MONTHLY REPORT--KEY WEST BUREAU--MAY 1985

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86-00040R000300550007-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 9, 2010
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: June 10, 1985
• Content Type: MEMO

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FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE
KEY WEST BUREAU
MAIN P.O. BOX 1056
KEY WEST, FL 33041-1056
MFL-5017
10 June 1985
MEMORANDUM TO: Director, Foreign Broadcast Information Service
THROUGH: Chief, Operations Group
SUBJECT: Monthly Report--Key West Bureau--May 1985
The long-term on-again, off-again promise of the inauguration of
USIA/VOA "Radio Marti" broadcasts to Cuba finally became reality on
20 May. With minimal advance notice, bureau initiated a 24-hr watch
on Cuban media on Sunday evening, 19 May, lasting through 31 May.
Cuban reaction so far has been restrained. Aside from the immediate
suspension of the Cuba-U.S. immigration/travel accord, Radio Havana
initiated a new English shortwave broadcast to North America but has
not taken any steps toward countering Radio Marti with powerful
broadcasts on the mediumwave band which could interfere with many
U.S. commercial stations.
The base housing project is finally moving again, with advisory
on 4 June that the bid announcement has been released publicly with
bid award scheduled for 23 July.
On the local scene, the 2-month-long "Bubba Bust Trial" finally
came to an end with the conviction of 12 local notables, including
the deputy police chief, in a drug smu lin conspiracy. Judi
STAT Bradford, reknowned local
artisan, also garnered some publicity from the event (see attached
Miami Herald story and photo).
A. Monitorial/Editorial
The 20 May inauguration of Radio Marti got both Key West and
Panama bureaus into high gear with around-the-clock watch for Cuban
reaction. Bureau staffing was supplemented with much-appreciated
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monitorial and cruisina support from Panama and MOD. Contract
STAT cruising monitor nd monitor/editor postponed
planned vacations to Hawaii and Puerto Rico, respectively, when the
STAT "all hands on watch" advisory came from headquarters. The heavy file
generated from Havana sources pushed bureau production to the highest
since the Grenada crisis in October 1983. The FCC also got involved
STAT peripherally when discovered a strong spurious emission of
Radio Marti on another me iumwave frequency, eventually traced to a
faulty transmitter at a Marathon, Florida, commercial station.
Other events of interest in Cuba during the month contributing
significantly to bureau output included celebrations marking May Day
and the "Victory Over Fascism" (V-E Day), events marking the
anniversary of the Cuban-Soviet friendship treaty and the 3-day visit
of UN Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar. In a speech during
the UN leader's visit Fidel Castro reiterated Cuba's decision not to
withdraw any troops from Angola until UN Resolution 435 is
implemented and Namibia gains its independence.
B. Communications
While not as bad as last month, the landline CANA circuit
continues to suffer intermittent outages usually blamed on faulty RCA
equipment in New York.
C. Lateral Services
STAT
D. Technical
As a result of our experiments with the Navy's Hermes loop
array antenna and discussions with Engineering Division, Bangkok
Bureau has been asked to ship us their "surplus" Hermes which, when
installed, should significantly improve our ability to monitor
shortwave broadcasts. ED has also asked Nicosia Bureau to transfer to
Key West a Watkins-Johnson fixed-frequency VHF/FM receiver which will
be used to enhance the audio reception of Havana TV broadcasts.
Southern Bell, in conjunction with a reconfiguration of its
key West distribution system, installed a Dataphone-200 modem on the
NOTIMEX landline circuit. A ?imilar change was made on the CANA
circuit earlier this year. FYI regular telephone touch-tone service
is still not available in key West and Southern Bell advises such
service is not planned in the near future (this is still an "outpost"
of civilization!).
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An updated report on the bureau's antenna layout, including
azimuthal diagrams, was forwarded to headquarters for inclusion in
ED's Bureau Fact Book.
A. Pull-Ai-n..Q.-and Grounds
The contract for replacement of fencing around the
operations building was finalized. Installation will begin in early
June after receipt of all necessary supplies.
A contract was signed with Cotton Construction for
installation of support poles and burial of the 640-ft lead-in coax
cable for the bureau's new "temporary" 97-degree Beverage antenna.
The current heat wave in southwest Florida brought on
several breakdowns in the bureau's CAC system. In one instance a
pressure limit valve blew open, releasing most of the Freon. Another
breakdown led to discovery of wiring faults in original installation.
Fortunately, problems were corrected quickly by a local contractor.
1. On 2 May USN CDR Lawrence Boyd and Petty Officer Priscilla
Ayala, on TDY with COMUSFORCARIB J-2 staff, visited bureau for
orientation and briefing.
2. On 10 May communications supervisor) (represented
the bureau at a NAS conference on hurricane preparedness.
3. On 10 May the bureau chief represented FBIS at the Naval
Security Group Activity Key West change of command ceremony at which
CDR Peter Korinis was relieved by CDR Lauren Nelson, formerly head of
NSG at Homestead, Florida.
4. Regional engineer
13-14 May.
5. MOD staffer) and Panama Bureau monitor
were detailed TAY to bureau from 20 to 31 May to provide
during aftermath of Radio Marti inauguration.
supper
6, specialists with the FCC office
in Miami, visited bureau on 29 May in connection with investigation
of spurious emissions by Radio Marti.
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On 17 May a half dozen bureau staffers and spouses attended a
"hail and farewell" party at the Officer's Club in honor of U.S.
Forces Carribean Commander Rear Adm. Ralph Hedges and J-2 Director
Col. Mike Lythgoe who will soon be departing "Paradise." On 31 May
another "hail and farewell" Polynesian luau was staged at Patio Beach
on Truman Annex in honor of outgoing base commander Captain "Red"
Best and several other activity commanders with whom the bureau has
had frequent contact.
Chief, Key West Bureau
Attachments:
Production Report
Miami Herald news clipping & photo
cc: C/Panama, C/Paraguay Bureaus
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KEY WEST BUREAU PRODUCTION REPORT FOR MAY 1985
1. TOTALS FROM ALL SOURCES:
TOTAL PUBLISHABLE WORDAGE FILED DURING MONTH: 168,230
TOTAL NON-PUBLISHABLE WORDAGE FILED DURING MONTH : 43,300
TOTAL NUMBER OF PUBLISHABLE ITEMS FILED DURING MONTH : 695
BROADCAST PRESS AGENCIES PUBLICATIONS
II. INPUT OF REGULAR COVERAGE: 2,575 14,700 21
(PUBLISHABLE WORDS PER WEEK MIN MIN ISSUES
III. OUTPUT FROM ALL SOURCES:
(PUBLISHABLE WORDS PER MONTH)
BAHAMAS
Nassau Domestic Service
in English
Nassau THE TRIBUNE
in English
BARBADOS
Bridgetown CANA
in English
Bridgetown ADVOCATE in English
Bridgetown SUNDAY ADVOCATE
in English
BELIZE
Belize City Domestic Service -0-
in English
CUBA
Havana Domestic Service
in Spanish
Havana Television Service
in Spanish
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Santo Domingo Radio Mil
in Spanish
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KEY WEST BUREAU PRODUCTION REPORT FOR MAY 1985
Santo Domingo LISTIN DIARIO
in Spanish
JAMAICA
Kingston Domestic Service
in English
Kingston DAILY GLEANER
in English
Kingston SUNDAY GLEANER
in English
MEXICO
Mexico City NOTIMEX
in Spanish
NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
Bonaire Trans World Radio
in English
THE NETHERLANDS
Hilversum International
in English
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MIAMI H' \LD Z9 May 85
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