By Charles Elmore
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, December 21, 2004

You're in your car, heading out for a Monday night Dolphins game. You dial
up a pre-game radio show. Reception is awful. What gives?

Cuba is jamming the broadcast.

It's not necessarily a government plot, but it is an irritant to
international relations as far as many sports fans are concerned. The source
of the trouble is a Cuban station over which American regulators have no
control, and it's stepping on WQAM-560AM in Miami. Fans in Palm Beach and
Broward counties suffer most.

"There is a station at the same frequency as WQAM, and their power has
increased," said George Corso, chief engineer at WQAM. "They're annoying the
daylights out of us."

WQAM has received dozens of calls and e-mails, mostly from Palm Beach and
northern Broward counties, he said. WQAM's signal is weaker there, and more
vulnerable to interference, particularly at night.

The signal of the Cuban station on the same 560AM frequency has been
measurably stronger since October, Corso said. The interference was
noticeable at the beginning of the 2003 World Series, and then seemed to
subside until it came back with a vengeance recently.

WQAM has measured the problem and reported it to the Federal Communications
Commission, but the agency has no jurisdiction over a station in Cuba.

"We're telling people to write their congresssman," Corso said.

A call to the Cuban Interest Section in Washington, the equivalent of a
Cuban embassy, was not returned Monday.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/...lumn_1221.html

On 27 Dec 2004 19:09:43 GMT, "Mike Terry"
wrote:

WQAM has measured the problem and reported it to the Federal Communications
Commission, but the agency has no jurisdiction over a station in Cuba.

"We're telling people to write their congresssman," Corso said.

Since many people believe the Cuban high power operation is in
retaliation for the US' support of Radio and TV Marti, they should
write their congressmen and suggest the interference might go away if
Radio/TV Marti went away.

Rich

Since many people believe the Cuban high power operation is in retaliation for
the US' support of Radio and TV Marti, they should write their congressmen and
suggest the interference might go away if Radio/TV Marti went away.


Lessee ...

Cuba was a signatory of NARBA (but later abrogated that treaty).

NARBA gave the United States 25 (count 'em) Class I-A clears, Mexco and Canada
each 6 Class I-A clears, the Bahamas one Class I-A clear (and a U.S. Class I-B
priority on that frequency), and Cuba one Class I-A clear (and a U.S. Class I-B
priority on that frequency).

All of this with no permissible foreign operations on any U.S. Class I-A clear
with the exception of 830 and 1030 to Mexico (limited to 5 kW ND, and limited
to Mexico, DF), for which the U.S. got 800 and 900 (limited to 5 kW ND, and
limited to Alaska) plus 1050 and 1220 (limited to 50 kW DA-1, protecting the
entire U.S.-Mexican border, and limited to New York City and Cleveland,
respectively).

The U.S. got many additional Class I-B clears, while Canada and Mexico got a
few Class I-B clears, whereas neither the Bahamas nor Cuba got any Class I-B
clears at all.

In view of this apparent disparity, what do you think the reaction of Castro
would, or should be?

And, all of this goes way back to 1939 ... long before Radio Marti.

Rich Wood wrote:

Since many people believe the Cuban high power operation is in
retaliation for the US' support of Radio and TV Marti, they should
write their congressmen and suggest the interference might go away if
Radio/TV Marti went away.

The administration and Congress are about as likely to remove Radio/TV
Marti as George Bush is likely to resign next week. It doesn't make
much sense to have programming which can't be heard easily in much in
Cuba but I must admit that I prefer a war of radio signals to an actual
invasion or US sponsored attempted coup in Cuba too.

It is indeed shameful that the US can't just negotiate with Cuba and has
Cuba hesitating to buy US agricultural products once againbecause they
might be attached as assets by US Courts but that's life under the
present political setup with no improvement in sight. The US probably
would do just as well offering to broadcast Cuban broadcasts over some
local stations in exchange for the Cuba doing the same for Cuban
stations as it's doing now but that's probably also something to hope
for in vain.

"Peter H." wrote in message
...


Since many people believe the Cuban high power operation is in retaliation
for
the US' support of Radio and TV Marti, they should write their congressmen
and
suggest the interference might go away if Radio/TV Marti went away.


Lessee ...

Cuba was a signatory of NARBA (but later abrogated that treaty).

NARBA gave the United States 25 (count 'em) Class I-A clears, Mexco and
Canada
each 6 Class I-A clears, the Bahamas one Class I-A clear (and a U.S. Class
I-B
priority on that frequency), and Cuba one Class I-A clear (and a U.S.
Class I-B
priority on that frequency).

All of this with no permissible foreign operations on any U.S. Class I-A
clear
with the exception of 830 and 1030 to Mexico (limited to 5 kW ND, and
limited
to Mexico, DF), for which the U.S. got 800 and 900 (limited to 5 kW ND,
and
limited to Alaska) plus 1050 and 1220 (limited to 50 kW DA-1, protecting
the
entire U.S.-Mexican border, and limited to New York City and Cleveland,
respectively).

The U.S. got many additional Class I-B clears, while Canada and Mexico got
a
few Class I-B clears, whereas neither the Bahamas nor Cuba got any Class
I-B
clears at all.

In view of this apparent disparity, what do you think the reaction of
Castro
would, or should be?

And, all of this goes way back to 1939 ... long before Radio Marti.

NARBA is a moot point now. There are "gentlemen's agreements" allowing I-B
stations in Canada and Mexico on U. S. I-A channels. The Bahamas operates a
I-B on 810 khz, a U. S. I-B clear, in addition to its I-A clear on 1540 khz.
(These are just a few examples). The question is whether there should be a
new NARBA, or whether the gentlemen's agreements continue as they are.

In this environment, Cuba would have all the clear channel frequencies it
would need. Therefore, what is happening with WQAM, is that the Cuban
station is not directional. However, in the case of WQAM, the jamming is not
deliberate because WQAM does not broadcast in Spanish. The deliberate
jamming is aimed at high power Miami area stations on 670, 710, and 1140 Khz
broadcasting in Spanish, and also Radio Marti.

"Peter H." wrote in message
...


Since many people believe the Cuban high power operation is in retaliation for
the US' support of Radio and TV Marti, they should write their congressmen and
suggest the interference might go away if Radio/TV Marti went away.


Lessee ...

Cuba was a signatory of NARBA (but later abrogated that treaty).

NARBA gave the United States 25 (count 'em) Class I-A clears, Mexco and Canada
each 6 Class I-A clears, the Bahamas one Class I-A clear (and a U.S. Class I-B
priority on that frequency), and Cuba one Class I-A clear (and a U.S. Class I-B
priority on that frequency).

All of this with no permissible foreign operations on any U.S. Class I-A clear
with the exception of 830 and 1030 to Mexico (limited to 5 kW ND, and limited
to Mexico, DF), for which the U.S. got 800 and 900 (limited to 5 kW ND, and
limited to Alaska) plus 1050 and 1220 (limited to 50 kW DA-1, protecting the
entire U.S.-Mexican border, and limited to New York City and Cleveland,
respectively).

The U.S. got many additional Class I-B clears, while Canada and Mexico got a
few Class I-B clears, whereas neither the Bahamas nor Cuba got any Class I-B
clears at all.

In view of this apparent disparity, what do you think the reaction of Castro
would, or should be?

And, all of this goes way back to 1939 ... long before Radio Marti.

Although....it was Castro who abrogated Cuba's commitment to NARBA. Before then,
Cuba and the US got along famously, and there was no problems in Cubans getting U-S
radio, or Floridians Cuban radio. And, Rich is right. When we make nice with Cuba,
Castro throttles back the blowtorches, since the whole island does perfectly well
with 5kW on most channels (which shoots down your point that Cuba is entitled to 1As
or Bs). It's only when the U-S government starts up with some provocative propaganda
intiative that Castro smokes Florida (and points north...I remember how hard it was
to listen to Jean Shepherd on WOR when the fight was on between the two antagonists,
as there was an operation on 710 which ran 250kW or some such in Cuba).
--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
If there's nothing that offends you in your community, then you know you're not
living in a free society.
Kim Campbell - ex-Prime Minister of Canada - 2004
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
For direct replies, take out the contents between the hyphens. -Really!-

In view of this apparent disparity, what do you think the reaction of Castro
would, or should be?

And, all of this goes way back to 1939 ... long before Radio Marti.

Since the other four NARBA-signatory nations appear to have no trouble obeying
restrictions they agreed to 65 years ago, Castro ought to stop acting like a
bully/crybaby and attempt to negotiate something better for his country.

Oops, forgot: Castro is a Communist, and the other four nations won't
negotiate squat with him. There goes that theory.

The question is whether there should be a
new NARBA, or whether the gentlemen's agreements continue as they are.


I guess you have little real idea how broadcast allocations actually work.

There are no "gentleman's agreements", but there are treaties, such as NARBA,
and "Rio".

Plus the U.S.-Mexican Broadcast Agreement and the U.S.-Canadian Broadcast
agreement.

All coordinated through the State Department, not through a "smoke filled"
room.



The Bahamas operates a I-B on 810 khz, a U. S. I-B clear, in addition to its
I-A clear on 1540 khz. (These are just a few examples).


Bad examples, as there are no more Class I-B stations.

All Class Is were merged into Class A by "Rio". All Class IIs and Class IIIs
were merged into Class B by the same treaty.

There are no Class A (ex-Class I-B) stations in North America on 810 besides
KGO and WGY.

The Bahamas has two stations, a Class A (ex-Class I-A) on 1540, and a Class C
(ex-Class IV) on 1240.

Hello Gentlemen ... & Lovely Ladies:

1.) Are we sure that the interference is aimed toward the South Florida
market?

2.) Is this a directional antenna used in Cuba?

3.) Is it a modification to the directional antenna in Cuba?

4.) Is it intentional?

I have not noticed the change in Ft. Myers, but then again, it is not
one of my button stations.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta

In article , wrote:
Hello Gentlemen ... & Lovely Ladies:

1.) Are we sure that the interference is aimed toward the South Florida
market?

No, but a lot of it gets there.

2.) Is this a directional antenna used in Cuba?

3.) Is it a modification to the directional antenna in Cuba?

No, it's a single stick, I believe.

4.) Is it intentional?

Depends on how you think about it. No doubt they are intentionally running
higher power on 560, but whether they are doing it to try and get their
signal out to the US or to jam US stations, I don't know. I'd rather doubt
it in this case... I rather suspect that they are doing it in an attempt to
improve coverage in Cuba without the expense and difficulty of a proper
directional array.

I think if they _had_ a proper east-west array they could get good coverage
without the interference issues.

I have not noticed the change in Ft. Myers, but then again, it is not
one of my button stations.

It comes in nicely here in Virginia.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."