QSL card No. 6: Radio Sofia’s 1939 outside broadcast van

In 2026, Radio Bulgaria is issuing a new series of 12 QSL cards to confirm listeners’ reception reports. Each card highlights a key historical moment from the history of Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) and the Radio Bulgaria programme. At the beginning of each month, a special publication shares interesting facts related to the images featured on the cards.

The sixth QSL card for 2026 is dedicated to Radio Sofia’s outside broadcast van.

One of the main tasks of the radio’s early engineers was recording documentary soundscapes and events outside the studio. In 1939, Radio Sofia — as the Bulgarian National Radio was known in its early years — received a specially commissioned, fully equipped outside broadcast vehicle from Germany: a converted Opel Blitz ambulance van. It was fitted with a sound booth, two special disc-cutting recorders, portable microphones and cables.

Prior to its arrival, broadcasts from outside the studio relied on fixed cable lines connected to key buildings in the capital, such as the National Assembly and the Palace of Justice. The van enabled reporters, announcers and technical crews to make recordings not only across Sofia, but throughout Bulgaria as well.

The vehicle was used for live broadcasts of major state, public and cultural events. A technical operator made recordings directly onto special gramophone discs, producing only a single copy. Sadly, many of these invaluable recordings were destroyed when Sofia was bombed in March 1944.

Later, Bulgarian Radio acquired another outside broadcast vehicle that was better suited to wartime conditions.

To receive a QSL card, listeners should send a reception report indicating the date and language (for Radio Bulgaria) or the date, time and frequency of the broadcast heard (for other BNR programmes), along with details of the programme content.

Reports can be sent via a channel convenient for you:
• by e-mail: reception.report@bnr.bg
• by mail to the following address: Bulgaria, Sofia, 1040, Dragan Tsankov Blvd. 4, BNR, Desislava Semkovska

It is mandatory to provide a postal address for feedback. We remind you that BNR also confirms reception reports with old series of QSL cards. If you wish to receive any of them, please indicate it in the report.