Radio Habana Cuba is an international service so I wouldn't know why it would be on FM anywhere on the island. There is a domestic network called Radio Cadena Habana.
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Radio Reloj on 950 is silent
- Thread starter Ai4i
- Start date
I have heard the english service of RHC shortwave, hosted by Ed Newman specifically mention an FM frequency in Havana for them.
I'm too far away to check, but that is a good point.
It does seem odd, but perhaps it caters to vacationers who speak English? I seem to recall that Havana is popular with Canadians and Europeans who don't have our travel restrictions.
I don't think they're the only ones who broadcast an international service locally on AM/FM, though. Radio Slovakia International is on 98.9 in Bratislava if I remember correctly. I think CRI has an FM signal in Beijing, too. And I'm almost certain that NHK's international programming is available on AM in Japan, but it may only be programming blocks overnight on NHK 2.
K
kf4rca
Guest
Tuned into RHC (6000) last night and the audio was very low, maybe 5% modulation.
I think they're trying for that Miami Cuban community with the FM signal. Its only 90 miles across water- an easy hop.
I've heard Ed Newman as well. Believe he is wanted here in the States for bank robbery.
Arnie Coro has had a ham/swl program on RHC for a while now. I believe he gives out an email periodically.
I think they're trying for that Miami Cuban community with the FM signal. Its only 90 miles across water- an easy hop.
I've heard Ed Newman as well. Believe he is wanted here in the States for bank robbery.
Arnie Coro has had a ham/swl program on RHC for a while now. I believe he gives out an email periodically.
They are not trying for Miami, it would never make it with a 102.3 translator in miami and a full power 102.7
Where have you heard that about Ed Newman? I did some googling and came up with nothing
And many years before that was CMCA on 830.
The other thing that surprises me with Cuba's AM network is how stations are not synced at all. There are several (550 IIRC comes to mind) where Rebelde is the only thing on the frequency, but with two stations playing the same format about 2 seconds apart, it becomes tiring to the ears.
One would think if Cuba got the hookup on new Chinese transmitting gear that they would have synced some of these AMs on the same frequency.
Also, I'm pretty certain Cuba tends to group all their stations at the same site. Most AMs are diplexed with another network station(s), and most the FMs (and I presume TV stations) are located on a tower usually adjacent to the local branch of the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television.
Of course, Cuba keeps fairly mum about the technical sides of their broadcast networks (though in recent years this is slowly changing), so a lot of this is based on signal sleuthing and hearsay from others who have experienced it first-hand.
One would think if Cuba got the hookup on new Chinese transmitting gear that they would have synced some of these AMs on the same frequency.
Also, I'm pretty certain Cuba tends to group all their stations at the same site. Most AMs are diplexed with another network station(s), and most the FMs (and I presume TV stations) are located on a tower usually adjacent to the local branch of the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television.
Of course, Cuba keeps fairly mum about the technical sides of their broadcast networks (though in recent years this is slowly changing), so a lot of this is based on signal sleuthing and hearsay from others who have experienced it first-hand.
I do believe Cuba uses at least one set of calls in their station name (probably more): CMBF Radio Musica Nacional. Good classical station, fairly poor fidelity on AM.
One of the official lists shows as many as 5 AMs at the same location.
Even pre-revolution, only some Cuban stations used call letters, such as the very famous CMQ owned by Goar Mestre and which syndicated programs all over Latin America.
My favorite story about call letters in Latin America involves filling out a contract for a music scheduling software from the US at the station I programmed in Argentina. They had a "required field" for call letters. We did not know them. Our files had nothing in them. Finally, two days after calling, the government licensing bureau gave use the calls.
In another case, I wanted to use "HCSP" as the identifier for one of my Quito stations back in the 60's. I requested a name change to that from "Radio San Pedro" which was the name of the city of license when the station was located way outside Quito before I moved it in. The government said, "call letters can not be used as the sole identifier". Denied. It became "Radio Fiesta".
Cayo Hueso is 90 miles. La Habana to Miami is about 280 miles as the carrier flies.
The Cuban community in Miami would be very annoyed if Cuba tried to put a signal into the market.
Last time I was in Key West I tried for some FM signals from Cuba but came up empty. I'm assuming it's only possible under good DX conditions, because all up and down US-1 I heard nothing but locals.
And Arnie Coro, the less I say about him the better. He literally phones in most of those ham shows, and I think they are mostly repeats.
There's audio of Arnie Coro from the 80s where he complains about U.S. stations not being directional to not put any signal over Cuba. When Obama was working on thawing relations with the island, one of the "demands" from Cuba was in fact, for U.S. stations to cease sending signals that could be received in Cuba.
That was my experience when I did the drive eight years ago, Both directions on two different days. But I know others have heard Cuban FMs along the route.
As for Arnie, I always thought he could be an interesting listen. As long as he wasn't finding something to whine about.
Not anymore. Over the past 20 years, the Lower Keys have had a large quantity of new full-power and translator FM stations crop up. I remember picking up Rebelde on 96.7 (seemed to be the strongest), Reloj on 100.5, and something I forgot on 101.5 DXing around Big Pine Key. Both of those first two frequencies are now taken up by translators in Key West. The last is second-adjacent to a newer local station broadcasting to the Lower Keys.
Its about 130 miles as the crow flies from La Habana to Key West. About 100-110 miles from Varadero (closest major Cuban city) to Key West. Unless one had a fairly sophisticated antenna/receiver combo, getting a consistent FM signal from much of anywhere in Cuba from anywhere in the Keys (even before large numbers of stations in US popped up) was nigh impossible. Even back in the day, Cuban FMs were DX conditions-only for most folks in the Keys. Obviously, that could mean every night during certian tropo events.
K
kf4rca
Guest
I heard that from World Of Radio program. But now he says it was for hijacking. Ed Newman is not his original name.
My source is checking further.
I have never heard Corro get political on there.
They're still embarassed about the Cuban pilots that "stole" a Russian MIG and landed in Miami a while back.
https://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/18/us/cuban-air-force-captain-defects-with-a-mig.html
I remember "Ed Newman" on RHC, But not recently, since it's been at about least a year or two since I've tuned in (usually on 6000). I always wondered what the deal was with him. And back to Arnie...I enjoyed his broadcasts. Usually on Sunday nights. I never heard him get political, either. At least not overtly. But I did hear him complain from time to time about "technical matters" including interference. If I'm not mistaken, Arnie goes back to the early days of building R. Rebelde and the Cuban radio infastructure. So he's not exactly a casual ham radio hobbyist.
I know that Arnie has visited the U.S. on occasion. Including as a guest at hamfests, etc. His "friendly" approach reminded me somewhat of the late Joe Adamov, longtime host of "Moscow Mailbag" as well as newscasts and other broadcasts on R. Moscow. Last time I heard him was on 1332khz around sunrise one morning in a hotel room radio in the north of England.
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