Interval signal

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Historical interval signal of the BBC BBBC.PNG
Historical interval signal of the BBC
RAVAG interval signal, clock ticking 270/min (9 in 2 sec)

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 programs in different languages.

Contents

It serves several purposes:

The practice 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
Interval signal for China National Radio and China Radio International
Interval signal
Interval signal for Voice of the Strait
Interval signal
Interval signal for DR P1
Interval signal
Interval signal for Deutsche Welle
Interval signal
Interval signal for All India Radio
  • "Kazoe-uta" (数え歌, counting-out game).
  • "Sakura Sakura" (さくらさくら, cherry blossoms).
Interval signal

Interval signal
Interval signals for Radio Japan
Interval signal
Interval signal for Voice of Mongolia
Interval signal
Interval signal for Radio Pakistan
  • Radio Mayak: Vibraphone version of Moscow Nights.
  • Radio Sakha: Excerpt from a Yakut folk song.
  • 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

Interval signal
Interval signals for BBC World Service
Interval signal
Interval signal for NBC
Interval signal for Voice of America
Interval signal
Interval signal for Vatican Radio

Formerly used

  • Flag of Albania.svg Radio Tirana: Këputa një gjethe dafine (transmission intro) and the trumpet version of With Pickaxe and Rifle.
Interval signal
Radio Tirana
Interval signal
Radio Österreich International
Interval signal
Interval signal for Ö1
Interval signal
Radio Canada International
Interval signal
Radio Peking
  • Trumpet version of Kupředu levá ("Forward, Left") by Jan Seidl
Interval signal
Radio Prague
Interval signal
Radio Finland (Yle)
Interval signal
Radio France Internationale
Interval signal
Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk
Interval signal
Reichssender Berlin
  • Flag of East Germany.svg East Germany
Interval signal
Radio Berlin International
Interval signal for Radio NTS
Interval signal for DFS 904
Interval signal
Deutschlandfunk
  • Flag of Hungary.svg Radio Budapest: Excerpts from the suite 1848 by T.K. Polgar played on three trumpets and two cornets.
Interval signal
Radio Budapest
Interval signal
Kol Yisrael
Interval signal
Trans World Radio
  • Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands
Interval signal
Radio Netherlands
  • Flag of Norway.svg Norway
Interval signal
Radio Norway International (NRK)
  • Flag of Poland.svg Poland
Interval signal
Radio Polonia
Interval signal
Radio RSA
Interval signal
Swiss Radio International
Interval signal of Voice of Turkey as heard in 2013
  • Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Radio Moscow (former international service of the Soviet Union):
Interval signal
Radio Moscow

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) [ citation needed ]

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.

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  15. Radio Sweden interval signal Retrieved 2011-11-24.
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Further reading