Tinang VOA station survives, but for how long? The Philippines has been a host land for the Voice of America for 80 years. Crazy this is actually the last year!
In 1945, a transmitter center was acquired, on the outskirts of the city of Manila. The station was equipped with two 5 kW transmitters: one on medium wave and the other on short wave. This was a temporary relay.
The second center was located at Mojon-Malolos north of Manila Bay.
Installed three 15kW shortwave transmitters. Two more 50 kWs were added in 1954 and two 100 kW transmitters in 1957.
In 1963, a bilateral agreement allowed the United States to deploy two transmitter centers.
One in Poro for medium and short waves and the other in Tinang for short waves. In 1969, they were broadcasting 24hrs/24 in O.C. from Tinang and 16hrs/day in AM from Poro.
The Poro Transmitter Center had recovered short wave transmitters from the former VOA station in Liberia. On medium waves, the 2 500 kW Continental 105B transmitters came from the old plant built in 1954 in Okinawa.
In 1999, following a volcanic eruption, the short wave facilities were abandoned. A new Harris DX-1000 medium wave transmitter was installed in 2005 at 1143 kHz until 2011, then at 1170 kHz.
Tinang site is the only one standing in operation. It is located 120 kilometers away from Manila, covering an area of approximately 9.6 km2. The first 3 50 kW portable OC transmitters had come into service in May 1968. Over the following years, twelve 250 kW transmitters were gradually put into service. Since 2006, the station has had a trans-Pacific optical link with the United States. She even assumed responsibility for remote control operations at the Poro, Saipan and Tinian site. This activity has ended today: Poro was out of service in 2018 and the other two stations in 2024.
The situation is not bright for Tinang station. It no longer has the strategic importance of controlling other stations in the region, the facilities are outdated, its operation is priceless compared to Kuwait’s IBB station where energy is, so to say, free.
Just wait to see what she could broadcast.
The VOA broadcasts are reduced to grief.
It cannot broadcast Free Asia Radio for diplomatic reasons.
Relays of other international stations are a thing of the past.
Three hours a day left on three frequencies for broadcasting of the global service of Radyo Pilipinas as part of the installation agreement in Tinang. Unfortunately USAGM cares about this detail.
Michel Fremy, Radio Magazine FB group (2025-03-19)