Re: [IRCA] St. Kitts - Nevis VON likely moved to 860 from 895

[Walter Salmaniw <canswl@xxxxxxxxx>]

And for those of us into SW, Radio Belize was very well heard on 90 meters.
Perhaps 3.300 KHz? or thereabouts......Walt

On Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 3:38 AM, Patrick Griffith <antennawizard@xxxxxxxxxxx
> wrote:

>
> If my memory is correct it was about 2004, just as the VOA was shutting
> down their Belize transmitter site, when I was contacted by some investors
> who were interested in both moving to Belize for retirement and in
> establishing a new AM station in Belize. They were looking for a chief
> engineer for the station who would also be an investor and willing to
> relocate to Belize. I believe the discussion included talk about using the
> former VOA transmitter site in Punta Gorda - at least the antenna system
> which I believe consisted of two horizontal wire rhombics suspended from
> very tall wooden poles. The rhombics were directional and as I recall one
> was aimed pretty much north right across the middle of Belize (Punta Gorda
> is at the far south end of the country) and the other was aimed slightly
> east of south down the middle of South America. I believe one was on 1530
> and the other on 1580. The VOA was running two fairly new 100 kw
> transmitters which was definitely beyond our budget !
>  to operate and maintain, especially in a climate that averages 170 inches
> of rain per year. Lots of problems with humidity. (By contrast the north end
> of the country averages about 60 inches per year.) We would probably have
> used the north rhombic on its former VOA frequency to avoid retuning. But
> the VOA had urgent need for the transmitters elsewhere. I later heard that
> the VOA completely raised the Punta Gorda site and took down everything
> including the antenna array. The investors had also apparently discussed the
> idea with government officials in Belize and again had a favorable response.
> But somewhere somehow the plans fell through and I eventually lost contact
> with the gentlemen.
>
> As to the former Radio Belize on 834 kHz with 20 kw, it was long gone at
> that time and the country had no AM stations. It seems to me that back in
> the day (70s) Radio Belize also had 4 or 5 synchronous transmitters located
> around the country. I think that they were all on discreet frequencies in
> the 900 to 1000 kHz range and were each running 1 kw.
>
> Patrick Griffith, N0NNK
> "I'm as happy as a tornado in a mobile home park." (Foghorn Leghorn)
>
> > Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:29:58 -0400
> > From: DAVID.HASCALL@xxxxxxxx
> > To: irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > CC: RandyStewart@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: Re: [IRCA] St. Kitts - Nevis VON likely moved to 860 from 895
> >
> > I recall hearing Belize many a night on my HS Graduation present, a
> > DX-160, in the early 80's. I miss that radio! Sold it the late 80's.
> >
> > 73,
> > Dave in Indy
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