Radio America for Swan Island back in the 1960's
 

I just came across my old SWL collection and found a card from Radio
America from the Broadcast Band. I believe they broadcast from Swan
Island. Any info would be nice. What you know about them ?

Thanks
Ron WA0KDS

Radio America for Swan Island back in the 1960's
 

Ron wrote:

I just came across my old SWL collection and found a card from Radio
America from the Broadcast Band. I believe they broadcast from Swan
Island. Any info would be nice. What you know about them ?

http://www.trsc.com/ref_radio_swan_americas.html

I've seen that card sell for over $300 on eBay.

You might Google for other sites with info on Radio Swan and/or Radio Americas.

Though I heard them on SW when they were I unfortunately never sent off for a
QSL.

dxAce
Michigan
USA

Radio America for Swan Island back in the 1960's
 

"Ron" wrote in message
...
I just came across my old SWL collection and found a card from Radio
America from the Broadcast Band. I believe they broadcast from Swan
Island. Any info would be nice. What you know about them ?

1160 AM, 50 kw, 2-tower directional from Isla de Cisnes, a Honduran
possession SW of Cuba.

It operated with two names, Radio Swan and then Radio Americas. It was
evidently a CIA "front" and appeared to be operated by the Gibraltar
Steamship Corp, with an address in the Ingrahm Bldg. on 2nd in Miami. The
manager was on Horton Heath.

I visited the Ingrahm Bldg in 62 or 63... and found that the office was
essentially a mail drop. The office existed, but was the office of the
"Secretaría" of the´AIR, Asociación Interamericana de Radiodifusión. I met a
Mr. Ramón Goicochea, a Cuban who had worked with Goar Mestre before the
Revolution and was told that he could not give me much information.

Years later, in the late 60's, I was on the organizing committee of the
annual convention of the AIR in Quito, Ecuador. Who showed up to manage
things? Mr. Goicochea, who at that point admitted the station was funded by
the CIA and had the support of the exile community in Miami, from where
staff and supplies were ferried via private planes.

For many years, I had a reel to reel tape of the station recorded in Ohio on
the night of the Bay of Pigs invasion... but the tape eventually
disintegrated. It contained a lot of cryptic mentions, probably code words
for the invading forces.

Several DXers in the 60's, particularly one C. M. Stanbury of Ontario,
doubted the location of the station, and made much noise to prove its
location in other places. So there is an element of black helicopter
conspiracy here from the DX community. I am satisfied that the station was
on Swan, based on Mr. Goicochea's information as well as having hired,
later, some of the announcers who worked for Radio Americas and who later
worked for me at WHTT, WSUA and WCMQ in Miami.

Radio America for Swan Island back in the 1960's
 

"dxAce" wrote in message
...


Though I heard them on SW when they were I unfortunately never sent off
for a
QSL.

Sure. Right. In another post, you said you were not DXing in that period of
time.

Radio America for Swan Island back in the 1960's
 

David Fracketon Gleason, posing as 'Eduardo', all 'round prancing fool, wrote:

"dxAce" wrote in message
...


Though I heard them on SW when they were I unfortunately never sent off
for a
QSL.

Sure. Right. In another post, you said you were not DXing in that period of
time.

I never said I wasn't DX'ing from 1966 or so.

Back in your hole, dip****.

dxAce
Michigan
USA

Radio America for Swan Island back in the 1960's
 

"dxAce" wrote in message
...


David Fracketon Gleason, posing as 'Eduardo', all 'round prancing fool,
wrote:

"dxAce" wrote in message
...


Though I heard them on SW when they were I unfortunately never sent off
for a
QSL.

Sure. Right. In another post, you said you were not DXing in that period
of
time.

I never said I wasn't DX'ing from 1966 or so.

Now you were, before you were not. Interesting.

Radio America for Swan Island back in the 1960's
 

dxAce wrote:

David Fracketon Gleason, posing as 'Eduardo', all 'round prancing fool, wrote:

"dxAce" wrote in message
...


Though I heard them on SW when they were I unfortunately never sent off
for a
QSL.

Sure. Right. In another post, you said you were not DXing in that period of
time.

I never said I wasn't DX'ing from 1966 or so.

And to be honest about it I wouldn't even call it DX'ing, more like an interested
listener.

I didn't really get involved in DX'ing for the pure fun of it until 1982.

dxAce
Michigan
USA

Radio America for Swan Island back in the 1960's
 

Does this help?
http://www.qsl.net/sidxa/history.html

--
CL -- I doubt, therefore I might be !






"Ron" wrote in message
...
I just came across my old SWL collection and found a card from Radio
America from the Broadcast Band. I believe they broadcast from Swan
Island. Any info would be nice. What you know about them ?

Thanks
Ron WA0KDS

Radio America for Swan Island back in the 1960's
 

David Frackelton Gleason, posing as 'Eduardo', Univision Radio's most prolific
pedant and general all 'round **** wrote:

"dxAce" wrote in message
...


David Fracketon Gleason, posing as 'Eduardo', all 'round prancing fool,
wrote:

"dxAce" wrote in message
...


Though I heard them on SW when they were I unfortunately never sent off
for a
QSL.

Sure. Right. In another post, you said you were not DXing in that period
of
time.

I never said I wasn't DX'ing from 1966 or so.

Now you were, before you were not. Interesting.

You're spinning, 'tard boy! Try not to get your prancer panties in knots today.

LMFAO

Radio America for Swan Island back in the 1960's
 

David Frackelton Gleason, posing as 'Eduardo', Univision Radio's most prolific
pedant and general all 'round **** wrote:

"dxAce" wrote in message
...


David Fracketon Gleason, posing as 'Eduardo', all 'round prancing fool,
wrote:

"dxAce" wrote in message
...


Though I heard them on SW when they were I unfortunately never sent off
for a
QSL.

Sure. Right. In another post, you said you were not DXing in that period
of
time.

I never said I wasn't DX'ing from 1966 or so.

Now you were, before you were not. Interesting.

What's interesting is knowing just how far you've got your head up your prancing
ass!

Show me where I stated anything to the contrary.

dxAce
Michigan
USA

Radio America for Swan Island back in the 1960's
 

dxAce wrote:
Ron wrote:

I just came across my old SWL collection
.....

http://www.trsc.com/ref_radio_swan_americas.html

I've seen that card sell for over $300 on eBay.

In a move I have come to regret, I threw away my BCB QSL cards years
ago. Of course, I filled that space with stuff much less valuable.
Anyway, I think I kept that one card. I'm sure I did, in fact.

Radio America for Swan Island back in the 1960's
 

On Thu, 06 Jul 2006 19:51:41 GMT, "David Eduardo" wrote:

Several DXers in the 60's, particularly one C. M. Stanbury of Ontario,
doubted the location of the station, and made much noise to prove its
location in other places. So there is an element of black helicopter
conspiracy here from the DX community. I am satisfied that the station was
on Swan, based on Mr. Goicochea's information as well as having hired,
later, some of the announcers who worked for Radio Americas and who later
worked for me at WHTT, WSUA and WCMQ in Miami.

I remember that dispute sputtering on for quite a while. I presume that
Stanbury is no longer with us, having gone to that Great DXpedition in the
Sky, no?
--
Chris Hansen | chrishansenhome at btinternet dot com
|http://www.hansenhome.demon.co.uk or
|http://www.livejournal.com/users/chrishansenhome/

Radio America for Swan Island back in the 1960's
 

Christian Hansen wrote:

On Thu, 06 Jul 2006 19:51:41 GMT, "David Eduardo" wrote:

Several DXers in the 60's, particularly one C. M. Stanbury of Ontario,
doubted the location of the station, and made much noise to prove its
location in other places. So there is an element of black helicopter
conspiracy here from the DX community. I am satisfied that the station was
on Swan, based on Mr. Goicochea's information as well as having hired,
later, some of the announcers who worked for Radio Americas and who later
worked for me at WHTT, WSUA and WCMQ in Miami.

I remember that dispute sputtering on for quite a while. I presume that
Stanbury is no longer with us, having gone to that Great DXpedition in the
Sky, no?

Yes, deceased.

dxAce
Michigan
USA

Radio America for Swan Island back in the 1960's
 

In article , Ron wrote:
I just came across my old SWL collection and found a card from Radio
America from the Broadcast Band. I believe they broadcast from Swan
Island. Any info would be nice. What you know about them ?

I remember reading in one of the late 1960's electronics magazines
about a visit by the editor to the facility on Swan Island, after which
the station went off the the air. I think it was Tom Kneitel (sp?)
who edited Electronics Illustrated and also one of the CB magazines (S9?).
(My copies of Electronics Illustrated are buried too deep in storage to
find it any time soon).


Mark Zenier
Googleproofaddress(account:mzenier provider:eskimo domain:com)

Radio America for Swan Island back in the 1960's
 

Tom Kneitel wrote an excellent article about R. Americas and R. Swan in
_Electronics Illustrated_ in the 1960s. He and editor Bob Beason actually
visited Swan Island when the stations were still on the air and Kneitel
actually mentioned the controversy of the transmitters' supposed location
(though he did not mention Stanbury by name). Kneitel reported on (and
printed pictures of) the transmitters, the island, and the people living and
working there. Kneitel wrote at the time that he had no doubt that the
whole operation was a front for the CIA, working against Castro, and in fact
not long after his article appeared the stations went off the air (I've read
elsewhere on the 'Net that the tranmitters were sent to Vietnam).

I have scans of Kneitel's article. E-mail me if interested.

Matt J. McCullar
Arlington, TX

Radio America for Swan Island back in the 1960's
 

"Matt J. McCullar" wrote:

Tom Kneitel wrote an excellent article about R. Americas and R. Swan in
_Electronics Illustrated_ in the 1960s. He and editor Bob Beason actually
visited Swan Island when the stations were still on the air and Kneitel
actually mentioned the controversy of the transmitters' supposed location
(though he did not mention Stanbury by name). Kneitel reported on (and
printed pictures of) the transmitters, the island, and the people living and
working there. Kneitel wrote at the time that he had no doubt that the
whole operation was a front for the CIA, working against Castro, and in fact
not long after his article appeared the stations went off the air (I've read
elsewhere on the 'Net that the tranmitters were sent to Vietnam).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swan_Islands

Makes reference to transmitters being moved to Vietnam.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Swan

This one makes reference to the Radio Swan transmitter being previously used by
Radio Free Europe before being installed on Swan Island and then its being sent
to South Vietnam.

dxAce
Michigan
USA