It's today explained I'm Noel King. It's an older tool of communication.

The way Republicans and Democrats are shoving each other around down here in Washington,

they all wind up on the spot by November. The White House request for new controls on

grain for whiskey makers is considered a political cutie.

Once upon a time, it united the world.

Germany, the enemy who drove all year up into war has been finally overcome.

Today, it's used a lot less than it was in the past. It's a backup.

Sometimes it's just plain French. But when Russia made it virtually impossible for both

Ukrainians and Russians to get news about the war, it found a new purpose.

World news from the BBC. Several cities across Ukraine came under assault overnight.

On today's show, the life and afterlife of shortwave radio.

Professor David Stuppels teaches electronic and radio engineering at City London University.

Professor, we were struck by the fact that the BBC has decided to resume shortwave broadcasts

in Russia and Ukraine. What did you think when you heard that news?

Well, I was delighted because the BBC would normally put its broadcasts or some of its broadcasts

out online as you are. And that can be blocked out by Russia or turned off by Russia.

But blocking off an HF transmission, which is in the shortwave, would be more or less impossible.

A shortwave transmission is basically a transmission that would go anywhere around the world,

depending on what frequency it is, because what happens is that the radio wave

bounces off a part of the atmosphere, of course, the ionosphere. And it would just skip its

way around the world. So it's a worldwide broadcast and anyone can hear it. Whereas the medium wave,

which is a lower band, it will suffer from loss of power over long distances, the shortwave band,

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