Wantok Radio Light on shortwave from Papua New Guinea

A new Christian shortwave station has begun broadcasting in Papua New Guinea. Wantok Radio Light is transmitting on 7120 kHz with 1 kW of power. The station is part of the Papua New Guinea Christian Broadcasting Network (PNGCBN), and rebroadcasts Wantok Radio Light (93.9 MHz) in Port Moresby. The shortwave transmitter is located just outside Port Moresby. Non-denominational programming consists of gospel music, Bible teaching and Christian talk programming. Officially Wantok Radio Light will be launched on June 11, but the station plans to be fully operational on May 26, and the first tests have already been aired. The station was first reported heard by Bob Padula in Australia on May 23. Wantok Radio Light will be broadcasting 24 hours a day. Contact information: Wantok Radio Light, P.O. Box 1273, Port Moresby, NCD, Papua New Guinea.
(DXing.info, May 24, 2005, edited on June 3)

Vatican Radio chiefs convicted of pollution

An Italian court has convicted a Vatican cardinal and a top Vatican Radio official of polluting the environment with electromagnetic waves from a Vatican Radio transmitter site. Prosecutors had alleged that transmitting equipment in the suburb of Cesano damaged the health of those living nearby. The case originated after a medical report released in 2001 showed an unusually high number of leukemia cases near the transmitter site. Vatican Radio informed about the court ruling on May 9. Cardinal Roberto Tucci, retired head of Vatican Radio's management committee, and the Rev. Pasquale Borgomeo, the station's director general, were sentenced to 10 days in jail, said the Rev. Federico Lombardi, Vatican Radio's program director. The sentences for the two Jesuits were automatically suspended, which is common in Italy for first offenders. The two were ordered to pay court costs and damages that will be determined later. Lombardi said the defense would appeal.
(DXing.info, May 10, 2005)

Big L Radio to transmit from the Netherlands on 1395 kHz

Big L - Radio London is planning to launch regular transmissions on 1395 kHz mediumwave on May 14. Though the studios are located in Essex in the United Kingdom, the transmitter is located in the Netherlands. Big L - Radio London is also available on satellite and on the internet. The station can be contacted by writing to Radio London International Limited, P.O.Box 7336, Frinton-on-Sea, Essex CO13 0WZ, United Kingdom. The telephone number of Big L is 01255 676252, fax 01255 850528 and the station also has email. Radio Netherlands Media Network reports that Big L transmissions are currently heard also on 1584 kHz over a low-power Dutch transmitter in Utrecht. Earlier (see DXing.info News in July 2003) Big L Radio was testing another transmitter in Netherlands on 1008 kHz.
(DXing.info, May 10, 2005)

Cadena 1 is a new station in Argentina on 1240 kHz, launched on May 10. Cadena 1 has informed DXer Rubén Margenet that so far they haven't been able to link their studio and AM transmitter, forcing the station to relay another stations, first reportedly Radio Argentina (570 kHz) and later Alfa FM (106.3 MHz). Cadena 1 is based in the greater Buenos Aires and can be contacted by email. DXer Marcelo Cornachioni heard also a telephone number (011) 4999-3333 announced. As a result of the new station on 1240 kHz, Radio Vida in Monte Grande has moved from 1240 to 1620 kHz, which in turn was vacant after Radio Tropicana moved to 1130 kHz.
      Meanwhile, on 1650 kHz a station called RDB "La Radio de la Bendición", has been heard in Buenos Aires. RDB is an unlicensed Christian station broadcasting from Carlos Pellegrini (Calle 312) No. 3048, Quilmes oeste, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Telephone numbers (011) 4200-4416 and 4280-3932 have been reported by Marcelo Cornachioni, who first reported about the station on May 6 on Condig mailing list. RDB has earlier operated for years on 95.3 MHz FM.

Nangarhar Radio from Afghanistan on 1440 kHz

Nangarhar Radio is a new mediumwave station in Afghanistan. The station is operating on 1440 kHz with a power of 10 kilowatts. The transmitter has been donated by the US-led coalition. According to Radio Afghanistan, transmission times are 0230-0730 UTC and in the local evening at 1030-1130 UTC. The regional radio station in Nangarhar was established in 1982, but has so far broadcast only on the FM band, on the frequency of 90 MHz.
(DXing.info, May 10, 2005)

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