Sunday, November 4, 2012

Radio Verdad (Guatemala)

Radio Verdad, transmitting from Chiquimula, Guatemala, was logged on 2 November 2012. After many months of monitoring the station on 4.055 kHz in LSB mode, sometimes hearing only a carrier or no signal at all, I was fortunate to detect a trace of audio for approximately 10 minutes at around 12.00 UTC. Reception (SINPO) at  the time was 15321. Weak audio, lacking clarity, was observed. After 12.15 UTC only faint talking was occasionally heard when the signal peaked, otherwise carrier signal was  prominent amidst atmospheric noise most of the time up until 12.30 UTC.  

Generally Radio Verdad's signal is quite poor in South East Asia.  A carrier signal is almost always detected, and only in LSB mode shortly after 11.30 UTC, then peaks around 12.00 or 12.05 UTC when slight audio is heard.  This occurs almost regularly under a grey-line path from Guatemala to Malaysia. Shortly after sunrise in Guatemala, only a carrier is audible. By 13.00 UTC, no signal from Radio Verdad is observed. While no definitive ID has ever been heard, I strongly suspect this is Radio Verdad; no other station in South East Asia  or elsewhere operates on 4.055 kHz.

QSL and freebies from Radio Verdad
A reception report was emailed to Radio Verdad. Dr. Edgar Madrid replied within 24 hours, acknowledging receipt of my report and stating he would reply later in the week. He indeed followed up on 7 November 2012, confirming the above reception report and promising a QSL card from Radio Verdad. After a long delay, I emailed Dr. Madrid in mid-March 2013. In subsequent emails he emailed, at my request, Radio Verdad's QSL and posted it as well on 25 March 2013. QSL card, calendar, sticker and pennant arrived in the mail on 22 April 2013.


Address:
Radio Verdad
C/O Dr Edgar Madrid
Apartado Postal 5, 
Chiquimula, Guatemala, 
Central America

Email:
 radioverdad5@yahoo.com


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