Radio La Hora, Cusco (4855 kHz)

by Mika Mäkeläinen

This cusqueña station is an offspring of Radio Tawantinsuyo. Located in the same block, with an address on Avenida Garcilaso, Radio La Hora (1400 and 4855 kHz) is headed by Edmundo Montesinos G., the son of Raúl Montesinos Espejo, who established Radio Tawantinsuyo. Edmundo learned the trade at his father's station, and later set up a station of his own, with a profile aimed at a younger audience. Accordingly, the station has a slogan La Emisora de la Juventud.

Montesinos junior hasn't displayed much more interest in reception reports than his father, but fortunately he has allowed someone else to take care of replying to reports. Mr. Carlos Gamarra Moscoso works at the station and is a shortwave listener himself. Some sources name him as Director, but he is (only) Director de Frecuencias. I believe that in this case title matters, as Mr. Montesinos might find it a bit annoying if the person getting all the mail is being called the boss. Carlos was not at the station when I visited there in April 2000, but luckily he came by at my hotel later, when I was bedridden with fever.

For the past couple of years Carlos has done his QSL-duties with an utmost sense of dedication and responsibility, and has kept a detailed log of all reports received and all verifications sent out. He has tried to send out verifications for many old reports as well, but some have bounced back due to outdated addresses, which is the main reason why he hasn't been able to deliver all confirmations. If you haven't received a reply, please send a follow-up to Carlos, preferably with a return postage. A reply is guaranteed for all correct reports - he does check them.

Carlos has just one wish: please do let him know once you have received the verification. The mail service is somewhat unreliable, and Carlos is very worried that some of the QSLs sent by him never reach recipients - he definitely knows the value of QSLs. So, all of you who have received a QSL from him, he would really appreciate a short thank you note.

It wouldn't hurt if you also told Gerente Montesinos how much you appreciate the efforts of Carlos Gamarra Moscoso, whose dedication is indeed unparallelled in all of Peru. Instead of the station address, Carlos says however that reports reach him with more certainty, if sent to his home address: Avenida Garcilaso No. 411, Wanchaq, Cusco. And as he is DXer, I am sure he would enjoy receiving the same kind of radio memorabilia that all we DXers love to collect.

Both Carlos and Edmundo by the way should already be wearing their stylish YLE caps under the scorching sun of the highlands... I later sent Carlos also my WRTH - a book which would otherwise be out of reach for any Peruvian DXer outside the capital.

During the first week of July 2000 Radio La Hora is hoping to inaugurate a new 2-kilowatt shortwave transmitter, doubling the present power. Funding for the new transmitter is however still partly unresolved.

(published on April 22nd 2000)