BC-DX TopNews WWDXC #945 BC-DX 945

12-14 Mar.
(Carlos Goncalves-POR, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews March 16)
ERITREA 7175 Voice of the Broad Masses, Asmara, 1935-1952, 12 Mar'10,
Arabic, talks, pops; 45433.
(Carlos Goncalves-POR, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews March 16)
ETHIOPIA International shortwave radio monitors have confirmed that VOA
broadcasts in the Amharic language are being jammed. Amharic is the main
official language and the language of commerce in Ethiopia. VOA
representatives in Ethiopia have been received complaints from listeners
about noise drowning out its Amharic Service broadcasts. People trying to
tune in can hear occasional snippets of the VOA broadcast covered by a
loud crackle. The static began Feb 22 on all five VOA SW frequencies aimed
at East Africa in the 25 and 31-meter SW bands. Monitors say VOA
transmissions in two other Ethiopian languages, Afan Oromo and Tigrinya,
are being heard normally. They are broadcast on the same frequencies,
before and after the hour-long Amharic program.
The other foreign broadcast heard in Ethiopia, the German government's
Deutsche Welle Amharic language program, also reports experiencing some
interference, in the past few days. VOA and Deutsche Welle were jammed
around the time of the last parliament election in 2005, and again before
the 2008 nationwide local elections. The next crucial parliament vote is
scheduled for May 23. In 2008, the authoritative BBC monitoring service
reported it was able to determine that the jamming signals originated from
within Ethiopia. This time, however, no such determination has been made.
In a telephone interview, Ethiopian Communications Office spokesman
Shimelis Kemal denied any government involvement in the jamming. "This is
a baseless allegation. The government doesn't espouse a policy of
restricting media outlets from disseminating their messages to Ethiopian
audiences," he said. Ethiopian officials have often described VOA's
Amharic Service as the "Voice of the opposition", saying its broadcasts
reveal an anti-government bias. Meleskachew Ameha, an Amharic Service
reporter in Addis Ababa, was detained for two weeks, last year, in a case
involving alleged possession of illegal broadcast equipment. He was
released without charge.
(VOA News, via Arnaldo Slaen-ARG, Mar 06; via dswci DXW)
6030 R. Oromiya, Geja Dera (or Geja Jawe?), 1749-1805, 13 Mar'10,
Vernacular, talks, chanting; 24432, increasing adj. QRM.
6890 R. Fana, Geja Dera (or Geja Jawe?), 1902-1920, 12 Mar'10,
Vernacular, talks, interviews; 35433.
(Carlos Goncalves-POR, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews March 16)
FRANCE/GERMANY/RUSSIA/TAJIKISTAN BVB A-10 summer schedule
MIDDLE EAST 1
Day Time Language
Sunday 1530-1815 English 13590 kHz 100 kW Nauen
Monday 1545-1600 English 13590 kHz 100 kW Nauen
Tuesday 1545-1620 English 13590 kHz 100 kW Nauen
Tuesday 1700-1715 English 13590 kHz 100 kW Nauen
Tuesday 1715-1800 Hebrew 13590 kHz 100 kW Nauen
Wednesday 1545-1600 English 13590 kHz 100 kW Nauen
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