Interval signal

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An interval signal is a characteristic sound or musical phrase used in international broadcasting and by some domestic broadcasters. It serves several purposes:

It assists a listener to tune his or her radio to the correct frequency for the station.
It informs other stations that the frequency is in use.
It serves as a station identifier even if the language used in the subsequent broadcast is not one the listener understands.

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.

[edit] Broadcasting services and interval signals

BBC World Service in English: Bow Bells
BBC World Service in English (occasionally): Lillibullero
BBC World Service, non-English, non-Europe: Three even notes tuned B-B-C
BBC World Service, non-English, to Europe: four notes tuned B-B-B-E, spaced to spell out V in Morse code
China Radio International: Chime version of March of the Volunteers
Deutsche Welle Radio: Chimes from Beethoven's Fidelio
Radio Australia: Chorus of Waltzing Matilda on chimes
Radio Canada International: First four notes of O Canada played on a piano
Radio France Internationale: Electronic-disco, cumulating in the last 8 measures of La Marseillaise
Radio Japan (NHK World): Kazoe-uta ("Counting song")
Radio Moscow (former service of the Soviet Union): Moscow Nights
Voice of Russia: Chime version of chorus from Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition
Radio Netherlands: Chime version of the Eighty Years' War song "Merck toch hoe sterck"
Radio New Zealand International: the Bellbird, a distinctive sounding NZ bird species
RTÉ Radio 1:O'Donnell Abú [1]
Radio Slovenia: The European Common Cuckoo, electronically generated
Radio Serbia (former Radio Yugoslavia): Yugoslavia, our fight gave birth to you, a pop version of the famous WW2 revolutionary theme
Voice of America: Yankee Doodle played by a brass band