Messages

1651

Other / Re: Ditter Network Active 2 Aug 2013 1355 UTC

« on: August 02, 2013, 1711 UTC »

The ditter network is active again, observed on:

Off at 1410z.

I refer to this signal as "Pips" in my logbook to keep it seperate from the "ditters" name I use for short pulse pirate beacons.  My log is a Filemaker Pro database I built years ago, and using the term Pips helps me find past transmissions of this signal in the DB as needed.

1357 to 1410 UTC frequencies observed:

4900
5450
5575
5600
6225
6550
6725
6750
7700
8275
8825
8900 (timing)
8975
9050
9225
10050
10450
10575
11025
11150 (x2)
11225
11300
12025
12450
13100
13250
13325
13875
14400
15100
15550
15625
16000
16350
16550
16725 (x2)
17475
17650
17950 (timing)
17975
18050
18100
18450
18625
19300
20175

The frequencies marked "timing" appeared to have a different timing cycle form the frequencies around it.  The pulses are the same length, and they were still 6 seconds between pulses, but the timing of those pulses did not line up with the timing of the pulses around them.

The frequencies marked "x2" showed 2 pulses in 6 seconds, and are possibly common frequencies to two different pulse networks.

T!

(edit) added 5 more frequencies that I found on reviewing the recordings again.

(edit 2) added 4 more frequencies found on even further review of the recordings.

1652

Spy Numbers / Re: QSL?

« on: August 01, 2013, 2330 UTC »

Not a dumb question at all.

The only one I am aware of was S05 and M05, a Czech run station under the callsign OLX (an actual issued callsign for the station, and they sent it in transmissions).  They did QSL.  Several other semi-numbers/spy stations have QSLed over the years.  One of the problems, of course, is that unless they send a callsign how do you know who to send the reception report / QSL request to?

T!

1653

North American Shortwave Pirate / Mysterious Mystic Radio, MMR, 6925.6 AM, 0331 UTC, July 29, 2013

« on: July 29, 2013, 0349 UTC »

Mysterious Mystic Radio with a nice signal into here this evening, 10 to 20 over S9.  Audio was overdriven a bit in the beginning, but then seems to have cleared up.  Gave a Blue Ridge Summit, PA mail address for QSL.

T!

1654

Other / Re: Ditter network active 7/28/2013.

« on: July 28, 2013, 1838 UTC »

I posted this over in the HF Beacon forum, but then saw this post so moved my entry to here:

The mystery ditter network was back this morning.  I carry this network as “Pips” in my logbook.

At around 1621z quantegy in the #wunclub IRC chat asked if anyone heard beeping on 17474 kHz.  This turned out to be the ditter network hitting one of its normal frequencies, 17475 kHz.  The pulses were about 124 msec in length and happening every 6 seconds.

As normal this network was hitting multiple frequencies, freqs received here between 1621 and 1649 UTC:

8275
10050
10575
11300
12025
13250
13325
13875
14400
15100
15550
15625
16000
16550
16725
17475
17975
18050
18625
19300

As normal the pulses were sequencing low to high, pulsing first on the lowest freq and then stepping up to the next and pulsing there.

The network went off air at 1649 UTC.

T!

1655

Utility / Re: NFM 12750KHZ 1545UTC WEFAX 07/28/13

« on: July 28, 2013, 1754 UTC »

AHhh, it is a good thing I never make such mistakes (tongue planted firmly in cheek...).

T!

1656

Utility / Re: NFM 12750KHZ 1545UTC WEFAX 07/28/13

« on: July 28, 2013, 1613 UTC »

Was it honestly NFM?  Or do you mean USB transmission, with FM (vs AM) FAX data?  Or was that a typo of the callsign, NMF?

T!

1657

HF Beacons / Re: Dasher, about 29351.5 kHz, July 26, 2013, 2015 UTC

« on: July 28, 2013, 1349 UTC »

As near as I can tell it was over South America at the time.

T!

1658

HF Beacons / Re: Dasher, about 29351.5 kHz, July 26, 2013, 2015 UTC

« on: July 28, 2013, 0523 UTC »

Yeah, the drift could be Doppler, that definately would explain it.  Interestingly there was not a pass over or near over my location at the time, so I had to be getting it via good old HF propagation.  I had not listened for this beacon for years (since the last time I worked it Mode A right after launch) and forgot all about it.  The last time I heard it the sag was not as pronounced as now.

T!

1659

HF Beacons / Re: Dasher, about 29351.5 kHz, July 26, 2013, 2015 UTC

« on: July 28, 2013, 0459 UTC »

Turns out this might not be a pirate dasher, but instead is probably the beacon from hamsat RS-15.

T!

1660

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: UNID 6925 USB 02:04 UTC 07/28/13

« on: July 28, 2013, 0212 UTC »

Audio width and signal levels are consistent with Red Mercury, but no ID heard here yet.  S8 into the Mojave Desert.

T!

(edit) 0216z "The Highwayman", by the Highwaymen, I like that album

(edit) 0220z, ID, Red Mercury Labs, with heavy motor noises in background

1661

HF Beacons / Dasher, about 29351.5 kHz, July 26, 2013, 2015 UTC

« on: July 27, 2013, 1506 UTC »

Ran across a new, to me, dasher yesterday morning, actually two of them close together.  The second, and stronger of the two, was on about 29351.5 kHz, with pronounced drift.

July 26, 2013, 2015 UTC.  29351.5 kHz, with a steady drift downwards.  About one dash each 800 msec, or about 75 per minute.  Dash length is approximately 275 msec but was difficult to tell length because of the severe sag on the dash, hard to tell exactly when it starts.  Bearing to the source appears to be east north east.

Video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7NOUyjx07c

T!

1662

HF Beacons / Dasher, 29341 kHz, July 26, 2013, 2015 UTC

« on: July 27, 2013, 1502 UTC »

Ran across a new, to me, dasher yesterday morning, actually two of them close together.  The first, and weakest, was on 29341 kHz. 

July 26, 2013, 2015 UTC.  29341 kHz, pretty stable and right on.  About one dash per second, or 60 per minute.  Dash length is approximately 350 msec.  There was pronounced fading on the signal and it was right in my noise floor, occasionally becoming audible.  Bearing to the source appears to be east north east.

Video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UE7spIQc29M

T!

1663

General Radio Discussion / Re: As police crack down on pirate radio, broadcasters resist the move online

« on: July 26, 2013, 2158 UTC »

This may be an American thing, but WHAT are assault toilets?

Assault toilets are a particularly nasty form of toilet.  They can be descerned from a regular sporting toilet because of their evil visual features.  They are often painted tactical colors, such as black or dark green, instead of the regular sporting colors of white, avocado, or beige.

Assault toilets often have a higher flush and waste capacity than sporting toilets, because of this they have been outlawed in some areas.

Assault toilets have been said to have no waste removal purpose and are only used to kill the environment.  There has even been talk of bans, registration, and confiscation of the evil assault toilet.

T!

1664

Spy Numbers / Re: 7/24/13 2158z 10715 KHZ

« on: July 26, 2013, 1914 UTC »

I am not wrong...I guarantee that   But the reason I am not wrong is not because I am right, only that I was asking the question of if there was a possibility that the station had entered a different mode.  I was not saying it did, only asking for confirmation that the signal went away instead of changing.  If you listened a further 12 minutes (even just a couple more minutes) and did not hear an alternating voice and data pattern then you have confirmed it.

With the HM01 station, indeed any of the Cuban stations, anything is possible.  Errors at the station are common, and you easily could have heard exactly what you describe, no question.  But it did not fit the known schedule, so I suggested an option that could explain it.

What you probably heard was the beginning of the normal 2200 z HM01 transmission (normally on that freq and starts a couple minutes early), and then the station had a technical problem and did not continue the transmission.

T!

1665

Spy Numbers / Re: 7/24/13 2158z 10715 KHZ

« on: July 26, 2013, 1642 UTC »

How sure are you that it ceased, or might you have made a mistake converting to UTC?

The reason I ask is that Spanish language hybrid numbers station HM01 is scheduled for that frequency in the 2200 hour.  It normally starts about 4 or 5 minutes early, so say 2156 or so.  It starts with 5 figure groups sent for several minutes, and then it goes into a voice / digital alternating pattern.  This often starts about 2200z, and generally continues until about 2255z.

Is it possible you heard the lead-in voice, then the transistion to the first digital, and assumed the voice was done?

T!