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| Tropical Bands Survey first edition in 1973 |
by Anker Petersen
Since the Danish Short Wave Club International published the first annual Tropical Bands Survey in 1973, I have registered which stations are active, based upon loggings from our members and other DX-ers around the world. Here is an updated status where Clandestine and Pirate stations are not included.
Active domestic transmitters on 2200 – 5800 kHz
Region year 1973 1985 1997 2009 2020
Central Africa 102 76 40 18 3
Southern Africa 57 39 33 20 5
Middle East 9 4 1 0 0
Indian Subcontinent 62 45 45 29 11
South East Asia 40 29 21 4 1
Indonesia 171 105 65 13 2
China, Taiwan, Mongolia 119 110 75 32 15
CIS (former USSR) 61 59 47 7 4
Far East 38 28 28 9 7
Papua New Guinea 17 20 20 15 2
Australia and other Pacific 10 4 13 8 6
Central America, Mexico 21 23 24 5 1
Caribbean 29 3 3 2 3
Northwestern South America 98 41 19 3 1
Ecuador 47 33 22 5 0
Peru 78 69 78 28 8
Bolivia 35 42 25 14 1
Brazil 107 87 67 35 13
Southern South America 5 2 1 0 1
Total 1106 819 627 247 84
During the past year the previous trend, that Tropical stations slowly disappear, continued throughout the world with a loss of about 10 stations. A year ago the Total was 92. The reason is, that other media get higher priority, than keeping elderly Shortwave transmitters alive.
Here are some of the stations on the Tropical Bands, which have closed down during year 2019:
kHz kW Station Country Last log
3200 50 TWR, Mpangela Ranch Eswatini JUL19
3265 50 WBCQ, Monticello, Maine USA AUG19
3345 10 RRI Ternate, Pro. Maluku Utara Indonesia MAY19
4760 8 AIR, Port Blair, Andaman India FEB19
4775 50 TWR, Mpangela Ranch Eswatini NOV19
4835 0,1 OZY R, Mount Razorback, NSW Australia JAN19
4845 10 R Cultura, Manaus, AM Brazil MAR19
4895 50 AIR, Kurseong, Paschim Banga India MAR19
4965 5 R Alvorada, Parintins, AM Brazil FEB19
5005 15 R Nepal, Khumaltar Nepal FEB19
5580 0,25 R San José, San José de Chiquitos Bolivia FEB19
