La Voz de la Mosquitia

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La Voz de la Mosquitia

The Saga Continues

By John Moritz
This article was originally published in the July 1983 issue of FRENDX, now The Journal of the North American Shortwave Association. It appears here with permission of NASWA.

HRXK took to the shortwaves on January 23, 1981, on a frequeney of 4910 kHz the idea of the Reverend Landon Wilkerson, an independent Baptist Missionary, who has spent seventeen years in Honduras with his wife and family helping the Miskito Indians.
First heard by Pitt MeNeil in Washington, DC, the identification of the station was initially thought to be La Voz de Justicia, until a week or so later, when the correct ID was clearly noted.
On the air from 1200 to 0300 GMT daily, initially, they were sporadically heard during the evening hours w�th homespun broadcasts in Span�sh, Miskito dialect and English. The broadcasts were notable for their "as it happens" quality, with the announcer suddenly noting on occasion that he had just stomped a scorpion, or that; some unknown creature had just flown into the studio and he was not sure what to do. They also sent out greetings and personal messages to friends in the U.S. and elsewhere.
However, quickly after taking to the airwaves, the station was beset with equipment problems that put it on and off the air at an astonishing rate. Because of this situation, and the rather unique approach to broadcasting by the station, it was felt by many DXers that a QSL from this one would end up being a prized possession. I counted myself among the few lucky people who received an early reply.
It is now two years since HRXK took to the airwaves and although they continue to be heard very rarely, in a recent letter to me from Reverend Wilkerson, he made no reference to equipment trouble, and noted that they were on the air daily from 1100 to 0400 GMT.
The reason for HRXK, according to Wilkerson, is to "proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Miskito Indians and to provide, practically, the only station they can receive in this area on small radios". The area he speaks of is Puerto Lempira, a remote part of Honduras located in the easternmost territory of the country, which has an average rainfall of 125 inches during two rainy seasons, according to Wilkerson. Temperatures range from a sometime high of 128 degrees in July and August, to a low of around 55 degrees in November.
Wilkerson says he picked shortwave for his station to save money. He continues, "with no radio, television, or newspapers or magazines in the area, broadcasting offers a challenge to furnish TRUTH to many in many fields and now to counter the communist Nicaragua atheist radio".
The broadcasts continue in Spanish, Miskito dialect and English. Wilkerson informs that over the past two years they have sent out conf�rmation of reception to 39 states and 21 foreign countries. In addition to the radio station there is also a clinic and theology institute. Current plans for the radio operation, according to Wilkerson, are for HRXK to go to the standard broadcast band, perhaps as early as this July, on 750 kHz, and to continue the shortwave operation in the evening only.
If you are fortunate enough to log La Voz de la Mosquitia, the Reverend Wilkerson can be reached at Mision Bautista, Depto. Gracias a Dios, Puerto Lempira, Honduras. He will be glad to hear from you.

This website is maintained by Don Moore,
Association of North American Radio Clubs
DXer of the Year for 1995.
My Address Is In This Graphic

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La Voz de la Mosquitia The Saga Continues By John Moritz This article was originally published in the July 1983 issue of FRENDX, now The Journal of the North American Shortwave Association. It appears here with permission of NASWA. HRXK took to the shortwaves on January 23, 1981, on a frequeney of 4910 kHz the idea of the Reverend Landon Wilkerson, an independent Baptist Missionary, who has spent seventeen years in Honduras with his wife and family helping the Miskito Indians. First heard by Pitt MeNeil in Washington, DC, the identification of the station was initially thought to be La Voz de Justicia, until a week or so later, when the correct ID was clearly noted. On the air from 1200 to 0300 GMT daily, initially, they were sporadically heard during the evening hours w�th homespun broadcasts in Span�sh, Miskito dialect and English. The broadcasts were notable for their "as it happens" quality, with the announcer suddenly noting on occasion that he had just stomped a scorpion, or that; some unknown creature had just flown into the studio and he was not sure what to do. They also sent out greetings and personal messages to friends in the U.S. and elsewhere. However, quickly after taking to the airwaves, the station was beset with equipment problems that put it on and off the air at an astonishing rate. Because of this situation, and the rather unique approach to broadcasting by the station, it was felt by many DXers that a QSL from this one would end up being a prized possession. I counted myself among the few lucky people who received an early reply. It is now two years since HRXK took to the airwaves and although they continue to be heard very rarely, in a recent letter to me from Reverend Wilkerson, he made no reference to equipment trouble, and noted that they were on the air daily from 1100 to 0400 GMT. The reason for HRXK, according to Wilkerson, is to "proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Miskito Indians and to provide, practically, the only station they can receive in this area on small radios". The area he speaks of is Puerto Lempira, a remote part of Honduras located in the easternmost territory of the country, which has an average rainfall of 125 inches during two rainy seasons, according to Wilkerson. Temperatures range from a sometime high of 128 degrees in July and August, to a low of around 55 degrees in November. Wilkerson says he picked shortwave for his station to save money. He continues, "with no radio, television, or newspapers or magazines in the area, broadcasting offers a challenge to furnish TRUTH to many in many fields and now to counter the communist Nicaragua atheist radio". The broadcasts continue in Spanish, Miskito dialect and English. Wilkerson informs that over the past two years they have sent out conf�rmation of reception to 39 states and 21 foreign countries. In addition to the radio station there is also a clinic and theology institute. Current plans for the radio operation, according to Wilkerson, are for HRXK to go to the standard broadcast band, perhaps as early as this July, on 750 kHz, and to continue the shortwave operation in the evening only. If you are fortunate enough to log La Voz de la Mosquitia, the Reverend Wilkerson can be reached at Mision Bautista, Depto. Gracias a Dios, Puerto Lempira, Honduras. He will be glad to hear from you. This website is maintained by Don Moore, Association of North American Radio Clubs DXer of the Year for 1995.