Radio Emma Toc World Service
The 'Radio Emma Toc World Service' was a half hour monthly entertainment & information programme available on various broadcast stations & online, celebrating all things radio. Initially started as a lockdown idea, the project lasted longer than originally planned & ran from May 2020 to July 2021.
Broadcasts were made via various worldwide relay stations on shortwave, medium wave & FM, & correspondence was received from across the globe.
Another enjoyable project!
Contacts & listener reports were sent in by email, & electronic QSL cards & details were returned to all who got in touch. Similar to my earlier Chelmsford Calling World Service programmes I received wonderful responses from across the world thanks to transmission providers in the USA, Germany, New Zealand, Finland & Australia. The majority of listeners tuned in from North & South America, Canada, Cuba, Europe & the UK, & online listenership via the website also resulted in listeners in India & Japan!
Our QSL details can be found further down this page.
I am very grateful to all the broadcast relay services who aired my programmes. These vary from commercial organisations to enthusiast stations, & all share a similar passion for radio & maintaining a variety of programming across the broadcast bands, & in particular - short wave. Here is a typical monthly broadcast schedule & further detail on the relay stations involved.
Radio Miami International, a commercial international shortwave radio station based in Okeechobee, Florida, broadcasting to listeners worldwide on multiple transmitters.
Unique Radio Australia, a private relay station broadcasting across Australia on shortwave & online.
World FM, a low power FM station based in Marahau, New Zealand. broadcasting a wide variety of music & current affairs programmes on FM & online.
Channel 292, a licenced relay station based in Germany, broadcasting to listeners in Europe & beyond on shortwave.
Scandinavian Weekend Radio, a private licenced station based in Finland, broadcasting on the first Saturday of the month on SW, MW & FM.
For further details about our broadcast relay partners, click on their logos to visit their webpages.
Whilst the overall theme of the Radio Emma Toc World Service was a contemporary programme dedicated to all aspects of radio past & present, I was able to include items about station 2MT from where this project originated, & thus spread the word about the UK's first regular licenced radio service. If you would like to tune in again, all programmes are stored on the Internet Archive for playback or download - simply click on the site players below to listen to individual programmes here online or visit the Internet Archive page where you will find all programmes together with other radio audio & video items.
For the Radio Emma Toc page on the Internet Archive - click here -
RETWS programme no. 15 - released July 2021.
A one hour compilation show featuring items from the last 15 months / 'Contact' - hello - & thank you - to all listeners for support & involvement over 15 months of programmes!
RETWS programme no. 14 - released June 2021.
2MT remembered on 'Great British Railway Journeys' / Radio Caroline & the Voice of Peace featured on a 2019 Al Jazeera documentary / 'Contact' - hello to listeners.
RETWS programme no. 13 - released May 2021.
Radio Miraya in Sudan / radio home schooling / UNICEF & solar powered radios / interview with Martin Kirby, founder of 'the Flash' / the Voice of Peace / 'Contact'.
RETWS programme no. 12 - released April 2021.
What makes for a good enjoyable radio programme? - pirate vs. licenced / interview with Tony Smith, founder of Angel Radio / 'Contact'.
RETWS programme no. 11 - released March 2021.
The value of radio? / Scandinavian Weekend Radio / BDXC / Indian DX Club International / World Radio Day / Radio Sweden's Saturday Show / 'Contact'.
RETWS programme no. 10 - released February 2021.
'Tuning In' to the early days of UK broadcasting / UNESCO World Radio Day / Happy Birthday to Channel 292 / 'Contact'.
RETWS programme no. 09 - released January 2021.
No.9-No.9-No.9... / Numbers stations / the Russian buzzer / Electronic Echoes with Jeff White / Asian DX Review publication / 'Contact'.
RETWS programme no. 08 - released December 2020.
Dramatic radio - FIBS on 2nd April 1982 & Radio Caroline on 19th August 1989 / hello to 'Our Friends in Radio' / Radio Morania / 'Contact'.
RETWS programme no. 07 - released November 2020.
Our 2nd Global Request Show - with a one hour programme of music requests from across the world / 'Contact'.
RETWS programme no. 06 - released October 2020.
The 'British Broadcasting Century' podcast / BBC World Service & shortwave / FM music radio in Jaipur India / LA on Caroline / 'Contact'.
RETWS programme no. 05 - released September 2020.
'Radio Sings! the day Chelmsford ruled the world' / 'Sounds from the Ether' / BBCWS Antarctic Midwinter Broadcast / Radio Caroline / 'Sounds of Shortwave' / 'Contact'.
RETWS programme no. 04 - released August 2020.
Our 1st Global Request Show - with a one hour programme of music requests from across the world / 'Contact'.
RETWS programme no. 03 - released July 2020.
2MT remembered / online SDR radios / Chelmsford's smallest radio station - Chelmsford Calling / Good Morning Vietnam - Revisited / 'Contact'.
RETWS programme no. 02 - released June 2020.
2MT remembered / tribute to Radio Caroline founder Ronan O'Rahilly / Jeff White & Jerry Plummer on 'Wavescan' /'The Lincolnshire Poacher' / 'Contact'.
RETWS programme no. 01 - released May 2020.
The 1st British radio broadcasts - June 1920 & February 1922 - Dame Nellie Melba & 2MT / Essex Ham / BDXC / Angel Radio / 'Megahertz' / 'Contact'.
In addition to the World Service programmes I also produced occasional specialist music shows for broadcast during one hour transmissions. These are included below, & are also available on the Internet Archive Radio Emma Toc page.
SUNNY JIM'S TRANCE JOURNEY - June 2021
A 30 minute selection of trance / melodic house music, transmitted during our one hour World Service broadcast in June 2021.
SUNNY JIM'S TRANCE JOURNEY - December 2020
A 30 minute selection of trance / melodic house music, transmitted during our one hour World Service broadcast in December 2020.
The Wireless Years - March 2021.
A 30 minute selection of vintage wireless music dating back to the 1930's, transmitted during our one hour World Service broadcast in March 2021.
The Wireless Years - April 2021.
A 30 minute selection of vintage wireless music dating back to the 1930's, transmitted during our one hour World Service broadcast in April 2021.
Here's a selection of our QSL details sent out to listeners
Radio Emma Toc World Service - Live Streaming
Whilst radio programmes stopped in July 2021, I wanted to acknowledge one of the original intentions of the Radio Emma Toc project - to celebrate the 100th anniversary of station 2MT on 14th February 2022. This was a good opportunity to try out a new (to me) system of communication - live streaming - which had recently been added to a popular online music service 'Mixcloud'. After a few 'test transmissions' I was able to broadcast throughout the day on the 2MT centenary with a variety of radio documentaries & also a live stream which included interviews with friends & fellow 2MT enthusiasts!
My live stream broadcasts are available to view again via our page on the Internet Archive. Below are links to these recordings - simply click on the link button to go to the Internet Archive video. When on the Internet Archive site, you can watch in full screen mode by clicking on the bottom right of the video for 'full screen'.
Test broadcast on 13th February 2022 - coinciding with the annual UNESCO 'World Radio Day'. Screenshots below, & to watch in full - click on the link button here...
2MT centenary broadcast on 14th February 2022 - our first 30 minute broadcast of the day at 11am. More screenshots below & video available via the link button here...
2MT centenary broadcast on 14th February 2022 - our second broadcast of the day at 6.30pm, including interviews with Paul Kerensa & Tim Wander, & link ups with the Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society & Pete from Essex Ham. More screenshots below & video available via this link button...
2MT centenary broadcast on 14th February 2022 - throughout the day we broadcast various audio & video documentaries relating to 2MT & the history of British broadcasting. Here is our audio selection - part one...
2MT centenary broadcast on 14th February 2022 - ...& here is part two...
2MT centenary broadcast on 14th February 2022 - ...& here is our video selection...
A special mention here for our good friend Tim Wander - author, Marconi historian, 2MT enthusiast - who features in many of these videos & audio documentaries. I think it is fair to say that without Tim's endearing passion for the 2MT story & indeed the whole Marconi history, much of what we featured during the centenary & still celebrate today would have been lost in the sands of time. Thank you Tim!
...and finally, here's a short video prior to the 100th anniversary where I chatted to Pete from Essex Ham explaining our centenary plans.
Footnote... whilst I have no current plans for any more live stream broadcasts, this project was good fun & a good opportunity to present a variety of documentaries & information to a wide audience. Over 400 people tuned in throughout the centenary celebrations to the video stream from America & Canada, across Europe, & India! Maybe one day I will revive the Radio Emma Toc (video) World Service!