Re: [HCDX]: Radio Popular QSL

["john sgrulletta" <johnswl@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Interesting report, Don. Thanks for the info.
73s-
John Sgrulletta
Mahopac, NY
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Don Moore <mooredxer@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <hard-core-dx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, August 04, 1999 5:42 PM
Subject: [HCDX]: Radio Popular QSL


> 
> Re Ruud Vos's QSL on Radio Popular Independiente, 4800 kHz,
> in Ecuador ...
> 
> A very rare QSL, indeed. I picked up QSLs there for several
> DXers in a 1985 visit and I can't recall seeing any reports
> of QSLs for them since. I visited them again in 1997. The
> station is really very disorganized and not particularly
> profitable. Apparently it was a more prominent station many
> years ago when the founder was alive. It was also one of
> the only stations in Cuenca in the early days. 
> 
> The current manager (who signed Ruud's QSL) is the
> founder's widow. She is a very nice person and was very
> cordial during both of my visits. However, she doesn't seem
> to have much business sense and her health has been poor in
> recent years. There were several children in the family,
> but they all live elsewhere now, mainly in the USA. The
> station's audience is the lowest classes (hence the name
> Radio Popular, or the people's radio). That limits revenue
> from advertisements, since advertisers aren't as interested
> in reaching an audience with little money.  
> 
> I also had a good talk with two announcers during my 1997
> visit. I got the impression that Radio Popular served as
> sort of a training ground. It didn't pay well, even in the
> low-paying field of radio announcing, so the announcers
> were mostly young people trying to get a start. Apparently
> no one stayed around very long. 
> 
> The shortwave transmitter has been off the air for some
> years. It has a bad tube and replacement would cost several
> thousand dollars. Considering the station's financial
> picture, it is unlikely the station will ever return to
> shortwave. 
> 
> People at some other radio stations in Cuenca said they
> assume Radio Popular will either close or be sold when the
> widow dies, since the children are unlikely to keep it
> open. The most valuable asset of the station is the MW
> frequency. The equipment is all very old. Even the MW
> frequency is not worth all that much since there is a glut
> of radio stations in the Cuenca area and most attention is
> now given to FM.
> 
> Don Moore     mooredxer@xxxxxxxxx
> 
> 
> ===
> Don Moore     mooredxer@xxxxxxxxx
> Radio: http://www.swl.net/patepluma   
> Family History: http://members.xoom.com/patepluma
> General: http://members.tripod.com/donmoore
> _____________________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Free instant messaging and more at http://messenger.yahoo.com
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> This is a message from Don Moore <mooredxer@xxxxxxxxx>
> to hard-core-dx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx list. To unsubscribe the list, send
> "unsubscribe hard-core-dx" in mail body to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> For more information, please check http://www.kotalampi.com/hard-core-dx/
> or email Risto Kotalampi, risto@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a message from "john sgrulletta" <johnswl@xxxxxxxxxxx>
to hard-core-dx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx list. To unsubscribe the list, send
"unsubscribe hard-core-dx" in mail body to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
For more information, please check http://www.kotalampi.com/hard-core-dx/
or email Risto Kotalampi, risto@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
------------------------------------------------------------------------