SPOTLIGHT ON THE TROPICAL BANDS: BURKINA FASO
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A few weeks ago I had my first logging of Radio Burkina on 4815 kHz. I had experienced particularly good reception of this station over several days and I decided to find out more about it by listening over several evenings.
Burkina Faso is in West Africa and was formerly the Republic of Upper Volta. It is a landlocked country and has a population of 9,166,000 scattered over 105,869 square miles. The capital is Ouagadougou and the country lies south of the Sahara desert. It is borderes to the north and west by Mali, on the south by Ivory Coast, Ghana and Togo and to the east by Benin and Niger.
The country is on a plateau and is sunny, hot and dry in the north and tropical and humid in the south. The northern region is savanna and desert and the southern region is forest, but only 10% of the land is capable of sustaining crops.
French is the official language, although most people speak their own native languages. The GNP per capita is one of the lowest in the world and health is very poor. There is much poverty and disease with a life expectancy of only 45 years. Health is particularly poor along the Volta River (which gave the country its former name) due to flies and mosquitos.
The French ruled the country from 1895-1960 but after independence there was much instability with coups in 1966, 1980, 1982, and 1983. The country is presently ruled by military group called the "Popular Front"and the radio station is kept under strict control. The country was renamed Burkina Faso in 1984 and this was followed by another coup in 1987!
Radio Burkina broadcasts can be heard on the 60 meters-band on 4815 kHz with and output of 50 kW. The broadcasts are usually made in French, but there are some African language programmes. The news is in French at 2200. There is ocasionally news in English at 1930. Sign-off is usually midnight UTC. The station identifies itself as "Radio Burkina".
I find that the station is difficult to hear, but the best time for me is at weekends between 2330-2400 to be sure of an ID! They broadcast African music, although I found the music not as good as that broadcast by other West African stations, and long political talks in French.
Radio Burkina schedule for shortwave (subject to recent confirmation):
0530-0700 daily 4815 kHz includes news in french al 0600 & 0630 0700-0800 daily 4815 kHz 0800-0900 daily 7230 kHz 0900-1200 Sa/Su/Tu 7230 kHz includes news in French at 1000 1200-1700 daily 7230 kHz includes news in French at 1300 and in local languages 1500-1700 1700-0000 daily 4815 kHz includes news in local languages at 1700-1800 and in French at 1900 & 2200
(written by Kevin O'Daly; schedule by Tony Rogers) Published on "Communication" - June 1993 - Edition 223 - Pag 28
------------ Personally, I often heard this station on 4815 kHz around 2200-2400 with good reception. African stns are often to hear on early Summer and early Winter by this part of the World (North of South America).
Manuel Rodriguez Lanza
e-mail: mrodrigu@dino.conicit.ve
Address: P.O.Box 65657
Caracas 1066-A
Venezuela
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