HFU HF Underground

Loggings => Utility => Topic started by: Strange Beacons on September 30, 2018, 1710 UTC

Title: What's up with WLO Marine?
Post by: Strange Beacons on September 30, 2018, 1710 UTC: I've been a fan of demodulating the RTTY/SITOR-B weather and anti-piracy transmissions from WLO Marine for years. However, it appears that they are no longer active.

I just checked the WLO Marine / Shipcom website and the page is now mostly blank, except for a post dated September 30, 2018 that says "Coming Back Soon."

Anyone know what the story is with this?

Thanks,

Curt / W9SPY
Title: Re: What's up with WLO Marine?
Post by: prldx on September 30, 2018, 1900 UTC: Hi !

I found this:
https://swling.com/blog/2018/07/after-71-years-wlo-operators-go-off-the-air/

73,
Patrick
Title: Re: What's up with WLO Marine?
Post by: Josh on September 30, 2018, 1912 UTC: "The WLO maritime coast station service, under new ownership, continues at a new location.
Currently offering automated data service. Further new services in development
PeterPKierans@gmail.com"
Title: Re: What's up with WLO Marine?
Post by: Strange Beacons on September 30, 2018, 2359 UTC: Thanks for the replies. Sad to hear that WLO is not going to be available anymore.

Man, RTTY is my favorite digital mode, but it is becoming almost extinct on the air, at least from the commercial side of things (weather, news, etc.).
Title: Re: What's up with WLO Marine?
Post by: Looking-Glass on October 02, 2018, 1558 UTC: Come to think of it I haven't heard the WLO beacon on 8.420MHz CW for a few weeks now, just dismissed it as poor propagation, maybe it's not even on air?

Would be a pity if its gone as a good propagation indicator in our evenings to the USA. :(
Title: Re: What's up with WLO Marine?
Post by: shadypyro on October 02, 2018, 2109 UTC: That's sad, i also haven't heard 6318 CW from Seattle in a while. Could it been off the air or something?
Title: Re: What's up with WLO Marine?
Post by: RST111 on October 12, 2018, 0247 UTC: Quote from: shadypyro on October 02, 2018, 2109 UTC
That's sad, i also haven't heard 6318 CW from Seattle in a while. Could it been off the air or something?

I'm right by Seattle, so I tuned in and am receiving nothing. Doing a little digging, it turns out KLB (6318 Seattle) is also owned by ShipCom, the owners of WLO.

So probably in the same situation. :(
Title: Re: What's up with WLO Marine?
Post by: shadypyro on October 12, 2018, 1850 UTC: Quote from: RST111 on October 12, 2018, 0247 UTC
Quote from: shadypyro on October 02, 2018, 2109 UTC
That's sad, i also haven't heard 6318 CW from Seattle in a while. Could it been off the air or something?

I'm right by Seattle, so I tuned in and am receiving nothing. Doing a little digging, it turns out KLB (6318 Seattle) is also owned by ShipCom, the owners of WLO.

So probably in the same situation. :(

That's a bummer :( I am gonna remove the frequency off of my pl-600 later on
Title: Re: What's up with WLO Marine?
Post by: ka3jjz on May 24, 2023, 2308 UTC: WLO was gone for a long time, now it's back with test transmissions at various times on 8788 khz USB. Widely reported on the RadioRef utilities forum and also mentioned on the UDXF forum. No known solid schedule yet, so it's catch as catch can

Mike
Title: Re: What's up with WLO Marine?
Post by: ~SIGINT~ on May 24, 2023, 2325 UTC: Please see the thread bellow for further details.

WLO Mobile, AL USA 8788 USB 1117 UTC 09 MAR 2023
https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,110909.msg354181.html#msg354181 (https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,110909.msg354181.html#msg354181)
Title: Re: What's up with WLO Marine?
Post by: jasmine on May 25, 2023, 1024 UTC: Quote from: ka3jjz on May 24, 2023, 2308 UTC
WLO was gone for a long time, now it's back with test transmissions at various times on 8788 khz USB. Widely reported on the RadioRef utilities forum and also mentioned on the UDXF forum. No known solid schedule yet, so it's catch as catch can

Mike

Its return was first logged by me here on HFU which SIGNIT just referenced. https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,110909.msg354181.html

Not long after I made that post, I emailed Hugh Stegman at the Spectrum Monitor a few days later and he started doing some research and asking around on UDXF. He also said I beat the UDXF people by a little over a week. :)