ARC Newsflash: VOA Deewa, Afghanistan upgraded

AFGHANISTAN
621 The US Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) has issued a modification to its contract with Harris Corporation concerning a recently-installed BBG mediumwave transmitter in Afghanistan. Harris is the only firm capable of meeting BBG´s requirement to enhance the capabilities of the existing 200 kW shelterized mediumwave (MW) transmitting system in a remote location of Afghanistan to provide for 24-7 operations. The enhancement to existing Harris designed and provided broadcast site includes the design, fabrication, shipment, optional installation, commissioning and testing of one (1) additional Caterpillar C-18 generator capacity and fuel capacity at the recently completed site. It is mandatory the new equipment be precisely integrated into the existing site with no downtime. Harris is required to provide all personnel, design, equipment, materials, supplies, documentation, training, fabrication, assembly, packing for overseas shipment, shipment, installation and otherwise do all things necessary and incident to the delivery of a highly efficient and highly reliable commercially available enhancement to the existing solid-state mediumwave (MW) transmitting system. Minimal US Government security is provided at the site.

This appears to be the VOA´s Deewa Radio Service in Pashto serving the area near the Pakistan border.

The transmitter is already on the air and have been heard in Scandinavia.

(25.4.2010 Google News, BBG via BE/Bengt Ericson, ARC)