The ACE "CLANDESTINE PROFILE"
CLANDESTINE RADIO STATIONS

Clandestine radio stations are unlicensed broadcasts designed to create political change within countries targeted by the transmission. They are different from pirate radio stations. Pirates generally are operated by hobbyists as unlicensed transmissions of entertainment programming. Clandestines often appear in countries experiencing political turmoil, especially when overt hostilities or wars have broken out. They are common in regions where political opposition groups do not have access to local broadcast media because of government regulations or censorship

Many historical clandestines have become legendary. Axis Sally and Tokyo Rose are well known German and Japanese broadcasters from World War II. The CIA's Radio Swan transmitted coded messages to rebels during the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba during the early 1960's. Stations such as Radio Venceremos and Radio Miskut were fascinating voices of the Nicaraguan Sandanistas during the 1980's, although both have now become licensed commercial broadcasters in Nicaragua.

The "Clandestine Profile" column in The ACE covers the latest news on current clandestine broadcasting throughout the world. This includes information on actual broadcast loggings submitted by ACE members and other shortwave listeners worldwide. The ACE digs behind the scenes to explain the context of clandestine radio operations. This regularly includes analysis of organizations or countries sponsoring the clandestine broadcasts, the political situation in target countries, and informed speculation about things such as covert transmitter sites used and financial backing for the stations

.If you're new to clandestine radio, two stations are easily heard. They are excellent targets for getting your feet wet. Probably the easiest clandestine to hear is La Voz del CID, operated since 1981 by Huber Matos' anti-Castro Cuba Independiente y Democratica organization in southern Florida. They use a relatively high powered transmitter in Central America, almost certainly in Guatemala. Financial shortages at CID have currently caused them to abandon their longtime 9942 kHz frequency during the daytime, but the station can still be heard on 6206 kHz during the wee hours and in the morning. Try checking 6206 kHz near 1200 UTC (around sunrise in the Eastern time zone). Their slick Spanish language programming continually attacks and ridicules Fidel Castro.

Another good current clandestine target is Radio Kudirat Nigeria, operated from England since 1996 by the NALICON organization. Its daily one hour transmission, mostly in English, is heard daily on 6205 kHz at 1905 UTC (between 2:00 and 3:00 in the afternoon in the Eastern time zone). The station uses high powered transmitters at the Meyerton facilities of Sentech in South Africa. Its strong criticisms of the Nigerian government are officially considered treasonous in that country. It puts out a signal widely heard in North America during the winter, but the time slot used is rather early for good reception during summer afternoons.

Several dozen other clandestine broadcasters are currently active in all continents of the world. Three very good sites on the World Wide Web can help you find them. Harald Kuhl's "Clandestine Radio Broadcasting Web Page" site in Germany lists continually updated schedules of known clandestine broadcasters. Nick Grace's "Clandestine Radio Intel" contains a wealth of information and web links on worldwide clandestine stations. An extensive list of clandestine links is found at John Cruzan and Kirk Trummel's "Free Radio Network" site.

Your broadcast loggings, information, questions, and speculations about clandestine radio stations are very welcome for the "Clandestine Profile" feature in The ACE. You should send them to George Zeller, who edits the material. George also writes the monthly "Outer Limits" column on unlicensed pirate and clandestine radio in the nationally circulated Monitoring Times magazine. You can contact George via e-mail using GeorgeZ@nacs.net as the address. Or, you can write him c/o Monitoring Times, Post Office Box 98, Brasstown, North Carolina 28902.