Messages

1

10/11 meters / 27.875 MHz AM 27875 kHz AM - US Truckers "Free Band" Comms 29 April 2024

« on: April 29, 2024, 2006 UTC »

U.S. truck drivers talking about road conditions, other typical trucker stuff.  Just after 2000 UTC on 04/29/2024.

27875 kHz AM
27.875 MHz AM
27.875 AM

Somewhat popular frequency for this purpose.  27.855 MHz, 27.865 MHz, 27.905 MHz, 27.915 MHz and others have been logged in the recent past, along with the more 'usual suspects' of 27.635 MHz AM, 27.535 MHz AM, 27.575 MHz AM, 27.585 MHz AM, 27.805 MHz AM and many, many more below CB channel 1...including 26.735 MHz AM, 26.915 MHz AM...and so on....down to 25.615 MHz AM.

2

10/11 meters / 27.815 MHz AM 27815 kHz Latin American Land Mobile Comms - Taxi Dispatch

« on: April 29, 2024, 2003 UTC »

2000 UTC
29 April 2024

Received locally, also hearing them on the N1NTE SDR.  Weak to fair reception, land mobile radio comms, taxi cab dispatcher.  YL taxi dispatcher and OM drivers, frequency 27815 kHz, AM mode.  27.815MHz AM 27,815 AM, taxi dispatch.  Spanish speaking comms, probably out of Mexico. 

3

10/11 meters / 27.435 MHz FM and 27.475 MHz FM 2000 / 2100 UTC 25 April 2024

« on: April 25, 2024, 2112 UTC »

Latin American stations coming in this afternoon, notably using FM mode!  Lots of activity on 27435 and 27475. 

27,435 kHz FM 27.435MHz FM
27,475 kHz FM 27.475MHz FM

Heard locally and on several U.S. East Coast SDR receivers.  Glad to see more FM adoption!

4

10/11 meters / 29.710 MHz FM 29710 FM UNID Land Mobile Comms [N1NTE RX] 15 April 2024

« on: April 15, 2024, 1809 UTC »

Tuned in at 1805 UTC.  Solid FM signal noted on 29.71 MHz FM.   Sounds like Spanish language, but this is a legal Part 90 Business / Industrial Radio Pool - Business Radio Service - frequency.  20K0F3E emission.  Given signal strengths, probably mobile to mobile comms.  Could be any number of licensed users.  Unable to pull CTCSS tone (PL tone).  29.710 MHz FM

The FCC actually calls everything above 25 MHz part of the land mobile service for Part 90 allocation.  However, the 25 MHz frequencies are only licensed to a handful of users.  The 27 MHz frequencies are used, but same thing applies...only a handful of users.  There are more licensed users on 29 MHz and even more on the regular 30-50 MHz frequencies.  The 27 MHz frequencies may all be licensed for itinerant use, 27.49 MHz is itinerant only, same with 35.04 MHz and 43.04 MHz.   

The 27 MHz frequencies suffer from severe QRM during band openings.  Regular FM voice is most commonly used, but some licensed users have emissions for more traditional HF modes such as AM voice, SSB voice, RTTY and other narrow-band digital modes.

25.020 MHz
25.040 MHz
25.060 MHz
25.080 MHz
25.100 MHz
25.120 MHz
25.140 MHz
25.160 MHz
25.180 MHz
25.200 MHz
25.220 MHz
25.240 MHz
25.260 MHz
25.280 MHz
25.300 MHz
25.320 MHz

27.430 MHz
27.450 MHz
27.470 MHz
27.490 MHz - itinerant only
27.510 MHz - low power only
27.530 MHz - low power only

29.710 MHz
29.730 MHz
29.750 MHz
29.770 MHz
29.790 MHz

30.580 MHz
30.600 MHz
30.620 MHz
30.640 MHz
30.660 MHz
20 kHz spacing up to 31.980 MHz

Then
33.020 MHz to 33.980 MHz - 20 kHz steps
35.020 MHz to 35.980 MHz - 20 kHz steps
37.020 MHz to 37.980 MHz - 20 kHz steps
39.020 MHz to 39.980 MHz - 20 kHz steps
42.020 MHz to 46.580 MHz - 20 kHz steps
47.020 MHz to 49.580 MHz - 20 kHz steps

Plus special frequencies:

36.250 MHz FM - may be used for oil spill clean up operations only (simplex or repeater)
41.710 MHz FM - may be used for oil spill clean up operations only (simplex or repeater)

Usually 36.25 MHz is used as the repeater output.  Both 36.25 MHz and 41.71 MHz are shared with federal government users and U.S. military users, which are the primary users on the

30.000 MHz to 30.550 MHz
32.000 MHz to 33.000 MHz
34.000 MHz to 35.000 MHz
36.000 MHz to 37.000 MHz
38.000 MHz to 39.000 MHz
40.000 MHz to 42.000 MHz
46.600 MHz to 47.000 MHz
49.600 MHz to 50.000 MHz

bands.  25 kHz spacing is the standard for military operations.  Federal government systems use a mixture of 20 kHz spacing and 25 kHz spacing.  A good example of this is the SNOTEL telemetry system that operates on 40.67 MHz 40.670 MHz.

Military users are allocated secondary rights on all frequencies outside the bands listed above for the entire 30-88 MHz spectrum, including the 50-54 MHz 6 meter amateur radio allocation, the 72-76 MHz fixed, mobile, RCRS, Part 90, assistive listening service and 74.8 MHz - 75.2 MHz subband for the 75.000 MHz marker beacons on 75 MHz aeronautical service...and of course the 54-72 MHz and 76-88 MHz broadcasting bands.   

5

10/11 meters / 27.725 MHz FM Asian Fishermen Fishery Radio Chatter 15 April 2024

« on: April 15, 2024, 1803 UTC »

27.725 MHz FM via the W3HFU KiwiSDR at 1800 UTC tune in.  Some pretty serious fades....but it sounds like the typical fishery radio chatter.  Asian fishing fleets Chinese fishing radio dedicated fishery radiotelephone

27.5 MHz - 39.475 MHz 25 kHz spacing - normal mode for 480 channels, FM voice, 25w output - 16K0F3E
27.5 MHz - 39.4875 MHz 12.5 kHz spacing - export mode 960 channels NFM voice, 25w output - 11K0F3E

6

10/11 meters / 27.755 MHz AM 27755 kHz Mexican Taxi Cab Dispatch Land Mobile Comms 04/15/2024

« on: April 15, 2024, 1753 UTC »

27,755kHz AM 27.755 MHz AM, SIO 222 with some very dramatic fading.  Spanish language, Mexican accented YL reading alphanumeric taxi cab IDs, addresses, phone numbers...taxi cab dispatcher on 27 MHz band.  27.755 MHz, AM mode.   

First noted at 1750 UTC

7

10/11 meters / 26.765 MHz AM 26765 kHz Mexican Taxi Cab Dispatch Land Mobile Comms 04/15/2024

« on: April 15, 2024, 1741 UTC »

Starting hearing the dispatch lady - I believe out of Central Mexico or Northern Mexico on 26765 kHz 26.765 MHz 26.7650 MHz AM around 1630 UTC today.

At 1700 UTC or so, signal levels still roughly the same.  Coming in nicely on some U.S. East Coast online SDR receivers at 1730 UTC and now - 1740 UTC. 

Tell-tale end of transmission tone burst (EOT) - aka the "Roger beep" basically an automatic identification system. 

Frequency 26.7650 MHz AM is CB Channel 21 down one band.  Band C, Channel 21 on the regular 25.615 MHz - 28.305 MHz 240 channel export radio band plan....or Channel B21E / B21E AM on the alphanumeric channel plan.

Some QRM from FM mode traffic around 1741 UTC / 1742 UTC...26.765 MHz FM coming in at the same time as 26.765 MHz AM. 

Also noting some European based paging signals on 26.695 MHz, 26.745 MHz...so there's still somewhat of an opening to Europe / the UK, which is likely where the FM CB signals on 26765 are coming from. 

8

10/11 meters / 27195 AM 27.195 MHz AM Mexican Taxi Cab Radio Dispatch Channel 19A - 15 APR 2024

« on: April 15, 2024, 1737 UTC »

April 15, 2024.

Location:  local receive in Richmond, VA
Plus several other U.S. East Coast online SDR receivers, including N1NTE and W3HFU

Time: 1730 UTC

27.195MHz RCRS frequency 27,195 27195kHz 27.1950 MHz AM mode.  Spanish language YL dispatcher with various data signals down closer to the noise floor. 

9

VHF/UHF Logs, including satellites and radiosondes / French Traffic Signal Control Data (EPAR) 31 MHz Band VHF Low DX 12 April 2024

« on: April 12, 2024, 1755 UTC »

Listening via the G8JNJ SDR at 1750 UTC tune-in time.  Numerous transmitters active on 31.325 MHz, various signal strengths.  Tell-tale polytone data signal

In addition to 31325 kHz / 31.3250 MHz, EPAR data bursts are coming in on:

31.4375 MHz
31.6375 MHz
31.6875 MHz
31.9250 MHz
31.9750 MHz

However 31.325 FM is the most active frequency, at least at the moment.  It's been a while since I've heard the EPAR system.  Sort of a de facto beacon.

10

10/11 meters / 28.975 MHz FM Asian Fishermen Fishery Radio 1213 UTC+ 12 April 2024

« on: April 12, 2024, 1238 UTC »

Via the G8JNJ SDR receiver located in the SW UK.  28975 kHz FM NFM 28,975 28.975.0 MHz.

I managed to get a video clip of the activity on 28.975 MHz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDmLbPtLLJU

Noted these guys on numerous additional frequencies, including:

27.500 MHz FM
27.525 MHz FM
27.575 MHz FM
27.600 MHz FM with heavy QRM from SSB CB signals and UK FM CB ch. 1 - freq 27.60125 MHz FM
27.750 MHz FM
27.775 MHz FM
27.875 MHz FM with QRM from Russian taxi cab dispatcher YL land mobile comms on 27875 FM
27.925 MHz FM
27.975 MHz FM
28.025 MHz FM
28.175 MHz FM
28.225 MHz FM
28.350 MHz FM
28.375 MHz FM
28.725 MHz FM
28.775 MHz FM
28.825 MHz FM
28.875 MHz FM
29.000 MHz FM
29.150 MHz FM
29.625 MHz FM - QRM from legit ham signals
29.700 MHz FM
29.750 MHz FM
29.775 MHz FM
29.825 MHz FM
29.875 MHz FM
29.925 MHz FM
29.950 MHz FM
30.075 MHz FM
30.125 MHz FM
30.150 MHz FM
30.175 MHz FM

and many more above 30 MHz

11

10/11 meters / Fisheries Comms 27.5875 MHz NFM Asian Fishermen

« on: March 29, 2024, 1325 UTC »

This is a new one for me.  They're using 12.5 kHz offsets...but I've never logged the 12.5 kHz offset channels below 29 MHz. 

27.5875 MHz NFM 27587.5 kHz NFM [CSQ] sounds like Japanese language. SIO 444 at 1320 UTC on the G8JNJ SDR

12

10/11 meters / Fishing Fleet Chatter 28 MHz / 29 MHz (10 Meter Band Intruders) 29 March 2024

« on: March 29, 2024, 1251 UTC »

Started listening at 1230 UTC 29-March-2024 24-03-2024 via the G8JNJ SDR.  This is just 10 minutes of listening.  They are all over the 10 meter band...and all over the 30 MHz band, 31 MHz band...and up into 32 MHz / 33 MHz. 

Asian fishermen on the 27.5 MHz - 39.5 MHz FM Dedicated Fishery Radiotelephone system.  12.5 kHz / 25 kHz spacing.

27.650 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 27650 FM, QRM from CB radio, pagers
27.750 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 27.75 MHz, very severe QRM from CB radio
27.775 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 27775 FM
27.800 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 27800 FM
27.850 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 27850 FM
27.875 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 27875 FM
27.900 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 27900 FM QRM from CB radio, paging signals, FSK
27.925 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 27925 FM QRM from CB radio, Russian taxi cab radio chatter
27.950 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 27950 FM QRM from CB radio
28.000 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 28000 FM
28.025 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 28025 FM QRM from CB radio
28.200 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 28200 FM with QRM from Russian taxis on 28.195 MHz FM
28.225 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 28225 FM with QRM from Russian taxis on 28.215 MHz FM
28.350 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 28350 FM
28.425 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 28425 FM
28.550 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 28550 FM QRM from 28.555 MHz AM (!!!!)
28.625 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 28625 FM
28.700 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 28700 FM
28.775 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 28775 FM
28.800 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 28000 FM
28.825 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 28025 FM
28.875 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 28875 FM with QRM from Russian taxis on 28.885MHz FM
28.925 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 28925 FM
28.975 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 28975 FM
29.000 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29000 FM
29.025 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29025 FM
29.050 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29050 FM
29.075 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29075 FM
29.100 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29100 FM
29.125 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29125 FM
29.150 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29150 FM
29.175 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29175 FM
29.200 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29200 FM
29.225 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29225 FM
29.250 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29250 FM
29.300 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29300 FM
29.325 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29325 FM
29.425 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29425 FM
29.475 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29475 FM
29.500 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29500 FM
29.575 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29575 FM
29.600 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29600 FM 29.6 MHz FM
29.625 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29625 FM
29.650 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29650 FM heavy QRM
29.700 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29700 FM
29.725 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29725 FM
29.750 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29750 FM
29.800 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29800 FM heavy QRM from POCSAG pager on 29.8 MHz
29.825 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29825 FM
29.875 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29875 FM
29.975 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 29975 FM
30.000 MHz FM [CSQ] - Fishermen chatting, fishing fleet comms fishery radio chatter 30000 kHz FM QRM from FM carriers on 30.000.0 MHz

and tons and tons of signals above 30 MHz.  30.025 MHz, 30.100 MHz, 30.175 MHz, 30.200 MHz, 30.225 MHz, 30.300 MHz, 30.475 MHz, 30.500 MHz, and so on. 

13

10/11 meters / Re: Truck Drivers On 26.735 MHz AM Truckers On Free Band CB 1855 UTC 15 March 2024

« on: March 29, 2024, 1225 UTC »

27.015 MHz (Channel 5) is almost as bad as Channel 6.

Also see: 

26.585 MHz AM
26.595 MHz AM
26.705 MHz AM
26.715 MHz AM
27.065 MHz AM (Channel 9)

26.585 MHz AM is a very popular Mexican trucker frequency.  The nearby channels, especially 26.565 MHz AM, 26.575 MHz AM, 26.595 MHz AM are also very popular, especially when the band is open.  Other honorable mentions include 26.475 MHz AM, 26.405 MHz AM, 26.375 MHz AM, 26.105 MHz AM..but 26.585MHz is a good place to start. 

CB Channel 9 as well as 26.705 MHz AM and 26.715 MHz AM are very popular calling frequencies for Spanish speaking stations.  Puerto Rico is often heard on 26.705 and 26.715.  They'll pop up on 26.695 MHz AM, 26.725 MHz AM and other nearby frequencies too. 

and, as far as SSB goes:

26.555 MHz LSB - Latin American SSB calling - see also: 26.540 MHz LSB, 26.545 MHz LSB, 26.570 MHz LSB
27.455 MHz USB - Latin American SSB calling
27.515 MHz LSB - Caribbean calling frequency
26.225 MHz USB - Latin American SSB calling - see also: 26.235 MHz USB, 26.240 MHz USB, etc.

26.285 MHz USB is designated as an alternate calling frequency, but it is rarely used for that purpose, at least in the Americas.  I've heard more AM mode chatter on 26.285 MHz (out of the Americas - including truckers - since 26.285MHz is Channel 19 down two bands) and FM mode chatter (out of Europe and Asia) then I've heard SSB DXers.   I'm listening to 26.285 MHz right now (1226 UTC on March 29th, 2024) on the G8JNJ online SDR and there is a very loud and very clear Russian land mobile system on the frequency in NFM mode.  26.285 MHz FM.  Taxi cab radio system, radio taxi dispatcher / taxi controller, YL dispatcher "Olga" RU taxi cab dispatch on 26285 FM.

14

10/11 meters / Re: Truck Drivers On 26.735 MHz AM Truckers On Free Band CB 1855 UTC 15 March 2024

« on: March 24, 2024, 1827 UTC »

Sadly a lot of radios have suffered the same fate ("big-truck-itis").  Lots of vibration over the years just wrecks the solder joints.  Sadly that issue is well enough known to operators and techs alike that some CB operators I've known have cautioned against using certain radios for heavy duty service because of the poorer quality of the solder and a resulting tendency to fail quickly due to the constant vibration.

The radio in question was a Voyage VR9000, which is better known as the Galaxy DX 88HML or Superstar 3900F.  It's a Superstar 3900 with a built-in frequency counter. 

I never had that issue with that particular radio, I used it mobile for many years (in a sedan though) and used it as a base station.  I sold it when I liquidated my collection of CB/11m equipment several years ago (along with several nice examples of older generation Superstar 3900 radios) and now I really hate myself for having done that.  I wish I had held onto my Superstar 3900 or my Superstar GR (which was a rebranded President Grant Export with low/mid/high bands, 26.515 MHz - 27.855 MHz, AM/FM/SSB and a 6-digit frequency counter).

15

10/11 meters / 26.765 MHz AM 26765 kHz Mexican Taxi Cab Dispatch Land Mobile Comms 03/24/2024

« on: March 24, 2024, 1822 UTC »

26.765MHz AM 26765 kHz AM 26,765 AM taxi dispatch, YL dispatcher - Spanish language.

Started coming in somewhat early today, around 1300 UTC or so.  Good signals at 1430 UTC and now at 1820 UTC locally and on various U.S. East Coast SDR receivers.  Also was able to copy the dispatcher (but not the drivers) on SDR receivers located in the UK.  Fair to good signals.