ARLA/CLUSTER: Radio Africa do Sul: Sentec encerra a 30 de Março a "Bloemendal Shortwave Broadcasting station"

[João Costa > CT1FBF]

Bloemendal shortwave station's final transmission

The South African Radio League report Sentech will close its on 30
March, which means that today's Amateur Radio Today will be the last
programme to be transmitted on the 7 and 17 MHz broadcast bands.

Amateur Radio Today will however still be available on 7 082 kHz from
Durban and on many repeaters around South Africa and from the SARL
home page on www.sarl.org.za.

Sentech inherited South Africa's Bloemendal shortwave radio station
near Meyerton when Radio RSA was closed down. Radio RSA started its
broadcast on 1 May 1966 and by 1976 the station transmitted for 36
hours a week in twelve languages including English, French,
Portuguese, and Afrikaans. The service was discontinued in 1992. The
only transmission that survived the close down was a broadcast into
Africa, renamed Channel Africa. The SABC also transmits Radio Sonder
Grense (RSG) on shortwave to the Northern Cape. Sentech also took over
the sponsorship of Amateur Radio Today.

To increase coverage on HF in the Southern African area the SARL is
looking at transmitting the programme on 7 MHz from more locations
like the Western Cape, Free State and Gauteng to compliment the 7082
kHz transmission by Louis, ZS5LP from Durban. The frequencies being
considered are in the band between 7 100 and 7 200 kHz. On Monday
evenings 80 metres is also under consideration.

Radio Amateurs willing to offer their services on Sundays at 10:00 CAT
and/or on Monday evenings on 80 metres are invited to send their
contact details to artoday  sarl.org.za.

The SARL could not make this announcement earlier as Sentech was
unable to confirm their planned close down and requested the SARL not
to announce the closure earlier.

Fonte: The South African Radio League