#radiotaiwaninternational — Public Fediverse posts

Carlos’ Illustrated Radio Listening Report and Recording of Radio Taiwan International (October 20-23, 2026)

https://swling.com/blog/2026/10/carlos-illustrated-radio-listening-report-and-recording-of-radio-taiwan-international-october-20-23-2026/

#CarlosLatuff #RadioTaiwanInternational #ShortwaveArt #ShortwaveRadio

Taiwan’s Frequencies, effective from October 14, 2026

This isn’t exactly in tune with the HFCC’s coordinated shortwave plans, but then, Radio Taiwan International’s frequencies aren’t published there anyway. The following are their schedules for Mandarin, English, French, and German. Changes may happen anytime.

Mandarin

It may be confusing, but south comes before north as a target area, in the following schedule, and in the Chinese language in general. A compass is a "pointing-south needle" (指南針).

English, French, and German

In all likelihood, Radio Taiwan International’s frequencies for Europe (in French and German) and for South Asia (in English) won’t change – but French for western Africa (only on Sundays) will.

Radio Taiwan International Double-Ten Frequency Announcement

Radio Taiwan International’s Mandarin service is covering the Double-Ten celebrations on October 10th on shortwave.

The frequencies:
9790 kHz, 12020 kHz, 15300 kHz and 15470 kHz on shortwave, and
1098 kHz and 1557 kHz on mediumwave.

Update, Oct 9, 2026
The Japanese department’s coverage also airs on shortwave, 15625 kHz, but only for about one hour.
Announced today in RTI German’s mailbag program.

Transmission starts at 01:00 UTC (give it a few minutes either way), and should run until about 04:00 UTC. If you hear rather routine-like talk, it will most probably be CPBS-1 (China National Radio), "co-channeling" or jamming the frequency from Taiwan.
The transmission from Taiwan carries a particular "live" ambiance from the square in front of Taiwan’s presidential palace.

Radio Taiwan’s 2026 Double-Ten Live Transmission on October 10

Update: official frequency announcement by RTI, October 2, 2026

Online coverage on Youtube on Oct 10

Every year on October 10, Radio Taiwan International’s Mandarin department runs a live transmission, covering the day’s celebrations in the morning of that day. October 10, or "double-ten", commemorates the anniversary of the Wuchang Uprising, a complex revolution in October 1911 that turned out to be the final blow against China’s imperial court, the Qing Dynasty.

But what does that have to do with Taiwan? That’s a complex story, too, and depending on how it is rendered, it will annoy one or another reader. Let’s keep it as short and as innocuous as possible. Here goes.

Taiwan’s political system is officially referred to as the Republic of China. That’s not to be confused with the People’s Republic of China. The PR China is usually referred to as "China", while the Republic of China (or R.o.C.), is usually referred to as "Taiwan".

The reason why the Wuchang Uprising is such a big thing in Taiwan, even though Taiwan didn’t belong to China when it happened, is that China’s Nationalist Party, aka KMT, took control of Taiwan in 1945 and fled there in 1949, when the Communists gained control of nearly all of China. The KMT took the R.o.C. to Taiwan, and there it has stayed, for some 81 years now (since 1945), while having been erased in China for about 77 years (since 1949).

The recent history of Radio Taiwan International’s (RTI) live transmissions on shortwave is yet another complex story. For some reason, the special October-10 frequency schedule turns into a paper chase for ordinary shortwave listeners, with some of them – frequently in China and Japan – (apparently) catching advance information while the rest of the world (apparently) doesn’t. I have no idea why the frequencies have to be such a well-guarded secret, but that’s how it is. So let’s make a game of tracking down the most likely ones.

I’m really trying to nail them this year, because October 10 falls on a Saturday – that’s my chance to listen live on shortwave, probably from about 01:00 UTC in the morning. And it’s a challenge, because some frequencies may work rather well here in northwestern-central Europe, depending on target areas and propagation, and others may be inaudible. Chinese jamming or "co-channeling" may complicate things further.

Also, the frequency schedule varies from year to year, even though the season is always the same – October 10. It may be so shaky because the day falls into the transition period between the summer and winter schedule seasons – late October (most of the world) and early November (North America) are the period when the schedules change on a global scale, with frequencies usually moving to lower frequencies and higher meter bands.

These are the frequencies I’ve scraped from earlier years. The real frequencies (we may not find out before listening on the big day itself) may be somewhere between them, just as well.

Hottest candidates in red letters.

Apart from the frequencies listed and usually used by the Mandarin department, Japanese-language transmissions may be carried on some others, like 15625 kHz. Those two languages are the most likely ones to be used during RTI’s live coverage on shortwave.

Logs: Mini-Atlantique, Radio Taiwan, etc.

Mini Atlantique Météo

Contrary to some speculation, the race from Sables d’Olonne to the Azores and back again (they are now on their way back) still continues. Maybe the transmissions took a break while the boats and their crews were resting on the Azores, with no need for weather forecasts during their break. According to the bulletin from Issoudun transmitting site on July 29th, the sailors were peu à peu arriving at the Azores on that day.

Today, a weather synopsis in French and English as well as a forecast valid until Wednesday, August 12, was transmitted on 7340 kHz (a little wobbling noise could be heard in the background that may have been jamming from a more distant radio quarrel), and 17545 kHz from 15:00 to about 15:55 UTC (without interference. Timestamp was today, August 8. The weather report was followed by the classements, i. e. the enumeration of the participants of earlier today, down to the 50th of them. That plus a question of the day to keep the guys in the boats amused, and a bien bizarre musical medley, with every thune only lasting a few seconds.

Radio Taiwan (English) from Tamsui

Radio Taiwan International went on the air at 16:00 UTC on 9405 kHz for South Asia, and with a program noticeably made for a younger audience than the German and French programs targeting Europe. Started with the news of the week, then an interview with a CEO from the German Trade Office in Taiwan discussing Sachsen State’s semiconductor ambitions, then Beyond the Reef with an update on trading routines in East Asia (Japan, Korea-South and Taiwan among the stakeholders), and a Father’s Day edition of "Jukebox". So the good news is that RTI has stopped broadcasting its programs on shortwave one day late. Hopefully, yesterday saw the Friday edition on the air.

Radio Taiwan (French) from Tamsui

First on 15145 kHz at 17:00 UTC, then on 11850 kHz from 17:30 to 18:00 UTC. Interview with an adventurous French journalist who took a trip trip from France to Taiwan by train, and by boat for the last few miles, a chance to win small prizes if you answer questions by Taiwanese students of the French language during the program, and a nice last dance before sign-off.

Radio Taiwan International Transmissions from Tamsui in French

Happy Father’s Day (爸爸節) to all who celebrate today, August 8. The background is rather serious, but it’s become a day of merriment (and some respect, hopefully) by now.

The Father of all Radio Stations has started the annual direct transmissions from Tamsui, northwestern Taiwan, last night and will continue these one-hour transmissions on every remaining Friday, Saturday and Sunday this month (August), from 17:00 to 17:30 UTC on 15145 kHz, and from 17:30 to 18:00 UTC on 11850 kHz.

RTI’s August Direct Transmissions: New Frequency and Special QSL

https://swling.com/blog/2026/08/rtis-august-direct-transmissions-new-frequency-and-special-qsl/

#PaulJamet #RadioTaiwanInternational #RTI

RTI French Service Announces August 2026 Shortwave Broadcasts to Europe and North Africa

https://swling.com/blog/2026/07/rti-french-service-announces-august-2026-shortwave-broadcasts-to-europe-and-north-africa/

#RadioTaiwanInternational

Radio Taiwan Tamsui Site changes Summer Weekend Frequency for Europe

Update, July 29, 2026
Radio Taiwan International has confirmed that 11850 kHz will replace the former 11995 kHz during the direct broadcasts from Taiwan in August:
15145 kHz from 17:00 to 17:30 UTC, and
11850 kHz from 17:30 to 18:00 UTC.
Fridays through Sundays from August 7th to 30th.

____________________

An over-the-horizon radar signal (OTH), apparently in Cyprus, is said to be the cause for interference with one of Radio Taiwan International’s two direct transmissions in German on the weekends of July. The frequency in question, 11995 kHz, will be replaced by 11850 kHz. French transmissions will run on all weekend days in August (Fridays through Sundays), from 17:00 to 17:30 UTC on 15145 kHz, and on said 11850 kHz from 17:30 to 18:00 UTC (if I got the French program’s letterbox program correctly today). 11995 kHz won’t play a role in August, but probably remains in use tomorrow night for the last direct transmission in German. All programs in August will be from Radio Taiwan International’s French service.

Radio Taiwan International: Travels and Transmissions

Visiting Japan

Radio Taiwan International’s (RTI) Japanese service took part in an amateur radio event in the Japanese region of Kansai, the "KANHAM", on July 17 and 18. The RTI delegation was led by the station’s president Chang Jui-Chang (張瑞昌). Regular meetings between RTI staff and Japanese listeners in Japan have probably helped to lay the foundations of success, putting RTI at the top of surveys by the Japan Shortwave Radio Club, both in 2024 and 2025.

Broadcasting to Europe and the Mediterranean

Radio Taiwan’s direct transmissions from Tamsui to Europe and northern Africa, on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, leave little to be desired, apart from a few blackouts during the first minutes of the 15145 kHz transmissions. Listening to the second half hour, from 17:30 to 18:00 UTC on 11990 kHz is much more difficult, as interfering noise spreads across from around 11985 to 12010 kHz.

The transmissions in German on the July weekends are particularly interesting this year, as RTI veteran broadcaster Eva Triendl interviews her German-department colleagues in these programs – just wondering who is going to interview her, as even Uta Rindfleisch, who started working with RTI in the 1980s (under its former name of "Voice of Free China" at the time) has taken questions.

RTI Test Broadcast on Sunday, June 21, 2026

https://swling.com/blog/2026/06/rti-test-broadcast-on-sunday-june-21-2026/

#DavidIuresciaLW4DAF #RadioTaiwanInternational #RTI

Direct Shortwave Transmissions from Taiwan in German and French

Radio Taiwan’s annual direct shortwave transmissions from Tamsui to Europe and the Mediterranen are taking their established route this year, too. As usual, there will be some test transmissions this coming weekend.

In German, Saturday, June 20, 2026:

15145 kHz, 17:00 – 17:10 UTC
11995 kHz, 17:15 – 17:25 UTC
11995 kHz, 17:30 – 17:40 UTC
9545 kHz, 17:45 – 17:55 UTC

In French, Sunday, June 21, 2026:

15145 kHz, 17:00-17:10 UTC
11995 kHz, 17:15-17:25 UTC
11995kHz, 17:30-17:40 UTC
9545 kHz, 17:45-17:55 UTC

Listener feedback (reception reports) on the Saturday test transmissions will decide the choice of frequencies for the usual weekend transmissions from Tamsui in July in German; and reactions on the Sunday test transmissions will define the August schedule in French. QSL cards have been promised for reception reports, also on the test transmissions.

Restons à l’écoute!

Direct Shortwave Transmissions from Taiwan in June / July

Official approval pending, but plans for test transmissions from Tamsui, Taiwan, are as follows, according to Radio Taiwan International’s German service on Friday night.
Date: Saturday, June 20
15145 kHz, 17:00 – 17:10 UTC
11995 kHz, 17:15 – 17:25 UTC
11995 kHz, 17:30 – 17:40 UTC
9545 kHz, 17:45 – 17:55 UTC

If everything goes ahead as planned, regular Tamsui transmissions (on the frequencies yet to be tested) can be expected on the weekends of July, starting with Friday, July 3, 2026, from 17:00 to 17:30 and from 17:30 to 18:00 UTC. Always from Friday through Sunday – a total of 12 days.

Let’s stay tuned for the French program tonight – they might have news in their listener’s letters program, too.

My Favorite Stations on Shortwave

This is who – and why (5 = excellent; 1 = poor; 0 = no data):

(If you wonder about the eleven "categories", there’s actually one station among those I frequently listen to that broadcasts live, occasionally. That’s Vatican Radio.) I only looked at stations that I logged at least nine times since January 1 this year.

Radio Taiwan International’s Shortwave Transmissions in English

Something is weird at Radio Taiwan International (RTI). Their English-language transmission for South Asia on 9405 kHz, at 16:00 UTC, usually comes in rather well in Europe, too. However, the opening bulletins are always old news. It was the Friday bulletin when I listened on Monday (yesterday), and the Monday bulletin when I listened again on Tuesday (today). On both days, the audio files they had chosen for transmission were actually correct – Monday’s program was according to schedule with "Beyond the Reefs" and "Doomscroll News Report" on Monday, and "Hear in Taiwan" on Tuesday. But why the old news on an otherwise current reel?

I found the same pattern on July 11 last year, when that Friday program ran the Thursday news bulletin.

This means that a news bulletin that the European audience gets to hear in French and German at 19:00 UTC on one day, will be beamed to South Asian listeners only a day – 21 hours – later.

The English transmissions are still worth to be listened to, but RTI gives away a classical ace that radio could and should have: speediness, if not realtime newsbreaking.

Suggestion: let’s send the occasional reception report to RTI’s English service, and express our surprise that the only English-language transmission available on shortwave (as far as I know, it is their only one) broadcasts old news. To show that we care might help keeping the program on air.

Half a Century of Connection: RTI’s Spanish Service Turns 50

https://swling.com/blog/2026/03/half-a-century-of-connection-rtis-spanish-service-turns-50/

#DavidIuresciaLW4DAF #RadioTaiwanInternational #RTI

Wusste gar nicht das so etwas gibt aber schön zu sehen.🇹🇼🎙️

#taiwan #radio #rti #radiotaiwaninternational

https://www.rti.org.tw/de/index

Radio Taiwan International and Radio Prague Recent Highlights

https://swling.com/blog/2026/01/radio-taiwan-international-and-radio-prague-recent-highlights/

#RadioPrague #RadioTaiwanInternational #RTI

RTI: One-Hour English Broadcast from Taiwanese Students to Norway

https://swling.com/blog/2026/01/rti-one-hour-english-broadcast-from-taiwanese-students-to-norway/

#PaulJamet #RadioTaiwanInternational #RTI #ShortwaveRadioSpecials

RTI’s Spanish & Japanese programs ranking among shortwave broadcasters

https://swling.com/blog/2026/01/rtis-spanish-japanese-programs-ranking-among-shortwave-broadcasters/

#DavidIuresciaLW4DAF #RadioTaiwanInternational #RTI

Taiwan on Shortwave – Then and Now

https://swling.com/blog/2026/01/taiwan-on-shortwave-then-and-now/

#DanGreenall #RadioHistory #RadioNostalgia #RadioTaiwanInternational #Recordings #ShortwaveRadio #TheVoiceOfFreeChina #WRMI

Carlos’ Illustrated Radio Listening Report and Recording of CGTN, NHK, and Radio Taiwan International (December 6, 2025)

https://swling.com/blog/2025/12/carlos-illustrated-radio-listening-report-and-recording-of-cgtn-nhk-and-radio-taiwan-international-december-6-2025/

#CarlosLatuff #CGTN #NHKWorld #RadioTaiwanInternational #ShortwaveArt #ShortwaveRadio

RTI Spanish Language Service Update

https://swling.com/blog/2025/10/rti-spanish-language-service-update/

#DavidIuresciaLW4DAF #RadioTaiwanInternational

Radio Taiwan International on Air in Japanese on October 10 National Holiday

Radio Taiwan International will air coverage of Taiwan’s national-holiday celebrations in Japanese on October 10, from 02:00 to 03:00 UTC, on 15625 kHz. Excerpts of the live coverage are scheduled to be rebroadcast at 11:00 UTC. EiBi’s Space lists the 11:00 UTC transmission as a regular one in Japanese, on 9740 kHz from Paochung.

No idea yet what the frequencies for the Mandarin transmission will be – but I’m taking it for granted that the shortwave tradition remains in place.
 

#foreignRadio #Japan #languages #RadioTaiwanInternational #shortwave #Taiwan

Carlos’ Illustrated Radio Listening Report and Recording of Radio Taiwan International (August 12, 2025)

https://swling.com/blog/2025/08/carlos-illustrated-radio-listening-report-and-recording-of-radio-taiwan-international-august-12-2025/

#CarlosLatuff #RadioTaiwanInternational #Radiofax #ShortwaveArt #ShortwaveRadio

Carlos’ Illustrated Radio Listening Report and Recording of Radio Taiwan International (August 11, 2025)

https://swling.com/blog/2025/08/carlos-illustrated-radio-listening-report-and-recording-of-radio-taiwan-international-august-11-2025/

#CarlosLatuff #RadioTaiwanInternational #Radiofax #ShortwaveArt #ShortwaveRadio

Paul shares a special QSL card from RTI’s German service

https://swling.com/blog/2025/08/paul-shares-a-special-qsl-card-from-rtis-german-service/

#RadioTaiwanInternational #RTI

Radio Taiwan International: Tamsui Observations

(1) Special Tamsui Transmissions

Radio Taiwan International’s German service noted in their July-4 mailbag show that the same antenna is used for the 15145 kHz and the 11995 kHz transmissions, with an azimuth of 325°. According to RTI French, the same degrees were used for their test transmissions on these frequencies, on June 29th. Oddly, their 9550 kHz test transmission on the same day was beamed at 315°. 9550 kHz was sorted out after the tests.

The nominal transmission output on both 15145 nd 11995 kHz is 300 kW, according to the German-service mailbag show, and for their test transmissions on June 28 alone, they received more than 1,000 reception reports.

The German service’s special QSL for the Tamsui transmissions will feature the Taiwan blue magpie (or maybe more than one). If that sounds familiar from an older Tamsui special QSL, there’s still a difference – last time, Taiwan’s unofficial heraldic bird was photographed. This time, it is said to be a drawing.

Once the German service’s QSL card is in, it still pays to write to the French department, too and to send them signal reports: they will issue a special Tamsui QSL card of their own.

Another transmission via Tamsui is RTI’s only English broadcast on shortwave, on 9405 kHz for South Asia, every day of the week from 16:00 to 17:00 UTC. The signal comes in mostly fair in my place, as long as I use my 28 meters of outdoor wire, and the Sangean ATS-909x. Using a Sony ICF-SW30 and its built-in telescopic antenna works occasionally, but most of the time, the signal remains poor then, even outdoors.

(2) Target Audiences and Programs

Not only languages differ when it comes to different services at RTI. The English programs for South Asia are noticeably targeted at a younger audience than the German ones for Europe. There are more music programs, for example. One reason is, of course, that the German programs on shortwave are only 30 minutes long – the music programs – a hitparade and a more general program on music from Taiwan – are only available online. The English transmission runs for 60 minutes. But the kind of music they play is different, too. The English service carries a syndicated hitparade program on Sundays, asiapop40.com. According to Wikipedia, the shows are recorded in Kuala Lumpur and Taipei. The legal address, according to their website, appears to be in Taipei.

Then there is "Taiwan Grooves" on Wednesdays. It often takes the form of interviews, and also features more recent kinds of music. The music program that comes closest to older listeners’ tastes is probably "Jukebox Journeys", the second music program on Sundays after "Pop40".
What I also like about it is that it seems to be rather carefully scripted.

Carefully scripted – this is also true for "Beyond the Reefs". Yesterday’s topic was Taiwan’s gaming industry – presented in a way that I actually cared to listen closely.

You get similar stuff in the German service’s Monday program, "Taiwan Monitor". Those are often based on interviews in Mandarin, usually with academics or other experts, on a currently hot political issue, with translation and added information for German-speaking listeners, for context.

Radio Taiwan International is certainly among my top-3 international broadcasters, no matter if in English or German. The problem with their Mandarin programs is that China keeps jamming them, so I can’t tell what they are about – and they don’t seem to publish podcasts of their daily programs, neither on their website nor on Youtube.

#Europe #foreignRadio #music #RadioTaiwanInternational #shortwave #Taiwan

RTI Live Test Broadcasts in German on Saturday, June 28, 2025

https://swling.com/blog/2025/06/rti-live-test-broadcasts-in-german-on-saturday-june-28-2025/

#PaulJamet #RadioTaiwanInternational

RTI Live Test Broadcasts in French on Sunday, June 29, 2025

https://swling.com/blog/2025/06/rti-live-test-broadcasts-in-french-on-sunday-june-29-2025/

#DavidIuresciaLW4DAF #RadioTaiwanInternational

Radio Waves: WNYC to Test Digital AM, RW Letters, and 2025 RTI Audio Calendar

https://swling.com/blog/2024/11/radio-waves-wnyc-to-test-digital-am-rw-letters-and-2025-rti-audio-calendar/

#HDRadio #RadioTaiwanInternational #RTI #WNCY

Carlos’ Illustrated Radio Listening Report and Recording of Radio Taiwan International (October 31, 2024)

https://swling.com/blog/2024/11/carlos-illustrated-radio-listening-report-and-recording-of-radio-taiwan-international-october-31-2024/

#CarlosLatuff #RadioTaiwanInternational #RTI #ShortwaveArt #ShortwaveRadio

Typhoon Gaemi: Carlos’ Recording of Radio ZP-30, RTI, and Radiofax via the Japan Meteorological Agency

https://swling.com/blog/2024/07/typhoon-gaemi-carlos-recording-of-radio-zp-30-rti-and-radiofax-via-the-japan-meteorological-agency/

#art #CarlosLatuff #JapanMeteorologicalAgency #RadioTaiwanInternational #WRMI #ZP30

Special QSL Card: RTI Direct from Tamsui July/August 2024

https://swling.com/blog/2024/07/special-qsl-card-rti-direct-from-tamsui-july-august-2024/

#GrardKoopal #QSL #RadioTaiwanInternational #RTI

RTI Tamsui transmitter tests for future broadcasts

https://swling.com/blog/2024/06/rti-tamsui-transmitter-tests-for-future-broadcasts/

#PaulJamet #RadioClubDuPerche #RadioTaiwanInternational #RTI

Taiwan: Breaking through censorship via shortwave

https://swling.com/blog/2024/04/taiwan-breaking-through-censorship-via-shortwave/

#Censorship #RadioTaiwanInternational #RTI #VOA #VOANews

I have recently discovered “In Taiwan We Speak”, a new radio series on #RadioTaiwanInternational’s English language service, covering the #LinguisticDiversity of #Taiwan.

The first featured language (in Episodes 2 and 3) is #Paiwan, a #Formosan language spoken by some 15,000 #indigenous people.

https://en.rti.org.tw/radio/programView/id/1451

#InTaiwanWeSpeak

Radio Waves: Enigma Event, Oldest US Ham, RTI Celebrates 95 Years, Bridge Built Station, and Yosemite Sam Mystery Solved

https://swling.com/blog/2023/09/radio-waves-enigma-event-oldest-us-ham-rti-celebrates-95-years-bridge-built-station-and-yosemite-sam-mystery-solved/

#Bridge #EnigmaEvent #RadioTaiwanInternational #YosemiteSam

Special transmissions in German from RTI Tamsui

https://swling.com/blog/2023/07/special-transmissions-in-german-from-rti-tamsui/

#RadioTaiwanInternational #RTI

Radio Waves: RTI Test Broadcast Today, Messages to North Korea, Exploring Space Weather Book, Vintage Radios at Auction, and WMLK

https://swling.com/blog/2023/07/radio-waves-rti-test-broadcast-today-messages-to-north-korea-exploring-space-weather-book-vintage-radios-at-auction-and-wmlk/

#NorthKorea #RadioTaiwanInternational #RadioWaves #SchulmanAuction #SpaceWeather #WMLK

Dear RTI Postcard Collection

https://swling.com/blog/2023/05/dear-rti-postcard-collection/

#PaulJamet #RadioTaiwanInternational #RTI #ShortwaveRadio