Cuban Government Jamming 40 meter US HAM BAND

You need to be neutered by those who think they know better, didn't you know? I think a majority is sick of it these days. Let the hall monitors have their day though as its going to be short lived when the tempest starts in earnest.

 

Cuban regime is jamming ham frequencies for political purposes. Like it or not, ham radio may have to get somewhat political.

 

Please check the following article: https://netblocks.org/reports/socia...id-widening-anti-government-protests-QAdrmwyl

Plus there are power cuts all over.

 

Josh KI6NAZ from Ham Radio Crashcourse has triangulated the QRM and it in fact is coming from the island.

 

Everything is always political. And any act by a government, especially _jamming communications_ is inherently a political act.

But our discussion of such need not digress into a political shouting match about (to name a few things) "what the (our) government should do about it now" "what the demopublicans/republicrats should do/should have done/were evil to have done" "what is right with my -ism of choice and what is wrong with yours" etc.

Apparent jamming is happening. Useful information is: when and where, on what frequencies, what can we as amateurs do to minimize the effect on our communications, to whom can we legitimately protest, etc. Some of these acts (eg. minimizing the effect on amateur communication) will have an inherently political effect in the same fashion that jamming such communications is a political act.

A totally non-political technical discussion of jamming resistant communication will have political effects, but IMHO is not something that should lead to the sort of shouting match discussions that we should be avoiding.

-Jon

 

I have been hearing it on 3.9 in the afternoon here in Mass

 

Good general overview of readily available technology we can use to narrow down signal location. Very brief and otherwise tasteful into and outro music. Nearly 100% usable content.

As an established harsh critic of many ham radio YouTube videos and "presenters/influencers", this particular video is one I can heartily endorse. Well done, Josh.

 

Am I correct in thinking that, with the internet cut off in Cuba due to the protests/rebellion, that Cuban hams are becoming providers of important information to the locals, in contact with Cuban-American hams in FL to get info otherwise blocked? And that the Cuban regime is responding by trying to jam the frequencies being used by the Cuban hams to get info from the US about Cuba? If so, then there is nothing that can be done by anybody except to keep spinning the Big Knob in an effort to outwit the Cuban govt. Shortwave jamming has been around ever since the US started broadcasting to the Soviet Union after the construction of the Iron Curtain, and the Soviets realized they could put a noise signal on the same freq to block it. The thing is, a 500kw broadcast transmitter has far fewer options to evade jamming than a group of hams. We have a broader range of freqs and of course radios with Big Knobs. Also we can pop on the air at any time day or night. At my QTH 40m is blocked by solar panel QRM or else I'd listen in. Next time somebody says "what's the point of ham radio when we all have phones?" start talking about this.

 

Would it be bad form to use CW and call CQ CUBA over the jamming?

 

@KD2RDG Try it see what you get back and let us know here.

 

No. Just no.

ITU Radio Regulations
"1.56 amateur service: A radiocommunication service for the purpose of self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations carried out by amateurs, that is, by duly authorized persons interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest."
https://life.itu.int/radioclub/rr/frr.htm

ITU Radio Regulations Chapter VI, Amateur Radio
"25.2 § 2 1) Transmissions between amateur stations of different countries shall be limited to communications incidental to the purposes of the amateur service, as defined in No. 1.56 [above] and to remarks of a personal character. (WRC-03)"

FCC Regulations Part 97.3.A
"(4) Amateur service. A radiocommunication service for the purpose of self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations carried out by amateurs, that is, duly authorized persons interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest.

"
§ 97.117 International Communications.
"Transmissions to a different country, where permitted, shall be limited to communications incidental to the purposes of the amateur service and to remarks of a personal character."
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/47/part-97

*Political discussions, Aid and support to political protester are CLEARLY forbidden by ITU Treaty Regulations and FCC Regulations.

**Violating these regulations risks nations revoking or restricting amateur PRIVILEGES.

 

What's the point of emcom or having diverse modes of communication if the only thing you can relay over a mayday is your antenna size or your country ham recipe?

 

Hamradio played a part in both Grenada and the falklands.