We are approaching the end of the era of domestic broadcasting on the Tropical Bands for two main reasons: The technical standard of a large part of the transmissions in the tropical countries is poor and they cannot be repaired for economical reasons.
In more developed countries the domestic SW transmissions are being replaced by FM-networks. The trend above is clear: Looking three years back the falling trend continues although it has leveled out the past two years. The average number of closed domestic stations per year during 1997-2003 was 44 whereas it was only 14 during 2003-2006.
The extraordinary steep fall at the very end of the 20th century is now replaced by a more "normal" closure of about 15 domestic frequencies per year. This means, that it may last more than 20 years from now, before the last domestic broadcaster closes down on the tropical bands. Countries like Brazil, Peru, China, India, Bolivia and Papua New Guinea are still dominating the tropical bands.
However, it is expected that All India Radio is going to replace SW by FM within a few years. The following list shows closed frequencies which were used previously by domestic, international and clandestine stations.
Stations on the tropical bands which have closed down in 2004-2005, including Clandestines.
kHz kW Station, City, Country, Last log
2470 0,25 R Cacique, Sorocaba, Sao Paulo Brazil AUG04
3025,5 - Frontline Soldiers R, Channel 2 North Korea MAR05
3168,3 0,5 R Naylamp, Lambayeque Peru OCT04
3220 0,012 R Colegio Tecnico Municipal, Ñemby Paraguay AUG04
3259 0,6 NHK, Kasuga JPN MAY05
3300 100 SW Radio Africa, via Meyerton Clandestine APR05
3324,9 1 R Maya, Barillas, Huehuetenango Guatemala OCT04
3346 - Minsk utility station (USB) Belarus FEB05
3365 100 SW Radio Africa, via Meyerton Clandestine MAY05
3366 50 GBC, Accra Ghana JUL04
3373,5 0,3 NHK, Mihara JPN MAY05
3385 10 RRI Kupang, Timor INS OCT04
3607,5 0,9 NHK, Shobu-Kuki, Tokyo JPN MAY05
3923 0,04 R Samorodinka, Moscow Russia MAY04
3970 0,3 NHK Nabeta, Nagoya 1 JPN MAY05
3970 0,6 NHK, Sapporo 1 JPN MAY05
3975 100 VOA, Biblis Germany AUG04
4025 - Voice of the People of Kurdistan, No. Iraq Clandestine APR05
4428 0,85 R Bambamarca, Hualgayoc, Cajamarca Peru OCT04
4461 1 R Norandina, Celendin, Cajamarca Peru JUN04
4540 100 R Georgia, Dusheti Georgia JUL05
4698,7 0,25 R Amistad,San Pedro La Laguna, Solola Guatemala OCT04
4788 1 R Emisora Ballivian, San Borja Bolivia MAY04
4790 - BSKSA, Jeddah, HS 2. Spurious 1/2 x 9580! Saudi Arabia JAN05
4825 100 SW Radio Africa, via Meyerton Clandestine MAY05
4830 10 R Tachira, San Cristobal, Tachira Venezuela OCT04
4832 1 R Litoral, La Ceiba Honduras JUN04
4845 0,03 R Tangazeni Kristo (RTK), Aru Congo, Dem. Rep. SEP04
4855 1 R Por Um Mundo Melhor, Gov. Valadares Brazil
4880 100 SW Radio Africa, via Meyerton Clandestine MAY05
4919,9 0,75 RRI Biak, PP INS MAR05
4940 100 Voice of Russia via Yangiyul Tajikistan DEC04
5014,5 0,5 R Juliaca, Juliaca Peru DEC04
5025 100 R Tashkent, Tashkent Uzbekistan DEC05
5040 100 R Tashkent, Tashkent Uzbekistan DEC05
5060 100 R Tashkent, Tashkent Uzbekistan DEC05
5384,2 0,3 R Huarmaca, Huarmaca Peru MAR05
5428 0,3 NHK, Osaka 2 (USB) JPN MAY05
5556 - R La Inmaculada, Santa Cruz Peru JUL04
MORE:
<http://dswci.org/specials/misc/2006_trends_tropical.pdf>
(Anker Petersen/DSWCI DX Window)
