{"id":48931,"date":"2021-05-15T19:53:30","date_gmt":"2021-05-15T23:53:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=48931"},"modified":"2021-05-15T19:55:45","modified_gmt":"2021-05-15T23:55:45","slug":"mystery-ugandan-clandestine-on-shortwave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/05\/mystery-ugandan-clandestine-on-shortwave\/","title":{"rendered":"Mystery Ugandan Clandestine On Shortwave"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Hi everyone! Paul Walker here, some of you may know me through various hobby circles via email and Facebook groups. I used to post quite regularly when I lived in Galena Alaska back in 2016 and 2017. I’m back in Alaska again, working as the Program Director for KSKO 89.5 and it’s half a dozen or so repeaters in the interior.<\/p>\n

Back on Monday May 10th at 0601UTC here in McGrath, Alaska I ran across an unknown station on 15220kHz.\u00a0 The man was\u00a0 talking in African accented English but would randomly start talking in another language, which I at the time thought may have been French but very well could’ve been Swahili or some other language spoken in Uganda, I’m not a language expert.\u00a0 (audio below)<\/p>\n

The man was going on and on about Uganda, “our brothers, our struggle, the government”. The audio cut out a few times for several seconds a time, seemingly because this was a live broadcast being fed live over the internet from whatever studio location he was at to whatever transmitter site was being used.<\/p>\n

Around 0623UTC, the host sounded like he put his phone up to the microphone and played a Ugandan song of some sort from his phone. After that was over, two studio quality songs played.. The Spice Girls “2 Become 1” and Gabriel Kelly’s “Faith”. Those songs sounded like they were being played out from the transmitter site, not from a computer over the internet. They were clear with no audio hiccups.\u00a0 The transmitter went off around 0629\/0630UTC.<\/p>\n

A friend I was chatting with as we tried to figure out what this was said he had a\u00a0 decent signal on a Kuwaiti SDR and based on some triangulation work using other SDR, it seemed this was coming from Europe, suggesting Nauen or Lampertheim.<\/p>\n

The man reappeared on 15170kHz at 1500UTC on Friday May 14th.\u00a0 I haven’t even been able to try and figure out a schedule. Evenings one day and mornings the next. I pretty regularly scan the dials and have only noticed him these two times, with thanks to Mauno Ritola in the WRTH Facebook group for the spotting of him on 15170khz.<\/p>\n

I do have audio of the 15220 broadcast at this link:<\/p>\n

https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1J54RGCb00mIAHQ96O86f31T0l0GH0wNG\/view?usp=sharing<\/a><\/p>\n

I would love to know who this is, what transmitter site they’re broadcasting from and any contact information. A google search using the phrase “Uganda Clandestine Shortwave” came up with one hit, Radio Lead Africa and someone in the ODXA email group suggested Radio Munansi.<\/p>\n

For anyone wondering, I’m using a Tecsun PL880 with a 8D battery powered DXE PreAmp and 2 Doxytronics tunable loops.. The cross that supports the antenna is sitting a few inches into 5 foot tall 2 inch wide PVC pipe which is then put in a trash can and tote container and filled with sand.\u00a0 Gotta use what I have on hand here in rural Alaska.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi everyone! Paul Walker here, some of you may know me through various hobby circles via email and Facebook groups. I used to post quite regularly when I lived in Galena Alaska back in 2016 and 2017. I’m back in Alaska again, working as the Program Director for KSKO 89.5 and it’s half a dozen […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[869],"tags":[4109,9057,9233,4156],"class_list":["post-48931","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-clandestine","tag-clandestine","tag-ksko","tag-mcgrath-alaska","tag-paul-walker"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-cJd","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":51340,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/12\/reminder-today-ksko-89-5-mcgrath-alaska-christmas-special-show-on-wrmi-shortwave\/","url_meta":{"origin":48931,"position":0},"title":"REMINDER TODAY: KSKO 89.5 McGrath, Alaska Christmas Special Show On WRMI Shortwave!","author":"Paul Walker","date":"December 24, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Join me, Paul Walker, on WRMI Shortwave for a special LIVE broadcast being relayed from NPR\/community radio station KSKO 89.5 McGrath, Alaska where I work as Program Director It\u2019ll take place Saturday December 25th 0400-0600UTC on 5850kHz to the east coast US and 7730kHz to the west coast US, Canada\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/196352829_10165172929945623_5713048082025380909_n-300x164.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":51193,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/12\/ksko-89-5-mcgrath-alaska-christmas-special-request-show-on-wrmi-shortwave\/","url_meta":{"origin":48931,"position":1},"title":"KSKO 89.5 McGrath, Alaska Christmas Special Request Show On WRMI Shortwave!","author":"Paul Walker","date":"December 14, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Join me, Paul Walker, on WRMI Shortwave for a special broadcast on WRMI Shortwave being relayed from NPR\/community radio station KSKO 89.5 McGrath, Alaska where I work as Program Director It\u2019ll take place Saturday December 25th 0400-0600UTC on 5850kHz to the east coast US and 7730kHz to the west coast\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/196352829_10165172929945623_5713048082025380909_n-300x164.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":49531,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/07\/ksko-89-5-mcgrath-alaska-live-request-show-on-wrmi-shortwave-this-week\/","url_meta":{"origin":48931,"position":2},"title":"KSKO 89.5 McGrath, Alaska LIVE Request Show On WRMI Shortwave THIS WEEK!","author":"Paul Walker","date":"July 6, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Join me, Paul Walker, on WRMI Shortwave for \u201cThe LIVE Friday Night Request Show Dance Party Thingy\u201d being relayed from NPR\/community radio station KSKO 89.5 McGrath, Alaska. It\u2019ll take place Saturday July 10th 0300-0500UTC on 7780kHz to the east coast US and Western Europe, 7730kHz to the west coast US,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Music"","block_context":{"text":"Music","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/music\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/196352829_10165172929945623_5713048082025380909_n-300x164.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":47032,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/12\/ksko-christmas-special-via-wrmi-dec-24-2020-starting-at-2300utc\/","url_meta":{"origin":48931,"position":3},"title":"KSKO Christmas Special via WRMI Dec 24, 2020 starting at 2300UTC","author":"Thomas","date":"December 24, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"I've just heard from SWLing Post contributor, Paul Walker, who now works at KSKO in McGrath, Alaska. He's paid to broadcast KSKO 89.5\u2019s special 2 hour all-Christmas music show on shortwave via WRMI's 100,000 Watt 5950 kHz transmitter in Okechobee, Florida. The broadcast will take place from 2300 UTC on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/KSKO-Logo-e1608832633619.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/KSKO-Logo-e1608832633619.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/KSKO-Logo-e1608832633619.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/KSKO-Logo-e1608832633619.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":61247,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/12\/kskos-one-man-full-time-operation-connects-interior-alaska\/","url_meta":{"origin":48931,"position":4},"title":"“KSKO\u2019s One Man, Full-Time Operation Connects Interior Alaska”","author":"Thomas","date":"December 1, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Check out this excellent article about our SWLing Post community member and avid DXer, Paul Walker: KSKO\u2019s One Man, Full-Time Operation Connects Interior Alaska (Alliance of Rural Public Media) Paul Walker, the self-professed \u201cAlaska Radio Nerd\u201d is the sole full-time employee of a station that provides news, music, and emergency\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/KSKO-Paul-Walker-scaled-e1615415592912.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/KSKO-Paul-Walker-scaled-e1615415592912.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/KSKO-Paul-Walker-scaled-e1615415592912.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/KSKO-Paul-Walker-scaled-e1615415592912.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":58878,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/02\/ksko-on-shortwave-fridays-from-2100-2200-utc\/","url_meta":{"origin":48931,"position":5},"title":"KSKO on Shortwave: Fridays from 21:00 – 22:00 UTC","author":"Thomas","date":"February 9, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul Walker, who has notified us that KSKO (his FM station in McGrath, Alaska) will be on shortwave every Friday from 21:00 to 22:00 UTC via Spaceline Bulgaria on 5,900 kHz. As of last week, this will be a weekly broadcast spot for KSKO.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/KSKO-Paul-Walker-scaled-e1615415592912.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/KSKO-Paul-Walker-scaled-e1615415592912.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/KSKO-Paul-Walker-scaled-e1615415592912.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/KSKO-Paul-Walker-scaled-e1615415592912.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48931","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48931"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48931\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48931"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48931"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48931"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}