US boosts propaganda broadcasts to Afghanistan

A station calling itself Radio Peace has been observed on shortwave, marking a new phase in U.S. psychological warfare to catch Osama bin Laden. Unlike previous psyops operations relying on weak airborne and naval transmitters, and identifying as Information Radio (see DXing.info profile article and the latest news in April 2004), the station has adopted a new name and is now using high-power transmitters in the United Kingdom, easily covering the entire Central Asia with a clear signal. Radio Peace broadcasts popular music from its target region, inserting pre-recorded messages urging listeners to report the whereabouts of the remaining al-Qaida and Taliban leaders. The station is reportedly broadcasting at least in Dari (Persian) and Urdu. According to German DXer Wolfgang Bueschel, who first reported Radio Peace on DXplorer on October 21, the station broadcasts as follows:

time (UTC):	kHz:	transmitter:
0200-0500	11810	Rampisham
0700-1200	21620	Rampisham
1200-1300	17555	Woofferton
1300-1500	17720	Woofferton
1500-1630	17710	Woofferton

The schedule may however change soon, as international broadcasters are adopting new frequencies for the final quarter of the year. Radio Peace is being transmitted from Rampisham and Woofferton in the United Kingdom.
     Very recently there have been news reports in the United States quoting John Lehman, a member of the 9-11 commission, saying that the exact location of Osama bin Laden is known, but that U.S. troops can't get to him yet. Previously Secretary of State Colin Powell has said that the al-Qaida leader was alive and operating in the western part of Pakistan. Lehman goes further by saying that bin Laden is in South Waziristan in the Baluchistan Mountains.
     Radio Peace has been heard offering rewards for information leading to the arrest of Osama bin Laden.
(DXing.info, October 22, 2004)

Spain gets new networks: Rock&Gol and Punto Radio

Rock and Gol is a new Spanish network combining sports news and rock music. Rock and Gol, which is owned by COPE, is being broadcast over 14 FM stations and - as Mauricio Molano reports on mwdx - only one AM station, Radio Miramar in Barcelona on 783 kHz. News about the new program feed was announced in September and programming began in October. Rock and Gol can be contacted by email.
     Meanwhile, Punto Radio, another newcomer on the Spanish dial, can be heard on FM in about two dozen locations around Spain, as well as over one AM transmitter, broadcasting from Las Palmas in the Canary Islands on 1008 kHz. Ignacio Sotomayor has reported hearing Punto Radio also on 1485 kHz, transmitting from Vilanova. Punto Radio officially began broadcasting in Spanish in September, and added a Catalan language feed called Onda Rambla on October 19. Punto Radio broadcasts around the clock and Onda Rambla eight hours a day. Punto Radio has breaks for local programming at 1100-1300, 1330-1500, 1800-1900 and 1915-2000 UTC in winter, and an hour earlier during daylight savings time. Punto Radio can be reached by email.
(DXing.info, October 19, 2004)

Europa Radio International (ERI) will be taking part in KREBS-TV test transmissions on 576 kHz mediumwave in November. The transmitter which is rated at 100 kilowatts is sited to the west of Kuldiga in Latvia.
     "It could be the opportunity we've been waiting for," says Alan Day, ERI's Operations Manager. "We originally planned our operation around mediumwave but suffered several setbacks and decided to look at other alternatives. Now, subject to this transmitter being able to deliver a good signal into the UK, we may once again have to review our plans," Day says. The tests will be taking place during November although a firm date has yet to be set.
     Meanwhile ERI will again be broadcasting from Riga, Latvia, on 9290 kHz shortwave on Sunday, October 24th, at 1300-1500 UTC.
     Earlier (see DXing.info news in September 2004) KREBS-TV has launched test broadcasts on 945 kHz with programming by Radio Nord (). The transmitter has a power of 2.7 kW. Radio Nord can be heard again on October 15-18.

Radio Décadas new in Argentina on 1090 kHz

Radio Décadas from Hurlingham in the greater Buenos Aires area is a new station. Radio Décadas is broadcasting on 1090 kHz, according to Amplitud Modulada website.
(DXing.info, October 15, 2004)

New stations in Peru on 1050, 1141 and 1550 kHz

Chami Radio from Otuzco, Departamento de La Libertad, in Peru, is broadcasting on 1141 kHz (nominally on 1140 kHz). The station has been heard by Hector Alvaro Gutierrez in Peru. The station can be contacted by writing to Chami Radio, Libertad 120, Otuzco, Perú. Tel: (0051)-44-436565, (0051)-44-436134 and (0051)-44-436607. The station has also email addresses for the entire staff. According to the published schedule, Chami Radio broadcasts at 0845-0300 UTC, except on Sundays only until 2300 UTC. Alvaro picked up the station closing down with the national anthem at 0312 UTC.
     Alvaro has also picked up another unlisted Peruvian, Radio María on 1550 kHz, presumably from the capital Lima. Radio Independencia has been listed on the frequency in Lima. Meanwhile, he observed Radio Santa Monica from Cusco having drifted down to 1367 kHz from 1370 kHz, making the catch easier far away.
     A third unlisted Peruvian, Radio Campesina (name corrected later by Henrik Klemetz) from Cajamarca, Departamento de Cajamarca, has been heard on 1050 kHz by Felipe Asenjo in Chile. Information on the Peruvian stations was published in Conexion Digital 282 on September 25.
(DXing.info, October 9, 2004)

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.