Another Cuban on AM 530?

[ddsparxx]

This morning about 2 AM EST I heard only Radio Enciclopedia and when I turn the radio back on at 5:30 AM I heard only CIAO. Hmmm

 

[nocomradio]

Still garbled mixture here in VA on 530, but KMOX from St Louis was booming in last night. I almost never seem to pull that in, and never that strong, so something odd is going on radio-wise.

 

[schmave]

Still garbled mixture here in VA on 530, but KMOX from St Louis was booming in last night. I almost never seem to pull that in, and never that strong, so something odd is going on radio-wise.

For a while tonight here in central Ohio, I swore we were having an auroral event. None of the boomers from Chicago and New York, plus WJR, were getting in here and I was getting solid groundwave on stations from 1200 and above I have no business hearing at night. But by about 8:30, everything was back to normal. I actually had been kind of excited about scanning the dial tonight.

 

[gar hi]

Right now, this other Cuban station on 530 has completaly wiped out Radio Enciclopedia with not even a trace of it in the background.

It's as if Radio Enciclopedia is off the air.

I'm also hearing the same thing on 560 and loud which is a first.

It's also on 600.

 

[cd637299]

Right now, this other Cuban station on 530 has completaly wiped out Radio Enciclopedia with not even a trace of it in the background.

It's as if Radio Enciclopedia is off the air.

I'm also hearing the same thing on 560 and loud which is a first.

It's also on 600.

Gotta be Rebelde then....got SW 5025 to check?

cd

 

[gar hi]

I just got out the Grundig G8, put it on 5025, and sure enough it's them.

I don't get it.

Imagine how this sounds if you're living in Cuba and wanting to hear Radio Enciclopedia on 530.

The frequency there probably sounds like a cacophony.

 

[cd637299]

Some Cuban stations are only there to jam any possible US broadcasts....witness 710 & 1180. Even 1620 to jam li'l ol' WDHP in the USVI when it was running Radio Republica, if I am correct.

Radio Marti used 530 a while back, but I don't think it is on now.

I am not sure if these are even listenable in Cuba, as far as nice crisp sound goes. There are alternate frequencies for better sound, I would think.

cd

 

[gar hi]

This is weird.

Radio Enciclopedia struggled and came back to dominate for about 15 seconds then it quickly vanished into nothing again as Radio Rebelde took over again.

That kind of quick fading is something you expect on the upper end of the AM band but not the lower end.

 

[davideduardo]

Imagine how this sounds if you're living in Cuba and wanting to hear Radio Enciclopedia on 530.

The frequency there probably sounds like a cacophony.

Cuba's about 800 miles long; two stations can easily exist on the same channel... the groundwave coverage would no more be interferred with than some of 540 or 550 allocations in the US.

 

[gar hi]

The two stations on 530 seem to be coming from the exact same direction.

I've slowly moved the radio day and night to see if one station favored a slightly different direction than the other and there was no noticeable difference from here in Tampa.

I'd guess the two stations are much closer to each other than you'd think.

 

[jd]

There was a report from a another listener in Florida which seems to back up your theory about the two stations being somewhat close to each other. He said that the Radio Rebelde on 530 appeared to be due south of his location in Pembroke Pines, placing it a little west of Santa Clara. That would be in the neighborhood of 130 miles east or east-southeast of Havana.

 

[davideduardo]

There was a report from a another listener in Florida which seems to back up your theory about the two stations being somewhat close to each other. He said that the Radio Rebelde on 530 appeared to be due south of his location in Pembroke Pines, placing it a little west of Santa Clara. That would be in the neighborhood of 130 miles east or east-southeast of Havana.

The Rebelde is reported to be in Guantanamo, while the Enciclopedia is in the La Habana vicinity (Villa Maria), meaning about 400 miles distance.

Rebelde is on 44 frequencies, and is the "voice" of the Revolution, having been founded by Ernesto "Che" Guevara.

 

[cd637299]

There was a report from a another listener in Florida which seems to back up your theory about the two stations being somewhat close to each other. He said that the Radio Rebelde on 530 appeared to be due south of his location in Pembroke Pines, placing it a little west of Santa Clara. That would be in the neighborhood of 130 miles east or east-southeast of Havana.

The Rebelde is reported to be in Guantanamo, while the Enciclopedia is in the La Habana vicinity (Villa Maria), meaning about 400 miles distance.

Rebelde is on 44 frequencies, and is the "voice" of the Revolution, having been founded by Ernesto "Che" Guevara.

My contention is that this 530 is relatively new....with its long history, I'd think that Rebelde has the island covered already, on various frequencies.

I've caught it on FM as well....96.7 out of La Habana and 104.7 (which one source said is in Villa Clara)*. I believe that they have two separate feeds at times; when baseball is on the AM, I believe that some FM's carry separate Rebelde programming.

[*I believe that FM is still somewhat of a luxury there, and AM is still the main deal there.]

cd

 

[drt]

Right now, this other Cuban station on 530 has completaly wiped out Radio Enciclopedia with not even a trace of it in the background.

It's as if Radio Enciclopedia is off the air.

I'm also hearing the same thing on 560 and loud which is a first.

It's also on 600.

Gotta be Rebelde then....got SW 5025 to check?

cd

From about 50 miles due west of Orlando, Rebelde not only comes in on 560 (sometimes), but always seems to be on not only 600, but 610 and 620 at all.

Since WDAE-620 goes directional at night, the signal of WDAE at my 2nd listening post is not as strong, plus the night time skywave enhances the Cuban station on 620 and it pretty well takes over WDAE at night.

drt

 

[gar hi]

Right now, it's 11:15 in the morning and there's no sign of Radio Rebelde right now.

I just can't see that the two stations on 530 are 400 miles apart.

That would be evident in the direction of the signals, I should think.

Both Cuban stations on 530 null to nothing in the exact same direction.

 

[gar hi]

Well, checked again and Radio Rebelde is back on the air.

Radio Enciclopedia seems to have cut their power.

The two stations are of equal strength.

 

[LibertyNT]

Thats unfortunate, I kinda liked 530. I'll Check It Tonight.

 

[davideduardo]

My contention is that this 530 is relatively new....with its long history, I'd think that Rebelde has the island covered already, on various frequencies.

If, as reported, this Rebelde is in the city of Guantanamo (a place with over a quarter million population) then it is the 550 facility moved downwards to accommodate a move of several of the other Rebeldes... something Cuba does with some regularity.

As mentioned, there are 44 Rebelde transmitters, and they add up, per the ICR, to 871 kw and cover 98% of the Cuba, including the populated islands of Juventud and Pinos. Since Rebelde is as close as it comes to being the "offical" domestic voice of the government, a lot of resources are put behind it... over 400 employees, in fact.

[*I believe that FM is still somewhat of a luxury there, and AM is still the main deal there.]

The issue is more about not pushing FM too hard so as to not create a demand for imported goods that drain cash. Even democratic Venezuela delayed commercial FM licensing until the late 80's for the same reason....

 

[cyberdad]

The two stations on 530 seem to be coming from the exact same direction.

That was my impression in South Carolina. Null one and you null both. Of course that's more significant if you're observing that in in Florida.

Tonight I'm in Asheville, NC. At first quick listen it seems like R. Rebelde on top. Somewhat noisy at the low end of the band in this hotel, however. Hopefully that'll improve when everyone turns off their TV, computer, CFL lamps, etc.

 

[LibertyNT]

A quick check and at my Location in McKinney North of DFW.
There is nothing on 530 except Radio Encicliopedia and Lightening Crashes.
Its not fighting a thing. But an oddity, they are playing a vocal song, in ENGLISH?
When did they start doing that? But it certainly is the Usual 530 I've always gotten.

UPDATE: Upon some real close listening, there is very Faint speech under the usual instrumentals. But Enciclio is way on top.

Further Update: Radio Rebelde was briefly on top. now equally strong with Enciclio.