Managing SW Broadcast From Ascension Island

Ascension Island

The remote Atlantic Relay Station transmits critical radio broadcasts to millions in Africa and beyond

Neale Bateman
The author works at Encompass Digital Media, managing the transmission and distribution services for BBC World Service.

ENGLISH BAY, Ascension Island — A six-mile stretch of volcanic rock in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean is home to the BBC’s Atlantic Relay Station.

Now managed and operated by Encompass Digital Media on behalf of the BBC World Service, the stations’ six powerful shortwave transmitters on Ascension Island beam program in a dozen or more languages to some 30 million listeners in north, west and central Africa.

additional story at Radio World: https://www.radioworld.com/columns-and-views/managing-sw-broadcasts-from-ascension-island 

Deutsche Welle Bundesliga returns to shortwave on 25 August

All times UTC

Tune in for German football on Deutsche Welle. The Bundesliga gives viewers the goals, the action, the atmosphere and expert opinion on the best-attended soccer league in the world.

Transmitter locations as indicated
Effective: 25 August-01 September & 15 Sept-20 October 2018

All times UTC

Hausa
1325-1530 Sat. on 15195 ISS 500 kW / to WeAf Hausa Football (via Issoudun, France relay)
1325-1530 Sat. on 17840 ASC 250 kW / to WeAf Hausa Football (via Ascension Island relay)
(R Pearson)

BBC Antarctica Midwinter Broadcast Schedule

Relaying via transmitters in Ascension Island, Singapore, United Arab Emirates and Wofferton, United Kingdom.

BBC World Sce Antarctic Midwinter Broadcast as scheduled

All times UTC

2130-2200 on  5905 SNG 250 kW / 185 deg to Antarctica English Fri, June 21
2130-2200 on  5965 DHA 250 kW / 205 deg to Antarctica English Fri, June 21
2130-2200 on  7350 ASC 250 kW / 207 deg to Antarctica English Fri, June 21
2130-2200 on  9535 ASC 250 kW / 207 deg to Antarctica English Fri, June 21
2130-2200 on  9890 WOF 250 kW / 182 deg to Antarctica English Fri, June 21

(DX Re Mix 786)

Deutsche Welle updates winter schedule

All times UTC

Transmitters via Kigala, Rwanda, Ascension Island, UAE, Wofferton, UK; Armenia, Singapore, Meyerton, South Africa

0300-0400 on  5905 KIG 250 kW / non-dir to CeAf Swahili
0300-0400 on  5925 KIG 250 kW / 180 deg to CeAf Swahili
0300-0400 on  7265 KIG 250 kW / non-dir to CeAf Swahili
0300-0400 on 12070 ASC 250 kW / 085 deg to CeAf Swahili
0400-0500 on  5905 KIG 250 kW / non-dir to EaAf English
0400-0500 on  7285 KIG 250 kW / 295 deg to WeAf English
0400-0500 on  9800 KIG 250 kW / 030 deg to EaAf English
0400-0500 on  9470 KIG 250 kW / 295 deg to WeAf English
0500-0530 on  5905 KIG 250 kW / non-dir to EaAf English
0500-0530 on  7425 ASC 250 kW / 100 deg to SoAf English
0500-0600 on  9470 KIG 250 kW / non-dir to EaAf English
0500-0600 on 11800 KIG 250 kW / 295 deg to WeAf English
0530-0600 on  7425 ASC 250 kW / 100 deg to SoAf Poprtuguese
0530-0600 on 12045 KIG 250 kW / 180 deg to SoAf Poprtuguese
0530-0600 on 17800 DHA 250 kW / 230 deg to SoAf Poprtuguese
0600-0630 on 12045 KIG 250 kW / 295 deg to WeAf English
0600-0700 on 13780 KIG 250 kW / 295 deg to WeAf English
0600-0700 on 17800 KIG 250 kW / 295 deg to WeAf English
0630-0700 on 12045 KIG 250 kW / 295 deg to WeAf Hausa
0630-0700 on 15275 KIG 250 kW / 295 deg to WeAf Hausa
0630-0700 on 21780 DHA 250 kW / 260 deg to WeAf Hausa
0800-0830 on 15640 DHA 250 kW / 045 deg to WeAs Pashto
0800-0830 on 17710 DHA 250 kW / 050 deg to WeAs Pashto
0830-0900 on 15640 DHA 250 kW / 045 deg to WeAs Dari
0830-0900 on 17710 DHA 250 kW / 050 deg to WeAs Dari
1000-1100 on  9800 KIG 250 kW / non-dir to CeAf Swahili
1000-1100 on 12070 KIG 250 kW / 265 deg to CeAf Swahili
1000-1100 on 15275 KIG 250 kW / non-dir to CeAf Swahili
1000-1100 on 15700 KIG 250 kW / 180 deg to CeAf Swahili
1200-1300 on  9800 KIG 250 kW / non-dir to CeAf French
1200-1300 on 15275 KIG 250 kW / 275 deg to NoAf French
1200-1300 on 15440 KIG 250 kW / non-dir to CeAf French
1200-1300 on 17800 WOF 250 kW / 182 deg to NoAf French
1200-1300 on 17820 WOF 250 kW / 150 deg to NoAf French
1200-1300 on 21780 KIG 250 kW / 295 deg to WeAf French
1300-1400 on 15275 KIG 250 kW / 280 deg to WeAf Hausa
1300-1400 on 17800 KIG 250 kW / 295 deg to WeAf Hausa
1300-1400 on 21780 KIG 250 kW / 295 deg to WeAf Hausa
1330-1400 on  9440 ERV 300 kW / 100 deg to WeAs Dari
1330-1400 on 15640 SNG 250 kW / 315 deg to WeAs Dari
1400-1430 on  9440 ERV 300 kW / 100 deg to WeAs Pashto
1400-1430 on 15640 SNG 250 kW / 315 deg to WeAs Pashto
1430-1500 on 15275 KIG 250 kW / 030 deg to WeAs Urdu
1430-1500 on 15360 SNG 250 kW / 315 deg to WeAs Urdu
1430-1500 on 15640 DHA 250 kW / 060 deg to WeAs Urdu
1500-1600 on  7300 KIG 250 kW / non-dir to CeAf Swahili
1500-1600 on  9800 KIG 250 kW / 265 deg to CeAf Swahili
1500-1600 on 12055 KIG 250 kW / non-dir to CeAf Swahili
1500-1600 on 12070 KIG 250 kW / 180 deg to CeAf Swahili
1600-1700 on  9800 KIG 150 kW / non-dir to EaAf Amharic
1600-1700 on 12070 KIG 250 kW / 030 deg to EaAf Amharic
1600-1700 on 15275 KIG 250 kW / non-dir to EaAf Amharic
1700-1800 on  9795 KIG 250 kW / non-dir to CeAf French
1700-1800 on 12070 KIG 250 kW / 295 deg to WeAf French
1700-1800 on 15275 KIG 150 kW / 295 deg to WeAf French
1700-1800 on 15700 WOF 250 kW / 170 deg to NoAf French
1800-1900 on 12070 KIG 250 kW / 295 deg to WeAf Hausa
1800-1900 on 15275 KIG 150 kW / 295 deg to WeAf Hausa
1800-1900 on 17800 KIG 250 kW / 295 deg to WeAf Hausa
1900-1930 on 11800 KIG 250 kW / 210 deg to SoAf English
1900-2000 on 12070 KIG 250 kW / non-dir to SoAf English
1900-2000 on 15275 KIG 250 kW / non-dir to SoAf English
1930-2000 on 11800 KIG 250 kW / 210 deg to SoAf Poprtuguese
1930-2000 on 11865 KIG 250 kW / 180 deg to SoAf Poprtuguese
1930-2000 on 12045 MEY 250 kW / 315 deg to SoAf Poprtuguese
2000-2200 on  9655 KIG 250 kW / 295 deg to WeAf English
2000-2200 on 11800 KIG 250 kW / non-dir to CeAf English
2000-2200 on 12070 KIG 250 kW / 210 deg to SoAf English
(DX Re Mix News 765 via Balkan DX)

A closer look at Ascension Island's BBC Atlantic Relay Station

Ascension Island in the South Atlantic is about seven miles across and has a population of around 1800. The climate is quite equable and temperatures of 22 to 35 deg C and rainfall of around 300mm a year are normal. A constant sea breeze throughout the year keeps conditions cool. Most of the Island consists of volcanic ash or rock deposits. In the central high region there
is increased rainfall. The position of Ascension Island, 8 deg South and 14 deg West, makes it an ideal site for short save broadcasting to Africa and South America. Reversible antenna arrays allow coverage of Africa during the day and South America during the night.

Construction of the Atlantic Relay Station began in 1965 at English Bay and it became fully operational in late 1967. The Power Station was constructed to provide electricity for the transmitters as well for those on the Island. The Transmitting Station and Power Station provided employment for around twenty British and seventy St Helena staff with the BBC providing other essential services including the school, hospital and farm.

The transmitting station comprised of four Marconi BD272 250kW shortwave transmitters and twenty dual-band aerial arrays but was upgraded in 1989 by the installation of a further two Marconi BD272 transmitters and four new aerial arrays. The transmitters were designed in the early 1960's and required manual band changing and tuning round the clock by a staff of three
on each shift to carry out changes, tuning, routine maintenance and repairs. An automatic control system was installed to carry out all the transmitter program and aerial switching operations that were required by the daily transmission schedule. A 500 watt medium wave transmitter on 1485 kHz was added at the transmitting station and a 400 watt VHF transmitter on 93.2MHz was installed on Green Mountain.

Programming for the World Service originated from Bush House studios in London. These program feeds reached Ascension via the Intelsat 5 satellite via a Satellite Earth Station located close to the Transmitter Building which was installed in 1985. Prior to that a combination of pre-recorded tapes from London and shortwave radio links provided the necessary program
feeds. The Atlantic Relay Station at that time transmitted English to Africa, Central and South America; Somali and Swahili to Africa; as well as French, Hausa and Portuguese. A Receiving Station at Butt Crater three miles away equipped with six Racal dual-diversity receivers and two sets of rhombic aerials was automated in 1981 to allow full remote control from the
transmitter station. Later Butt Crater was used to provide emergency programme feeds in the event of a satellite link fault.

The original aerial field contained 20 aerial arrays supported by 10 masts which ranged between 46 and 99 metres high. Each of these arrays, many of which had automated groundwork switches, covered two adjacent shortwave bands and had a typical gain of 15 db. The masts were arranged to provide a range of forward bearings of 207 to 306 degrees and reverse bearings of 27 to 114 degrees. The four aerial arrays built in 1989 were supported by a
line of five self-supporting towers, the tallest being 126 metres high. Three of the aerials cover two SW bands and one covers three SW bands. Each of these newer aerials is reversible and can be slewed left and right giving a total of five possible forward bearings between 55 and 115 degrees and five possible reverse bearings between 235 and 295 degrees. The station
control system was capable of selecting any aerial to any sender as required by the transmission schedule. In practice each sender had a choice of ten different aerial arrays. The Atlantic Relay Station opening and closing announcements were inserted locally.

Article by Gordon M Darling (date unknown) edited and condensed January
2010.
(Worlddxclub/Contact Magazine via Alan Roe)

WYFR adds English transmissions to schedule

All times UTC

Ascension Island relay via VT Communications

Additional transmissions from WYFR in English:

0000-0300 on 7335#ASC 250 kW / 245 deg to SoAm South
0000-0300 on 9420*ASC 250 kW / 265 deg to SoAm North
1900-2000 on 11855 ASC 250 kW / 065 deg to WCAf
2200-0100 on 9835 ASC 250 kW / 245 deg to SoAm South
# co-ch Vatican R.0040-0200 Hindi/Tamil/Malayal./En & 0230-0300 Russian * co-ch Voice of Greece in Greek
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews July 3)
(DX Mix News # 579 via Alokesh Gupta & wb, Germany)

French Guiana relay via Media Broadcast

Additional transmissions from WYFR in English:

From June 26, 2009
2200-0100 on 11965 GUF 250 kW / 170 deg to SoAm, test in English
0000-0100 on 9790 GUF 250 kW / 215 deg to SoAm, test in English
0200-0300 on 9790 GUF 250 kW / 215 deg to SoAm, test in English
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews July 3)

Netherlands Antilles relay via WYFR

Additional test transmissions in Spanish
From June 26, 2009
2230-0100 on 15315 BON 250 kW / 133 deg to SoAm South test in Spanish
0000-0200 on 15580 BON 250 kW / 182 deg to SoAm North test in Spanish
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews July 3)

BBC to use wind power for Ascension Island relay site

In an article which will bring a smile to the faces of diehard shortwave listeners, The Economist writes:
“Short-wave’s retreat has slowed. Though the BBC’s World Service uses around 15 different technologies to reach its listeners, short-wave is still king: latest figures, published last week, show 105m of its 182m-strong global audience still listen that way, the majority of them in Africa. In Nigeria the short-wave audience even grew slightly last year. That’s not going to change soon: the BBC is upgrading its transmitters on Ascension Island (to be powered, greenly, by a new wind farm). Mike Cronk, a BBC bigwig, says the business case was “compelling”.
(Source: R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)

Complete article at Economist.Com:
http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11590746

Photo of Ascension Island fly over courtesy of World QSL Book.

Radio Prague relay updates frequency for Spanish

Ascension Island
Frequency change of Radio Prague relay in Spanish via VT Communications:
0000-0027 new frequency 7275 ASC 250 kW / 245 deg to South America, ex 11665
(R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX June 3/DX Mix News #523 via Alokesh Gupta & wb, Germany)