Shortwave Stations In Pakistan
| The article now forms part of the Radio Heritage Collection ©. All rights reserved to Ragusa Media Group, PO Box 14339, Wellington, New Zealand. This material is licenced on a non-exclusive basis to South Pacific DX Resource hosted on radiodx.com for a period of five years from October 1st 2001. Author: Adrian Peterson |
In view of the fact that the shortwave stations in Pakistan are currently a matter of radio news, let me give a list of all currently active shortwave stations in Pakistan, each of which I visited during the time we lived in Pakistan back 30 years ago. As far as is known, no new transmitters have replaced any of the older units, and only the old original shortwave transmitters are in use today. The callsigns in use for the radio stations in Pakistan are all in the AP range, with A standing for Asia and P for Pakistan. Transmitter 1 in each of the Pakistan callsigns is the local mediumwave unit.
KARACHI – Southern port city, and largest city in Pakistan.
The shortwave base for Radio Pakistan Karachi is located 20 miles east of Karachi on the highway running towards Hyderabad (Sind). Two 50 kW RCA transmitters APK2 & APK3 were installed in 1948 and two 10 kW Gates units APK4 & APK5 were installed in 1955. The 50 kW transmitters are used in the regional and international services of Radio Pakistan and the 10 kW units were installed originally for the “Link Service” with Dacca in what was East Pakistan. It is unlikely that the 10 kW units are in use these days.
QUETTA – Located on the western edge of Pakistan in a mountainous area across the border 150 miles from Kandahar in Afghanistan.
The shortwave transmitter APQ2 of Radio Pakistan Quetta is located on the southeastern edge of Quetta and is co-sited with the MW facility. The single 10 kW Gates transmitter was installed in 1962 and is on the air during the day on 7170 kHz and in the morning and evening on 5025 kHz.
PESHAWAR – Frontier city in the plains near the Khyber Pass en route to Afghanistan.
The shortwave transmitter APP2 is co-sited with the mediumwave station and is located in Peshawar itself. The 10 kW AWA transmitter from Australia was installed in 1960 and it is currently listed on just one channel, 5045 kHz.
RAWALPINDI – Located in northern Pakistan near the foothills of the high Himalayas.
The Rawalpindi SW station APR2 is located on the western edge of Rawalpindi towards Peshawar and is co-located with the mediumwave unit. The single 10 kW Gates transmitter was installed in 1962 and it is currently listed for two channels, 7335 kHz during the day and 5010 kHz morning and evening. This unit was recently re-activated. The Rawalpindi mediumwave service can be heard on shortwave on 7110 kHz via a 100 kW transmitter located in the Islamabad twin facility.
ISLAMABAD – National capital, modern twin city with Rawalpindi, on the northern edge of Rawalpindi.
The shortwave radio station known as Radio Pakistan Islamabad is located 15 miles southeast of the twin city complex Rawalpindi-Islamabad on the Grand Trunk Road that leads to Lahore. There are two shortwave facilities located here, side by side, on the northern edge of the highway. There were 79 antenna masts on these two radio properties.
The older station was built in 1968 and housed four transmitters; one Gates at 10 kW, two RCA at 100 kW, and one Continental at 100 kW. The newer facility was constructed in 1972 and houses four SW transmitters; two BBC at 250 kW and two Russian made units at 100 kW. The 100 kW transmitters were installed for coverage into what was then East Pakistan and for international programming.
The 10 kW units have been in use for the regional Islamabad service and also for the “Link Service” as a back-up relay to other stations. All of the 100 kW and 250 kW units have been on the air for the international services from Radio Pakistan, though all units are not in use these days. One of the 100 kW transmitters is in use with a relay from Azad Kashmir Radio. The Islamabad mediumwave service can be heard on 5010 kHz via a 100 kW transmitter at the Islamabad twin complex.
MUZAFFARABAD – Small capital city for Azad Kashmir, administered by Pakistan, located in a wide valley in the rugged Himalayas.
Azad Kashmir Radio operates two shortwave transmitters. The 1 kW AKR at the studio building on the upper edge of Muzaffarabad was established in 1961 and its only channel is 3665 kHz.
MIRPUR – Small town located near Islamabad radio complex
The 100 kW Thomcast at Mirpur was established in 1997 as a high powered relay unit for Azad Kashmir Radio. It is probable that this is the unit that is listed for 7265 kHz.
TRARKHEL – a very small village in southern Azad Kashmir
Azad Kashmir Radio Trarkhel is in reality a 100 kW unit located at the large shortwave base, Islamabad-1, with studios in Rawalpindi. This unit is currently on the air on 4790 kHz.
Adrian M. Peterson
DX Editor
Adventist World Radio
Shortwave Callsigns in Pakistan
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Call City kW Make Year Location Service
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API1 Islamabad-1 100 RCA 1968 15 miles SE Islamabad & foreign
API2 Islamabad-1 100 RCA 1968 15 miles SE Islamabad & foreign
API3 Islamabad-1 100 Continental 1968 15 miles SE E Pakistan & foreign
API4 Islamabad-2 100 Russian 1974 15 miles SE E Pakistan & foreign
API5 Islamabad-2 250 BBC 1972 15 miles SE International
API6 Islamabad-2 250 BBC 1972 15 miles SE International
API7 Islamabad-1 10 Gates 1968 15 miles SE Regional
API8 Islamabad-2 100 Russian 1979 15 miles SE International
APK2 Karachi 50 RCA 1948 20 miles east International
APK3 Karachi 50 RCA 1948 20 miles east International
APK4 Karachi 10 Gates 1955 20 miles east Link Service to Dacca
APK5 Karachi 10 Gates 1965 20 miles east Link Service to Dacca
APP2 Peshawar 10 AWA 1960 In Peshawar Regional
APQ2 Quetta 10 Gates 1962 SE of Quetta Regional
APR2 Rawalpindi 10 Gates 1962 Western edge Regional
AKR Muzaffarabad 1 Australian? 1961 Upper edge of town Regional
AKR Mirpur 100 Thomcast 1997 Near town Regional
AKR “Trarkhel” 100 1968 At Islamabad-1 Regional
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