Channel Africa French and English language services (Final Shortwave Broadcasts from Meyerton Site): March 29, 2019

In February 2019, the South Africa-based company, Sentech, announced that they would close the Meyerton Transmitting Station effective March 31, 2019. Channel Africa used the Meyerton site for all of their shortwave broadcasts, so the closure meant and end to Channel Africa’s shortwave service. At time of posting, there is no news of other relay stations taking over the Channel Africa service.

The following two hour five minute recording of Channel Africa was made on Friday, March 29, 2019 starting about 1558 UTC on 15235 kHz.

• The first hour (1600 - 1657 UTC) is Channel Africa’s French Language service.

• The second hour (1700 - 1757) is Channel Africa’s English language service.

• After the transmitter carrier dropped at the end of the English Language service broadcast, it did come back on for a brief period of time relaying a few minutes of what I believe may have been the program, “Chinyanja-Nkhani Ndi Zochitika Mu Africa.” I assume this was simply a mistake on the part of the station. I did leave this archived recording.

This recording was made using a WinRadio Excalibur SDR receiver connected to a large horizontal delta loop antenna. The receiver location was North Carolina, USA. Enjoy:

Channel Africa: June 1, 2018

Live, off-air, one-hour recording of Channel Africa, an international radio service of the South African Broadcasting Corporation, broadcasting from Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa, on 1 June 2018 beginning at about 17:00 UTC. The broadcast was on a frequency of 11885 kHz using a transmitter at Meyerton, South Africa, with a power of 250 kW and with an antenna bearing of 328° towards west Africa.

The transmission was received on a Tecsun PL-880 receiver with its built-in whip antenna in Meloneras, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, in AM mode with 3.5 kHz RF filtering. Reception was fairly good although there was some adjacent-channel interference, most noticeable during the first few minutes of the broadcast.

The program, "Africa Digest" in English, included the latest news; feature items on Kenyan independence celebrations, some problems with the justice system in South Africa, and the dangers of skin lightening; "African Arty Bits"; "Africa News Roundup"; and sports news. Several music pieces are featured including songs by Judith Sephuma and A Peace of Ebony, which conclude the broadcast. The opening announcement gives the formerly used frequency of 15235 kHz in error.

Channel Africa: Unknown date

Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Timothy Land, who shares the following recording and notes:

Broadcaster: Channel Africa - South Africa

Frequency: Unknown

Reception Location: Kingsport, Tennessee

Notes: This is from one of my late evening shortwave listening sessions as a teen in the early to mid 1990's. Time and date is uncertain. The signal is weak

Channel Africa- South African Elections (1999)

Channel Africa- South African Elections

3 June 1999 15215 khz shortwave
4pm Eastern Standard Time- Australia
(0600 GMT)

Recorded off-air by Ian Holder, Australia

Information on the South African Election 1999
which saw Thabo Mbeke succeed Nelson Mandela-

http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2291_99.htm

http://edition.cnn.com/WORLD/africa/9906/06/safrica.elex/

https://www.theguardian.com/SAelections/0,,205166,00.html

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/government-and-opposition/article/second-chance-for-the-anc-the-1999-south-african-general-election/26660509D1AEEC7A2DD6EBBF77F57AA9

Channel Africa: June 20, 2016

Channel Africa's program "Africa Rise and Shine" with news, current affairs, and sport. Noise level improves a couple of minutes into the recording. Transmitted with 250 kw from Meyerton, South Africa. Received with a Sangean ATS-909X and PK's magnetic loop antenna in Sydney, Australia.

Channel Africa: August 31, 2015

Despite dismal propagation, I was quite happy to receive a relatively strong signal today (31 August 2015) from Channel Africa, starting around 16:40 UTC on 15,235 kHz. This recording begins with the French language service (already in progress), followed by the English language service.

Receiver used was a WinRadio Excalibur SDR and a large horizontal delta loop antenna. 

Channel Africa in English, February 27, 2015

Channel Africa news program "Africa Rise and Shine" received in Sydney, Australia.  Broadcasting to North West Africa on 15255 kHz at 0555 UTC.  Transmitted at 250 kw from Meyerton, South Africa.  Broadcast begins during the previous hour's sport and cuts off during the sport at 0655.