CHANGES FOR SOLOMON ISLANDS BROADCASTING

CHANGES FOR SOLOMON ISLANDS BROADCASTING


 I wrote the following article for the December 2014 issue of The Spectrum Monitor magazine. Check out their website for details on how to subscribe to this great publication!

A New Transmitter for Honiara

Towards the end of July, the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) introduced a new transmitter to its existing shortwave services on 5020 and 9545 kHz. Not only have these two frequencies been heard well in Australia, but also regularly monitored in many other countries with good clear signals. Although the service is primarily intended for their domestic audience across the Solomons, international listeners are also enjoying the programming from “the happy isles”.

 The islands are prone to natural disasters and often in the path of cyclones, tsunamis, floods, tidal waves, and earthquakes. The importance of maintaining communications during these times is of paramount importance to island communities. Transmitting early warnings through radio is a part of the Government’s National Disaster Risk Management Plan and is crucial to minimizing disaster risks.

The new transmitter facility comes as a gift of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), costing more than 40 million Solomon Island dollars (approx. $5.4 million US Dollars) and is donated under the project “Improvement of Radio Broadcasting Network for Disaster Prevention”. 
The new Solomon Islands transmitter. (photo courtesy SIBC)
The new facility includes a new 10 kW shortwave transmitter manufactured by Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc. in Tokyo, a new shortwave antenna system, a matching transmitter power supply, a disaster prevention broadcasting communication radio system, program transmission link equipment and peripherals, plus tools and spare parts to maintain the equipment. The new facility now has the capability of offering a 24-hour shortwave radio service and increases the coverage of radio broadcasting to nearly 100 percent of the country’s population across its many islands. The station points out that it is now receiving very good reports of reception from both inside the country and across the globe.

 At the official handing over of the new facility, the Solomon Islands minister responsible for Disaster Management, Bradley Tovosia said “Transmission of early warnings to the public via the radio, the communication modality with the greatest coverage in Solomon Islands is a component of the disaster preparedness under our National Disaster Risk Management plan. Therefore, the handing over of the new transmitter of the disaster risk management is a step in the right direction as it enables us to communicate to people in remote areas prior to and during a disaster.”
Solomon Islands Minister Bradley Tovosia switches on the new transmitter 
with Japan’s Ambassador to Solomon Islands, Mr Kenichi Kimiya. (photo courtesy SIBC)

Station Reorganisation

The arrival and implementation of new equipment comes at a time when SIBC is also undergoing a “rebranding” of its image and programming. The broadcaster has spent more than a year reorganizing, restructuring and reformatting the structure of the station. Broadcasts now include a more youthful adult contemporary music format with the aim of 50/50 local music to overseas music content. The station will continue to broadcast educational programs, along with new drama and comedy shows.
SIBC street sign. (photo courtesy SIBC)
The task of bringing its domestic audience together is made even more challenging when one considers that this is a nation of about 80 languages and dialects, consisting of 992 islands, and spread across an archipelago of more than 28,000 square kilometers (17,400 miles)! 85 percent of the population is considered to be living in a rural environment.

 One program you may be lucky enough to hear is called Langus Blo Iumi (Our Languages), which can be heard on Wednesdays and Thursdays. In this show, you will hear many languages and dialects being spoken and the show aims to help people learn a few words, phrases and sentences in one of the country’s many languages. It’s proving to be a hugely popular program and is presented with a healthy dose of humour!

 There can often be some variation in sign on/sign off times within SIBC’s transmission schedule as it switches between 9545 and 5020 kHz. However, broadly speaking the station is usually noted on:

 9545 kHz from 2200 to 0500 UTC.
5020 kHz from 0500 to 1200, and 1900 to 2200 UTC.

 73 and have a great weekend everyone,

 Rob Wagner VK3BVW

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