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Radio Landa, Peru

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The following item was written by Hirotsugu Nabeshima and is taken from Edition #5 (1992) of LA DXing (page 60), as published by Radio Nuevo Mundo It is placed here with permission.

Radio Landa used to broadcast on 6035kHz (OAX-6B), and the signal was received in Japan in 1970's. But the SW transmission has been inactive for many years.

Though I have never heard Radio Landa in Japan, I knew that this was a very old and dignified radio station owned by Sr. Landa. I listened to their program on 1400 kHz with my Sony ICF-PRO70 radio receiver in Arequipa. On February 23, 1988, 1 visited the station office with my friend Edgard. The studios of Radio Landa are situ�ated at Jr. Sucre 409, a few blocks from "Plaza de Armas" in down�town. I remember that the studios rwere so small, same as Radio Hispana, and it was like a small house. We passed into the house. Sr. Max Landa Diaz, Gerente, was sitting at his table in a dark room. Yes, it was Sr. Landa. He looked bad-humored, and it seemed to me that he could not understand well my Spanish. But he typed a QSL for me and welcomed my visit finally. The following episode is concerned with his father, ex-Gerente of the station.

Episode about the founder, Sr. Maximiliano Landa

In 1930's, radio stations in Lima were growing. Meanwhile, a birth of radio stations was required in the other cities of Peru as well. The pioneer of local radio stations was Radio Delcar in Chic�layo (OAX-1C, founded by Carlos Montjoy) . Following it, La Voz de Ica (OAX-5B) ; Radio Arequipa (OAX-6A) ; Radio Andina de Junin in Huancayo (by Alfredo Elejalde); Radio Cusco (OAX-7G, by Carlos Lizarraga Fisher) ; and Radio Landa in Arequipa (OAX-6B, by Maximi�liano Landa) were founded.

In October 1940, "Congreso Eucaristico Nacional" (Eucharistic Congress) was about to be held in Arequipa. The expectation of the people was enormous. Radio Landa of Maximo Landa in Arequipa was going to cover the event and get the complete audience. It had not been imagined that a serious competitor would appear soon.

On the eve of "Congreso Eucaristico Nacional", Antonio Umbert founded Radio Continental (OAX-6C). During installing equipment, he was dedicated to listen with much atention to the voices of announc�ers. There was a good voice, it was a voice of Josb Delgado, of Radio Landa. Jose Delgado won in the announcer contest held by Max Landa and he became to work at Radio Landa. But Antonio Umbert was fascinated by his voice and marked him as an announcer of his newly�born radio station. One day Umbert stopped his car in front of the gate of municipality and entered Radio Landa looking for Delgado. "I am Antonio Umbert. I take you to your new radio." said Umbert frankly to Delgado. Delgado knew that he would earn much more and get commission, so he agreed with him. Delgado had to go to tell Sr. Landa the news, thinking that his boss would feel bad. Actually Don Max Landa kept silence. His first reaction was to close the key of transmitter, stopping the broadcasting, as if Radio Landa would have not continue any more. And he said to don Pepe (Delgado) , "Get away here to so-and-so in order to make your salary higher." But later he gave Delgado sincere and affectionate words. Jose Delgado left Radio Landa and made his way to the direction of Antonio Umbert. Max Landa understood that, in the radio business in Arequipa, he would con�tinue to play an important role but not the first place any more. So I suppose that the Landas and Antonio Umbert have been on bad terms each other since then.

Bibliography: "0-A-X Cronica de la Radio en el Per� (1925-1980) by Alonso Alegria/Radioprogramas Editores, Lima, Per�. 1988

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