Messages

2176

Peskies / 6905 kHz LSB Spanish Speaking Freebander Net 0200+ UTC 1 July 2017

« on: July 01, 2017, 0212 UTC »

Two stations QSY'ed from 6900 kHz LSB on to this frequency.  It appears that, at least right now (0211 UTC), 6900 kHz LSB is quiet, so I decided to make a thread for 6905 LSB as it is possible that everybody moved up to the new frequency instead of just some of the stations in the net as originally thought.  That, or I'm just not hearing the stations on 6900 kHz LSB right now.  

2177

Peskies / 6900 kHz LSB Spanish Speaking Freebander Net 0200+ UTC 1 July 2017

« on: July 01, 2017, 0210 UTC »

6.900 MHz LSB 6900 kHz LSB 6.900 LSB 6900 LSB Spanish language Spanish voices Spanish pirates 6900 LSB 30 June 2017 - 1 July 2017

These guys have probably been going since before 0000 UTC on 1 July, but since I first turned in at 0200 UTC, that's the time I'm putting.  Hearing several good-sounding stations having a roundtable QSO, pretty standard operating procedure for this frequency.  At 0208, one of the operator requested a change / QSY to "6 9 0 5" and he and another station moved up to 6905 kHz LSB and continued chatting.  This also matches up with the operating procedures previously heard, as 6900 kHz LSB is used as the "calling" or "primary" frequency, and then stations QSY, usually in 5 kHz steps, just like on 11 meters, for more long-winded or personal QSOs.

2178

Shortwave Broadcast / Sideband Preacher Babble 15555 kHz USB WJHR Shortwave 15.555 MHz USB

« on: June 30, 2017, 1813 UTC »

I was cruising around 19 meters and came across what I thought was two-way comms (while listening in AM mode) on 15555 kHz / 15.555 MHz...I then switched to USB and realized it was yet another crazy rambling radio evangelist preacher, typical of, well, all the shortwave broadcast bands.  A quick Google search shows me its WJHR out of Milton, Florida.

The question in my mind is, why is this guy using SSB?  Isn't the point of these radio evangelists to reach as many people as possible?  I don't think people with AM only portable receivers would bother to buy a more expensive receiver when they can hear Brother Stair and a dozen other equally delusional radio preachers transmitting in AM? 

2179

10/11 meters / Strong AM Signals 26.875 MHz AM 26875 kHz AM "88 Alabama" working DX 30-JUN-17

« on: June 30, 2017, 1548 UTC »

Tuned in at 1545 UTC/1145am local time

Station putting out a very loud AM signal on 26875 AM, mentioned working conditions as a Galaxy 88 with a Varmint 150 driver into a Heathkit SB220 and a "homemade ground plane 18 feet tall" working stations in Virginia, Texas, North Carolina, Florida and several other locations all on 26.875 MHz AM.  Very powerful AM signal 10-12 kHz wide doing a solid S9 signal level.  Now several stations replying to station IDing as 88 Alabama, working Bartender, Switchblade and several numerical callsign or handle number stations, including 2408 Mobile and other mobile stations. 

2180

10/11 meters / 27.455 MHz - 27455 kHz QRM AM vs. USB vs. LSB 30 June 2017

« on: June 30, 2017, 1539 UTC »

Hearing lots of stuff at once on this frequency.  US-based stations coming out of the deep south on 27.455 LSB, with the usual Spanish speaking traffic on 27.455 USB.  Mixing in with that is sporadic AM traffic that sounds like truckers.  Of course, once the AM carrier is dropped, you can hear both (or all three) QSOs at the same time.  The stations on USB and LSB are roughly the same signal strength, the AM signal considerably weaker (which goes along with the trucker with 10-20 watt export radio theory).

Of all of the modes on 27.455 MHz this morning, 27.455 USB is the busiest, as it is more or less 27.555 USB for Spanish speakers.

2181

10/11 meters / 27.505 MHz / 27505 kHz AM DX Mississippi 30 June 2017

« on: June 30, 2017, 1535 UTC »

Very strong AM signal on 27.505 right now, hearing a OM talking to another, unheard station, mentioned Tupelo (??) Mississippi giving a weather report to the other station he's talking to.  Decent sounding signal with strong modulation.  SIO 555

2182

10/11 meters / Spanish language 11 meter net 27.695 MHz LSB 27695 kHz LSB 30 June 2017

« on: June 30, 2017, 1518 UTC »

27695 LSB 27.695 LSB 27.695 MHz LSB 27695 kHz LSB.  Spanish language common Latin American high band frequency.

Our usual friends are coming in earlier than, well, usual today on 27695 LSB.  Nice strong signals with stations from Central America and South America working Caribbean stations as well as US-based stations (just heard California check in).  Minor OTHR over the horizon radar buzz bursts but they don't seem to bother the operators on this frequency.  

2183

10/11 meters / 27.465 MHz 27465 kHz AM vs. LSB Messy Frequency 1500-1515 UTC 30 June 2017

« on: June 30, 2017, 1515 UTC »

Hearing US based stations working DX on 27.465 MHz LSB while truckers chat to each other on 27.465 MHz AM.  Seems like the truckers are close to each other and probably have their squelch turned up.  At 1513 I heard "yeah they're gonna wave something at you out the window if you hit the brake like that" and more obvious trucking related talk at 1514 with considerably stronger SSB traffic on 27.465 MHz LSB

If these truckers operating outside the CB band do have their squelch circuits turned up, they probably don't even hear the guys on 27465 LSB. 

Lots of other nearby frequencies suddenly coming alive this late Friday morning. 

2184

10/11 meters / 27.515 MHz MHz AM Spanish Numbers Lady Taxi Dispatch Taxicab CB 30 June 2017

« on: June 30, 2017, 1510 UTC »

27515 kHz AM 27,515 kHz 27.515 MHz AM 27.515 AM - Spanish language taxi dispatch, familiar YL dispatcher talking through minor SSB QRM as the band appears to open up this morning (east coast USA time).  Started listening just before 1500 UTC.  Female dispatcher reading numbers (addresses and cab numbers) on 27.515 MHz AM.  This taxi company is often heard during band openings to Mexico and points south of the border.

The fact that 26.225 USB, 26.555 LSB, 26.585 AM, 26.705 AM and 27.455 USB are also active all point to sporadic-E or possibly TEP propagation conditions today.

The dispatcher's radio transmitter is actually pretty decent and nearly right on frequency.  When listening on a mobile CB - actually had my Cobra 29XLR with frequency modification and channel display that shows down to channel -128 and up to channel 99 [although the radio isn't broadbanded enough to do that entire range, receive seems to really drop off after "channel 55" or so (which is, of course, 27.555 MHz).  Listening to channel 51 though, or 27.515 MHz AM - the Spanish numbers lady taxi dispatcher is coming in loud and clear.  Looking at her signal on a remote SDR waterfall shows that her transmitter is sitting on 27514.90 or 27514.91 kHz - that's 27.5149 MHz, very close for AM CB work...especially when you consider that even in-band CB signals are often 1-2 or even 3 kHz away from the center frequency for a given channel. 

Ramble aside, its good to hear the Spanish taxi lady again (one of many - but she seems to be the only one that uses 27515 AM).  Unfortunately, 27.515 MHz is also a frequency used by the Knight Patrol CB Club out of Jamaica...so when the propagation is really open, there can be some serious QRM with high powered Caribbean stations working each other on 27.515 LSB and the Mexican taxi dispatcher on 27.515 AM at the same time.

2185

10/11 meters / 11 Meter Band DX Skip Southern US Propagation 30 June 2017

« on: June 30, 2017, 1456 UTC »

Hearing several active out-of-band frequencies in addition to the 26.225 USB, 26.555 LSB and 27.455 USB Spanish language calling channels.

26885 kHz AM - 26.885 MHz AM - Southern US stations working DX skip
26915 kHz AM - 26.915 MHz AM - Southern US stations working DX skip, Alabama, Florida and Mississippi all heard
--lots of signals in the legal 40, including the big radio AM channels 6, 11, 13, 15, 20, 22, 23, 26, 28, 31 and 34
as well as SSB signals on 38 LSB 27.385 LSB Palm Beach Florida and several other locations in the deep south booming in this morning on 27385 LSB

Also hearing SSB voice traffic on 27.390 LSB and 27.400 LSB, both popular "in-between" or "slider" channels for sideband work. 

Not much above channel 40, however I am hearing some activity on

27415 kHz LSB - 27.415 MHz LSB - Southern US stations QSO likely a net
27420 kHz LSB - 27.420 MHz LSB - Weak SSB traffic heard here, probably US stations going by frequency and mode
27425 kHz LSB - 27.425 MHz LSB - Stations calling CQ DX and working DX
27450 kHz LSB - 27.450 MHz LSB - Southern US stations QSO likely a net
27575 kHz AM - 27.575 MHz AM - Truckers, heard mention of Interstate 85

Not a lot of logs but its still relatively early in the morning for Sporadic-E (which I guess doens't make much of a difference?)  Anyway this may be an indicator of a bigger opening later today or this evening.

2186

10/11 meters / Latin American 11m DX 27455 USB / 26555 LSB / 26225 USB

« on: June 30, 2017, 1447 UTC »

Hearing activity on the legal 40 CB channels, including 38 LSB and 39 LSB this morning (local east coast time - started at 1445 UTC)

Latin American calling frequencies 26.225 MHz USB, 26.555 MHz LSB and 27.455 MHz USB are all active

2187

Peskies / 6900 kHz USB Spanish Speaking Freebander Net 2300+ UTC 29 June 2017

« on: June 29, 2017, 2319 UTC »

I've got them on 6900 kHz USB this time, which isn't unheard of...but 6900 kHz LSB seems to be the normal frequency.  Not sure why they're using USB or if this is even the same group (the timing seems a little off).  Similar-sounding traffic to what's usually heard on 6900 LSB later in the evening.  Stations calling into the frequency (or net), giving signal reports, pretty standard operating procedure for 43 meter freebanders (and 11 meter freebanders). 

Still hearing sporadic Spanish language chatter at 2319 UTC. 

2188

10/11 meters / 27.155 MHz 27155 kHz USB CB channel 16 Spanish Language

« on: June 29, 2017, 2159 UTC »

This is a random catch.  I just heard some Spanish speaking doing radio checks and the usual "holaaaa hollaaaaa" on 27155 USB.  Usually AM traffic is found in this part of the band, as far as I know that applies to the rest of the Americas as well.

Maybe somebody didn't know what "band" he was on (could have been trying to 27605 USB, which would make more sense) or forgot to flip back to AM.  Didn't hear anything after those initial transmissions.

The band isn't nearly as open as it was earlier, but I am still hearing some Spanish speaking traffic up around 27665 USB, 27695 LSB, etc. 

Heard locally with a Superstar 3900 and a Hustler IC-100 mag mount CB antenna. 

2189

10/11 meters / Missouri Freeband CB 26.815 MHz AM 26815 kHz AM 29 June 2017

« on: June 29, 2017, 1935 UTC »

Strong AM signal, Unit 211 Morgan County, Central Missouri on 26.815 MHz 26815 AM talking about incoming severe weather, with severe QRM from splattering signals on 26805 AM and 26825 AM.  Lots and lots of "low channel" 26 MHz AM activity from US based stations this afternoon, more or less every 10 kHz from 26515 to 26955 (including 26955 itself!) has been active and/or is active right now.  Heavy QRM from splattering big gun stations on the superbowl channel 6 27.025 MHz AM 27025 AM interfering with stations on 26915 AM, 26945 AM and 26955 AM.

2190

10/11 meters / Truckers outside CB band 26.105 MHz AM 26105 kHz AM 29 June 2017

« on: June 29, 2017, 1901 UTC »

26.105 MHz AM 26105 kHz AM 26105 AM 26.105 AM trucker channel band B channel 4 channel 4B B4 etc.  Whatever you call it, its another mystery of the 11 meter freeband. 

Truckers talking about taking an exit, that stupid m*therf*cker that cut me off, "somebody going around the fenceline", "going across 70, you wanna take that offramp..." "well that's just a whorehouse" "can a guy catch a ride on a tuna boat" "you're gonna come back smellin' like fish" sounds like 3-4 conversations going at once with lots of QRM and heterodyne squeals at points.  "that one down in the Mercedes I can see her *****" "me and John K" "where the hell do you think you're going?" "that's a different truck today!" and lots of other unidentified one-liners.  "I'm going from Memphis to St. Louis" "where the hell is that?" "shorter lead than you'd think" "looks like somebody blocking that shoulder some sort of highway truck" etc etc

Basically nonstop traffic on this frequency which is interesting because its sort of off by itself (there's only a handful of other active channels in the "B" band - that is, 26055-26505 kHz or 26.055-26.505 MHz.  But, for whatever reason, 26.105 AM seems to be one of the more popular trucker channels outside the legal band. 

It's channel 4 down two bands.  Channel 4 down one band is 26.555, which is an active Spanish language calling channel in LSB mode, so that would explain why they avoid that, and channel 4 up one band is 27.455, which is also an active Spanish language calling channel in USB mode...so that gives us 26105 or 27905 (channel 4 down two bands and up two bands respectively).  I've heard traffic on 27905 AM and 27915 AM so that checks. 

For whatever the reason, it seems like whenever the band is open, 26.105 MHz AM is active with wall-to-wall trucker chatter.