 1853. Fair signal.

And my one MW QSL for the month:

Papua New Guinea: 9PA Port Moresby 1250. ABC card received by airmail in 3 weeks.

A 1973 recording of ORTF Noumea just like it would have been heard in the logging above!

And In Other News....

Canada: Around this time, Radio Canada International tested programs for Oceania, Japan, and S. Asia via the BBC Far Eastern Relay Station. Tests were conducted at 0955-1030 on 15156, 17740, and 21595, according to Arthur Cushen (Invercargill, NZ).

Hungary. Restructuring of "The DX Show" broadcasts was implemented at the beginning of August. Now broadcast in two parts, it would be heard on Tuesdays and Fridays in transmissions to Europe at 1930, and to NA at 0100 and 0400, with repeats on Wednesdays and Sundays to Europe at 2130, and to NA at 0300. (From an announcement I monitored from Radio Budapest).

Malawi: See also last month's Opening the Logbook. "Lakeland Radio" was noted on 6054 (ex 5995) s/on 1900 with Country and Western music. The station was owned by an American company and planned programming similar to Swazi Radio, including some religious broadcasts (e.g., "Back to Bible"). (Colin Miller, Sth Africa, in "Sweden Calling DXerg").

Zambia: R. Zambia were testing new transmitters, announcing 11850 and 17850. Noted on 11850 with a strong level, but on 16190 instead of 17850, heard in period 1850-1420. (via Richard Ginbey, S. Africa, reporting to Radio Sweden)

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What's unusual about this Radio Berlin International QSL?

From the former German Democratic Republic, I received this RBI QSL for a broadcast from its only shortwave transmitter in Wiederau, near Leipzig. It was a single, 50 kW unit for the fixed frequency of 9730 kHz, aimed at Europe, North America and the Middle East. At the time, all the other services for overseas listeners were from transmitters at Nauen and Königs Wusterhausen. The WRTH reports that, in later years, the Wiederau transmitter was upgraded to 100 kW. Eventually, it closed in June 1993.

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Well, that's about it for August, 1972.  I hope you enjoyed this walk down memory lane. Let's meet again next month to reminisce about September 1972.

Rob Wagner VK3BVW

RELATED READING:

Opening the Logbook - July 1972

Opening the Logbook - June 1972

Opening the Logbook - May 1972