Recorded: April 6, 1993 at the Rarotongan Resort (7 km from transmitter)
Equipment: Grundig Sat. 500 receiver, Marantz PMD-221 Cassette Recorder

The programming of Radio Cook Islands is bilingual, and announcers are fluent in both English and Cook Islands Maori.

Music selections on RCI encompass all styles, to appeal to many age groups.

This recording was scheduled to include as much local music as possible.

A visit with station personnel revealed that Radio Cook Islands' 11760 kHz shortwave transmitter and antenna were destroyed in a fire in May 1992. The outer islands are being served by AM and FM repeaters and RCI will not be reactivating their shortwave outlet. The shortwave transmissions on 11760 were simply rebroadcasts of the 630 kHz mediumwave station.

PROGRAMMING NOTES:

R_Cook_Islands_1.mp3  (RealAudio format)

National anthem & hymn; sign-on announcements & music.
Music; weather; sign-off announcements & national anthem.
Local & regional news; weather; ads; music.

R_Cook_Islands_2.mp3  (RealAudio format)

"Party Time" music request show; weather; local ads; more music.

OTHER NOTES:

RCI programming includes all the hallmarks of a small, non-professional station: stuck records & tape carts, dead air, poor modulation, and other miscues. However, that's part of the flavor of local radio, and these errors are heard throughout this recording. Particularly noticeable is the bassy, over-modulation of the studio announcer during sign-on announcements (R_Cook_Islands_1.mp3 segment).

RCI's headquarters is in downtown Avarua, and their 5 kw transmitter and modern quarter-wavelength vertical antenna is located in the town of Matavera (northeast side of Rarotonga).

Guy Atkins
dx@guyatkins.com
Puyallup, WA USA