Banns Radio from Copenhagen

Banns Radio from Copenhagen every Saturday is a quality programme that probably gets ignored by far too many people. It’s the only English language radio show from Denmark and has been running for many years now, starting back in 1996. 

It reminds me of the old Radio Norway and Radio Finland shortwave stations, with its round up of national news and then a look at cultural events in all the other Nordic countries. 

Give it a listen at www.euroword.dk or via the World Radio Network, live or on demand. www.wrn.org

Radio Tirana notes

You may have missed the email address for contacting Radio Tirana. The Albanian station’s Drita Çiço informs us that we can contact her and the rest of the English service at radiotiranaenglish@live.com 

They have been issuing a nice range of QSL cards which depict potential holiday locations, in addition to their long standing QSLs in pen and ink of traditional rural folk. These certainly makes me seriously consider a trip there myself, it being one of a handful of European countries I have yet to set foot in

You can best hear Radio Tirana with English to Europe from Monday to Saturday on 7465kHz at 2000 UTC. Tune in for 30 minutes of varied programmes which include a press review, In Focus, Around Albania, Mosaic of the Week and Albanian Outstanding Personalities Profile. 

 heard some gripping programmes throughout the summer evenings such as one on the contagious diseases of the 1930s which did for many Albanians, including a prominent author.  The back story to the nation’s emblem of the double headed black eagle and its prominence in the resistance to the Ottoman Empire was another feature I felt privileged to hear.

Each Tuesday their Mailbag programme includes reception reports. These are from all continents, but Asia and South America seem most prevalent. Maybe it’s time to write to them yourselves to represent listeners in the UK and Europe. Every Radio Tirana broadcast these days seems to finish off with a selection of local easy listening music, which I find quite soothing. If you miss the 2000 to 2030 UTC broadcast, well, it is repeated a few hours later at 0130 UTC on the same frequency, 7465kHz, aimed at North America.

You can always listen online as well, or, for some classic archive recordings, search at YouTube and you won't be disappointed...

Radio craft and Traidcraft

Photo: Chrissy Brand

You can't spend countless years tuning around the tropical shortwave bands without wondering and worrying about the everyday lives of people in the countries that you listen to. Whether you are tuned to Malaysia or Malawi, Brazil or Bangladesh, India or Indonesia, you know that the chances are your lifestyle is more comfortable than theirs.

I've always been a supporter of buying ethically, locally produced goods where the makers get a fair price. The items in the photo above came to me in different ways. The basket was made by oppressed southern Africans during  the apartheid era- from discarded telephone wires; the tablecloth came from a batik shop I visited in Kota Bharu; the bangle is from a UK shop specialising in Third World goods; the joss-stick holder from a local Buddhist centre.

Traidcraft online sell goods such as these, and much more (some lovely handbags for example). They don't just specialise in trinkets and gifts though, they stock various types of organic food  too: Biscuits and cakes, coffee and tea, fruit juices, muesli, fruit and nut snacks, organic jams and peanut butter.  We should all think Traidcraft rather than use the multinational high street supermarkets, be it for mass catering or individual shopping.

So, as I relax with a pot of Traidcraft Tanzanian leaf tea, I tune the tropical bands slightly guilt-free. I have been picking up Radio Clube do Para from Belem in Brazil quite well in the European evenings on 4885kHz; Radio Nacional from Bata in Equatorial Guinea on 5005kHz; RTV in Djibouti on 4780kHz and Tajik Radio on 4765kHz. Bliss...