BajaNomad

Indigenous radio signal west of San Javier?

Beagle - 6-6-2016 at 06:20 PM

Not sure where to post this so it's going here.

Several weeks ago we took a Jeep from Loreto to San Jaunico. Decided to take the road up to San Javier mission on the way and then continued on the dirt road past that to "short cut" west over to 1. It spit us out just north of Insurgentes.

So about 30 min before we hit 1, out of boredom we are scrolling through the AM Channels on the car radio and get a really strong station. Only thing is, it's not in Spanish. It's definitely Indigenous or whatever term you like that doesn't offend someone. It came in really clearly and played music and then lots of talk in between.

This was in the middle of Nowhere as you can imagine. We saw 2 ranchos in 3 hours and not a lot else. Gorgeous area and would love to go back.

So is there still a lot of indigenous folks up in the mountains there speaking the original tongue? Enough to have a radio station? Anyone know what we were picking up and out of where?

Just thought it was really interesting.

Thanks!
Beagle

Ateo - 6-6-2016 at 06:35 PM

Yes. Very interesting. Can't wait to learn more. Let's go Nomads.

mtgoat666 - 6-6-2016 at 06:36 PM

I often get Navajo stations on AM in Baja, but usually not mid day, just night, dawn and dusk. Maybe you were picking up NM or AZ station?

BornFisher - 6-6-2016 at 06:43 PM

Navajo, from the Res!!!
Very strong station. Sometimes they speak english, sometimes Navajo.
Just my best guess from driving thru Arizona.

Beagle - 6-6-2016 at 06:50 PM

So on the map this was just North of Insurgentes on the West side of the mountains, west of San Javier mission. Southern Baja. Do you think we were picking up a station from AZ all the way down there? I'm not a radio expert by any means but that sure does seem far. But hey, you learn something everyday. We were enjoying the music actually.

Edit: This was mid-day

[Edited on 6-7-2016 by Beagle]

AKgringo - 6-6-2016 at 06:57 PM

I was camped at Gonzaga Bay one evening just about two years ago, and I was tuned into a Sacramento CA station that shouldn't have been able to reach there. It was strong at first, then faded out, never to be heard again on that trip!

Do you recall the frequency you were tuned into?

mtgoat666 - 6-6-2016 at 07:00 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Beagle  
So on the map this was just North of Insurgentes on the West side of the mountains, west of San Javier mission. Southern Baja. Do you think we were picking up a station from AZ all the way down there? I'm not a radio expert by any means but that sure does seem far. But hey, you learn something everyday. We were enjoying the music actually.

Edit: This was mid-day

[Edited on 6-7-2016 by Beagle]


I think the AM radio waves like traveling at night. I always pick up SW USA AM stations in Baja sur, at night. A geek will soon be along to explain the physics.

Beagle - 6-6-2016 at 07:00 PM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo  
I was camped at Gonzaga Bay one evening just about two years ago, and I was tuned into a Sacramento CA station that shouldn't have been able to reach there. It was strong at first, then faded out, never to be heard again on that trip!

Do you recall the frequency you were tuned into?


No idea AK. I was just punching Scan as we bumbled along in the jeep. Then it would hit on that station. Came across it twice in a few hours. It was all there was so we listened to it. It was just sorta surreal.

Beagle - 6-6-2016 at 07:02 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
Quote: Originally posted by Beagle  
So on the map this was just North of Insurgentes on the West side of the mountains, west of San Javier mission. Southern Baja. Do you think we were picking up a station from AZ all the way down there? I'm not a radio expert by any means but that sure does seem far. But hey, you learn something everyday. We were enjoying the music actually.

Edit: This was mid-day

[Edited on 6-7-2016 by Beagle]


I think the AM radio waves like traveling at night. I always pick up SW USA AM stations in Baja sur, at night. A geek will soon be along to explain the physics.


This was right about 1pm in the afternoon.

mtgoat666 - 6-6-2016 at 07:04 PM

The ionosphere is your friend. Go google up some sci knowledge.

Quote: Originally posted by Beagle  
Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
Quote: Originally posted by Beagle  
So on the map this was just North of Insurgentes on the West side of the mountains, west of San Javier mission. Southern Baja. Do you think we were picking up a station from AZ all the way down there? I'm not a radio expert by any means but that sure does seem far. But hey, you learn something everyday. We were enjoying the music actually.

Edit: This was mid-day

[Edited on 6-7-2016 by Beagle]


I think the AM radio waves like traveling at night. I always pick up SW USA AM stations in Baja sur, at night. A geek will soon be along to explain the physics.


This was right about 1pm in the afternoon.

Beagle - 6-6-2016 at 07:16 PM

Goat. My Googler is telling me that they should travel much further at night from the Ionosphere. This was mid-day. However, I'm sure theres a bunch of variables that I don't know about nor understand. :?:
Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
The ionosphere is your friend. Go google up some sci knowledge.

Quote: Originally posted by Beagle  
Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
Quote: Originally posted by Beagle  
So on the map this was just North of Insurgentes on the West side of the mountains, west of San Javier mission. Southern Baja. Do you think we were picking up a station from AZ all the way down there? I'm not a radio expert by any means but that sure does seem far. But hey, you learn something everyday. We were enjoying the music actually.

Edit: This was mid-day

[Edited on 6-7-2016 by Beagle]


I think the AM radio waves like traveling at night. I always pick up SW USA AM stations in Baja sur, at night. A geek will soon be along to explain the physics.


This was right about 1pm in the afternoon.


[Edited on 6-7-2016 by Beagle]

TMW - 6-6-2016 at 07:36 PM

There are a number of variables involve. Lower frequency AM usually travel the farthest. Temperature, moisture, fog and others play a roll. Higher frequencies travel very well over water.

I have on several occasions picked up AM 1560 from Bakersfield during the early afternoon south of Catavina from about KM 200 to KM 230. Along the coast at night at Bahia Blanco I've picked up AM1550 from Sacramento.

Signals coming and going are usually from inversion layers moving up and/or down usually due to heat and cooling.

[Edited on 6-7-2016 by TMW]

KaceyJ - 6-6-2016 at 08:02 PM

Listened to it all over southern Baja this last trip in March

I started calling it Baja Goa because of the repetitiveness

Actually was enjoyable at times

fdt - 6-6-2016 at 10:55 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Beagle  


So is there still a lot of indigenous folks up in the mountains there speaking the original tongue? Enough to have a radio station? Anyone know what we were picking up and out of where?

Just thought it was really interesting.



None left, the indigenous people of Baja California Sur have all dissapeared, there are some groups left in the northern parts of the peninsula and yes, there are radio stations that broadcast in the native languages of the different ethnicities (they don't like beeing called indigenous or indians, they are ethnic).
Now, the only one I knew about, since I've heard it broadcast before was XEQIN out of San Quintin that caters to the mixtec population They have mixtec dj's and mixtec programing. Mixtec is from Oaxaca.
I don't think that was the station you listened to beeing so far south but it could have been one of the bilingual (ethnic / spanish) stations from either Sonora or Sinaloa.
What is really interesting is that there are a few of these stations in California, like Fresno and Oxnard, mixtec also. I did'nt know that.

http://www.cdi.gob.mx/ecosgobmx/xeqin.php

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TJbH4fFSvg

http://www.elimparcial.com/EdicionEnLinea/Notas/Sonora/15022...

chuckie - 6-7-2016 at 05:53 AM

Strange things. radio signals...We used to be able to plan on getting KOA 850 Denver every Sunday parked out by the lighthouse in Mulege. Purpose was to listen to Bronco games...Now that the Broncos are moving to Oakland, might be easier...

Osprey - 6-7-2016 at 08:18 AM

Had you the time to listen a while you would know it was Arizona Navajos:

"Na, na, na, na, Elvis Presley. Yo, no, se, no mate, na no, Kmart, etc"

BajaTed - 6-7-2016 at 10:05 AM

At Bajamar, I can pick up KKJZ FM from Long Beach State for the weekend afternoon blues show on a fairly regular basis. This is a real small scale college transmitter located near the coast. Lots of open ocean from Long Beach due south. My understanding is that MHz FM signals head out closer to the surface (you can receive a FM signal better under a bridge) KHz AM signals head upward and bounce around like a billard ball of the upper atmosphere (under same bridge you loose some AM signals)

Beagle - 6-7-2016 at 07:10 PM

Thanks everybody! So it sounds like it was Aliens!

Not really.

I never thought about it could be jumping over from Sinaloa maybe. Maybe all the way from AZ or CA.

It was really cool and hope to find it again on our next trip.

Appreciate all of the replies, Nomads!