shortwave radio
Shortwave radio is radio transmission using shortwave (SW) radio frequencies. There is no official definition of the band, but the range always includes all of the high frequency band (HF), which extends from 3 to 30 MHz (100 to 10 m ...
station in the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
operated by
Philips Radio
Koninklijke Philips N.V. (), commonly shortened to Philips, is a Dutch multinational conglomerate corporation that was founded in Eindhoven in 1891. Since 1997, it has been mostly headquartered in Amsterdam, though the Benelux headquarters i ...
on behalf of Philips Laboratories, a division of Philips Electronics. It was the first shortwave radio station in Europe, and the first dedicated shortwave radio station in the world - previous stations had simulcast AM/medium wave broadcasts.
History
The station officially went on the air on 11 March 1927, broadcasting on 9.93 MHz in a transmission to the
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies ( nl, Nederlands(ch)-Indië; ), was a Dutch colony consisting of what is now Indonesia. It was formed from the nationalised trading posts of the Dutch East India Company, whic ...
with the words, "Hello Dutch East Indies, this is PCJJ, the shortwave transmitter of Philips Laboratories in
Eindhoven
Eindhoven () is a city and municipality in the Netherlands, located in the southern province of North Brabant of which it is its largest. With a population of 238,326 on 1 January 2022,Queen Wilhelmina and Crown Princess Juliana spoke over PCJJ to their colonial subjects in the Dutch East and West Indies.
PCJJ was likely the first shortwave radio station in the world to provide distinct programming rather than a simulcast of domestic stations.
The multilingual Edward "Eddy" Startz joined PCJJ in 1928 and became its best known announcer. He created the light entertainment '' Happy Station'' show which became the world's longest running shortwave program and informally rechristened the station name PCJ for Peace, Cheer and Joy.
In July 1927, Philips established PHOHI (Philips Omroep Holland-Indië or Philips Holland-India Broadcasting Station). The new venture originally shared PCJJ's transmitter until December 1928 when PCJJ's sister transmitter PHI was completed for PHOHI programming. PHI broadcast in Dutch to the
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies ( nl, Nederlands(ch)-Indië; ), was a Dutch colony consisting of what is now Indonesia. It was formed from the nationalised trading posts of the Dutch East India Company, whic ...
(now
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
League of Nations
The League of Nations (french: link=no, Société des Nations ) was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference th ...
using the call letters PCLL. The shows were produced in Geneva and sent to PCJ via landline. The service was known as "Radio Nations" and its broadcasts via PCJ continued until the League of Nations' own transmitters, HBL and HBP were inaugurated in 1932.
PHI ceased broadcasting in 1930 due to the government's new regulations regarding Dutch language broadcasting, although PCJ continued to air. PHI was able to resume broadcasting in 1934 and would broadcast Dutch as well as English programming to the
Eastern Hemisphere
The Eastern Hemisphere is the half of the planet Earth which is east of the prime meridian (which crosses Greenwich, London, United Kingdom) and west of the antimeridian (which crosses the Pacific Ocean and relatively little land from pole ...
which PCJ broadcast to the
Western Hemisphere
The Western Hemisphere is the half of the planet Earth that lies west of the prime meridian (which crosses Greenwich, London, United Kingdom) and east of the antimeridian. The other half is called the Eastern Hemisphere. Politically, the te ...
.
In 1937, the transmitters were relocated to
Huizen
Huizen () is a municipality and a village in the province of North Holland, the Netherlands.
The name "Huizen" is Dutch for "houses" and this usage has been linked to the belief that the first stone houses, instead of the more common sod houses a ...
with studios in nearby
Hilversum
Hilversum () is a city and municipality in the province of North Holland, Netherlands. Located in the heart of the Gooi, it is the largest urban centre in that area. It is surrounded by heathland, woods, meadows, lakes, and smaller towns. Hilver ...
. The transmitter complex comprised 24 antennas on wooden antenna towers weighing 18 tons each, which were built on concentric rails to allow them to be rotated so that they could be aimed in any direction. Reception would equal that of a 2000 kilowatt station.
Broadcasts from the Netherlands were interrupted by the German invasion in May 1940. PCJ broadcast the events of the invasion for four days until Eddy Startz was arrested. The staff of PCJ tried to destroy the Huizen transmitters, but they were repaired by the Germans used for
black propaganda
Black propaganda is a form of propaganda intended to create the impression that it was created by those it is supposed to discredit. Black propaganda contrasts with gray propaganda, which does not identify its source, as well as white propagand ...
to India under the name ”The Voice of Free India”. Transmissions from the occupied facility were also heard as far away as Australia using the call sign DXL15.
PCJ resumed broadcasting in October 1945, as a result of the liberation of the Netherlands. The two shortwave stations were nationalised and became Radio Netherlands Worldwide, the Dutch International Service on 15 April 1947 though PCJ programs such as Happy Station continued on the new station and the PCJ call letters were kept by Radio Netherlands for several years.Radio Nederland Wereldomroep International Program Service Summer Schedule, 1948
The Taiwan-based PCJ Radio, which produces the revived ''Happy Station'' show, takes its name from the original PCJ.