PAKISTAN
Requiem for a falling giant!
The days of Radio Pakistan appear to be numbered. The medium wave channel that, through well over half a century, remained a mainstay of people’s lives and provided everything from news and crop season reports to song, poetry and drama, is rapidly falling silent: without warning — even to people working in the channel — Radio Pakistan Karachi has been switched off and the broadcast hours of Radio Pakistan Lahore have (on medium wave) been reduced to a pitiable 30 minutes a day. The reason appears to be the compounded problems of aging medium-wave transmitters, and the challenge offered by the FM stations. Instead of updating its equipment and pulling up its socks, the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation appears to be in the process of letting Radio Pakistan sink without a trace, all requiems left unsung.
More here.
Hajrah Mumtaz, DAWN Media Group (27/9-2009)
PAKISTAN
Radio Pakistan plans a number of new mediumwave transmitters.
With mediumwave transmission of Radio Pakistan Larkana already off the air since 14 August, the recently-installed 2.5 kW transmitter for FM-93 designed to broadcast up to 80 kilometres radius, has also proved an enigma for the faithful listeners who claim it can only be heard within a 20-25 km radius.
The 2.5 kW transmitter replaced the 1.5 kW transmitter of FM-101 after its mast collapsed in December 2008 and the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation renamed it FM-93. The radio station was commissioned in October 1995 and was inaugurated by Benazir Bhutto.
Sources in the PBC and listeners of FM-93 told Dawn on Tuesday that the new transmitter could hardly be heard beyond 20 to 25 km. It was neither properly tuned nor were its antennas properly fitted, restricting the transmission up to 20 km radius, said the sources.
The sources said the officials at the radio station had refused to give certificate to the mast installers about the transmission range without carrying out tests and had informed PBC senior management about the faults. Najeeb Alam, the engineering manager of the PBC, had sent a letter to the controller of the procurement cell, requesting him to ask the mast company to send experts to check the FM-93 transmitter, they said.
The old 1.5 kW transmitter’s range was 60 to 70 km. A large number of radio listeners recently held a demonstration in Qambar and protested over small range of FM-93. They called for rectifying the fault.
The Director General of PBC, Ghulam Murtaza Solangi, said that mediumwave transmission had been temporarily suspended in Larkana because the old transmitter was giving barely 40 per cent output. It was, therefore, not fair to keep it operating and it would be replaced by a newly approved 100 KW mediumwave transmitter, which would take at least a year to get operational, he said.
He claimed the range of old mediumwave transmitter of the Lahore radio station had almost doubled after necessary repairs and admitted the transmission of 100 kW mediumwave transmitter at Karachi had also been off the air temporarily. A new 5 kW FM transmitter installed in Karachi was quite enough for the whole metropolitan area, he claimed.
A 100 kW mediumwave transmitter purchased for Larkana was shifted to Turbat by the previous government and replaced with a 10 kW one, said the sources. The mediumwave transmitter of Khairpur radio also remained off the air for over six days, but the DG claimed it was now back on the air after necessary repairs.
Mr Solangi said that a new 100 kW mediumwave transmitter would be installed in Hyderabad within a year and the PBC was planning to install mediumwave transmitters in Muzaffarabad, Multan, Guwadar and Turbat because the budget had already been allocated for them in the current fiscal year.
He disclosed that an estimate for installation of 1000 kW mediumwave transmitter in Gwadar, which would broadcast to Iran, Afghanistan and Middle East, had been submitted to the Ministry of Information and hoped it would be okayed soon. New 150 kW mediumwave transmitters would be installed in Quetta and Dera Ghazi Khan while a 300 kW mediumwave transmitter would be installed in Peshawar, he said.
Source: Dawn.com via Andy Sennitt, Media Network weblog (16/9-2009)
PAKISTAN
The medium wave Lahore Radio Station, which was considered as the livewire of the 1965 and 1971 wars has been silenced for good on the directions of Director General Murtaza Solangi sending home all those affiliated with the operations.
Instead of upgrading the equipment and replacing the old transmitter of the Lahore station, one of the major medium wave stations of Radio Pakistan has been shut down. This medium wave station on 630 kHz (100 KW) had been working since 1937. It played a key role in the wars of 1965 and 1971 by broadcasting patriotic national songs.
Interestingly, besides closing the chapter of Lahore Station, Solangi also sealed another major news and current affairs channel of Lahore Station that was being listened on 1332 kHz [100 KW] for the last four years. It is pertinent to mention that 1332 kHz was established by investing almost Rs 500 million.
An official of Radio Pakistan disclosed that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting was keeping a mum over the solo initiative.
The source further says the federal ministry is authorized to establish or close any Radio Pakistan station, but it has remained silent over this solo step for various reasons.
The DG of Radio Pakistan is of the view that the closed station was too expensive to run. Moreover, the old infrastructure was not fulfilling the modern requirements of broadcasting. For meeting modern needs, on the further directions of the DG, a new FM channel on 93 MHz has been established, but it only covers a radius of 30-40 km.
The convincing ability of this argument however is weakened by the global trend even in the developed countries where they had to legislate the provision of different medium wave frequencies due to high demand of these medium wave channels.
Newly-appointed Lahore Station Director (SD) Sardar Ali said the station had been bearing a huge loss monthly including Rs 1 million for electricity bills besides other expenditure. He said the new FM service was receiving enormous response from the public. “The government has just changed the medium. All the programmes of the station are broadcast on FM now,” the SD commented.
Another senior official says that citing the old transmitter as an excuse is not a suitable justification for closing the entire station. He said India has established more than 100 new medium wave radio stations along the border for propaganda purposes. “There is a need to install new broadcasting channels along with upgrading old ones to meet present day requirements; but the government’s attitude is beyond reason.”
The International News http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=195011 (26/8-2009)
Has Lahore gone silent or not?
Ydun Ritz (27/8-2009)
PAKISTAN
Radio Pakistan Lahore is loud, clear - not silent!
The Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) has clarified a news item published in a section of the press that Radio Pakistan Lahore has gone silent. The transmission of age old mediumwave transmitter which aired programmes on 630 kHz has not been shutdown but its hours have been reduced due to lack of its reach in the city of Lahore and also due to its old age technology and huge cost of operation. As soon as a new transmitter is available, it will be replaced, said a statement issued by PBC.
That said, this transmitter still airs its daily programmes Punjabi Darbar without fail which is heard in parts of Indian Punjab. Radio Pakistan Lahore is now transmitting its programmes on a 5 kW FM transmitter and is heard loud and clear in the city of Lahore. The broadcast hours of Radio Pakistan Lahore have been increased from 110 to 154 weekly and it has started new creative programmes to cater to the changing needs of Lahore populace.
The statement termed the reports about sacking staffers and announcer as baseless and said on the contrary Radio Pakistan Lahore intends to hire more staff to meet the programming needs as it will soon broadcast 22 hours a day.
PBC has also denied the report of closing down of 100 kW mediumwave transmitter on 1332 KHz and said transmitter is down because of malfunctioning of some of the components of this German made transmitter. The engineers are working to fix the problem and expect resumption of transmission fairly soon. The PBC said the problem related to this transmitter could have been fixed earlier had the previous administrations planned and procured the spare parts of the transmitters.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan via Media Network weblog (22/8-2009)
PAKISTAN
Instead of upgrading the equipment and replacing the old transmitter of Lahore Station, one of the major medium wave (MW) stations of the Radio Pakistan [630 kHz], has been shutdown completely on the directions of Director General Murtaza Solangi on the other day.
This medium wave station had been working since 1937 and was widely listened throughout the world, including the main cities of India on 630 kHz. It played a key role in the wars of 1965 and 1971 by broadcasting patriotic national songs.
Interestingly, besides closing the chapter of Lahore Station, Solangi also sealed another major news and current affairs channel of Lahore Station that was being listened on 1332 kHz for the last 4 years. It is pertinent to mention that 1332 KH was established by investing almost five hundred million rupees.
An official of Radio Pakistan disclosed that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting was keeping mum over the solo initiative, as the DG has close relations with higher authorities. That is the reason why he is making such decisions from the time he took the charge of this key post.
The source further says the federal ministry is authorised to establish or close Radio Pakistan’ s any station but it has remained silent over this solo step owing to various reasons.
The DG Radio Pakistan is of he view that the closed station was in loss costing expenditure; moreover, old infrastructure was not fulfilling the modern requirements of broadcasting. For meeting modern needs, on the further directions of DG, a new short wave channel FM 93 has been established by replacing Lahore Radio Station, which is listened on short range covering the area of 30 or 40 km.
The Nation.com.pk (20/8-2009)
PAKISTAN
According to Online, run by the Islamabad-based International News Network (INN),
Pakistani army personnel want Radio Pakistan to resume 24-hour broadcasting on mediumwave in the Kashmir region. Originally, broadcasts were on 585 kHz, but INN says these were jammed by open carrier transmissions from India in the border areas.
So Radio Pakistan shifted the mediumwave transmissions from 585 to 1152 kHz, and in February 2003 24-hour broadcasts were introduced. But these have been terminated, and at midnight local time the mediumwave transmitter now closes down and broadcasts are only available on FM 103 MHz, which INN says has isolated frontline soldiers engaged in army missions in wilderness areas of Siachin, Kargil, and other regions of Kashmir.
INN says the Pakistani Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is reported to be oblivious to the problem. It says that army personnel have strongly demanded that Radio Pakistan restarts nighttime mediumwave transmissions immediately in order to remove any sense of isolation and demoralization of troops.
Source: Onlinenews.com via Media Network weblog by Andy Sennitt (28/12-2009)
PAKISTAN
Reply to Questions of Mr. Wolfgang Buschel. 1332 kHz Medium Wave PBC Lahore Channel 3, Reference (7-114).
Mr. Wolfgang Buschel has asked about the location of New Medium Wave transmitter for the Frequency of 1332 kHz, PBC Lahore Channel 3.
I have been told that the transmitter is housed in the same site where the Medium wave Transmitter for the 630 and 1080 kHz are installed. In 1996 I had visited the medium wave transmitter site for 630 and 1080 khz which was in the southeastern suburbs of Lahore on Multan Road. I have learnt that the transmitter site has been shifted from there. I am trying to confirm from Radio Pakistan authorities at Lahore but have not been able to talk to the concerned Engineer so far. From the photographs of the transmitter & antenna on
http://www.waniewski.de it appears that the medium wave transmitter site is no longer on Multan Road site in South East Lahore.
The new transmitter for 1332 kHz is digital manufactured by telefunken. The photographs of the antenna and transmitter can be seen at the link:
http://www.waniewski.de/id372.htm
Mr. Claus Schlot And Mr. Bernd Waniewski, German Engineers, helped in installation of antenna.
In the meantime Mr. Waniewski can also be contacted for information about exact
location of new transmitter for 1332 Lahore at the following e-mail bernd @ waniewski.de
He might be able to tell about the exact location.
On my part I will visit the site once the exact location is confirmed by Radio Pakistan Lahore Engineers. In the next e-mail I will provide some info about 1000 kW medium Wave transmitter of Radio Pakistan Islamabad for 585 kHz.
Regards Aslam Javaid, 136/H Model Town, Lahore, Pakistan, DXLD yg (24/9-2007)
PAKISTAN
558 kHz: Pakistan wants to use this frequency for 1000/500 kW nondirectional at Umarkot, G.C: 69E50 25N15. (ITU GE75/116, 04.09.2007)
ARC Information Desk 10 Sept 2007 edited by Olle Alm, Sweden, via DXLD 7-113 (18/9-2007)
PAKISTAN
NEW TRANSMITTER AND FREQUENCY FOR RADIO PAKISTAN LAHORE STATION
I regularly read the World of Radio which is a source of updated information about shortwave as well as medium wave radio transmissions.
Lately I have been reading some reports regarding confusion about the new medium wave frequency of 1332 kHz of Radio Pakistan Lahore station which is not mentioned on Radio Pakistan website.
I live in Lahore and confirm that a new transmitter of 100 KW is being used for this frequency and the station has been named as Radio Pakistan Channel 3. This is in addition to the earlier transmitters for frequencies of 630 and 1080 kHz of Radio Pakistan Lahore. The transmission of Radio Pakistan News and Current Affairs Channel is also relayed by Channel 3 at 1332 kHz in the morning and evening, in addition to its own programs. The Channel 2, i.e. 1080 kHz of Radio Pakistan Lahore is now being used for Qur`an recitation broadcast.
I have been requesting the Radio Pakistan website administrator since last one year to update the info on the website related to new transmitters but they lend a deaf ear to any correspondence and I think that they do not even bother to open the mail box on their
website.
In addition to the said transmitter at Lahore, two new medium wave transmitters have been installed at Peshawar and Quetta respectively.
It may be of interest to note that after so many complaints about the obsolete shortwave transmitters, Radio Pakistan has ultimately decided to purchase two new shortwave transmitters of 100 kW each which are being installed at Karachi. The site will be the same where the earlier dysfunctional transmitters were installed, i.e. Landhi, Karachi.
It may further be noted that the time mentioned for Pushto Service in the External Service schedule of Radio Pakistan website is 0500-0545 GMT, which is incorrect. The correct time is 1500-1545 GMT. This might be a typo error.
Aslam Javaid, 136/H Model Town Lahore, Sept 18, DXLD 7-113 (18/9-2007)
PAKISTAN
The Director of Engineering for the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC), Mukkaram Khan Niazi, says that PBC has decided to install 1000 kiloWatt mediumwave transmitters in Umerkot and Lahore to extend the range of its broadcasts to about 500 kilometres radius. The project, to cost Rs1,200 million (US$20 million), was discussed in the Central Working Party and referred to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council for final approval, he added. Mr Niazi said that the engineering wing of the PBC had manufactured some transmitters in its own factory.
Source: Dawn via Andy, Media Network blog (4/8-2007)
PAKISTAN
The following stations of Radio Pakistan (may be new ones) were heard which is unlisted in their official website or in WRTH 2006. --- 1134, 1170, 1332.
Most MW stations of Pakistan were monitored. Most of them signed on at 0045 UT but being the Ramadan season many of them were heard with special prayers etc. earlier e.g.: 540, 1152 kHz 2250-2345.
936, Azad Kashmir Radio was noted from 0040 UT with separate AKR Mirpur ID.
1080, Lahore was heard only one day in the morning.
English news was observed at 0300 1100 and 1600 UT on all their MW stations.
(E.g. at 1600 UT, English news was observed on 540 585 630 756 828 927 936 1035 1134 1152 1170 1332 1341 1557 etc.). The other channels monitored were 567 729 1008 1080 1404 1476 1512.
The News & Current Affairs channel was heard well on 1152 1170 1332.
At 0311 UT in English they announce that this service is being heard in Ladak (India), Afghanistan and Tajikistan.
792 AKR Muzzafarrabad was not heard. This frequency was dominated by Radio Nepal.
The other MW stations not heard: 612 639 855 1098 1260.
Jose Jacob, Mussoorie DX-pedition, North India, dx_india via DXLD 6-150 (8/10-2006)
PAKISTAN
Three new MW stations --- Ref the report on new Pakistan 1332 kHz in DXLD 6-015: By coincidence, I arrived in Pakistan yesterday (23rd). I can confirm that the new transmitter in Lahore on 1332 is indeed on the air. Also active are two other new MW transmitters: 1134 Quetta and 1170 Peshawar, which are also not listed in WRTH 2006. As part of my pre-trip preparations, I had been briefed on Pakistan by experts Mauno Ritola, Olle Alm and Noel Green, who gave me details of these three new transmitters. They are said to be 100 kW each.
No doubt I will have more to report from Pakistan later. The bands currently have a number of stations audible from both Pakistan and India providing commentaries in various languages on the test [= stupid ball game, for Glenn!!] between the two countries in Faisalabad.
Regards, Chris Greenway (in Islamabad), Jan 24, dxldyg via DX Listening Digest 6-16 (24/1-2006)
PAKISTAN
RADIO PAKISTAN TO BENEFIT FROM NEW HIGH-POWER TRANSMISSION.
Lahore, 20 January: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shaykh Rashid Ahmed will formally inaugurate the country's first-ever highest frequency High Power Transmission (HPT) here on Saturday, 21 January, bringing radical changes and development in news and current affairs programmes of Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC).
The new HPT, having frequency level of 1332 KHZ, has been installed by the engineering team of the PBC while German engineers representing Telefunken company helped in initial stage in the installation of solid state (digital) technology, with an estimated amount of 30.5m rupees [500,000 dollars] approximately.
The landmark project, completed in a record period of six months, will help the state-controlled media in joining mainstream of advanced news network and current affairs to keep the listeners informed of global development occurring round-the-clock.
Credit for embarking on induction of high-level frequency for various HPT is yet another feather in the cap of the present government that firmly believes in the freedom of expression and access to information, the Information Minister Shaykh Rashid said while talking to APP here Friday [20 January]. He said frequency of HPT Peshawar had already been improved while same was in offing for Quetta centre.
The improved frequency of HPT Lahore will benefit listeners within the radius of 100 miles in day time while 280 miles at night, PBC engineers told APP giving final touch to the inauguration ceremony scheduled for tomorrow morning.
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan news agency, Islamabad, in English 20 Jan 06 via BBCM via DX Listening Digest
So how powerful is it?? Geez! There is no Pakistani listed on 1332 in the WRTH 2006.
Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest 6-015 (23/1-2006)
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PORTUGAL
Here's an update on RCP-R.Club Português http://radioclube.clix.pt/ on 1035 & 783 kHz. This is owned by MCR http://mcr.clix.pt/index.asp
1035 Belmonte 100 kW
The situation of irregularity seems to have been cured at last (!), and the Thales/Thomcast 100 kW tx is now running normally, but the technicians were instructed to leave it at just 50 kW after a very brief period of tests ran at full power. This site (and the Avanca one) includes a backup generator, but not a 2nd tx.
783 Avanca 100 kW
Both the Thomcast/Thales team and the stn team were unable to put it to work back in October after the check of the twin unit near Lisboa simply because the tx tuning circuit was part damaged, part stollen, so it will take a bit of time until the new pieces arrive, are installed and tested. The perpetrators were obviously looking for copper, and did manage to steal some. The nearby ATU, which also houses parts in copper, was left intact though.
Carlos Goncalves (7/12-2009)
PORTUGAL
783 R. Club, Avanca, is (finally!) expected to be on the air very soon, possibly mid / end Oct'09. This site was made ready back in 2007 (!), and comprises a 100 kW, DRM compatible, THALES tx and a Spanish made 60 m folded monopole. The DRM compatibility just means either tx (see below) would need some extra [expensive] modifications the owner is simply not willing to meet.
Also acc. to the stn, the continued break downs of the "twin brother" tx used on 1035 kHz (Belmonte, near Lisbon), lead to an agreement with the manufacturer whereby it will be their own pepole who'll be activating the Avanca unit, which will take place after the THOMSON team checks the Belmonte site.
It is almost obvious that MCR - the group owning RCP as well as other [VHF-FM only] stns like R.Comercial - may not feel that happy with the quality of those Thales (now Thomson) txs which, nevertheless, are simply not expected to be run at full power either; I was told the power level will almost surely be just a bit above the level of the active, albeit irregular,
unit for 1035, i.e. something in the 30 kW range in order to step down the electricity bill.
Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal (30/9-2009)
PORTUGAL
Emissora Nacional de Radiodifusão, later RDP and currently the radio branch of RTP-Rádio e Televisão de Portugal.
During a visit to the Faro MW site at Meia Légua (this is between Faro and Olhão) in mid last week, I learned this place was initially intended for not only a 200+ m high MW monopole serving a 100 or 200 kW tx but also for a 2nd HF site dedicated exclusively for the Portuguese Africa. In fact, the site is huge, many hectares around, with only a small portion actually used now, viz. for the current 70+ m monopole with capacity hat consisting of just 3 wires sloping from the top.
The old open wire feeder is still to be seen, but the monopole is fed via co-axial cable from the tx hut housing 3 txs, viz. an old 10 kW Marconi out of use, a 10 kW Nautel (Canadian) and a 1 kW stand by unit whose brand I forgot. The house is big enough to accommodate a 100 kW unit, if needed. The area surrounding the tower is regularly flooded because of the ground plane (120 radials, typical). The big concrete anchors for the planned 200 m tower are visible amidst the ones securing the existing monopole.
The 200 m tower never materialised because in the meantime the Faro airport was built, and if you can check on GoogleEarth, you'll understand why.
No more details about the planned second HF site, but I estimate it was never built because of the airport.
But in Faro itself, just close to the RDP house, at Campo Senhora da Saúde, along the Calouste Gulbenkian Avenue, the original MW monopole from the late 40s/early 50s is still up. The place is now surrounded by many buildings... and I bet many will ask themselves what the rusty tower is doing there...
73, Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, July 7, DXLD 9-052 (13/7-2009)
PORTUGAL
R. Sim, a channel of the R. Renascença group has been experiencing some problems at their Muge site, where the MW operation is served by 3 Harris transmitters, viz. 1 x 100 kW (typically at 60- 80 kW only) (currently under repair) and 2 x 10 kW, i.e. the ones that
are being used now, but even these are radiating noise on several spurs to either side of the fundamental frequency, 594, and the modulation level is simply lower & worse than one might expect, quite worse than on any of the their southern transmitters, 927, 891, 963.
Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DXLD 9-052 (13/7-2009)
PORTUGAL
1035 RC(P), Belmonte, has finally resumed operation before end of May, but for some odd reason only the group [MCR] owning the stn must know, it was not until a few days afterwards that they switched the feed from R.Comercial, a natl. VHF-FM only network they hold, to RC(P) prgr. Whether that was an actual mistake or not I simply don't know. I can observe the DCC-dynamic carrier control of this 100 kW THALES tx is not activated yet,
and probably never was (!), and power is certainly not the nominal one, 100 kW; it is considerably less.
While that, their twin tx for 783 installed at Avanca, near Aveiro, is still off.
Carlos Goncalves, Portugal (5/6-2009)
PORTUGAL
1035 kHz 100 kW (nominal), typically at much less, maybe 10 kW, when active (it's deaf for weeks on end now) has its location as "Belmonte"; that's what I wrote in the WRTH and that's what you'll find in www.emwg.info, and is correct. The full name of the place though is Lugar de Belmonte, very near Sto Estevao
http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santo_Est%C3%AAv%C3%A3o_(Benavente) and eastwards of the old, wellknown site of Porto Alto, also within the Benavente municipality
http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benavente_(Portugal).
That stn name is Rádio Club, owned by MCR Média Capital Rádio
http://mcr.clix.pt/index.asp, and the above site GCs are 38º 52' 15.35" N 08º 47' 03.81" W.
Carlos Goncalves (17/4-2009)
PORTUGAL
À propos R.Renanscença leaving MW, it's not as reported.
"Rádio Sim" is nothing but a brand, a new name for the MW-only RR channel; it's apparently aimed at listeners aged 50 & up.
73, Carlos Goncalves (10/8-2008)
PORTUGAL
Dear friends, There was a change in the Portuguese radio: Rádio Renascença left the
medium waves, having been replaced by Rádio Sim.
Renascença, the Portuguese Catholic radio group, has just created a new channel, called Rádio Sim. It is targeted to the elder listeners and plays music from the 1940s, '50s and '60s. It is already "on air" and uses the MW frequencies that Rádio Renascença was using until now, besides some FM frequencies. So, from now on, the "flagship" channel of the group, Rádio Renascença, will be absent from the medium waves.
The MW frequencies that are now used by Rádio Sim are the following:
576 kHz - Braga;
594 kHz - Muge;
891 kHz - Vilamoura;
927 kHz - Évora;
963 kHz - Seixal;
981 kHz - Bragança (Braganza in English), Coimbra, Guarda and Vila Real;
1251 kHz - Castelo Branco, Chaves, Porto (Oporto in English) and Viseu.
The website of Rádio Sim has the following address: http://www.radiosim.pt/Default.aspx
73 Fernando de Sousa Ribeiro, Oporto, Portugal via hcdx via Steve Whitt, MWC (10/8-2008)
PORTUGAL
783 Canidelo 10 kW (just nominal, in vy. poor shape & barely heard) --- finally taken out of sce. days ago ---
This site was in leased municipal ground and has been returned to the owner after MCR discontinued the site.
783 Breja, Avanca (Estarreja municipality) RCP 100 kW tx is to be reactived vy. soon now as I learned today 28/9 from the stn itself.
The parallel RCP 100 kW tx 1035 Belmonte (Benavente municipality) continues w/ frequent breakdowns.
73, Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal (28/9-2007)
PORTUGAL
594 kHz 100 kW (nominal power) Muge site.
Rádio Renascença is silent for weeks due to maintenance works in its 265 m tower; the stn reported to me that normal operation is expected to be resume by end September / early October next. The works include replacement of many parts incl. the guywires and a new coat painting. This tower is easily located via GoogleEarth.
Carlos Gonçalves (5/8-2007)
PORTUGAL
720 kHz 10 kW RDP Santa Maria / Meia Légua, Faro, Algarve province Location of the just 59 m hight tower is right to the east of Faro city, between road nº 125 and the shore. The modest hight is compensated by means of a top fed capacitive circuit which I suppose consists of a few guywire-like wires sloping from the top downwards to the farthest guywires concrete anchors. I suspect this was a modification of the earlier (higher) tower because it's near the airport, westwards of Faro but haven't got any confirmation of this from the RDP yet. Like other RDP MW txs, the signal is received via satellite thus exhibiting a delay relative to the parallel VHF-FM network. This one is easily spotted in GoogleEarth.
Carlos Gonçalves (5/8-2007)
PORTUGAL
783 kHz 100 kW Avanca site.
It's been a whole year since the MCR-Média Capital Rádio group failed finally start this new site thus replacing Canidelo (south of Porto) 10 kW.
The stn of the group that is now on MW too is no more R.Nacional but RC(P)-Rádio Club Português once again; its format music stn format was dropped months ago and it became a discussion / news stn. This Avanca tower includes several wires hung from the top thus allowing the stn to adjust radiation to the azimuths of interest.
Carlos Gonçalves (5/8-2007)
PORTUGAL
891 kHz 10 kW (formerly 2x10 kW) Vilamoura (also written Vila Moura) site.
Rádio Renascença's tower is located westwards and vy. near Vilamoura's marina, near the shoreline. I estimate it's a 1/4 wavelenghth type, so 84 m.
Carlos Gonçalves (5/8-2007)
PORTUGAL
1035 kHz. R. Nacional, Belmonte, is off for quite a number of days now. I've found their site via GoogleEarth: 38º 52' 15.5" N, 08º 47' 30.85" W, so not between natl. road nº 10 & motorway A13 as I thought, but just on the north edge of the A13. It's simply not possible to get near the transmitter as its perimeter is a leased area within a (state owned) property.
Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DXLD 6-179 (4/12-2006)
PORTUGAL
Média Capital Rádio MW freqs. of 783 Canidelo 10 kW & 1035 Belmonte 100 kW. The announced new format of talk/news stn for September didn't materialize after all; the stn identified as "R.Nacional" returned from the dead after the 10th July last as already reported by me, and the music they air is Portuguese only (no problem about that), the 1035 kHz tx problems continue, the new 100 kW Avanca tx for 783 is taking its time, so instead of taking
the air in Summer, 2006, maybe in 2007..., I don't know. While that, the Canidelo tx is a lament... vy. weak modulation. Last but not least, the MCR group decided to pump one of its local stns, viz. Foxx FM, into the MW txs for a few days' time last week, but by this past Sat. however, R.Nacional was back, alive & kicking!
Frankly, Monty Pythons Flying Circus - or the good old Mr. Bean! - are a lot more interesting and funnier too! MCR strenuous efforts for being funny or sad are in vain.
Then, why not?, one could perhaps suggest them airing the several local stns owned by MCR in turns, I mean, one on each day of the week: Classe FM, Romântica FM, Best Rock FM, Foxx FM, Mix FM, Cidade FM and MFM, leaving R.Comercial on VHF-FM alone.
73, Carlos Goncalves, Portugal (16/10-2006)
PORTUGAL
Rádio Renascença, Vila Moura (or Vilamoura) site, 891 kHz 2x10 kW. Acc. to an info. from RR itself, just one 10 kW unit is being used for years while the other twin tx is being kept for spares, so actual power is 10 only.
Rádio Renascença, Seixal 963 kHz 10 kW (1 kW reserve). This unmanned site uses a 70 m high tower and GC are most certainly 38º38'19.63 N and 9º05'16.78" W (Google Earth) (awaiting stn confirmation). The site, so near the river, explains the better performance nationwide as compared to Muge 594 kHz 100 kW (nominal; typicall 60~80 kW; reserves: 2x10 kW) whose location is on sandy soil.
Carlos Gonçalves (5/9-2006)
PORTUGAL
1035 kHz 100 kW Belmonte & Canidelo 783 kHz 10 kW of R.Comercial/R.Club(Português) finally dropped the temporary ID "R.Portugal" on the 10th inst., as announced, because the f/ball world cup ended on that date. However, instead of resuming RC(P) programming, they're putting a diff. prgr... under the defunct ID of "Rádio Nacional"!... The good thing is that the VHF-FM network carried on with RC(P) prgr during the World Cup, and still does, so I think "R.Nacional" is something to be shortlived until September, when the stn is, as I reported weeks ago, to become a news/talk radio.
As I feared, the name "Rádio Portugal" was lauched by the group, and, apparently, the RDP didn't succeed in putting an end to it before the "panem et circenses" show in Germany ended meaning MCR managed to go ahead with that name.
To this date, the new site of Avanca 783 kHz 100 kW is not operational yet, though the antenna is already in place. It consists of a lattice tower with several vertical elements around it. The hut housing the coupling circuit is ready, but the transmission line is not to be seen yet. At any rate the estimated start of this new site is this Summer.
Carlos Gonçalves (13/07-2006)
PORTUGAL
Rádio Club Português* to become a news station as from September, 2006. Acc. to the news at www.diariodigital.sapo.pt/news.asp?section_id=468&id_news=233028 the new stn pattern in September will start by introducing continuous newsreels during the morning period only.
*) RCP was a music stn airing mainly oldies. Just a few months ago, that changed a bit when the owners introduced talk prgrs when the stn began identifying solely as "Rádio Club." If the plans go ahead, then RC(P) will be competing with news stn TSF, a VHF-FM local stn in Lisboa whose prgs are relayed continuously by the Northern Network (cf. WRTH) and by a few other local VHF-FM stns on southern mainland & in the Açores and Madeira during a few hrs daily.
On MW, it's aired via R.Comercia txs: Belmonte 1035 kHz 100 kW (prone to problems) and Canidelo 783 kHz 10 kW (to be replaced by Avanca, Estarreja, 100 kW, this Summer). Both 100 kW units are Thales and DRM capable.
73, Carlos Gonçalves (24/6-2006)
PORTUGAL
Rádio Renascença uses HARRIS txs at least at the sites of Seixal 963 kHz (near Lisbon) 10 kW (reserve 1 kW) and at Muge 594 kHz 100 kW (reserve 2x10 kW) + HF 100 kW.
The normal output at Muge is said to be in the 60-80 kW range only while, and sometimes just one stand by unit is used. The MW tower is 265 m high, mounted on a predominantely sandy soil, pretty much like the one at the former RFE/RL site at Glória do Ribatejo some km to the south.
For some days' time, the 100 kW unit at Muge was radiating two images on 738 & 450 kHz, then it was taken off service for some reason, but one of activated 10 kW stand by units, currently at just 8 kW, is also radiating images, viz. some 24 kHz on either side of the fundamental QRG.
The (smaller) Seixal tower is mounted on a place so close to River Tagus, that the path from the tx hut gets flooded during the high tide, which greatly explains why the thus enhanced signal on 963 kHz is so good far beyond its intended coverage area, like for instance the Algarve province west coast.
Seixal is nearly 14 km away from my place here in the capital, but I still manage to DX on 963, even if only E, FIN and TUN were the only countries logged so far.
Carlos Goncalves (9/6-2006)
PORTUGAL
Despite the info. obtained from the MCR group stns R.Comercial/R.Club(Português)/"R.Portugal" the other day about having actually registered the "brand" "Rádio Portugal" for its temporary b/casts* till the end of the World F/ball Cup in Germany, the RDP has just confirmed to me both "RDPi [internacional] - Rádio Portugal" & "RDP - R.Portugal" were in fact subject to an international registration after all.
Consequentely, the RDP Legal Dept. is evaluating the situation so as to put an end to Média Capital Rádio's use of that name albeit temporarily. I hope they succeed and put an end to the abbuse!
*) via R.Comercial/RC(P) MW txs of Canidelo 783 kHz 10 kW & Belmonte 1035 kHz 100 kW; as also reported in previous mssgs., Canidelo is to be replaced by new site Avanca 100 kW some time during June, i.e. if everything runs as expected.
It's sad that it takes legalities to solve a matter which shouldn't be supposed to trigger off such a mess. RDPi-R.Portugal or simply R.Portugal is known internationally for a very long time, especially the latter name, which dates back from the time when "RDP" was called Emissora Nacional de Radiodifusão.
Best 73, Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal (31/5-2006)
PORTUGAL
(Cf. my previous msgs. dtd 10th & 15th inst. on this issue) The group holding R.Comercial & its sister stns, among which RC(P)-R. Club (Português) - currently off MW to make way for this temporary "football stn" called R.Portugal - is indeed considering the use of DRM after all, be it with any of the new 100 kW THALES txs or the new ones for the sites that are off for years, but the latter will have to wait. Those idle txs are indeed no more: they were taken to scrap soon after the RDP sold R.Comercial and the period when the txs could still be housed together with those of the RDP; when the period went to an end, RC decided to get rid of them.
I also learned these new DRM-capable 100 kW units (one installed in Belmonte for 1035 kHz, the other expected to take the air within a month, at Avanca for 783 kHz) were delivered... five (5) years ago!!! Let's hope the one for Avanca hasn't got any moths...
Meanwhile, I've observed that Belmonte 1035 kHz is behaving rather strangely after some repair was done days ago: the tx is at approx. mid power and its DCC-Dynamic Carrier Control system is causing the signal to rapidly fluctuate like under fast QSB, which is what notice. Having said that, the tx is not fully "cured" yet. Interesting...
Until the crumbling Canidelo unit on 783 kHz 10 kW is scrapped for good, a new valve is being installed, possibly because of the temporary special programming content aired under the odd label "R.Portugal"...
... speaking of which, I was also told this name was registered just a few years ago along with others to be used by the group when needed, so there's apparently nothing the state owned RDP can do to remedy that as "RDPi - Rádio Portugal" doesn't seem to be a registered name.
Best regards, Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal (26/5-2006)
PORTUGAL
Well, I could hardly believe it. I've just heard "Radio Portugal" on 1035 which is the same frequency as my local pest "West Sound" which is located just a couple of miles behind my EWE. In fact North Sound, Aberdeen is of equal strength with Radio Portugal and West Sound is way down in the mush!
Paul Crankshaw, UK, May 17, MWC via DX Listening Digest 6-076 (19/5-2006)
PORTUGAL
Despite the info. obtained from the MCR group stns R.Comercial/R.Club(Português)/"R.Portugal" the other day about having actually registered the "brand" "Rádio Portugal" for its temporary b/casts* till the end of the World F/ball Cup in Germany, the RDP has just confirmed to me both "RDPi [internacional] - Rádio Portugal" & "RDP - R.Portugal" were in fact subject to an international registration after all.
Consequentely, the RDP Legal Dept. is evaluating the situation so as to put an end to Média Capital Rádio's use of that name albeit temporarily. I hope they succeed and put an end to the abbuse!
*) via R.Comercial/RC(P) MW txs of Canidelo 783 kHz 10 kW & Belmonte 1035 kHz 100 kW; as also reported in previous mssgs., Canidelo is to be replaced by new site Avanca 100 kW some time during June, i.e. if everything runs as expected.
It's sad that it takes legalities to solve a matter which shouldn't be supposed to trigger off such a mess. RDPi-R.Portugal or simply R.Portugal is known internationally for a very long time, especially the latter name, which dates back from the time when "RDP" was called Emissora Nacional de Radiodifusão.
Best 73, Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal (31/5-2006)
PORTUGAL
(Cf. my previous msgs. dtd 10th & 15th inst. on this issue) The group holding R.Comercial & its sister stns, among which RC(P)-R. Club (Português) - currently off MW to make way for this temporary "football stn" called R.Portugal - is indeed considering the use of DRM after all, be it with any of the new 100 kW THALES txs or the new ones for the sites that are off for years, but the latter will have to wait. Those idle txs are indeed no more: they were taken to scrap soon after the RDP sold R.Comercial and the period when the txs could still be housed together with those of the RDP; when the period went to an end, RC decided to get rid of them.
I also learned these new DRM-capable 100 kW units (one installed in Belmonte for 1035 kHz, the other expected to take the air within a month, at Avanca for 783 kHz) were delivered... five (5) years ago!!! Let's hope the one for Avanca hasn't got any moths...
Meanwhile, I've observed that Belmonte 1035 kHz is behaving rather strangely after some repair was done days ago: the tx is at approx. mid power and its DCC-Dynamic Carrier Control system is causing the signal to rapidly fluctuate like under fast QSB, which is what notice. Having said that, the tx is not fully "cured" yet. Interesting...
Until the crumbling Canidelo unit on 783 kHz 10 kW is scrapped for good, a new valve is being installed, possibly because of the temporary special programming content aired under the odd label "R.Portugal"...
... speaking of which, I was also told this name was registered just a few years ago along with others to be used by the group when needed, so there's apparently nothing the state owned RDP can do to remedy that as "RDPi - Rádio Portugal" doesn't seem to be a registered name.
Best regards, Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal (26/5-2006)
PORTUGAL
Report on R.Club Português via R.Comercial MW txs.
783 kHz 100 kW new site at Avanca (munic. of Estarreja), ex-Canidelo 10 kW. This THALES tx, also DRM capable, is expected to be on the air by the next Summer, if the already delayed installation process runs as expected.
The town of Estarreja is some 50 km southwards to the former tx site of Canidelo, which in turn is close to what we call "the northern capital", i.e. Porto. For home coverage purposes, I estimate the new location is a lot more adequate than the old one, which is still being used, but acc. to the stn explanation, the criteria was mostly upon availability of space required for such an installation.
The flat land around and the distance to the ocean will hopefully make this new tx a TA DX target... while also turning reception of co-ch Mauritania 50 kW somewhat tough, hi! Let's see what my K9AYs can do about that.
1035 kHz 100 kW Belmonte (Benavente municipality) is off for quite a number of days due to a major problem, and the stn is awaiting spares from the Swiss manufacturer THALES. The antenna is a 120 m tower. As reported by me months ago, this new site, albeit a short distance from the old one at Porto Alto, commenced serviced back in mid Spring, 2005.
Acc. to the stn owner, the group doesn't intend to reactivate the other assigned freqs., at least in the next future: 9 sites using 558 (1), 828 (5) and 1170 kHz (3). I believe the stn still have the txs, but not the the places where to install them in the assigned locations.
73, Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal (10/5-2006)
PORTUGAL
Rádio Club Português - which is aired on MW 1035 kHz 100 kW Belmonte [Benavente] & 783 kHz 10 kW Canidelo, the sole two active R.Comercial txs - has partly changed its name (and emblem). While retaining "RCP" on its much modified logo, the ID on the air is solely "Rádio Club" (stn sl. "o clube de quem sabe"), and the jingles changed a lot too, as if a completely different were heard. While logging onto www.rcp.clix.pt still works, the webpage, however, automatically changes "rcp" into "radioclube".
Although the stn claims the only changes, which took place some time this past week, do regard the image of the product called "RCP, I suspect more is due to come in the near future.
At least on this past Sat. & Sun. the 1035 kHz stn was inactive, while the Canidelo tx is still very hard to receive, almost certainly, as I reported, due to the ageing tx and the fact that the new one isn't installed yet. If the Tartuskoe Semeinoe R. (=Family Radio), Tartu, Estonia, is to use 200 kW instead of just 50 kW, as announced, then I'm sure there will be some QRM in between.
73, Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal (6/3-2006)
Have noticed the 'new look' of the RCP website (my favourite www-station :-)ymr
PORTUGAL
Good evening all!
Rádio club Português or R.Comercial on MW... the mystery seems to be solved as someone from the group finally answered, explaining the RC is actually being fed into the MW txs as per the sched. below.
de 2ª a 6ªf....... Mo-Fri
1º período - 11h / 11h20
2º período - 21h / 21h40
Sábado e Domingo.......Sat+Sun
1º período - 7h / 7h20
2º período - 21 / 21h40
... and solely during the presidencial election campaign period, which runs till the 20th inst.
Really odd, but, fortunately at least, no RC on MW, just RCP back to normal as from the 21st inst. onwards. However, getting so different infos. from the stn still remains an odd thing, and can be infuriating as one's being misinformed and unwillingly misinforming too!
73, Carlos Gonçalves (9/1-2006)
PORTUGAL
Further to my y/day's rpt., I really don't know what to say... or what to think about all this. Today, Sunday, at 1200, 1035 kHz was again (and still is as I write, 1905), airing R.Club Português. At 1215, I phoned R.Comercial again, and this other technician was not aware of what happened, which gives a poor image of how the stn seems to work these days, to say the least... or then the chap who took over the following shift thought that something was wrong (?) and decided to feed RCP into the RC MW txs again. With no responsible figure to ask for an accurate info., I'd say the stn is cutting itself a poor figure... Unlike the RDP or even R.Renascença, R.Comercial & its sister stns is being noted not to be at ease when it comes to ask for data on them, which is... silly, to put it politely.
73, Carlos Gonçalves (8/1-2006)
PORTUGAL
RCP-Rádio Club Português via R.Comercial 1035 kHz 100 kW Belmonte (Benavente) & 783 kHz 10 kW Canidelo (near Porto) is gone. We stumbled on R.Comercial normal prgr on 1035 kHz only this evening, and after a phone call to RC, I learned the changes occured some time (surely late) this week stemming from a radio authority (ANACOM) note claiming RC txs can only air RC prgrs. Curiously, another "product" from the RC group (Média Capital), viz. the defunct R.Nacional, was aired via RC MW txs for a few years' time. He also informed a 2nd tx (probably 50 kW or even 100 kW) was also commissioned and intended for Canidelo, but it's not operational yet. Unfortunately, the RCP can only be listened to via VHF-FM & internet. Média Capital is owned by the Spanish group PRISA, RTLuxembourg and a Port. shareholder. Whether this notification by ANACOM was to adequately prevent the use of the MW txs for some foreign relay (RTL does them) I don't know, but that wouldn't be too surprising.
Carlos Gonçalves - POR (8/1-2006)
PORTUGAL
R.Comercial & its sister stns - among which Rádio Club Português, available for some months' time through R.Comercial's active MW outlets (*) - is to become controlled in a substancial part by Spanish media co. PRISA-Promotora de Informaciones, S.A., which already operates both in our neighbouring country and abroad, mainly LAmerica. Acc. to tv news this evening, PRISA's main interest in R.Comercial's owner co., MEDIA CAPITAL, will focuse at both this radio stn group and sister tv stn TVI, not Media Capital's publications or "IOL", the company's ISP, which, curiously, was recently dropped in favour of CLIX (see web addrs. below). And in radio, it seems one of their plans is to create a news stn, which is simply not the present case, the "style" of any of the radio stns concerned (**)... so w/o wishing to speculate, maybe the MW scene of R.Comercial is again to change, possibly with the reactivation of its other outlets, idle for years since the stn was sold to privates by the RDP.
*) 783 kHz 10 kW Canidelo (that's the theoretical power; the stn is very badly heard down here in Lisbon)
1035 kHz Belmonte (near Benavente) 100 kW (new site & new tx) (this fq is silent on occasions)
**) R.Comercial >> VHF-FM network on mainland www.radiocomercial.clix.pt
local stn Best Rock FM >> 7 txs on mainland www.bestrockfm.clix.pt
local stn Cidade FM >> 4 txs on mainland www.cidadefm.clix.pt
RCP-Rádio Club Português (#) > VHF-FM network on mailand + via R.Comercial MW txs www.rcp.clix.pt
#) formerly R.Nostalgia, another music stn of MEDIA CAPITAL, but available via the web only www.cotonete.clix.pt/radios/online/nostalgia/asp
73, Carlos Gonçalves (7/11-2005)
PORTUGAL
I notice R.Comercial's MW tx at Porto Alto 1035 kHz 100 kW is putting an unusually good, punching audio for a few months' time... and finally decided to get in touch with the right person and learn what is going on, incl. their long halted future plans for MW. This individual wasn't available, but his assistant did provide interesting info, unlikely what happened with their headoffice colleagues here in Lisboa.
So here it goes... the Porto Alto MW site was dismantled (I knew for years that would happen in the near future) and a brand new 100 kW (presumably DRM capable) was installed in this new site at Belmonte, very near Benavente, approx. 9 km NE (in straight line) of the previous site.
As far as I can recall what I was once told by RARET, the co. operating RFE/RL here, their HF rx site was very close to Benavente. Back in 1997 I think, a new 100 kW tx was indeed planned for P.Alto + 100 kW for Canidelo and 10 kW for Faro, in the Algarve province.
The ID you'll hear via R.Comercial's MW txs is, however, "Rádio Club Português" - not the original, the old RCP, but simply the name applied to a music stn that's also carried via the officially called "southern VHF-FM network", granted to Rádio Regional de Lisboa, S.A. (owned by the same group that, among other things, includes R.Comercial and the priv. comm. tv stn TVI, keen to broadcast quite a few bad taste tv shows by the way).
I also enquired about the state of their northern MW site of Canidelo (not Miramar: sry., WRTH people and readers) 783 kHz 10 kW... things are unchanged there. So in sum the stn is currently just via Canidelo 783 kHz 10 kW place near Miramar, both south of Porto Benavente 1035 khz 100 kW place NE of the capital.
The radio authority ANACOM's (www.anacom.pt) webpage is still showing the full list of licensed MW chs for R.Comercial as if they were all alive.
Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal (29/9-2005)
PORTUGAL
The group (called Média Capital Rádio) holding several publications but also and chiefly TVI-Televisão Independente and Rádio Comercial (plus its affiliated stns like nationwide Rádio Club Português* and local stns Best Rock FM and Cidade FM) will probably change hands... rumours mentioned a Spanish BC company, then RTLuxembourg and more recently a Portuguese religious group which already owns stns in a few SoAm countries, incl. Brazil. Well, maybe they all end up owning the Média Capital Rádio, but I don't think the three could co-exist. I believe that, if they're sold, the new owner or ownwers will reactivate the other assigned MW sites & fqs.
*) RDP Replaced R.Nostalgia which were on VHF-FM only, and now uses R.Nostalgia's VHF network and the only active MW tr's of R.Comercial [783 kHz Canidelo 10 kW and 1035 kHz 100/120 kW Porto Alto], formerly used to air R.Comercial under the silly name of "Rádio Nacional" for some years, known to include some rlgs prgrs very much in the style of certain Brazilian stns or even R.Victoria, Lima, Peru.
I'm glad the group "Média Capital Rádio" dropped "R.Nacional" (back in March this year) and decided to use their MW for RCP, a music stn consisting of oldies, either domestic or foreign.
Carlos Gonçalves (6/9-2005)
PORTUGAL
R. Nacional was not using 1035 & 783 kHz all these years since 1976! The old Rádio Club Português was nationalised after the military coup in April, '74, and the stn outlets became RDP-3, which would remain as such from some years until this 3rd ch. of the RDP was renamed R.Comercial, with its own administration within the RDP itself, surely because it was RDP's only commercial ch., until it was finally sold to privates (in '94, I believe), who kept the name R.Comercial. By that time, RCP* did exist as a mere local FM stn near Lisboa, having nothing to do with the old RCP. As far as I can recall, RC was again sold, and it was this 2nd priv. owner who renamed the prgr via MW "R.Nacional" back in the late 90's... until the R.Comercial group decided to use their only 2 active MW sites to air RCP-R.Club Português* (formerly an FM-only network), back in April last I think. RCP (FM+MW), RC (on FM only), Best Rock (local FM) and Cidade FM (formerly Rádio Cidade) are, along with TVI-Televisão Independente - and not to mention several paper publications - all within the same media group, the "Grupo Media Capital." *) I suppose the other small local FM called RCP disappeared, or was bought, thence the possibility of using the old RCP name again.
Back in 1996 or '97, one of R.Comercial's plans was - acc. to what an engineer said to me - to reactivate their other 9 MW outlets (see WRTH '05, p. 324) because when the RDP sold R.Comercial, they kept working for some time within RDP's premises, but that stopped for RC did not build its own sites to install the txs, let alone the also planned refurbishing of the MW units bought from the RDP, which would have included a 100 kW tx at Canidelo (near Porto) (sry, in WRTH '05, I mistakenly listed neighbouring "Miramar", which is in fact for RDP 720 kHz 10 kW) 783 kHz, a new 100 kW at Porto Alto (NE of the capital) 1035 kHz and, I think, a 100 kW tx at Faro, Algarve's district & province capital, 558 kHz.
As a matter of fact, the MW sites near Porto are: Azurara (RDP, inactive, partly or totally dismantled; when used: 720 & 1062 kHz), near Vila do Conde, no. of Porto, Canidelo (formerly Emissores do Norte Reunidos, also nationalised in 1974, then RDP site, currently RCP/RC 783) and Miramar (formerly RCP in the old days, now RDP... it seems the RDP preferred to sold the Canidelo site instead of the Miramar one...), both very close to each other and so. of Porto.
Finally, the audio via 1035 kHz. It is indeed a lot better now than when they used to air the bl...dy pap under the name R.Nacional which in fact was nothing more than R.Comercial's ID on MW.
Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal (30/5-2005)
PORTUGAL
En @tividade DX, Fernando de Sousa Ribeiro nos entera que después de 29 años, dos frecuencias de onda media en Portugal regresaron a su emisora anterior, Rádio Clube Português, es decir 1035 y 783 kilohercios, ocupados desde 1976 por el llamado Rádio Nacional. Al contrario de Nacional, RCP cuenta con locutores en vivo, información, contactos con oyentes, y buena música.
Glenn Hauser (20/5-2005)
PORTUGAL
O RÁDIO CLUBE PORTUGUÊS ESTÁ DE VOLTA ÀS ONDAS MÉDIAS
Substituindo uma estação que enganadoramente se chamava Rádio Nacional, o Rádio Clube Português voltou às frequências de ondas médias que foram uas até ao ano de 1976: a frequência de 1035 kHz, que é usada pelo emissor do Porto Alto, situado a poucas dezenas de quilómetros de Lisboa, e a frequência de 783 kHz, que é usada pelo emissor da Afurada, também chamado emissor do Canidelo (o WRTH, erradamente, localiza-o em Miramar; o que se encontra em Miramar é um emissor de ondas médias da RDP que transmite a Antena1), situado a menos de 1 quilómetro da cidade do Porto, na margem esquerda do Rio Douro. Quem sintonizar agora uma das duas frequências referidas, ouvirá uma emissão muito diferente da que era transmitida pela chamada Rádio Nacional. Enquanto nesta praticamente não havia intervenção humana, pois era um computador que ``atirava para o ar`` a música, os anúncios e a identificações da estação (excepto quando transmitia um programa da Igreja Pentecostal Deus É Amor), o Rádio Clube Português mantém sempre um ou mais locutores falando em directo ao microfone, transmite noticiários, informações de trânsito, diálogos com ouvintes pelo telefone e também muita música dos anos 60, 70 e 80 (os chamados ``oldies``) e ainda alguma música mais recente, de Simon e Garfunkel, Tina Turner, Pink Floyd, Bee Gees, Rui Veloso, Madredeus, Luís Represas, Chico Buarque, Ney Matogrosso, etc. etc. O sítio do Rádio Clube Português na Web ainda não faz qualquer referência às ondas médias. A lista de emissores que apresenta tem apenas os emissores de FM. O link da estação é o seguinte: http://www.rcp.iol.pt/
Fernando de Sousa Ribeiro, Portugal, @tividade DX April 24 via DX Listening Digest 5-68 (25/4-2005)
PORTUGAL
Rádio Clube Português replaces Rádio Nacional now on MW.
29 years later, Rádio Clube Português is back on MW, on the same frequencies that it used back then: 1035 kHz (Porto Alto, near Lisbon) and 783 kHz (Canidelo, close to Oporto). The oddly called Rádio Nacional, which could be heard on these frequencies up until now, is now extinct.
73 Fernando de Sousa Ribeiro, Portugal, April 24, HCDX via DX Listening Digest 5-067 (23/4-2005)
PORTUGAL
Pro-funk GmbH in Sines uses 3 x Thomcast SK53 C3-3P5 250 kW transmitters capable of 500 kW PEP and an average 100 kW in DRM mode; they can also send at constant carrier DSB as well as SSB, and power is normally just 1/3 during modulation pauses by the use of dynamic carrier control. At least 3 rotatable curtain arrays are used. Rumors say maybe 2 more units are planned, one being for MW. According to what I recall from my 1981 visit and what my photos show, the transmitter hall can hardly accommodate more than 4-5 transmitters without enlarging the building. I sincerely hope that won’t materialize, chiefly the MW operation. Besides, the only MW stations that can operate in Portugal are the existing ones, other applicants being systematically refused, all according to the country’s regulations for broadcasting. However, if by any chance DW’s able to get a MW frequency here, I suspect it may well be one possible quiet channel towards 1600 kHz.
The use of the Sines site by the RDP: One may wonder why on earth the RDP uses this since some of its transmitters are actually off when Sines relays R. Portugal. A normal situation elsewhere would mean not enough transmitters were used at a given time. The case here is, as I`ve explained in a recent report, that the DW station must put at the RDP’s disposal a given amount of hours/week as a form of compensation, as it appears no other compensation exists in the agreement. Pro-Funk pays, nevertheless, a license to the radio authority, just like any other domestic operator does.
Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, @tividade DX March 20 via DX Listening Digest 5-050 (21/3-2005)
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