Buenos Aires X-band station testing on 1700 kHz

A new station identifying as AM 1700 has been heard testing on 1700 kHz in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The station was first picked up by local DXer Arnaldo Slaen on March 30. Programming consisted of domestic and international pop music. The station has announced a website which however is not yet operational.
(DXing.info, March 30, 2005)

No more broadcasting from Antigua shortwave station

A high-power shortwave station in Antigua is no longer used by major shortwave broadcasters. Caribbean Relay Company Ltd. operates a transmitter site in St. John's with four 250-kilowatt transmitters. The transmitter site has been used by BBC and Radio Deutsche Welle for relays to the Americas since the 1970's, but has been replaced by other transmitter sites from March 27. BBC's departure from Antigua is part of BBC's effort to downsize shortwave broadcasting and replace it increasingly with FM relays, satellite and the internet. More about these plans below in a news item dated March 13.
(DXing.info, March 30, 2005)

New Buenos Aires stations on 1380 and 1540 kHz

Two new unlicensed stations have hit the mediumwave band in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires. Radio Redentor on 1380 kHz is an evangelical station broadcasting from Claypole, south of the capital. The station has announced telephone number (011) 4238-8427. Radio Cotidiana on 1540 kHz meanwhile is a pop music station, and operates from Calle San Martín 1337, Merlo, Provincia de Buenos Aires, telephone number (0220) 486-4208 and 486-4307. The station is owned by Aniceto Ledesma. Both stations were first heard by Marcelo A. Cormachioni and reported on the ConDig mailing list on March 23.
(DXing.info, March 24, 2005)

BBC reducing shortwave broadcasts

The venerable BBC will be cutting back its international shortwave broadcasts starting March 27. Shortwave service to Brazil in Portuguese will come to an end, and overnight service (at 2300-0200 UTC) in Arabic to North Africa and the Middle East on shortwave and mediumwave will become history. The BBC World Service Arabic language service will however continue to be available on a 24-hour basis on satellite, FM and on the internet. The number of hours broadcast on shortwave in English and Spanish to Latin America will be reduced to two blocks at peak times daily, in the early morning and evening. Also English broadcasts to Europe will be reduced to two prime-time blocks in the early morning and evening. The BBC describes the cutbacks as adjustments done "to reflect global changes in audiences’ use of short wave." When BBC last released its audience figures in June 2004, the drop of its shortwave listeners was characterized as significant, but weekly global audience estimate fell only from 150 to 146 million because of a big rise in listening via FM.
(DXing.info, March 13, 2005)

Low-power DRM tests begin in the UK on 1386 kHz

Broadcast engineering company Radica has begun low-power DRM test transmissions on 1386 kHz. A series of technical trials commenced on March 9 to investigate the potentials of digital radio. During the course of the trials a selection of frequencies, powers, and configurations will be used, to subject the service to differing interference environments and propagation characteristics. Low power levels are being used particularly to evaluate the performance of DRM in the context of groundwave-delivered local broadcasting. Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) is the world standard for digital radio broadcasting for the longwave, mediumwave and shortwave bands. Reception is expected to be confined to the central southern counties of the United Kingdom, though reception reports from DRM-equipped listeners anywhere are welcomed. Reception reports can be mailed to Radica Broadcast Systems Limited, 18, Bolney Grange Industrial Park, Hickstead, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH17 5PB, United Kingdom. Information on Radica's testing was first posted on BDXC-UK mailing list.
(DXing.info, March 13, 2005)

Radio Ilusiones in Argentina new on 930 kHz

In Argentina, Radio Ilusiones from Berazategui, south of the capital Buenos Aires, has been observed with test transmissions on 930 kHz mediumwave. Marcelo A. Cornachioni reported on Condig mailing list on March 12 that he heard this unlicensed station broadcasting pop music. Cornachioni also discovered contact information for the station; Calle José Ignacio Rucci -Calle 21- Nº 5959, Berazategui, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina, telephone number (011) 4395-0896. In late 2004, Radio Ilusiones was reported heard at least briefly on 1430 kHz. The station belongs to Cayetano D. Malvaso, who for years has been running also another unlicensed station, namely Radio Melody on 680 kHz in Remedios de Escalada, Partido de Lanús.
(DXing.info, March 13, 2005)

Garrison Radio from Scotland on 1350 kHz mediumwave

Garrison Radio, the British Army's own radio service, is launching a new transmitter in Scotland. Test broadcasts from Edinburgh on 1350 kHz mediumwave will begin on March 3. The launch date was posted by Alan Pennington on BDXC-UK. Garrison Radio is housed in the South West of the city, which is already home to two regiments; the Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) and the Light Infantry, with plans for a third nearby in 2005. Before Edinburgh, Garrison Radio has been broadcasting over four low-power transmitters on 1287 kHz, and one on 1350 kHz.
(DXing.info, March 1, 2005)

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.