HM01 - Pedro drops the ball

[MDK2]

I tuned into frequency 11435 kHz at 1557 UTC today (27 Dec. 2016), by which time HM01 is usually broadcasting, but there was nothing but static. However, the sound of the carrier coming on the air was noted at 1602. At 1603 the sound of RDFT was finally noted, followed by numbers and more RDFT, as if someone forgot to turn on the transmitter until the middle of the broadcast. As of 1605 everything seems to be normal.

[shadypyro]

 Maybe Pedro was either sleeping or forgot to turn HM01 on

[MDK2]

Today (Jan. 2, 2017) at 17:54 UTC, I heard a bit of Radio Habana Cuba go out on HM01's frequency of 11635. It lasted for about 30 seconds.

Yesterday (Jan. 1), I heard HM01 during the hours of 1700, 1800, 2100, and 2200, then the Jan. 2 transmission at 0600 and 0700. During each of these broadcasts, HM01 was broadcasting dual transmissions, with the second one lagging behind the first by about 5 seconds, for a doubling effect that likely made the RDFT unreceivable. I assume that this happened with every single transmission in the HM01 "day" which begins with the 1600 broadcast and ends with the 1000 one.

[MDK2]

Pedro must have overslept. The carrier for the 11435 broadcast only came on at 16:01, and at 16:02 we joined it already in progress (that is, right in the middle of a RDFT transmission).

[MDK2]

I didn't check until now (10 Jan 2017, 1705 UTC) so I don't know if the 1600 broadcast on 11435 went out. But 11530, the frequency used at 1700, is dead. No transmission, no carrier, no nuthin'.

[fpeconsultant]

Today 1/10 the 1600z 1700z and so far 2100z spots have been zilch.

[fpeconsultant]

2205z 17480khz transmission valid after a few glitches.

[MDK2]

Thanks fpeconsultant. I also checked 1800 and 2100 but was occupied during 2200.

[MDK2]

Another case of an RHC broadcast going out on HM01, this time with video. At about 4:25 RHC ends and HM01 is joined already in progress. This was earlier today (11 Jan. 2017, 11635 AM, beginning at 2055 UTC).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVFX2yoREPA

[shadypyro]

Dang I miss it, but today Pedro started M08a on time at 22:57 utc. Mucha gracias Pedro!

[MDK2]

22 January 2017, 05:55 UTC - The 0600 transmission begins on 10860, the 0500 frequency, rather then 10345, the 0600 frequency. At 0600, the broadcast was interrupted, with a few false restarts of the numbers-only portion of the set, then the carrier went QRT. The carrier reappeared at 10345 at 0602. There was no broadcast until 0606, when it started from the top.

[MDK2]

Two new developments.

One, HM01 has a new number group as of yesterday (1/24) and another today (1/25). Although there is a file being transmitted for each, it's either resending the same file that is associated with the immediately preceding group, or it's sending some kind of null file that the DIGTRX program can't produce. The Rx window is simply blank and no new file appears. If there were error messages then I would know that the file has bad blocks or something, but since it's giving no errors I can't say that they're sending a bad file, or that I'm having poor reception (I'm not, and the DIGTRX program is running smoothly). I've documented this over on my January 2017 HM01 log.

Two, I was just listening to HM01 on 11435, it's regular frequency for the 1600 UTC hour, when it suddenly cut off in the middle of a RDFT transmission at 1649z. I looked at the waterfall and the carrier was gone, however you could see one at 11530, it's regular frequency for 1700. I went over there and the broadcast was happening. But it ended normally, leaving the carrier. So far, this is a typical mistake that they make.

However, something new then happened. At 1652 voices were briefly heard, faint but clear enough to copy - get this - Brother Stair. It went away, but was heard again briefly at 1654. It was unmistakably Brother Stair. I don't have a recording unfortunately. Normal HM01 transmission began at 1655.

EDIT: WRMI has a transmitter on 11530. They only use it two hours a day, and not for TOM, but it's still possible that the Brother Stair snippets came from them.