Messages

2266

10/11 meters / 26235 kHz / 26.235 MHz US Hunters or Fishermen 12 June 2017

« on: June 12, 2017, 2043 UTC »

26235 kHz AM - 26.235 MHz AM. 

Two OMs with Southern US accents talking about catching bluegill and other fish.  Informal chatter on 26235 kHz (AM mode).   Continued QSO about fishing and things "swimming around" (possibly talking about something else here...so many these are truckers or just guys in trucks talking vs. radios mounted in boats, hard to say for sure).  Given the propagation conditions today, I would usually expect to hear Spanish language traffic on or around this frequency, with 26225 USB / 26.225 MHz USB being the big one, and stations going QSY up to 26.235 MHz USB when things get really crazy 10 kHz down.  No trace of SSB voice near this frequency.  Closest active frequency is 26105 kHz (see other thread I posted earlier). 

26.235 MHz is channel 15 (27.135 MHz) down two bands, putting us at Band B (assuming Band D is the CB band) channel 15.  This matches with other "lowers" being active, especially channel 4 on the same band (26105 kHz) also being busy.  Lots of empty channels between 26235 and 26505 (the end of band B, band C runs from 26515 to 26955 and only the higher portion of that band is active). 

2267

10/11 meters / 26105 kHz / 26.105 MHz US Truckers Trucking Freeband DX 12 June 2017

« on: June 12, 2017, 2034 UTC »

26105 kHz - 26.105 MHz illegal bandit freeband CB trucker outbander activity, fun with export radios.  26105 is channel 4 "down two bands".  So, if the regular mid band CB band is Band D, that makes this Band B, channel 4, and, for whatever reason, even though there are dozens of empty channels in the higher bands, this frequency seems to be one of the most popular.

Tuned down to this frequency around 2025 UTC after noticing some activity below the "lowers" limit of 26515 kHz / 26.515 MHz.  The "120 channel" or "high - med - low" freeband band plan of 26515-27855 usually contains most activity, as even though many radios reach above and below these limits, chances are a user's antenna system is tuned for the center of the regular CB band.

26105 kHz, however, is just as busy as many of the higher frequencies, including 26775 and 26915.  Hearing lots of US-based stations chatting on here, some of them sound like truckers (in fact, most of them do).  Lots of heterodyne interference and QRM but hearing traffic-related comments, and a real lack of handles or callsigns or identifiers of any type makes me think its basically all trucker traffic.

2268

10/11 meters / Re: 11 Meter Band Activity 7 June 2017

« on: June 12, 2017, 2016 UTC »

Next time 11 meters (and 10 meters) are open enough to hear the New York 10m FM repeaters, try scanning the 29.7 to 33 MHz region.  Lots of car services, commuter buses, etc, in the Northeast USA (mainly the New York City and Boston metro areas) use FM on these frequencies.  Bushwick Car Service out of Brooklyn, New York can often be heard on 29.7700 MHz / 29770 kHz operating under license WQAP986 with 146.2Hz and 162.2Hz CTCSS / PL tones (if your scanner has CTCSS decode capability it will help a lot with IDing these transmissions.  Van Pool Transportation, LLC high power repeater system out of Massachusetts can be heard on 29.790 MHz / 29790 kHz 100.0Hz CTCSS / 100Hz PL tone under license WQMA652.  Van Pool operates several repeaters throughout Massachusetts on the following frequencies, all transmitting 29/30/31 MHz band 100 watt repeaters with 35 MHz band mobile input transmit frequencies:

30.660 MHz 151.4 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQPU857
30.680 MHz 100.0 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQMA652
30.680 MHz 151.4 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQMA652
30.720 MHz 151.4 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQPU857
30.740 MHz 100.0 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQPU857
30.740 MHz 151.4 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQPU857
30.760 MHz 100.0 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQPU857
30.760 MHz 151.4 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQPU857
30.820 MHz 151.4 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQPU857
30.940 MHz 100.0 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQMA652
30.940 MHz 151.4 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQMA652
31.060 MHz 100.0 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQMA652
31.080 MHz 100.0 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQPU857
31.080 MHz 151.4 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQPU857
31.120 MHz 151.4 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQPU857
31.480 MHz 151.4 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQPU857

This extensive repeater system is used by Van Pool Transportation throughout Mass. and is often heard by European and UK based VHF low band DXers, as their online forum logs often show.  When 11 meters is really busy and the 10 meter FM repeaters are busy too, chances are these frequencies and those around them are active.     


Check out the "Taxi and Limo Services" listing for NYC here:  http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?aid=5546 - tons of radio taxi traffic on 30 MHz, 31 MHz, and 35 MHz in the New York area can be heard when 10 meters is open.   29.710, 29.730, 29.750 and 29.790 are also used in addition to 29.770 MHz as part of that forgotten sliver of frequency spectrum between 29.7 MHz and 30.0 MHz.  

Another interesting catch on lowband is Fort Hood, Texas range control on 30.450 MHz (CTCSS 150.0 Hz, some scanners will decode this as 151.4 Hz depending on how tight your CTCSS decoder is)

2269

10/11 meters / 26915 kHz / 26.915 MHz - "Radio Station WDRP" 2000 UTC 12 June 2017

« on: June 12, 2017, 2005 UTC »

Very powerful signal from OM identifying as "Radio Station WDRP Broadcasting in High Power AM" and "WDRP AM Broadcasting"" communicating with several other stations on the busy freeband frequency of 26.915 MHz / 26915 kHz AM.  At 2002, working station "Triple 5" at SIO 555 with decent modulation...considering how many stations are overmodulated on these frequencies.  "333" "345" "4152 Mobile in Texas" "working the side of the beam" "135 Missouri" "Stringbean" and lots of other numerical and "handle" identifiers.

WDRP on 26915 kHz AM identified as also being in Missouri at 2005 UTC.

Also noticing considerable freeband AM traffic on

26705 kHz / 26.705 MHz AM - Spanish language
26715 kHz / 26.715 MHz AM - Spanish language
26735 kHz / 26.735 MHz AM - English (all other frequencies listed below this one also English language)
26765 kHz / 26.765 MHz AM
26775 kHz / 26.775 MHz AM
26805 kHz / 26.805 MHz AM
26885 kHz / 26.885 MHz AM

2270

10/11 meters / Re: European Paging Pager Frequencies 11 meters

« on: June 12, 2017, 2000 UTC »

The RadioShack pagers operated on 27255 kHz / 27.255 MHz (CB channel 23).  While FCC rules permit up to 4 watts on the "A" channels but up to 25 watts (carrier power) on channel 23.  The RadioShack paging transmitters did 6-7 watts carrier power IIRC, which, with a ground plane antenna, I imagine produced some impressive coverage.

I have personally monitored (and recorded) POCSAG traffic on 27255 during band openings.  I know this frequency is used for point-to-point data links in specialized "niche" systems like lightning detector systems today.  The fact that pager traffic has been heard recently on 27.255 MHz channel 23 indicates that at least some of the RS paging transmitter systems are still in operation.

2271

10/11 meters / 11 Meter Band DX Skip Propagation 27MHz Band Activity 12 June 2017

« on: June 12, 2017, 1956 UTC »

Lots and lots of in-band activity this afternoon.  Very strong signals on 26705 AM, 26715 AM, 26735 AM, 26905 AM and 26915 AM on the low side, and 27420 LSB, 27425 LSB, 27445 LSB, 27455 USB, 27475 USB and several others popping up, including 27515 LSB with Caribbean Sea area traffic

2272

10/11 meters / 11 Meter Band Activity 7 June 2017

« on: June 07, 2017, 1611 UTC »

I'm about to run out the door but noticed 11 meters is waking up.  26905 AM, 26915 AM and several frequencies above channel 40 are all coming alive, all from the Southern USA.

2273

Utility / Re: Three Character Callsign EAMS 6778 USB, 6833 USB, 6903 USB, 6988 USB, 7703 USB

« on: June 07, 2017, 0307 UTC »

Seemed like stuff dropped off after 0230 UTC or so.

2274

Peskies / Radio Checks 6906.6 kHz LSB and 6907 kHz USB 0254-0258 UTC 7 June 2017

« on: June 07, 2017, 0258 UTC »

OM repeating "HOLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA", started on 6906 kHz LSB, then went slowly up to 6906.5 kHz, then 6906.6 kHz, flipped the mode switch (while transmitting!) Still adjusting frequency while transmitting at 0256 UTC.  Moved up to 6906.9 kHz or so, maybe shooting for 6907 kHz USB, but still seems slightly low in frequency (transmitter may be warming up still?    ).  Lots of whistling into microphone at 0257 UTC.  My neighbors probably hate me right now.  Went QRT at 0258 UTC.

2275

Peskies / UNID Spanish Language 6888.8 kHz USB 0245+ UTC 7 June 2017

« on: June 07, 2017, 0250 UTC »

6.888.8 MHz USB 6888.8 kHz USB - via Montana remote receiver (KiwiSDR).

6888.8 kHz! The peskies have made another interesting frequency choice...that is, going along with the theory that they like to use "cute" or "easy to remember" frequencies (see 15151.5 kHz, 6789 kHz, 6868 kHz, etc etc)  Initially tuned into 6890 kHz LSB, then realized I was on the wrong side band mode, flipped down to 6889 kHz USB and then figured it out.  Sounds like freebanders to me.  Talking about radio equipment and other CB-like (or HF SSB ham radio like, if you prefer) chatter. Reminds me of the usual nets heard on frequencies like 6900 kHz.  No locations heard yet.  Accents are different though, perhaps coming from South America?  That, or these guys are actually fishermen who are also interested in radio.  Way too much QRN at the moment to really listen to the QSO to find out more. 

2276

Peskies / Spanish Speaking YL and OM 6850 kHz LSB 0240+ UTC 7 June 2017

« on: June 07, 2017, 0245 UTC »

Via Montana remote SDR / KiwiSDR. 

6850 kHz LSB / 6.850 kHz LSB

Hearing a QSO between a Spanish speaking YL (who has a CB-style roger beep at the end of her transmissions) and an OM (with a much weaker, barely readable signal) on 6850 kHz LSB.  The YL is speaking very fast and sounds sort of upset at the OM, who is speaking considerably slower.  At 0245 UTC, the OM's side of the QSO has completely faded away. 

2277

Peskies / UNID Unknown Language 6790 kHz USB 0220+ UTC 7 June 2017

« on: June 07, 2017, 0224 UTC »

Possibly Asian in origin, or maybe even Russian?  Seems like one side of the QSO is using a voice scrambler of some kind.  SIO 111 very tough copy

2278

Peskies / 6760 kHz USB UNID Language UNID Traffic Possibly Asian??

« on: June 07, 2017, 0220 UTC »

Another questionable logging in the 6 MHz band (where's Looking-Glass when you need him? )

I think this is another Asian fishery log, but the signals were only readable for a few seconds and then disappeared into the noise. 

2279

Peskies / 6771 kHz USB Spanish Language - Possible Phone Patch 0218 UTC 7 June 2017

« on: June 07, 2017, 0218 UTC »

Old Time Radio is very weak on 6770 kHz AM right now but I am hearing what sounds like a telephone call (in Spanish) on 6771 USB.  It's only on the upper side - this frequency, along with nearby frequencies 6771.5 kHz and 6772.5 kHz have been logged in the past with phone patch traffic so I see it as a possibility.  I'm hearing an OM talking to what sounds like a YL.  Ute data QRM and OTR's signal on 6770 kHz is making copy (at 0218 UTC) basically impossible though.

2280

Peskies / 6905 kHz LSB Spanish Speakers vs. US Military Traffic 6903 kHz USB 7 June 2017

« on: June 07, 2017, 0209 UTC »

6.905 MHz LSB / 6905 kHz LSB (see also: logs for 6.903 MHz USB / 6903 kHz USB for US mil HF traffic)


High power US military Emergency Action Messages on 6903 kHz USB have been heard on and off all evening (east coast US time) on 6903 kHz USB (see the Utility forum for logs on this dated 6 and 7 June '17)...but now that 6903 is quiet, 6905 kHz LSB has suddenly come alive.  11-meter like chatter, talking about coax cable connectors and antenna design.  Very ham radio like radio traffic.  Professional net-like "roundtable" communications style, these freeband operators are putting some licensed American hams to shame.  See also, 6900 kHz LSB.