Interval signal

An interval signal, or tuning signal, is a characteristic sound or musical phrase used in international broadcasting, numbers stations, and by some domestic broadcasters, played before commencement or during breaks in transmission, but most commonly between programmes in different languages. It serves several purposes:

  • It assists a listener to tune their radio to the correct frequency of the station. This is because most older and cheaper radio receivers do not have digital frequency readout.
  • It informs other stations that the frequency is in use.
  • It serves as a station identifier even if the language used in the subsequent broadcast is not one the listener understands.

The practise began in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s and was carried over into shortwave broadcasts. The use of interval signals has declined with the advent of digital tuning systems, but has not vanished. Interval signals were not required on commercial channels in the United States, where jingles were used as identification.

List of interval signals by station

Interval signal for Ö1
Interval signal for China National
Radio, China Radio International
  •  China:
Interval signal for Voice of the Strait
  • Radio Habana Cuba: Melody of "March of the 26th of July" (La Marcha del 26 de Julio) by Agustín Díaz Cartaya.
Interval signal for DR P1
Interval signal for Deutsche Welle
Interval signal for All India Radio

Interval signals for Radio Japan
  • "Kazoe-uta" (数え歌, counting-out game).
  • "Sakura Sakura" (さくらさくら, cherry blossoms).
  •  North Korea
Interval signal for Voice of Mongolia
Interval signal for Radio Pakistan
  •  Philippines:
  • Radio Sakha: Excerpt from a Yakut folk song.

Interval signals for BBC
  • English programme: "Bow Bells".
  • Non-English programme, non-Europe: "Lillibullero", three notes tuned B–B–C.
  • Non-English programme, to Europe: four notes tuned B–B–B–E.
Interval signal for NBC
  •  United States:
Interval signal for Vatican Radio

Formerly used

Classical Radio Station WQXR-FM in New York City, during its ownership by The New York Times Company, played different variations of a classical infused gong with the ID read at the same time as "The Classical Station of the New York Times, WQXR, New York (And WQXR.com 2000–2009)

Numbers station interval signals

Numbers stations are often named after their interval signals, such as The Lincolnshire Poacher or Magnetic Fields after "Magnetic Fields Part 1" by Jean-Michel Jarre.

References

  1. Treiber, Alfred (2007). Ö1 gehört gehört : die kommentierte Erfolgsgeschichte eines Radiosenders (in German). Vienna: Böhlau. p. 218. ISBN 978-3-205-77495-2. OCLC 127107294.
  2. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: stephensen (2009-10-19). "Pausesignal". Retrieved 2020-04-02 via YouTube.
  3. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Ο τσομπανάκος σήμα ΕΡΤ). YouTube.
  4. Tuning into broadcast history. The Hindu BusinessLine, 15 October 2015.
  5. "'O'Donnell Abú'". RTÉ.ie.
  6. "Pausenzeichen und ihre musikalischen Quellen".
  7. BBC World Service (Europe) interval signal Retrieved 2013-10-09.
  8. Frost, Jens Mathiesen (1983). World Radio TV Handbook. New York: Billboard Publications.
  9. yle.fi
  10. http://www.kalter-krieg-im-radio.de/index.php?er=18#
  11. nl:Pauzeteken
  12. http://www.ontheshortwaves.com/Articles/The_Interval_Signal.pdf
  13. Frost, Jens Mathiesen (1974). World Radio-TV Handbook. London: Billboard Publications. ISBN 9780823058983.
  14. Youtube
  15. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: RADIO INTERVAL SIGNALS - "Radio Polonia". YouTube.
  16. Radio Sweden interval signal Retrieved 2011-11-24.
  17. DX Listening Digest 7-043
  18. Vijesti.ba

Further reading

  • Sennitt, Andrew G. (1997). World Radio and Television Handbook 1997. Billboard Books. p. 560. ISBN 0-8230-7797-7.
  • Sennitt, Andrew G.; David Bobbitt (December 2005). World Radio and Television Handbook 2006. Billboard Books. p. 608. ISBN 0-8230-7798-5.
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