[IRCA] caribbean trip report part 2 of 2 Cayman FM

["Bob Foxworth" <rfoxwor1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Another Caribbean Trip Report - part 2 of 2


I did a fairly involved survey of FM in the Grand Cayman
area, when outbound, mid-afternoon. I was able to
identify TWELVE!!! FM signals coming from Grand Cayman. Not
having a WRTH, I don't know how much of this is known
to DXers. I know that Powell heard one of them, so perhaps
someone's unID from the Es season will match my notes?

I know this is FM, if you feel it is 'Off Topic', just
kindly delete your copy. Just trying to reach as many as
I can. Maybe one of you had one of these on Es this summer.

I was listening with the DX398 1430-1530 localtime EDT
29 Aug while westbound from George Town, Grand Cayman
(on EST time there) after our 1400 departure**. FM signals
were held until reaching 19d 26.2m N; 81 deg 55.4m W
when the louder ones started dropping out. I was in the
cabin on 5th deck (of 12), window facing south. Heading
291 deg, speed 21.4 mi/hr. (note: on the older ships
such as the Inspiration, the window glass will pass GPS
signals. Newer ships e.g. Triumph, the cabin windows
are an absolute block to GPS and you need to be topside.
This is probably metallization to block UV light).

**ship always stays on time of the home port, here, EDT,
though both visit ports were 1 hour earlier.

I heard the following, all believed from Caymans. Incidentally
I heard both "CAY-mun" and "kay-MANN" used in speech.

There is of course no guarantee that these formats apply
at any particular time. For instance I heard BBC satellite
feed news audio on one of these, in a cab, around noon;
I think it was the 104.1 but that's just a guess. And,
most everything with music seemed automated, often segued.

88.7 Gospel, weak signal, very little talking

89.9 Local telephone talk, local issues, relig. context

94.9 "Spin ninety-four nine", rap music

96.5 "kay-rock ninety six five"; rock mx

97.7 "heaven ninety seven" gospel, relig. news items
 Call 945-2707 to FAX in items, 939-0350 prayer help.

98.9 "The Vibe", "ninety eight nine" Carib, hip-hop, had
 at least one ad in Spanish

99.9 rock.
 RDS: "TODAYS / Z99FM"

101.9 country, CNN news.
 RDS: "ROOSTER / 101 / CAYMAN / COUNTRY "

104.1 rock.
 RDS: "HOT 104 / YOUR / MUSIC" (or) "YOUR / STATION"
      alternating with song title/artist display

105.3 rock, local radio, spoken: "keep it locked on The
 Breeze", "Happy Radio Breeze F-M"

106.1 rock.
 RDS: "KISS FM"  alternating with title/artist display

107.1 rock.
 RDS: "X 107--1" alternating with titles display.

Total of 12 identifiable signals, 5 w/RDS. As for AM (which
long ago used to be on 1205 and 1555) - ha, ha. I would have
no idea where to look for old AM towers - everything from
George Town up the 7-mile beach, up to Hell, turtle farms etc.,
is pretty well developed, properties are very expensive. SO
any old AM sites are likely long razed, or were way out East.

We bought a book on Cayman geology. Much of the area is
karstic limestone that shows evidence of multiple long-term
inundations long ago, and the area is an elevated risk of
earthquakes, due to being on the border between two tectonic
plates, on a fault zone running E-W and on towards Eastern
Cuba. (recall the 1694 tsunami at Port Royal, Jamaica)


Feel free to republish this in any other DX club medium
e.g. WTFDA (to which I cannot post) etc.

73 Bob
Bob Foxworth, Tampa FL  k2euh  info as of end of August 2007









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