Südwestrundfunk (SWR) is dropping shortwave from October 19 to cut costs. SWR 3 and Cont.Ra () program feeds have been broadcast on 6030 kHz (49 meters) and 7265 kHz (41 meters) shortwave, which will now be replaced by satellite and internet distribution. The shortwave transmitters are located in Mühlacker (6030 kHz) and Rohrdorf (7265 kHz), both using 20 kW of power. Both transmitter sites have a long history, as Mühlacker was launched already in 1947 and Rohrdorf in 1964.
     SWR is the public broadcasting institution for the German states of Baden-Württemberg and Rheinland-Pfalz. SWR has six radio networks, five of which broadcast on the FM band, and Cont.ra, which is broadcast mainly via the internet and on the mediumwave band. ()

After years of testing and planning, 945 kHz mediumwave from Latvia should finally come alive under the name Radio Nord (). A test transmission is planned to run from 0900 UTC on September 24 until 2100 UTC on September 26. Radio Nord will broadcast in Latvian with an oldies format and should be on the air 24 hours a day from October 1, reports Bernd Trutenau on the mwdx mailing list. Trutenau says that the start was delayed by the certification procedures for the 2.7 kW Blyth transmitter.
     Earlier (see DXing.info news in December 2002) both Radio Caroline () and Radio Gold 945AM () were testing the frequency of 945 kHz, and Radio Gold 945AM was planning to start regular transmissions in early 2003.
     Also in October, Trutenau reports that KREBS TV is planning to conduct test transmissions on 576 kHz from Kuldiga in western Latvia with 100 kW of power. This frequency will be made available for leasing to foreign broadcasters.

Radio La Chihuana new in Bolivia on 1500 kHz

Radio La Chihuana is a new mediumwave station in Bolivia. The station is broadcasting on 1500 kHz. Radio La Chihuana was first observed on September 14 at midnight Universal time by Rogildo F. Aragão, who believes that the station may originate from somewhere in Departamento de Cochabamba.
(DXing.info, September 20, 2004)

Radio Municipal replaces Radio Fides on 4845 kHz in Bolivia

Radio Municipal from Caranavi, Bolivia, has recently been heard on 4845 kHz shortwave. The frequency used to belong to Radio Fides, which however has been off the air for the past four years. Björn Malm in Ecuador and Rogildo Aragão in Bolivia identified the newcomer on September 9.
(DXing.info, September 13, 2004)

New stations in Argentina on 1010, 1380, 1510 and 1530 kHz

Radio Sonido 88.5 FM is a new unofficial station broadcasting on 1010 kHz mediumwave. It is operated by Del Centro Publicidad S.A., and previously transmitted only on 88.5 MHz FM. Radio Sonido is located at Avenida Mosconi 634, P.A. (B1752CXT) Lomas de Mirador, Buenos Aires, Argentina, tel. (011) 4699-4499. The station was first reported by Marcelo A. Cornachioni on Condig list on September 20. 1010 kHz is an extremely crowded frequency with Radio Onda Latina, Radio Oasis and Sintonia Ghost all operating on the same frequency in addition to the newcomer, and all from the greater Buenos Aires area.
     Radio Sensaciones from the town of Tapiales, Partido de La Matanza, Provincia de Buenos Aires, is another new station on 1380 kHz AM. The station was discovered by Arnaldo Slaen and Marcelo A. Cornachioni and published first on ConDig mailing list. According to Cornachioni, the station belongs to Basilio Nicolas Carlucci, who also owns Radio Impacto in Tapiales on 1440 kHz. The address of Radio Sensaciones is Calle Donovan 1433, (B1770AHK) Tapiales, Partido de La Matanza, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Telephone: (011) 4462-0185.
     Radio Belgrano from Suardi is yet another new Argentine station, broadcasting on 1510 kHz. The station was discovered by Jim Solatie in Finland on September 10. Radio Belgrano is simulcasting on 104.9 MHz FM. The station is located at Mario Locatelli 346 (2349), Suardi, Departamento San Cristóbal, Provincia de Santa Fé, Argentina, with telephone number (03562) 477612/803. The station can be contacted also by email.
     The fourth new AM station in the country is FM Itatí in Grand Bourg, Partido de Malvinas Argentinas, Provincia de Buenos Aires, on 1530 kHz. As the name implicates, this is really an FM station, broadcasting on 105.3 MHz, and merely simulcasting its signal on the mediumwave band. FM Itatí was first reported heard by Arnaldo Slaen on September 12. Only three weeks earlier Slaen first reported AM 1390 Radio "La Norteña" from the same town.
     Also in Argentina, Radio Sueños is the new name of FM Fuego on 1650 kHz in Monte Chingolo, Partido de Lanús, Provincia de Buenos Aires. The station, which was first heard in August 2004, and was then off the air for some time, also broadcasts on 106.1 MHz FM.
(DXing.info, September 10, 2004, last updated on September 21)

The purpose of the radio news section is to inform about new mediumwave (AM) and shortwave broadcasting stations worldwide. Other news are published only on major international broadcasters or issues very relevant to DXers. New programs and schedules are not covered.

The news are edited by Mika Mäkeläinen. Extracts from news items may be quoted if the website http://www.DXing.info is mentioned as source. See terms of use for details.