Sinazongwe Radio station and ITC update
- Details
- Created: Monday, 13 October 2008 15:13
Sound Manipulation Workshop (29th Sept - 1st Oct 2008)
Background
The Community Radio Station in Sinazongwe was setup in July, 2007. Several workshops were run at the time, focusing on the basic principles of a community radio station, interviewing techniques and how to make a radio programme.
Participants in the above mentioned workshops (due to time constraints) were, however, not exposed to sound editing and manipulation as a skill that can be applied to pre-recorded radio programs.
The purpose of the workshop was to provide the participants with basic skills in sound recording, editing and storage / archiving.
Participants
There were 6 participants in the workshop that was run from the IT centre. No females attended, which raises some concern for the participation of females in the radio station activities.
Software used
An audio / multimedia linux live CD (Dyne Bolic) was used to expose the participants to free multimedia software. The packages explored were Audacity and Hydrogen. Ardour was also briefly exposed to the participants.
The Dyne Bolic CD is a live CD which can be nested or docked on the host computer without affecting the installed operating sytem. Dyne Bolic was successfully nested in four computers in the IT Center. There were, however challenges in getting a place to copy the CD for the studio to remain with.
Workshop Content
The workshop covered the following:-
1.transfering of recorded materials to the computer from a portable device to audacity.
2.saving the transferred material to a given location
3.Cutting, copying, pasting, deleting audio material
4.joining audio material from different audio files to create one file.
5.Noise reduction in audio
6.changing amplitude (volume) in audio
7.Creating a simple instrumental using drmsets only in Hydrogen
8.Exporting the instrumental to a specific folder as a wave file or mp3.
Other Issues
Studio Proposal and application for radio broadcasting license
After discussions with the Head of Sinazongwe Basic School and Mr Moyo, there was assurance that the proposal would be mailed by Mr Moyo soon.
Possible sound proofing materials were discussed and some cotton waste suitable for sound proofing was identified at the Great Lakes Cotton Company. Discussions on the possibility of a donation to the school / studio were held and the school / studio or chief has to write a letter of request to the company.
IT Centre
Still operational with the first toner cartridge now running out. The second cartridge will start to be used soon and the school still cannot answer how refilling or buying a new cartridge will be financed.
Connectivity
A possible solution for connectivity at the school is the use of a wireless modem that works with the cellphone network for Celtel ( now called Zain). The modem costs alsmost K1 200 000 (one million two hundred thousand kwacha) and uses prepaid airtime. This would be ideal for cost management.
The challenge, however, is that the software requires Windows XP or Vista. Perhaps the Austrian wireless team could assist in finding some software that could make it possible to use the modem on a linux operating system.
Another possible solution is to buy the poles that are required to get the line to the school. I spoke to Max, from Zamtel in Maamba and he will get the costs involved and pass them on to the school and Mr Moyo.
Compiled By
Sengamo Ndlovu