Translated from French:
The USAGM has just stopped its medium and short wave station on the island of Sao Tome. An unannounced stop, which the agency wanted discreet.
The end of 34 years of history: The VOA was installed in Liberia, in 1990, the civil war made the station totally unusable. The United States wanted to find another site in the region.
The US government’s request for the installation of a Voice of America relay station has garnered the greatest interest locally. The agreement was quickly reached: IBB leases a 140-hectare plot on the east coast, three kilometers from the capital of the Republic, which is also called São Tomé. Construction of the Pinheira site began in 1992, on the ruins of the former Radio Nacional transmitter who had surrendered. A few months later, the first transmitter, a 100 kW Harris VP-100B is installed for broadcasting on 1530 kHz medium waves. Four 100 kW Thomcast shortwave transmitters mounted to broadcast between 6 and 21 MHz.
The IBB had to build its own power plant, consisting of five diesel generators developing 5MW. The diesel is delivered by a tanker that anchored a kilometer from the site. A pipeline connected the ship and the power plant. Another facility provides the necessary water to the center: domestic and sanitary consumption and for cooling the transmitters.
The IBB Relay Center in São Tomé was established to ensure the dissemination of VOA programs in English, French, Portuguese, Hausa, Kirundi and Swahili to Africa. Subsequently the medium-wave transmitter the 100 kW “Harris” transmitter was dedicated to broadcasting on tropical waves in the 60-meter band.
In 2003, a new building was installed on the seafront to house a new 600 kW transmitter that took over the Harris at 1530 kHz. Two trellis antennas ensure broadcasting as the old antenna was already out of use, ravaged by corrosion following the marine climate. IBB staff also operate a medium-wave transmitter “Harris” of 20 kW at 945 kHz connected to an omnidirectional antenna for Radio Nacional de São Tomé e Principe.
Enormous directional antennas form a circle pointing in NNO directions from NE to SE. Beams can rotate up to +/- 24°, adjust height and width of beam by changing the phase. There are 15 dipole curtain antennas supported by 18 rows.
Radio Magazine FB group (2024-07-29)