[IRCA] Radio Swan and other gastly memories

[Charles A & Leonor L Taylor <calltaylor@xxxxxxx>]

IRCA Crew,

Naturally, I heard R. Swan and the later Radio Américas. I got a verie from the latter and
from its jammer, CMBQ-1162 Radio Enciclopedia Popular, La Havana.
Nice memories, up to a point.

I was a teenager going to Scecina Memorial HS in Indianapolis. I remember Pres. John F.
Kennedy delivering the orders to embargo Cuba and the ensuing "Cuban Missile Crisis."

What wasn't pleasant was knowing:

1. Indiana National Guard elements had been placed on full alert,
2. Naval Avionics Facility, Indianapolis [I later was employed there], was a probable
   nuclear target of the USSR,
3. The world was on the brink of a nuclear war.

I lived in constant fear that week. I was one scared kid. The psychological scars remain
to this day. And I remain a low-level mental rebel to this day. I was angry that the rest
of my fellow students at Scecina seemed not to have a clue that anything unusual was
occurring. All other HS student associates from other schools had the same cluelessness,
except for a few fellow DXers.

Another unpleasant thought is that history eventually proved me right. All I did was use my
SW receiver and hear the heavy military voice traffic on various frequencies. And a certain
sixth sense.

For you younger MWDXers:

1. The military set up a 1040-kHz, 50-kW transmitter that carried VOA's running Spanish
   translation of Kennedy's speech. Saddle Bunch or Sugar Loaf Key, I think the location was.
2. Other stations carrying VOA's running Spanish translation of Kennedy's speech, were:
   a. WWL-870
   b. WSB-750
   c. KGBT-1530 Harlingen (Texas) on probable day facilities. KGBT absolutely ripped
         the then WCKY-1530 Cincinnati to shreds.
         At the conclusions of VOA's running Spanish translation of Kennedy's speech,
         KGBT went to its night-time facilities and TOTALLY disappeared.
      I have a verie letter/QSL from KGBT for this SSA!


73 de Charlie WD9INP/4

            ---------
Charles A & Leonor L Taylor
  Greenville, North Carolina

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