Tuning In: Ears to Our World

Inspired by his boyhood experience with shortwave radio, Thomas Witherspoon has brought the world to the remotest schools from Cameroon to Haiti

“This is the sound of renewable education!” says Thomas Witherspoon, 37, founder of Ears to Our World, as he picks up a small portable radio and quickly cranks its handle, producing a high-pitched, wobbly whine. Inside, a dynamo charges the radio’s battery. Witherspoon has taken his love of shortwave radio and filtered it through his experience in the corporate world, devising a strategy to help the most people for the least money. ETOW distributes wind-up radios to isolated villages across Africa and into Belize and Romania, providing listeners with vital information. His radios are also proving to be disaster-relief heroes in earthquake-devastated Haiti.

Additional story at WSJ website: http://magazine.wsj.com/hunter/donate/tuning-in/

Blog Logs - Africa on shortwave

The following logs represent what has recently been monitored on shortwave radio, from stations in Africa.

All times UTC // parallel frequency *sing-on sign-off*

Botswana

5880, Affia Darfur, Selebi-Phikwe, 1920-1924, Jan 27, Arabic talks, ID, light QRM from 5875 caused by BBC in English via Rampisham on the air 1800-2000, SINPO 43443. (Romero/DX Window #370)

Chad

4905, R Tchad, Gredia, N’Djamena, 0510-0708 and 1815-1952, Jan 23, 31, Feb 02 and 03, French news, story about Israel and Hamas, African style music, talks, 0700 percussion music, 1815 Vernacular talk, native African song, 1900 French news and comments, SINPO 45444. (Mille, Otávio, Petersen and Ronda/DX Window #370)

Congo, Democratic Republic/ South Africa
9635, Radio Okapi, Kinshasa, via Meyerton, 1615-1700*, Feb 01 and 02, French/Lingala talks about Congo, closing ann, ex 11890, SINPO 55333. (Petersen/DX Window #370)

Djibouti
4780, Radio Djibouti, Arta, 1830-2103*, Jan 21, Arabic report about President Obama and Guantanamo, lively folksong, 2100 closing ann in Arabic and martial national anthem, SINPO 45434. (Petersen and Romero/DX Window #370)

Equatorial Guinea

5005.00, Radio Nacional Bata, 2055, Jan 17, hilife music, very good, SINPO 45544. (Wiespointner)

6250, Radio Nacional, Malabo, 0516-0538, Jan 24, eclectic selections like a Hi Life music, Spanish romantic music, Spanish ID: "estan en sintonia de Radio Nacional, Radio Malabo..", returning African music, another ID at 0528 but sung in Spanish, English Hip Hop and a English romantic music. At tune-in 44333. (Otávio/DX Window #370)

Egypt

6255, Radio Cairo, Abu Zaabal, 2233, Jan 28, English with commentary about Gaza, fair-good. (Ronda)9250, R Wadi El Nile, Abu Zaabal, 1853-2158, Jan 21 and 29, Arabic talk, probably news, folkmusic, 45444. (Romero/DX Window #370)

Eritrea

5099.98, Radio Bana, Asmara, 0410-0455 fade out, Jan 26, Horn of Africa vocals, some without music, Tigrinya talks. Apparent ID at 0430 followed by news. Poor with some fair peaks. Next night, carrier noted and some very weak audio, but nothing that could be used. (D'Angelo/FCDX). Also heard at 1610, Jan 27, local songs and talks, low audio, 34322. (Wiespointner/DX Window #370)

Ethiopia

5980, Voice of Tigray Revolution, Mek'elé, *0256-0320, Jan 26, IS, ID, opening ann in Amharic including website and news. Fair but best in USB. (D'Angelo/FCDX)6030, R Oromia, Adama, 1610-1622, Jan 21, talk about Barack Obama, QRM BBC in Arabic, ID at 1614, 33443. (Mille/DX Window #370)

6899.95, Radio Fana, Addis Ababa, 2014-2044, Jan 26, plenty of Horn of Africa vocals, Amharic talks and ID at 2042. Poor to fair in noisy conditions with // 6110 mixing with BBC in Arabic. (D'Angelo/FCDX)7110, R Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, 2024-2046 Jan 25, program of Horn of Africa music. Poor to fair and // 9704.2 which was poor. (D'Angelo/FCDX/DX Window #370)

9704.17, Radio Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, 1843-1858, Jan 30, Amharic talks, short music, SINPO 23422. (Otávio). Also presumed heard at 1250, Jan 21, discussion in unknown language, 25332. (Wiespointner/DX Window #370)

Guinea

7125, Radio Conakry, Sonfonia, 2105-2140*, Jan 25, news in French, vocals and more talk, ID at 2134 before another highlife vocal selection. Transmitter crash knocked station off the air and it did not return next 30 minutes, fair. (D'Angelo/FCDX/DX Window #370)

Liberia

6070, ELWA, 2300-2302*, Jan 21, English ID, closedown ann and orchestra national anthem. Poor to fair. (D'Angelo/DX Window #370)

Mali

5995, Radio Mali, Bamako, 2227-2246, Jan 20, instrumental music, 2230 ID, French talk and discussion between two men. Back to highlife vocals at 2240. Fair. (D'Angelo)

7285, Radio Mali, Bamako 1, 1757-1759, Feb 01, French talk and musical programme, SINPO 43433. (Romero/DX Window #370)

9635, Radio Mali, Bamako, 1735-1756*, Jan 31, stringed music and talks in French at 1755, then immediate s/off, SINPO 35433. Seems continuing on 5995 as at *1801 stringed plays were heard, mixed with a Russian language station. (Liangas/DX Window #370)

Mauritania

4845, R Mauritanie, Nouakchott, 2145-2253, Jan 28 and Feb 01, Arabic conversation, SINPO 33342. (Romero and Ronda/DX Window #370)

Nigeria

4770, Radio Nigeria, Kaduna-Jarji, 1956-2002, Jan 27, Vernacular talk, de enero en idioma vernácula a locutor con comentarios, Afropop with drums and typical rhythms, SINPO 33342. (Romero/DX Window #370)

Tanzania

11735, Radio Tanzania, Zanzibar, 1749-1812, Jan 29, two men with discussion in Swahili with ID at 1759 followed by music program at 1800. Was hoping for Spice FM and English news, but not today. Poor to fair. (D'Angelo/DX Window #370)

Uganda

4976, UCB Red Channel, Kampala, 0430 and 1952-2058*, Jan 23, 25 and 30, Swahili talks hosting music program. ID and ann at 2056 before carrier was cut without national anthem, SINPO 23332. (D'Angelo/FCDX, Mille and Ronda/DX Window #370)

Zambia

4965, CVC Voice Africa, Lusaka, 1652-1658, Jan 19, song and talk in English, SINPO 34333. (Mille). Also heard at 0430, Jan 30. (Ronda)5915, Radio Zambia, Lusaka, 0340-0459, Jan 20, highlife vocals, drum music and ann in local language with many mentions of Zambia. ID and news at 0430 and back to music programming at 0435. Improved to fair but blown away by Deutsch Welle opening ay 0459 with Russian program. (D'Angelo/DX Window #370)

A closer look at Africa on shortwave

The following logs, represent what hobbyist are hearing from shortwave stations in Africa. Thanks to the blog contributors. Have you sent yours in yet ?
Gayle VH

All times UTC // parallel freqency *sing-on sign-off*

Ascension Islands
BBCWS relay 7160, 0338. English, (SIO 333) Oct 4. Lady announcer with program interviews. Noted relay on 6145, 0347 with segment on Italy's use of Euros within the country. (Stewart MacKenzie, CA)



Chad
RNT 4904.97, 2220-2232*, Oct 2, Afro-pop music. French announcements. Sign off with national anthem but pulled plug midway thru anthem. Fair to good. (Brian Alexander, PA)

Equatorial Guinea
Radio Nacional (Malabo) 6250, *0502-0525,Oct 3. Sign on with brief 10 or 15 second Spanish announcement followed by national anthem. Hi-life music at 0504. Spanish announcements. Fair to good. (Brian Alexander, PA)

Radio Africa 15190, 2240-2251*, Oct 2. English religious programming. Radio Africa ID announcement at 2248 with email address, and postal address in Accra, Ghana. Good. Strong. Very weak WYFR heard underneath. (Brian Alexander, PA)

Ethiopia
Radio Ethiopia 9704.19, 2005-2102*, Sept 27. Horn of Africa music to Amharic talk. Phone talk to closing announcements and national anthem at 2100. Fair but some adjacent channel splatter. Better on // 7110.06. Weak on // 5990.04v. (Brian Alexander, PA)

Liberia
ELWA (Monrovia) 6070, 2240-2300*, Oct 2. Religious music. Closing announcement at 2258 followed by national anthem at 2259. Weak signal, poor with adjacent channel splatter. Mixing briefly with CVC Chile at their 2300 sign on. (Brian Alexander, PA)


Libya
Voice of Africa 17725, 1322-1336, Sept 29. Service listed as Swahili.Announcer with talk between Arabic music bits. Lady announcer with station ID at 1328 followed by music and another ID at 1334. Signal poor-fair. (Scott Barbour-NH)

Madagascar
RTV Malagasy Antananarivo 5010, 0242-0305, Sept 22. Vernacular. Pop-like and reggae music with announcer between selections through 0300. "Whistling" program intro followed by announcer talk. Signal poor-fair in reduced carrier USB. (Scott Barbour-NH)

Nigeria
Voice of Nigeria 15120, 1835-1850. 03 OC 08. English. Announcer in heavily African accented English talking about Africa, Nigeria and tribal factions. ID at 1844 followed by public service announcements. Another ID by lady announcer at 1845 as, “You’re listening to Voice of Nigeria,” and into indigenous music.Signal S5/Fair. (Joe Wood, TN).


Radio Nigeria (Kaduna) 6089.9, 2151-2200, Sept 28. Listed Hausa. Male announcer with lengthy talk. Sounded like a speech of sorts to short, Koran-like vocal bits at 2153. More speech into studio announcer at 2200 when signal immediately crushed by co-channel Caribbean Beacon.Signal poor-fair using USB to avoid DRM hash. (Scott Barbour-NH)

Zambia
ZNBC Lusaka 5915, 0244-0307, Sept 29. Vernacular. Fish Eagle interval signl to natioal anthem at 0250, followed by sign-on announcements and music. Signal poor with occasional 5920-WBOH splatter. (Scott Barbour-NH)