Update on Radio Verdad, Guatemala

4052.5, R Verdad, Chiquimula, 0132-0600*, Feb 10 and 11, religious talks in Spanish and English, hymns, instrumental music, 0140 live ID: "...Radio Verdad...", 14321. (Bolland and Méndez)

I received this e-mail letter dated Feb 09, from R Verdad, Chiquimula, with the history of this station: Estación Educativa Evangélica "Radio Verdad", 4ª Ave. 2-24, zona 1, Apartado Nº 5, Chiquimula, Guatemala, C. A. SW freq.: 4052..5 Khz, Tel/Fax casa: (502) 79-420-362; Tel. oficina: (502) 79-425-689, website: www.radioverdad.org

We are radiating with 710 watts, because our transmitter is under repair and we are installing a new module. Our transmitter location is: Longitude 89º 32' 15"; latitude 14º 48' 10". I have reception reports from 408 different places in 46 countries: Rep. of South Africa, West Germany, East Germany, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Belize, Brazil, Canada (4 states), Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Chile, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Scotland, Spain, U. S. A. (32 states), Finland, France, Gotland (isle), Greece, Greenland, Guatemala, The Netherlands, Honduras, India, U. K., Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Mexico (5 states), Norway, New Zealand, Peru, Poland, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Sicily (isle), Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine and Venezuela; also the 18 departamentos of Guatemala: Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Progreso, Petén, Quetzaltenango, Quiché, Sacatepéquez, Sololá, Totonicapán y Zacapa; which is quite a lot.

We began transmission February 25, year 2000 at 5:00 p.m., and we have been transmitting with a power from 280 to 1050 watts. It is amazing that with that power we reach Europe, Asia, Africa and all the Americas. I have a lot of reports from Europe and many of the United States, South America, Japan and Australia. We cannot increase the power because the Guatemalan government does not allow that.

Our transmitter is an Ommitronix made in Italy, 1 kW of Power, Solid State. We have a bipolar antenna, 75 meters length, placed in two small towers with only 6 and 12 meters height. Our aim is to reach the nearest city, Chiquimula, and we are getting it very well.

Our Station is educating and evangelical, non profit, trying to help the development of our communities. For about four years we have been working hard preparing the programming and selecting music. We begin transmissions at 5:00 in the morning, time of Guatemala, and close down at 12:00 at night." (1100-0600 UTC. Ed).

Our frequency is from 4047.5 to 4057.5, with an average of 4052.5 kHz Shortwave, 75 m. Band, from Monte Horeb and Cerro de la Gloria, in Chiquimula, Guatemala, Central America. We do no have call signs because the government has suspended the regulation, but it would probably be the following: TGVA, that means: TG= Guatemalan Transmissions; A= Eastern Guatemala region identification and V= as our particular identification "Radio Verdad.

Since we came on the air, he have had many problems with storm rays, that burn our transmitter and cause us to transmit with a back up power of 200-280 watts during 9 momths.

Now, after repairing it, we are transmitting with all the power. Now we are trying to get a F.M. frequency, to reach better the local audience, but we have not received the necessary government support.

Our Web Site on the Internet is: www.radioverdad.org with a lot of information about Radio Verdad, photographic and hymns, and now, on this Web Site our audience can listen to our signal live via Winamp or Windows Media Player. We hope you tune in our transmission via Internet and report us.

I am deeply grateful for your letters which animate us to go ahead. I am an retired University teacher, graduated at George Fox University Newberg, Oregon, USA (1965). I have several other academic degrees at the State University of Guatemala, and I am a Doctor in Theological Philosophy and of Theological Seminary Quakero. God bless you.

Dr. Edgar Amílcar Madrid, Director and Manager.
P. S. We need your responses as follow up after we have put our signal on the Internet.

(Received and translated into English for the DX-Window by Méndez)
(Source: DX Window # 318)