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"Wavescan" is a weekly program for long distance radio hobbyists produced by Dr. Adrian M. Peterson, Coordinator of International Relations for Adventist World Radio. AWR carries the program over many of its stations (including shortwave). Adrian Peterson is a highly regarded DXer and radio historian, and often includes features on radio history in his program. We are reproducing those features below, with Dr. Peterson's permission and assistance.


Wavescan 363, December 9, 2001

Afghan Update

NPR radio in the United States reports from Afghanistan that the radio station in Kabul has been re-activated, presumably on shortwave. Reporting from the studios of Radio Afghanistan on Airport Road in the Kabul suburb of Answari Wat, he stated that the station was on the air under the Taliban as Radio Shariah and that it has reverted back to its former name, Radio Afghanistan.

The new manager for Radio Afghanistan was previously on the air from Radio Peace, the small station operated by the Northern Alliance in the Panjir Valley. Radio Peace was a makeshift FM facility on 96 MHz, using lamp posts for the antenna system. Most of the previous Taliban staff have been retained at Radio Afghanistan, though two women announcers are now reading the news in the two national languages, Dari and Pushto.

Programming from the revived Radio Afghanistan is similar to its pre-Taliban days, with traditional music, children's programs, news and sports. However, the station is currently on the air only in the evenings, and apparently at reduced power.

It is also reported by CNN that a television service is again on the air in Kabul with a power output of just 10 watts. This reactivated TV service would appear to be on the air using equipment from Tajikistan that was transferred by the Northern Alliance from its previous location in northern Afghanistan.