Airchecks

From Freeradio

Airchecks are recordings made of radio stations.

There are a number of reasons for making airchecks.

A number of radio enthusiasts record airchecks for collecting, so they can hear the format of a station at a particular time, for information or nostalgia purposes. Some enthusiasts sell airchecks, or swop them with fellow enthusiasts.

People may aircheck a station on automatically-timed recording, if they are unable to listen to a broadcast while it is being transmitted, so they can listen to it later.

DXers may aircheck a station so they can send the aircheck to the station, as a "reception report", or proof they have actually heard the station.

Occasionally, airchecks of a new or interesting station may be re-broadcast, especially on a "hobby pirate" run by free radio enthusiasts. This has especially been the case on short wave pirates, such as the 1980s pirates Radio Rainbow International and Radio East Coast Commercial.