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Last Night Havana, Cuba -> Hartford

W

Whale

I don't know if many of you get English language "Radio Havana Cuba", but I'm new to this and have never received it before.

I was on regular AM medium band radio, with a plain old Sony Boombox to be exact, and was searching for WBBM Buffalo when I hit a spanish language station around 1700-1750. It was giving the news, then identified itself as "Radio Marti" which I knew was the USA's station aiming towards Cuba, though I was kinda confused why it was reaching all the way up to New England. Then, on possibly the SAME FREQUENCY, English language news popped up, I realized it was Cuba's own station when the man speaking began calling Guantanamo an "illegal occupation". Sure enough, it was identified as "Radio Havana Cuba", a man gave US news, then a woman started talking about more Cuban-centric news, then explained it's purpose. I probably don't have to say it all sounded rather communist. Is Radio Marti and Radio Havana Cuba on the same frequency?

Also, I picked up a station between 1650 and 1700 speaking in a Germanic-sounding language, but not German, and certainly not French. I tuned away for a bit just to hear the Cuba thing a little more, when I went back, I heard the word Amsterdam, followed by a national anthem, and sign off at 12 midnight. Could it have been Aruba? This was on AM, not shortwave, surprisingly.
 
> I don't know if many of you get English language "Radio
> Havana Cuba", but I'm new to this and have never received it
> before.
>
> I was on regular AM medium band radio, with a plain old Sony
> Boombox to be exact, and was searching for WBBM Buffalo when
> I hit a spanish language station around 1700-1750. It was
> giving the news, then identified itself as "Radio Marti"
> which I knew was the USA's station aiming towards Cuba,
> though I was kinda confused why it was reaching all the way
> up to New England. Then, on possibly the SAME FREQUENCY,
> English language news popped up, I realized it was Cuba's
> own station when the man speaking began calling Guantanamo
> an "illegal occupation". Sure enough, it was identified as
> "Radio Havana Cuba", a man gave US news, then a woman
> started talking about more Cuban-centric news, then
> explained it's purpose. I probably don't have to say it all
> sounded rather communist. Is Radio Marti and Radio Havana
> Cuba on the same frequency?

Is 1700-1750 the time or the frequency? No broadcast-band station calls itself Radio Habana Cuba, that's the shortwave ID.
>
> Also, I picked up a station between 1650 and 1700 speaking
> in a Germanic-sounding language, but not German, and
> certainly not French. I tuned away for a bit just to hear
> the Cuba thing a little more, when I went back, I heard the
> word Amsterdam, followed by a national anthem, and sign off
> at 12 midnight. Could it have been Aruba? This was on AM,
> not shortwave, surprisingly.
>
Once again, is 1650-1700 the time or the frequency?
 
> > I don't know if many of you get English language "Radio
> > Havana Cuba", but I'm new to this and have never received
> it
> > before.
> >
> > I was on regular AM medium band radio, with a plain old
> Sony
> > Boombox to be exact, and was searching for WBBM Buffalo
> when
> > I hit a spanish language station around 1700-1750. It was
>
> > giving the news, then identified itself as "Radio Marti"
> > which I knew was the USA's station aiming towards Cuba,
> > though I was kinda confused why it was reaching all the
> way
> > up to New England. Then, on possibly the SAME FREQUENCY,
>
> > English language news popped up, I realized it was Cuba's
> > own station when the man speaking began calling Guantanamo
>
> > an "illegal occupation". Sure enough, it was identified
> as
> > "Radio Havana Cuba", a man gave US news, then a woman
> > started talking about more Cuban-centric news, then
> > explained it's purpose. I probably don't have to say it
> all
> > sounded rather communist. Is Radio Marti and Radio
> Havana
> > Cuba on the same frequency?
>
> Is 1700-1750 the time or the frequency? No broadcast-band
> station calls itself Radio Habana Cuba, that's the shortwave
> ID.
> >
> > Also, I picked up a station between 1650 and 1700 speaking
>
> > in a Germanic-sounding language, but not German, and
> > certainly not French. I tuned away for a bit just to
> hear
> > the Cuba thing a little more, when I went back, I heard
> the
> > word Amsterdam, followed by a national anthem, and sign
> off
> > at 12 midnight. Could it have been Aruba? This was on
> AM,
> > not shortwave, surprisingly.
> >
> Once again, is 1650-1700 the time or the frequency?

Sorry, this all occured around midnight. But this was on the AM Band. I received the stations on my Sony AM/FM/CD Boombox, nothing fancy to be sure. The stations were around 1700 on my analog tuner, the Dutch station came in somewhere between 1650 and 1700 AM. It was definitely "Radio Havana Cuba", I even popped a cassette in and got two good ID's.

Is "Radio Marti" on the AM band, since I also received that station in nearly the same dial position?
 
> > > I don't know if many of you get English language "Radio
> > > Havana Cuba", but I'm new to this and have never
> received
> > it
> > > before.
> > >
> > > I was on regular AM medium band radio, with a plain old
> > Sony
> > > Boombox to be exact, and was searching for WBBM Buffalo
> > when
> > > I hit a spanish language station around 1700-1750. It
> was
> >
> > > giving the news, then identified itself as "Radio Marti"
>
> > > which I knew was the USA's station aiming towards Cuba,
> > > though I was kinda confused why it was reaching all the
> > way
> > > up to New England. Then, on possibly the SAME
> FREQUENCY,
> >
> > > English language news popped up, I realized it was
> Cuba's
> > > own station when the man speaking began calling
> Guantanamo
> >
> > > an "illegal occupation". Sure enough, it was identified
>
> > as
> > > "Radio Havana Cuba", a man gave US news, then a woman
> > > started talking about more Cuban-centric news, then
> > > explained it's purpose. I probably don't have to say it
>
> > all
> > > sounded rather communist. Is Radio Marti and Radio
> > Havana
> > > Cuba on the same frequency?
> >
> > Is 1700-1750 the time or the frequency? No broadcast-band
>
> > station calls itself Radio Habana Cuba, that's the
> shortwave
> > ID.
> > >
> > > Also, I picked up a station between 1650 and 1700
> speaking
> >
> > > in a Germanic-sounding language, but not German, and
> > > certainly not French. I tuned away for a bit just to
> > hear
> > > the Cuba thing a little more, when I went back, I heard
> > the
> > > word Amsterdam, followed by a national anthem, and sign
> > off
> > > at 12 midnight. Could it have been Aruba? This was on
>
> > AM,
> > > not shortwave, surprisingly.
> > >
> > Once again, is 1650-1700 the time or the frequency?
>
> Sorry, this all occured around midnight. But this was on
> the AM Band. I received the stations on my Sony AM/FM/CD
> Boombox, nothing fancy to be sure. The stations were around
> 1700 on my analog tuner, the Dutch station came in somewhere
> between 1650 and 1700 AM. It was definitely "Radio Havana
> Cuba", I even popped a cassette in and got two good ID's.
>
> Is "Radio Marti" on the AM band, since I also received that
> station in nearly the same dial position?
>


Radio Marti broadcasts on 1080. The Cuban 1080 that attempts to jam it is called Caden Habana. Perhaps they carry news from RHC or something like that, and it was those two stations you heard. If so, it sounds like you may have issues with your tuner.

There are no AMs in either the Netherlands or the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Islands in the X-band.
 
> > > > I don't know if many of you get English language
> "Radio
> > > > Havana Cuba", but I'm new to this and have never
> > received
> > > it
> > > > before.
> > > >
> > > > I was on regular AM medium band radio, with a plain
> old
> > > Sony
> > > > Boombox to be exact, and was searching for WBBM
> Buffalo
> > > when
> > > > I hit a spanish language station around 1700-1750. It
>
> > was
> > >
> > > > giving the news, then identified itself as "Radio
> Marti"
> >
> > > > which I knew was the USA's station aiming towards
> Cuba,
> > > > though I was kinda confused why it was reaching all
> the
> > > way
> > > > up to New England. Then, on possibly the SAME
> > FREQUENCY,
> > >
> > > > English language news popped up, I realized it was
> > Cuba's
> > > > own station when the man speaking began calling
> > Guantanamo
> > >
> > > > an "illegal occupation". Sure enough, it was
> identified
> >
> > > as
> > > > "Radio Havana Cuba", a man gave US news, then a woman
> > > > started talking about more Cuban-centric news, then
> > > > explained it's purpose. I probably don't have to say
> it
> >
> > > all
> > > > sounded rather communist. Is Radio Marti and Radio
> > > Havana
> > > > Cuba on the same frequency?
> > >
> > > Is 1700-1750 the time or the frequency? No
> broadcast-band
> >
> > > station calls itself Radio Habana Cuba, that's the
> > shortwave
> > > ID.
> > > >
> > > > Also, I picked up a station between 1650 and 1700
> > speaking
> > >
> > > > in a Germanic-sounding language, but not German, and
> > > > certainly not French. I tuned away for a bit just to
>
> > > hear
> > > > the Cuba thing a little more, when I went back, I
> heard
> > > the
> > > > word Amsterdam, followed by a national anthem, and
> sign
> > > off
> > > > at 12 midnight. Could it have been Aruba? This was
> on
> >
> > > AM,
> > > > not shortwave, surprisingly.
> > > >
> > > Once again, is 1650-1700 the time or the frequency?
> >
> > Sorry, this all occured around midnight. But this was on
>
> > the AM Band. I received the stations on my Sony AM/FM/CD
> > Boombox, nothing fancy to be sure. The stations were
> around
> > 1700 on my analog tuner, the Dutch station came in
> somewhere
> > between 1650 and 1700 AM. It was definitely "Radio
> Havana
> > Cuba", I even popped a cassette in and got two good ID's.
> >
> > Is "Radio Marti" on the AM band, since I also received
> that
> > station in nearly the same dial position?
> >
>
>
> Radio Marti broadcasts on 1080. The Cuban 1080 that
> attempts to jam it is called Caden Habana. Perhaps they
> carry news from RHC or something like that, and it was those
> two stations you heard. If so, it sounds like you may have
> issues with your tuner.
>
> There are no AMs in either the Netherlands or the
> Dutch-speaking Caribbean Islands in the X-band.
>

Not a tuner issue I don't think. Hartford's 50kw AM station is WTIC 1080, and that's coming in where it's supposed to.

My uncle was saying sometimes short wave stations can come in near the end of the AM dial. Perhaps Radio Marti was attempted to jam Radio Havana Cuba because they were transmitting on AM or they try to jam them on shortwave. I don't know, this was all pretty strange. I didn't get the Radio Marti ID on tape, but I did hear it, breaking through Radio Havana Cuba at times. Marti mostly played music, some strident sounding classical music...

I don't know.
 
Sounds like images from the shortwave broadcast band coming in. In a reciever that isn't that well shielded, that can happen. I have a really cheap Sony analog walkman that stpped picking up AM but now picks up some shortwave stations. You probably got RHC in the 25 or 31 meter band and either Radio Netherlands (which as far as I know still has a powerful relay in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles) or something similar, but it wasn't actually broadcasting where you heard them.<P ID="signature">______________
Have a Happy New Year!
http://www.thebig8.net/have_a_happy_new_year_with_cklw.mp3</P>
 
> I don't know if many of you get English language "Radio
> Havana Cuba", but I'm new to this and have never received it
> before.
>
> I was on regular AM medium band radio, with a plain old Sony
> Boombox to be exact, and was searching for WBBM Buffalo when
> I hit a spanish language station around 1700-1750. It was
> giving the news, then identified itself as "Radio Marti"
> which I knew was the USA's station aiming towards Cuba,
> though I was kinda confused why it was reaching all the way
> up to New England. Then, on possibly the SAME FREQUENCY,
> English language news popped up, I realized it was Cuba's
> own station when the man speaking began calling Guantanamo
> an "illegal occupation". Sure enough, it was identified as
> "Radio Havana Cuba", a man gave US news, then a woman
> started talking about more Cuban-centric news, then
> explained it's purpose. I probably don't have to say it all
> sounded rather communist. Is Radio Marti and Radio Havana
> Cuba on the same frequency?
>
> Also, I picked up a station between 1650 and 1700 speaking
> in a Germanic-sounding language, but not German, and
> certainly not French. I tuned away for a bit just to hear
> the Cuba thing a little more, when I went back, I heard the
> word Amsterdam, followed by a national anthem, and sign off
> at 12 midnight. Could it have been Aruba? This was on AM,
> not shortwave, surprisingly.
>


About 2 years ago I had this Aiwa stereo that was self destructing. The CD player and casette deck had already crapped out, but I was running a turntable through it and the radio worked. Once I got Radio Netherlands somewhere around 1530. I picked up something else quite Germanic sounding around 1640. Radio Canada International was on 1100. I heard someone telling a similar story on this very board and they explained that something in the radio was out of wack, or the circits had gotten fried somehow. The radio finally killed itself a few months later.
 
Radio & TV Marti

1180 on Medium Wave, and about 8 Frequencies on Short wave. Plus you can listen online at martinoticias.com.

> Radio Marti broadcasts on 1080. The Cuban 1080 that
> attempts to jam it is called Caden Habana. Perhaps they
> carry news from RHC or something like that, and it was those
> two stations you heard. If so, it sounds like you may have
> issues with your tuner.
>
> There are no AMs in either the Netherlands or the
> Dutch-speaking Caribbean Islands in the X-band.
>
 
> I was on regular AM medium band radio, with a plain old Sony
> Boombox to be exact, and was searching for WBBM Buffalo when
> I hit a spanish language station around 1700-1750. It was

A likely cause is harmonics of your local oscillator. It works like this:

When you tune your radio to 1700, a "local oscillator" generates a "dead air" signal at 2155KHz. This signal is mixed with the signal from the 1700 station to generate an "intermediate frequency" signal at 455KHz; this "IF" signal is amplified, demodulated, and sent to the speaker.

The local oscillator also generates "harmonics", multiples of the intended frequency. 2155*2 = 4310; 2155*3 = 6465; etc., etc.. (they get weaker fast as the multiple increases. They're also weaker in radios of better quality...)

Let's say there was a strong station on 6010KHz. This station would mix with the x3 harmonic of the local oscillator on 6465 -- and yield that magic 455. It would be amplified and sent to the speaker.

6010KHz *is* in an international shortwave broadcast band, and it is probably the best band for covering Cuba from a transmitter in the U.S. - or vice-versa. In fact, I know the Cubans operate a high-powered shortwave station somewhere in this band, just can't remember exactly what frequency!

So, I think you were actually hearing Cuba, but you were hearing a shortwave station, not a regular AM operation. Regarding the station that mentioned Amsterdam, there are a couple of powerful shortwave relay stations elsewhere in the Caribbean; also, the Canadian transmitter on the New Brunswick/Nova Scotia border is often leased out to other countries. (and the 6000KHz band would be a good one for covering the eastern U.S. from there)
 
> I don't know if many of you get English language "Radio
> Havana Cuba", but I'm new to this and have never received it
> before.
>

I, too, have heard this station on an AM receiver.

Back when I lived in Houston, I used to operate a Part 15 AM station on 1610. On more than one occasion, I heard this "Radio Havana Cuba" station after turning my transmitter off and going off the air for the night. This was on a cheap AM/FM/cassette boom-box that I bought at Wal-Mart for about $30. (This was the receiver I used for taping my broadcasts.) I only heard this shortwave station on this particular receiver, not on other radios in the house simultaneously tuned to the same frequency.

What was even weirder, when this station would fade out, it didn't gradually fade in and out, but it would show up for awhile and instantly disappear, and then shortly re-appear in the same manner (almost like someone pressing a button on a walkie-talkie and releasing it while in the middle of speaking.)

So far, the strangest thing I've ever heard on the radio.

<P ID="signature">______________
Richard Head - formerly known as Dr. Johnny Fever.
"Give a larbage, throw out your garbage." - Gary the No-Trash Cougar
</P>
 
1- I live in greater Hartford (CT). Maybe I can try for this (these?) station (s) tonight?

2- WBBM-AM 780 is from Chicago, not Buffalo! <P ID="signature">______________
#13 Dan Marino...2005 Football Hall Of Fame Inductee :)</P>
 
These are indeed images from the 455 kHz IF as previously explained. I extensively monitor Cuba, both AM and SW from my Clearwater, FL home as well as occasional trips to the Keys, etc. There are no legitimate Cuban (or Radio Marti) stations operating in the 1700-1750. However, 1180 kHz from Marathon, FL is Radio Marti (100 kW), and there's a Radio Rebelde transmitter with probably about the same power on 1180 (which dominates at my location).
 
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