ZIMBABWE / BOTSWANA
The Zimbabwe Project at the Voice of America (VOA) is expanding its Studio 7 broadcasts to Zimbabwe with the addition of one-hour programs on Saturday and Sunday, bolstering its existing schedule of 90-minute evening broadcasts Monday through Friday in response to the country’s deepening crisis, upcoming elections and state jamming of VOA signals.
Weekend broadcasts will begin today at 1700 UTC on 909 kHz mediumwave from Botswana and shortwave frequencies 4930, 13755 and 15775 kiloHertz.
VOA’s Studio 7 for Zimbabwe has been on the air since January 2003 and posted strong audience growth through 2005 and 2006 to establish an audience of more than 1 million listeners in the Southern African country. Jamming of Studio 7’s mediumwave signal began in mid-2006 and the government has acknowledged that it is responsible.
The Studio 7 weekend programmes are to comprise 20-minute segments in the indigenous Shona and Ndebele languages as well as English, which is widely spoken in Zimbabwe. As during the week, the Saturday-Sunday programs will pursue breaking or developing stories while presenting discussions on critical topics including the continuing political and economic crisis, efforts to mediate a solution to the crisis, intensifying shortages of food and other essential goods, and efforts to stem a major HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Studio 7 will add audience participation to the mix with callbacks to listeners who would like to express their views on news topics, especially in the run-up to the general and presidential elections to be held in March 2008 following local ballots in January.
Since its inception, Studio 7 has established itself in Zimbabwe as a balanced and reliable source for news and analysis of the evolving crisis which has pitted the government and ruling ZANU-PF party of President Robert Mugabe against the opposition Movement for Democratic Change and a broad array of reform-minded civil society organizations.
The Zimbabwe Project is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development and has been developed, managed and operated by the Voice of America. Studio 7 reports are prepared by a largely Zimbabwean staff in Washington and stringers in Zimbabwe.
Studio 7’sweb page, www.VOANews.com/english/africa/zimbabwe/, also offers news in English, Shona and Ndebele, and recently launched e-mail newsletters in all three languages.
Opposition leaders and civil society activists cite Studio 7 broadcasts as a major factor in the democratic reform process given the virtual exclusion of dissenting voices in the state media. Studio 7 provided extensive and balanced coverage of the 2005 general election - interviews with ruling ZANU-PF and opposition candidates in many constituencies were aired back-to-back - and delivered intense, high-impact reporting on the government’s May-July 2005 campaign of forced evictions and home demolitions. Reporter Carole Gombakomba’s telephone interviews with victims of the exercise received a 2006 commendation from the Association of International Broadcasting.
Source: Voice of America via Andy, Media Network blog (18/8-2007)
ZIMBABWE
SW Radio Africa. I have been in touch with two [only one shown here -CRW] stations yesterday and got the following information:
SW Radio Africa. They announced during their sign on that they broadcast on 1197 kHz MW and on "3230 kHz in the 75 (sic) mb". I have checked with Richard at the station, who thanked me for bringing it to his attention, but told me that they have no plans to return to SW at this stage. So the station continues to be on air only on 1197 kHz (Lesotho) from 0300 to 0500 [UT]
Vaclav Korinek, RSA, Jan 31, 2006 in DXplorer-ML via CRW via DX Listening Digest 6-023 (4/2-2006)
ZIMBABWE
SWRA, I was sorry to read the following e-mail:
"Dear Ron, Nice to hear from you and thanks for listening. Sadly Tuesday 31st May will be our last broadcast on shortwave. Due to the jamming we have to broadcast on multiple frequencies and this hugely increases our costs. We also no longer have the financial support as before.
As from 1st June we will be on MW in the early morning and the internet only - but our entire future remains very shakey. MW is only received over about half of Zimbabwe but we think our main audience will now be the 2m plus Zim exiles in South Africa, where our signal is clearly received. Tomorrow will be a sad day for us all.
Keep well, Gerry Jackson, Station Manager"
Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, NRD545, with T2FD antenna, May 30, DXLD yahoogroup (30/5-2005)
ZIMBABWE
SW Radio Africa, the independent radio station broadcasting to Zimbabwe which is currently being jammed by the Zimbabwe government, is now listing seven shortwave frequencies for its broadcast at 1600- 1900 UTC. However, it's possible that not all of them are in use at the same time. The frequencies now listed are:
In the 19 metre band: 15145
In the 25 metre band: 12145 & 11770
In the 60 metre band: 4825 & 4880
In the 90 metre band: 3300 & 3365
The morning broadcast at 0300-0500 UT is now listed only on mediumwave 1197 kHz. SW Radio Africa http://www.swradioafrica.org
# posted by Andy @ 14:49 UT May7 Media Network blog via DX Listening Digest 5-076 (7/5-2005)
SWRA, 4880, 12145, 15145, 11770 has been heard with patterned block jamming 1600-1900. 1197 MW, Lesotho, 0300-0500 is heard here in Zimbabwe un-jammed.
73, David Pringle-Wood, Zimbabwe, May 7, DX Listening Digest 5-076 (7/5-2005)
ZIMBABWE
SW Radio Africa`s website http://www.swradioafrica.com/today shows a different schedule with several frequencies gone, but a new one too; times here changed to UT; also refers to wrong meter bands, so not sure if something is missing:
1600-1800 15145 kHz
1800-2000 11770 kHz
1600-1900 3300 kHz
0300-0500 1197 kHz MW Lesotho.
Glenn Hauser, March 29, DX Listening Digest yahoogroup (29/3-2005)
ZIMBABWE
SW RADIO AFRICA INTRODUCES ADDITIONAL 90MB FREQUENCY.
According to the website of SW Radio Africa, the independent station broadcasting to Zimbabwe which is currently being jammed, an additional 90 metre band frequency of 3300 kHz will be used intermittently over the weekend between 1600 and 1900 UTC. The station now gives its schedule as follows:
In the 90 metre band: Intermittent* 3230 kHz, Intermittent* over weekend 3300 kHz
In the 60 metre band: Intermittent* 4880 kHz
In the 49 metre band: 1800-2100 [1600-1900 UTC] 6145 kHz
In the 25 metre band: 1800-1900 [1600-1700 UTC] 11845 kHz, 1900-2000 [1700-1800 UTC] 11705 kHz, 2000-2100 [1800-1900 UTC] 11995 kHz.
* Try these frequencies during the broadcast times. We do not have precise times, 1800-2100, Zim time [1600-1900 UTC].
The station says its new mediumwave broadcasts in the morning are not being jammed. The morning schedule is: 0500-0700 [0300-0500 UTC] on 1197 and 3230 kHz. The station also says that "The mediumwave signal is being improved all the time and country coverage is increasing."
Radio SW Afica has added a recording of jamming on 6145 kHz saying that "Many Zimbabwe news outlets are unsure if we are really being jammed. You decide." Listen to the jamming mms://swradioafrica.streamuk.com/swradioafrica_archive/swra_being_jammed.wma
# posted by Andy @ 10:54 UT March 19 Media Network blog via DX Listening Digest 5-048 (19/3-2005)
ZIMBABWE
SW Radio Africa: Hi once again Glenn, In DXLD 5-040 you mentioned that Meyerton, South Africa has no MW facilities, thanks for this info. Also that John Plimmer (a name I recall from the SADX Listeners Club when it existed in the 1990s, of which I was a member) has monitored SWR Africa on 1197 from the Western Cape Province in South Africa, around 0330 UT and comments on its similarity to the evening broadcast of WYFR from Lesotho which are listed as in English from 1600-1900 and then 2000-2300 UT.
John suggests that the transmitter being used as a relay for SWR Africa is the old BBC 100 kW MW one located at Lancers Gap in Lesotho (S 029 19', E 027 33'), not far from the capital Maseru, Lesotho and I now agree that this is the likely site of the new MW broadcast.
The SW transmissions on 3230 at 0300-0500 UT are from Sentech, Meyerton, South Africa as that frequency is listed as a 100 kW transmitter used by WYFR Family Radio.
SW Radio Africa therefore is unable to use the MW frequency of 1197 for its evening broadcast (1700-1900 UT) as the transmitter in Lesotho is occupied by WYFR at this time and is only free for the early morning transmissions to Zimbabwe at 0300-0500 UT.
What is interesting to note is that WYFR frequencies are used by both SW and MW; is there a connection between this church group and SW Radio Africa; is this the 'provider' that SWR Africa commented on in their news release regarding the new MW frequency?
BTW: Lancers Gap, Lesotho is 1320 km distant, bearing 203 from my home location, Harare, Zimbabwe.
[Later:] Hi Glenn, Sentech *do* transmit on MW from Meyerton,South Africa according to their website http://www.sentech.co.za 657 KHz Radio Pulpit (Commercial) and 576 KHz Metro FM (SABC). All the SW and MW frequencies aired by Sentech are listed here. Oddly, SW Radio Africa 6145 kHz, evenings 1700-1900 UT, is not listed anywhere. I am listening to SW Radio Africa on 6145, now 1720 UT.
73s David Pringle-Wood, Harare, Zimbabwe, March 6, DX Listening Digest
They sure do, per that. I had in mind MW suitable for external services altho these are a respectable 50 kW per WRTH; still think 1197 be Lesutu.
Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest (6/3-2005)
ZIMBABWE
Re: SW Radio Africa on 1197 --- Glenn, I think you are exactly right in your suppositions. 1197 is almost certainly the old BBC transmitter in Lesotho, now used by WYFR (listening to it now at 0330 - same characteristics as WYFR in the evening)
John Plimmer, Montagu, Western Cape Province, South Africa, March 5, mwdx yg via DX Listening Digest
The mystery of the location of SW Radio Africa's MW transmission site continues. I presumed when I first heard SW Radio Africa on 1197 kHz at 0300 UT this past week, March 1st that it was a Sentech transmission from Meyerton. However you mention that Sentech, Meyerton no longer have MW facilities [I was not aware they EVER did -- gh]. Lesotho, Family radio, was mentioned as a possible site, but that is extremely far South of Zimbabwe`s borders. Are there any MW facilities in Swaziland that can use this frequency, TWR Swaziland, perhaps? I've monitored 1197 this week and it propagates until 0350 UT, so reckon that the transmitter site is still Meyerton or possibly TWR Swaziland? Not convinced on Lesotho as a site just yet. I'm in contact through a friend, with the station Director in London, Ms Gerry Jackson but it seems even they are not told exactly which facility the new MW transmission is relayed from, nor do they want to reveal it.
73's David Pringle-Wood, Harare, Zimbabwe, March 5, DX Listening Digest 5-040 (5/3-2005)
That`s why I asked for a fix, i.e., at least two bearings from the area which could easily locate it or at least rule out Lesotho (gh)
ZIMBABWE
Monitored SW Radio Africa this morning Friday 25th February from Harare, Zimbabwe, using a Yaesu FRG 7700 communications receiver.
The new MW frequency 1197 kHz was heard from 0300 to 0345 UT (0500- 0545 Zimbabwe time) with a signal strength of S3. Propagation path was closed out around 0345 UT.
The new SW frequency 3230 was heard from station open at 0300 UT (0500 Zimbabwe time) with a signal of S9 until it finally faded at 0445 UT (0645 Zimbabwe time), just before station close down at 0500 UT.
What is interesting to note is that a station announcement was made at 0430 UT (0630 Zimbabwe time) explaining that the MW frequency can be heard in South Africa and parts of Southern Zimbabwe only at this time and that they, quote "were working on the problem of the Medium Wave signal reaching the Northern parts of the country".
Regards, David Pringle-Wood, Harare, Feb 25, DX Listening Digest 5-036 (25/2-2005)
ZIMBABWE
SW Radio Africa is very pleased to announce that starting Wednesday 23rd February we will be broadcasting into Zimbabwe on medium wave. Between 5 and 7 am every morning listeners can tune in to 1197Khz in the medium wave band. These morning broadcasts are also available on shortwave on 3230Khz in the 75 metre band. Our evening broadcasts remain unchanged on shortwave 6145Khz in the 49 metre band.
http://www.swradioafrica.com/ via Mike Terry via DXLD yahoogroup (22/2-2005)
Presumably the 100 kW transmitter in Lesotho/Lesutu used by Family Radio, per WRTH 2005 at 1600-2200 only; this would be at 0300-0500 UT.
Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest (yahoogroup) (22/2-2005)
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