RADIO EXTERIOR DE ESPAÑA'S
NEW TRANSMITTERS

Radio New Zealand Pacific is not the only station refreshing its high-powered sender. On June 24, the Radiotelevisión Española board of directors approved the purchase and installation of the first of five new transmitters planned for the Noblejas site of Radio Exterior de España (REE).

A June press release indicated that the current stock is subject to frequent breakdowns and has passed its useful lifespan. The press release did not indicate the output power or manufacturer of the new transmitters, although we would expect them to be DRM-capable.

In 1971, 350 kW transmitters were brought online at Noblejas. However, due to a severe funding shortage, REE’s shortwave service was suddenly halted on October 15, 2014. The closure only lasted two months before officially reopening on December 18 with Spanish-only broadcasts aimed at Spanish fishermen and merchant sailors.

It now appears that the station’s administrators have changed their minds. REE’s director, Luis Manuel Fernández Iglesias, sees a solid international future for the public broadcaster. The press release explicitly mentions the Ukraine war and how shortwave escapes control and censorship. Except for the low cost of a shortwave radio, listeners have free reception anywhere, including locations without internet.

Aside from Spanish programming, there are 30-minute English, French, Russian, Portuguese, Arabic and Sephardic broadcasts. The current English schedule (subject to change from October 27 for the B24 transmission season) is as follows:

2200-2230 UTC on Mon/Wed/Fri

15390 Western Africa and South Atlantic

15520 Middle East and Indian Ocean

17715 South America

17855 North America

NOTE: Our man in McGrath, Alaska, Paul Walker, has been reporting that 17855 kHz was absent from late September for a few weeks. However, on October 12, that frequency appears to be back in operation. It looks like a new transmitter is undoubtedly required!

Google Maps gives you an excellent aerial view of the Noblejas tra\nsmitter site. Just copy and paste the following decimalised geographic coordinates for a closer look:

39.95889375635281, -3.4316721901236646

You can also drag the little orange man onto the road that runs right past the transmitter site for a good ground view.

73 and good DX,

Rob Wagner VK3BVW