The following is a list compiled of known active CW maritime beacons/markers both military and civilian, reception of all are in the A1A mode (CW). The last date when heard is shown in brackets and other notes. Please post any new ones heard with UTC date/time, frequency, call sign and report.
Stations on the list below not heard in 2020 & 2021 have been deleted, presumed inactive or decommissioned. Should they reappear they can be reinstated later.
These are observations to Saturday 06th April 2024:
1950z 2.680.0MHz CW "VVV de 4XZ 4XZ" Israeli Navy, Haifa Israel 529 report. (Sometimes sends data) (hrd 07th Apr 2024)
1500z 4.209.5MHz CW "TAH" preceded with buzz tones, Turkish Met Radio, Istanbul, Turkey 519 report. (hrd 04th Feb 2024)
1500z 4.210.5MHz CW "XSQ" preceded with buzz tones. Guangzhou, China 569 report. (hrd 04th Feb 2024)
1635z 4.212.0MHz CW "XSQ" preceded with four buzz tones, Guangzhou, China 539 report. (hrd 06th Apr 2024)
1004z 4.215.0MHz CW "XSG" preceded with four buzz tones, Shanghai, China 569 report. (hrd 06th Apr 2024)
1905z 4.216.0MHz CW "TAH" preceded with buzz tones, Istanbul, Turkish Met Radio, Turkey 519 report. (hrd 23rd Sep 2022)
1910z 4.219.0MHz CW "XSQ" preceded with buzz tones, Guangzhou, China 529 report. (hrd 28th May 2022)
1930zz 4.331.0MHz CW "VVV 4XZ 4XZ" Israeli Navy, Haifa, Israel 319 report. (also transmits data) (hrd 07th Apr 2024)
0950z 6.316.0MHz CW "XSQ" preceded with buzz tones, Guangzhou, China 529 report. (hrd 06th Apr 2024)
1004z 6.326.0MHz CW "XSG" preceded with buzz tones, Shanghai, China 539 report. (hrd 06th Apr 2024))
0959z 6.329.0MHz CW "XSQ" preceded with buzz tones, Guangzhou, China 419 report. (formerly XSV Tianjin & XSG Shanghai) (hrd 06th Dec 2023)
1951z 6.607.0MHz CW "VVV de 4XZ 4XZ" Israeli Navy, Haifa, Israel 519 report. (Often sends data.) (hrd 07th Apr 2024)
0851z 8.421.0MHz CW "XSQ" preceded with four buzz tones. Guangzhou, China. 579 report. (hrd 06th Apr 2024).
0950z 8.421.0MHz CW "de XSG" preceded with buzz tones. Shanghai, China. 549 report. (hrd 03rd Sep 2023)
0615z 8.424.0MHz CW "de SVO" Olympia Radio, near Athens, Greece 539 report. (hrd 06th Apr 2024)
0850z 8.425.5MHz CW "XSG" preceded with four buzz tones, Shanghai, China 539 report. (hrd 06th Apr 2024)
0910z 8.431.0MHz CW "XSQ" preceded with buzz tones, Guangzhou, China 559 report. (hrd 06th Apr 2024)
0616z 8.431.0MHz CW "TAH" preceded with buzz tones, Turkish Met Radio, Istanbul, Turkey 419 report. (hrd 06th Apr 2024)
1522z 8.432.0MHz CW "VVV de 4XZ 4XZ X X" Israeli Navy, Haifa, Israel. 529 report (hrd 28th May 2022)
0910z 8.433.0MHz CW "XSG" preceded with buzz tones, Shanghai, China 539 report. (hrd 06th Apr 2024)
1004z 8.435.0MHz CW "XSQ" preceded with four buzz tones, Guangzhou, China 579 report. (hrd 12th June 2022)
0710z 12.603.5MHz CW "de SVO" Olympia Radio, near Athens, Greece. 519 report. (hrd 04rd Jan 2024) Sending data only, no marker.
0915z 12.613.0MHz CW "XSQ" preceded with four buzz tones, Guangzhou, China 559 report. (hrd 06th Apr 2024)
0734z 12.622.5MHz CW "XSQ" preceded with four buzz tones, Guangzhou, China 319 report. (hrd 12th June 2022)
0920z 12.624.0MHz CW "XSQ" preceded with buzz tones, Guangzhou, China. 559 report. (06th Apr 2024)
0550z 12.637.5MHz CW "XSG" preceded with four buzz tones, Shanghai, China. 519 report. (hrd 06th Apr 2024)
0550z 12.648.5MHz CW "XSQ" preceded with four buzz tones, Guangzhou, China 419 report. (hrd 06th Apr 2024)
0550z 12.654.0MHz CW "TAH" preceded with buzz tones, Turkish Met Radio, Turkey 519 report. (hrd 06th Apr 2024)
0912z 16.850.3MHz CW "XSQ" preceded with four buzz tones, Guangzhou, China 579 report. (hrd 06th Apr 2024)
0115z 16.854.0MHz CW "XSQ" preceded with four buzz tones, Guangzhou, China 519 report. (hrd 13th June 2022)
0836z 16.876.5MHz CW "XSQ" preceded with four buzz tones, Guangzhou, China 559 report. (hrd 12th April 2021)
0605z 16.880.0MHz CW "XSQ" preceded with four buzz tones, Guangzhou, China 519 report. (hrd 06th Apr 2024)
0556z 16.898.5MHz CW "XSG" preceded with four buzz tones Shanghai, China 539 report. (hrd 06th Apr 2024)
Japan Fisheries Radio Network:
The JFR Network covers HF frequencies in CW mode 3-22MHz and usually transmit on the hour and on the half hour with a callsign preamble then a request for traffic, there are also current weather warnings broadcast. If sufficient interest/comment is received I will publish the other frequencies down to 3MHz.
I have noticed over the past three or so years a sharp decline in traffic being worked suggesting that this service and mode will be retired in the near future, so hear them while you can. JFE on Okinawa has not been heard for around two years which suggests that this station has already been decommissioned.
22.681.5MHz JFS Amori, JFT Kamaishi, & JFW Fukushima.
22.642.0MHz JFR Nagasaki, JFR2 Nagasaki & JFX Kagoshima.
22.606.5MHz JFG Shizouka, JFM Muroto & JFH Mie.
17.231.0MHz JHA Ibaraki & JFC Kanagawa.
17.180.0MHz JFE Okinawa
17.140.0MHz JFR2 Nagasaki,
17.132.0MHz JFS Amori, JFT Kamaishi & JFW Fukushima.
17.014.0MHz JFR Nagasaki, JFX Kagoshima.
16.976.8MHz JFG Shizouka, JFM Muroto & JFH Mie.
16.942.8MHz JSB Hokkaido.
13.024.5MHz JSB Hokkaido
12.880.0MHz JFE Okinawa
12.858.0MHz JFT Kamaishi & JFW Fukushima.
12.832.5MHz JFC Kanagawa & JHA Ibaraki.
12.811.5MHz JFM Muroto, JFH Mie
12.704.5MHz JFR2 Nagasaki, JFX Kagoshima
HLF, HLJ, HLO, HLW etc Korea Telecom transmitters are all 3Kw to Log Periodic antennas from an area outside Seoul.
SVO Olympia Radio uses 10Kw transmitters to ND TCI 540-2-04 antenna system at Volakas, west of Athens on the coast.
TAH Istanbul Radio, Turkey runs a 10Kw transmitter, antenna system not known, transmitter near Istanbul.
XSG & XSQ China, transmitter and antenna array not known.
China has made quite a few changes in the past year, mostly call sign changes, however, some new stations appeared from July 2022, four new frequencies have appeared (4.210.5MHz, 8.421.0MHz, 12.624.0MHz and 16.850.3MHz) and three had call sign changes with former "XSQ" stations on 4.212.0MHz, 12.613.0MHz & 16.880.0MHz now signing as "de XSG", however, the "de" portion was dropped later around July & August 2022. It often reverts back to "XSQ" as noted on Mon 06th Dec 2022 at 0530z.
Off particular note is 12.613.0MHz "XSQ" which was noted signing as "de XSG" on Friday 08th of March 2024 at 0740z, however, on Friday 09th of March at 0902z it had reverted back to "XSQ".
The last change we had was in September/October 2020 some Chinese beacons changed call signs, some XSG became XSQ and vice versa. Also 4.215.0MHz "de XSG" had the "de" dropped from the identifier and reverted back to just "XSG" rather than "de XSG". On 16.880.0MHz it has been noted that previous "XSQ" has reverted back to "de XSG" observed on Tuesday 04th of July 2023. It later reverted back to "XSQ".
"WLO" American beacons: The "WLO" beacons out of Mobile, Alabama USA have been deleted from the list as no longer on air.
Telecom Korea HLO, HLW, HLJ, HLG etc: These HF band CW transmissions ceased on all frequencies during late 2022 and all stations have been officially closed. Thus they all have been removed from the listings as of March 2024.
SVO Olympia Radio: Near Athens, in Greece, has not been heard here on 6.321.5MHz CW since September 2020, no recent reports have been seen on other radio websites nor have been reported here so it would be safe to assume that this service has been terminated.
For those who collect QSL cards SVO, TAH and HLF, HLG, HLJ, HLO & HLW have issued QSL cards to DXers in the past, providing you send a report in UTC date/time format. The Chinese stations, as far as I know, do not QSL.
Where time permits I will try an update the list each month.
(updated: Saturday 06th April 2024)