Cuban Government Jamming 40 meter US HAM BAND

First question: What's the point of making the "jamming story" 'go viral'? Yes - it's important! Word should get out, people should know what's happening in Cuba and to our airwaves.

But I think it's really important to ask 'WHY' we want to make it viral - to what end? There are many ways to help the Cuban people, but aside from making sure we keep the lines of apolitical ham radio good will open, there's not much our license grant allows us to do from within the service. What we CAN do is one of our primary jobs - report the jamming.

In any discipline, one datum isn't that useful. Thousands of inputs, however, provide the foundation that the next level in the "protect our spectrum" food chain needs in order to do their jobs. If we don't "make the bullets" they can't do any "shooting".

As you and others work your 'social media' campaigns, make sure you let people know what they should do once they're made aware there's a problem.

 

Sorry brother - no. The 1A confirms that citizens have a number of rights that the Federal government must "make no law" that "abridges" - like speech. Our current jamming problem is not a 1A issue because it's not coming from the US Federal government.
The jamming isn't infringing on our speech rights or frankly any other 'right' because we don't have a 'right' to the bands we're allowed to operate on - we have a privileged grant.

Our duty is to report the illegal intrusions into our band. That duty came as part of the "terms of use" when we signed for our ticket.

 

Perhaps one problem is that most in the United States have been so fortunate for so long that many of us simply can not understand the value of basic freedom like unfettered, mutual communication. I spent a lot of my young life behind the Iron Curtain and working with escapees from those regimes, so this Cuban situation is very familiar. To have a series of public gatherings calling for improvement in conditions in Cuba requires HUGE bravery. (look-up "Prague Spring 1968" for comparisson) Radio is able to link radio aficianados like us, even when the internet and other infrastrusture communication is throttled. The use of jamming equipment on ham and maritme bands shows the desperation of the regime down there to silence those who simply want to talk about the situation. We are a technical & comminication hobby, so let's communicate.

73 de Ray ..._ ._

 

This should be of interest:
https://www.vice.com/en/article/y3d...whether-cuban-government-is-jamming-ham-radio

 

I would advise that subsequent posts are about ham radio, and not about politics, please.

 

Yes, indeed. We are blocked in SE Louisiana:

 

How does one to that with Cuba?

 

It's common sense, but I'll explain because you asked an honest question;

Let's say you and I were on 40M with a Net, and Cuba keys over our QSO. I call you, you answer. We continue our conversation on the radio, and over the phone at the same time. Cuba would not be able to disrupt our radio coms at all, no matter how much power they poured out. They may still be jamming the band, but their efforts have failed. over time, they might notice this fact, and find greener pastures.

 

Except the Cuban government's intent appears to be to limit the ability of a small number their own citizens (i.e. amateur radio operators), using a very limited number of what many US operators would call low tech, mostly QRP-level, equipment, from communicating with fellow hams, both on and off the relatively small island, correct? Ham operators off the island can tune around and find a spot the works, perhaps even bump up their power if needed; I'm not so sure about locals.

Also remember, they've already terminated the bulk of their external internet traffic down there, including HughesNet sat services. I'm thinking they wouldn't have an issue increasing the jamming.

That's why I asked the "How does one to that with Cuba" question. As ham operators, I think our only real responsibility is to report the interference...it's a violation of an International Treaty that should be near and dear to each of us. What folks do outside of that is a personal choice.

 

I have been hearing this, too. One jammer has also been showing up (although with a weaker signal) around 7.210 or 7.215. Much of our segment 7.100 to 7.200 is rendered useless at night, although I still hear CW activity below 7.125 (the low end of the U.S. phone band). If this is indeed Cuban jamming due to the political situation on the island, it's the first time ever that a government has deliberately jammed amateur radio frequencies. Cuba, of course, is no stranger to jamming. That country has imported jamming into the Western Hemisphere. But that jamming was always directed at broadcast stations that its government does not want its citizens to listen to, such as WAQI (a Spanish language talk station in Miami) and Radio Marti (a Miami-based station operated by the U.S. government). The mediumwave jamming consists of broadcast stations airing Cuban domestic programming on the same frequencies (710 and 1180 kHz). WOR (New York) and WHAM (Rochester, NY) are collateral damage in this radio war and I have heard Cuba's Radio Rebelde under both stations at night during the winter. Noise jammers have been used against shortwave transmissions of Radio Marti. For reference, I am located in northeastern Pennsylvania.

 

I am hearing this interference in Pennsylvania. It fades in about an hour or two before local sunset and continues throughout the night.

 

Ah! So their INTENT makes some difference to our responses during our hypothetical QSO on the local 'bla-bla net'? Of course, "our only real responsibility is to report the interference" as a "violation" --- But to whom? And what corrective actions do you honestly expect from a government agency frightened of angering their new bosses?
Some would turn off the rig, place a dust cover over their disconnected equipment, and hope for a better year.. MY answer would be to spit in Cuba's eye by using the bands, over, under and through their jamming efforts, which was my point (the validity of which, was swiftly questioned). And sure, there are hams in Alaska and Oregon, who may be in a QSO on 40M, or 80M as I type this, who are wondering, "WHAT interference? I don't hear a thing!". But here in SW Florida, 'it is a thing', you'll just have to take my word on that, if you can.
Don't sweat it, as we Floridians don't sweat it either. We are resilient & resourceful. So regardless of the "intent" of those interfering, we will figure out how to proceed. As for me and my station, I'll continue to do what I've learned that WORKS.

 

The reason your hypothetical doesn't apply is that in your scenario the people were jamming you. One doesn't jam a transmitter - they jam a receiver. They do that because by the time a KW in PA gets to Cuba, it's microwatts - and it's easy to throw some noise at that. Hopefully now you see why getting on the phone as a way to deter jamming isn't useful here - especially since the hams on the island don't have phone service... TLDR - it's not just about Floridians talking with PA - it's about US hams trying to stay in touch with their families in Cuba.

BTW - we have details in this thread that covers the 'to whom' part. IARU reporting process with reports filed with our nation's org - ours is the ARRL.
https://www.iarums-r2.org/report.html
https://www.iarums-r2.org/report-form.pdf
https://www.iarums-r2.org/contact.html
https://www.iaru.org/reference/member-societies/

 

Thanks for those practical reporting details. And I look forward to seeing what any eventual FCC report looks like.

 

I'm not giving you a hard time about how you, or anyone else, (including the FCC) handles it. I'm giving you a hard time about you tying to convince me there's nothing at all I can do about it, or to simply enjoy it, and go watch a little TV until this blows over. You won't.
I've stated my opinion and personal solution (temporary, I hope) to this issue.
It works for me, as long as my contact still feels like 'playin' radio'. How my transmissions OTA are perceived by others is their business.
I'm done. My work here is through (See avatar)...