Tag Archives: WRMI

Radio República: shortwave broadcasting 24/7 on a budget

In this Miami Herald Op Ed piece, Orlando Gutierrez-Boronat, the national secretary of the Cuban Democratic Directorate, defends his organization and their clandestine station, Radio Republica. It’s worth noting that in an effort to use their limited funds effectively, and to get their message into Cuba, they use shortwave radio as their medium of choice:

(Source: Miami Herald)

Radio República, the Directorate’s 24-hour, seven-day-a-week shortwave radio station, has provided a voice to Cuba’s resistance from the smallest provincial towns to the largest Havana neighborhoods. Its format has been strategically designed to enhance the natural self-defense mechanism of nonviolent struggle generated by Cuban society. Costing between $1.5 million to $2 million a year, Radio República’s budget accounts for over 50 percent of the Directorate’s annual funds from federal grants. These costs are far below the annual budgets of both public and commercial shortwave radio stations.

Likewise, it is undeniable that Directorio has made a vital contribution to the changing attitudes of the international community towards the Castro regime. The Cuban pro-democracy leadership has moved from international neglect to international recognition, winning prestigious awards like the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize and nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize in the process.

[…]The truth is that the testimony of hundreds of civic resistance leaders throughout the island shows that Radio República has become an essential tool for social organization.

Read the full Op Ed article on the Miami Herald website.

Though they carry a different message, the choice in shortwave radio is the same for Charles Caudill and WCB.

WRMI/Radio Republica Special DX Test

Radio Miami International

(Source: Jeff White WRMI and Mike Terry, Cumbre DX)

Radio Miami International, in cooperation with our client Radio Republica, will be conducting a special DX test at 2000-2100 UTC January 7, 2300-2400 UTC January 7, and 0200-0300 UTC January 8, 2012 on the frequency of 5954 kHz from Cariari, Costa Rica. (These times are 3-4 pm, 6-7 pm and 9-10 pm Eastern Time Saturday, January 7 in North America.) The programming aired will be Radio Republica in Spanish. The power will be 10 kilowatts.

Shortwave listeners may be aware of the fact that Radio Republica has used this frequency in the past, but it has been off the air for several weeks now. Radio Miami International will verify all reception reports with a QSL card indicating the special tests. Reports may be sent to Radio Miami International, P.O. Box 526852,… Miami, Florida 33152 USA, or by e-mail to [email protected]. Thank you to the DXing community worldwide for monitoring these special tests and for letting us know if you are able to hear them in your area.

WRMI Radio Miami International
175 Fontainebleau Blvd., Suite 1N4
Miami, Florida 33172 USA
Tel +1-305-559-9764
Fax +1-305-559-8186

Radio Slovakia International to continue shortwave broadcasts to Caribbean and Latin America

(Source: Southgate Amateur Radio Club)

A last-minute agreement between Radio Slovakia International and Radio Miami International (WRMI) will permit the international radio station of Slovakia to continue its shortwave transmissions in English and Spanish to the Caribbean and Latin America.

Radio Slovakia International had announced that its shortwave broadcasts would end on 31 December 2010. However, WRMI will be broadcasting RSI’s programme in English at 0130-0200 UTC Tuesday-Saturday and RSI’s Spanish programme at 0330-0400 UTC seven days per week. Both of these transmissions will be on 9955 kHz with 50 kW of power from Miami using a beam of 160 degrees directed to the Caribbean and Latin America.

“We are glad to be able to help Radio Slovakia International continue its shortwave transmissions to this part of the world,” said WRMI General Manager Jeff White. He added that listener reports will be appreciated and will be verified with a special WRMI QSL card commemorating the Radio Slovakia International relay.

Reports may be sent to Radio Miami International, P.O. Box 526852, Miami, Florida 33152 USA, or by e-mail to [email protected].

War of the Worlds on your shortwave radio – October 30th

On October 30, 2010 at 0100UTC on 9955khz, PCJ Radio will present a special broadcast of HG Wells’ War Of The Worlds as it was originally broadcast on CBS Radio.

PCJ is also giving away 3 copies of this program. If you would like a chance to win one send them an email at: [email protected].

Links:

Bob Thomann and Bob Zanotti interview Jeff White

(Source: Switzerland in Sound via RNW Media Network)

Bob Thomann and Bob Zanotti, better known as The Two Bobs formerly of Swiss Radio International, have been friends with Jeff White for decades. Jeff started out as a shortwave listener, and then got into HF broadcasting himself, originally with a project called Radio Earth, and then later as the owner and operator of WRMI (Radio Miami International) based in Miami, Florida. He has also served as president of the US-based National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters (NASB).

In August 2010 Jeff White was in Switzerland for a meeting of the High Frequency Coordinating Committee (HFCC), which he organized, and he took the opportunity to pay a visit to Bob Zanotti in the Emmental. Bob Thomann joined them for a one-hour chat about the HFCC and the future of HF broadcasting.

You can find the interview in The Two Bobs menu on www.switzerlandinsound.com. This special programme will also air on PCJ Radio and some of the partner stations.

Thanks to RNW Media Network and PCJ Media for bringing this to my attention.

PCJ Media, by the way, has a long line-up of amazing radio-related shows to hear. It’s become quite the collection of new programs and nostalgia as well. Check out their website for more info.

PCJ Media Brings Nash Holos to Shortwave

PCJ Media has announced the addition of Nash Holos (Ukrainian: “Our Voice”) to its program roster.

Nash Holos is a bilingual Ukrainian-themed radio program which focuses on Ukrainian culture with an international perspective. The program is produced and hosted by Paulette (“Pawlina”) Demchuk MacQuarrie.

Pawlina made her radio debut in 1990, when Nash Holos first went on the air in British Columbia, Canada. In 1996 she and her team disbanded but returned to the airwaves in 2000 and continues to broadcast on AM1320 CHMB Radio in Vancouver.

PCJ Media, producer of the New Happy Station Show, is bringing Nash Holos to the shortwaves. The first international edition of Nash Holos will air February 12th, 2009 at 0200UTC on 9955khz (via WRMI) and will be made available for download online at www.pcjmedia.com with weekly edition to be produced for PCJ Radio.

More Information:

The Happy Station Show’s New Year Contest

Radio Miami International

Radio Miami International broadcasts the Happy Station show on 9955 kHz.

Keith Perron of the new Happy Station Show is running a listener contest with some pretty cool prizes up for grabs. I find it encouraging that a new shortwave radio program is offering listener prizes–reminds me of the good old days!

The contest starts September 10, 2009 and winners will be announced on New Year’s day, 2010.  Read the full press release below or directly on the HSS blog.

The Happy Station Show broadcast schedule via WRMI to North and South America:
0100-0155 UTC Thursdays on 9955 kHz
Repeated 1500-1555 UTC Thursdays on 9955 kHz

From Keith Perron:

Hi Everyone,

Starting September 10th, 2009 we are launching a New Years contest with the winners to be announced at 1230am (local HK TIME) that’s 1730UTC on January 1st, 2010.

Times reflect the November time shift. Meaning 0100UTC now will be 0200UTC after that.

Let me fill you in the loop as they say. On December 31, 2009 both editions of Happy Station will be 2 hours each.

The transmission at 0200UTC will be a special program for South America and the Caribbean and will run for 2 hours. Details are still being worked on at this moment. I will fill you in when they become available. This program will be recorded.

The transmission at 1600UTC will be LIVE from Hong Kong. My friends at RTHK (Radio Television Hong Kong) are giving us a studio over looking Victoria Harbor where at 1659UTC we will do the countdown to 2010. They are also letting us patch into the audio feeds for RTHK, so you will be able to hear the countdown live as it happens in Hong Kong. After the countdown, plus a small concert of the Hong Kong Symphony Orchestra I will announce the winner of the contest. Prizes listed below!

This contest is open to both email and post entries. But to enter you will need to send in the time and date you hear a short message that will start to air September 11, 2009 for the broadcast at 0100UTC. This message will also be used during the 1500UTC program, and for the shows for Indonesia and New Zealand. Now the message is in code, but if you can’t understand it. That’s not important! What’s important is you report the time you heard it and the date. I will announce the the shows next week more details about how it will work. But please remember to include your postal address! And that even goes to those who send in emails.

Keith Perron, host of the New Happy Station Show

Keith Perron, host of the New Happy Station Show

Prizes
1st Prize: Sangean ATS909
2nd Prize: Sangean ATS606
3rd Prize: The 3 books from Jerry Berg about SW
4th Prize: 1 Year membership to Communication from the BDXC
5th Prize: 10 winners of a CD by Tom Meijer called Easy Come, Easy Go!

So good luck to everyone!

Warmest regards,
Keith Perron
Happy Station Show