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Loggings => Peskies => Topic started by: R4002 on April 22, 2017, 0739 UTC

Title: 6707 kHz USB - Asian Japanese Fishery Radio? 0738+ UTC 22 April 2017
Post by: R4002 on April 22, 2017, 0739 UTC
Another odd catch early in the morning (US east coast morning anyway).  Sounds like Japanese to me...but I'm not 100% sure.  SIO 111 at best.z

EDIT:  I took a look at the 9 kHz - 27500 kHz (and 27.500 MHz - 1000 MHz) Japanese frequency allocation tables [http://www.tele.soumu.go.jp/e/adm/freq/search/share/plan.htm (http://www.tele.soumu.go.jp/e/adm/freq/search/share/plan.htm)] and 6685 kHz - 6765 kHz is allocated to aeronautical mobile, however frequencies above the channelized frequency 6682 kHz are assigned to off-route aeronautical mobile (6685 kHz - 6760 kHz in 3 kHz steps) which generally means military HF use.  The frequencies are still channelized, 6700 kHz, 6703 kHz, 6706 kHz, 6709 kHz, 6712 kHz, etc...so 6707 kHz is still a questionable frequency. 

Since the 6525-6765 kHz aero band is worldwide, I'd say its safe to say they were just the Asian version of peskies that our Australian and New Zealander friends have to deal with...
Title: Re: 6707 kHz USB - Asian Japanese Fishery Radio? 0738+ UTC 22 April 2017
Post by: Looking-Glass on April 22, 2017, 2247 UTC
R-4002: I will attend to monitoring this one in the next few evenings from 0730z, if it's Japanese I will know it as I speak some basic Japanese.  

There are many trawler fleet companies that run "pirate" (Taiwan, Japan, Korea & Indonesia mostly) in the Asia/Pacific area.  

This includes the big American Purse Seiner tuna boats who used to pop up in the 40m amateur bands quite often as well as the 10MHz amateur allocation.

Spanish trawlers are also into the Pacific and Indian Ocean off Australia, most are fishing illegally, have picked them up from time to time on HF too.
Title: Re: 6707 kHz USB - Asian Japanese Fishery Radio? 0738+ UTC 22 April 2017
Post by: R4002 on April 23, 2017, 0016 UTC
LG,  it is awesome to have a monitor in the Asia-Pacific region to confirm (or correct) these early morning (UTC) loggings. I often work nights and come home to the radio early in the morning and that's often when I hear these interesting logs. I look forward to hearing if you hear these signals. The other "peskies" you mention - Asian fishing fleets and fishery companies operating outside the ITU HF SSB marine bands and/or intruding in the 30 meter and 40 meter ham radio bands. It seems like the area 6-8 MHz is a favorite for all sorts of stuff, favorable propagation, NVIS signal propagation when the conditions are right, etc. I've logged Spanish speaking signals on 6999 kHz USB and I know there are reports of fishing boats operating right on 7000 kHz in addition to the "usual" 25-30 MHz export radio traffic. Now that 11 meters isn't providing DX on a regular basis....a lot of these stations have moved down in frequency.

I've heard several conversations on the "main" 43 meter Spanish language speaking  freebander frequencies 6900 kHz LSB, 6900 kHz USB, 6895 kHz LSB, etc about how 11 meters is dead.
Title: Re: 6707 kHz USB - Asian Japanese Fishery Radio? 0738+ UTC 22 April 2017
Post by: Looking-Glass on April 23, 2017, 2243 UTC
R4002: Missed checking at at 0730z last night due to the football game being on live.  Left the radio on 6.707MHz for an hour this morning from 2030z and nothing, except for some Indonesians chatting on 6.708MHz USB, a group of three, lot of laughing and carry on.  Village inter-radio pirates, mention of Sulawesi a few times, confirming Indonesians.

Picked up a lady with an American accent handling traffic on 8.076MHz USB around 2110z this morning, must be yachts?  Checked some of the major yachting web sites radio HF lists but nothing so far.

Think she gave her sign off callsign, at around 2130z as C-568.  All vessels worked she used official callsigns and not yacht names, so not pirates. Traffic passed was family information and old fashioned type "telegramme traffic". Yachts must be on split as I could only hear her up to 5X3 and slipping away as Grey Line moves through.

You might know this one?
Title: Re: 6707 kHz USB - Asian Japanese Fishery Radio? 0738+ UTC 22 April 2017
Post by: R4002 on April 24, 2017, 0239 UTC
8076 kHz falls outside the 8195 kHz - 8815 kHz 8 MHz HF marine SSB band (shared 8MHz band frequencies with fixed and mobile service start at 8101 kHz and go up to 8191 kHz in 3 kHz steps...8101 kHz, 8104 kHz, 8107 kHz, etc.  The 8101-8191 kHz channels are simplex only.  Duplex channeling starts with ITU channel 801 at 8195 (ship TX)/8719 (shore TX) and goes up to 8288 kHz/8812 kHz. 

7300 kHz to 8195 kHz is another "fixed and mobile" band (that is, everything and anything) so the traffic you were hearing wasn't in the legal 8 MHz HF maritime allocation.  Sounded official though, could have been anything else (or a yacht club operating out of band - I have logged several yacht nets in the 4000-4063 kHz range, although this is a fixed/mobile band it is legally shared with marine HF per ITU regulations. 

Seems to me like you've found another out-of-band marine user :D
Title: Re: 6707 kHz USB - Asian Japanese Fishery Radio? 0738+ UTC 22 April 2017
Post by: Looking-Glass on April 24, 2017, 0359 UTC
R4002:  On closer reflection on the 8.076MHz USB net I heard this morning, it maybe a Pacific Islands religious network net, a lot of "God Bless" and "may you reflect in prayer" was mentioned.  

Possibly the Mormons or SDA who have a lot of Americans in their Pacific postings?  The lady net controller had an American accent.

The Catholic and Protestant churches tend to have Irish, British, Scottish or Australians in their postings to the Pacific.

When I was living in Micronesia I remember some of the religious outposts had yachts too, to visit the more isolated outer island where little or no air services exist.

Will tune it tomorrow at 2100z and see what I can work out.  Put a stickly label on the desk to remind me of 6.707MHz USB from 0730z too... 8)
Title: Re: 6707 kHz USB - Asian Japanese Fishery Radio? 0738+ UTC 22 April 2017
Post by: R4002 on April 24, 2017, 0404 UTC
Likely an NGO or mission-based organization (this fits in with them operating in the "fixed/mobile" band) - interesting that they're using the same frequency for marine transmissions as well.  Chances are they have all the radios in their network programmed with the same set of frequencies (which likely makes everything easier for everybody involved - especially if they're not radio-savvy and/or don't really care about ITU band allocations).

In addition to 6707 USB, put a note to monitor 6900 USB from 2200-0400 UTC.   I just made a very long log of a net heard on 6900 LSB [see here: https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,34426.0.html (https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,34426.0.html)] (I speak Spanish - and the stations are Spanish-speakers - but several of them stated they were transmitting from Central America and California, which means there's a possibility if you hearing them).  If you don't speak Spanish it's all good - I'm just interested to see if you can hear them.

Around what time(s) did/do you hear the 8076 kHz USB traffic?  I bet they have a 4 MHz frequency for nighttime check-ins.  It seems like most NGO, military and "fixed/mobile" user has a "day frequency" and a "night frequency" and going by the fact that they're using 8 MHz leads me to believe they should also have a lower frequency for nighttime operations...well, nighttime in your hemisphere.   ;D

Title: Re: 6707 kHz USB - Asian Japanese Fishery Radio? 0738+ UTC 22 April 2017
Post by: Looking-Glass on April 24, 2017, 0632 UTC
My Spanish is basic, it used to be good as I spent three months in South America way back 1986 and took a three month "Latino Spanish" language course before I went.  Should be hearing it soon as the Grey Line is heading this way and HM-01 plus Radio Marti are very strong in the next hour or so (0700z).  Will have a look at 6.900MHz.

By what you have described on the link it smells of CB radio style of operating from 11 metres?  Very strong smell actually. ::)

8.076MHz USB seems to kick off between 2100-2115z with a check in and report format.  Haven't listened outside of this. I will put my money on missionary radio... ;D
Title: Re: 6707 kHz USB - Asian Japanese Fishery Radio? 0738+ UTC 22 April 2017
Post by: R4002 on April 24, 2017, 0645 UTC
It reminds me of the Latin American 11 meter operations almost exactly.  A lot of the stations who operate on the busy Spanish language 11m frequencies are using general coverage HF equipment in addition to modified 10 meter export equipment, so moving down to 43 meters when 11 meters isn't open is easy.  The frequencies even match up in a way.  27665 USB and 27665 LSB as well as 27695 USB/27695 LSB are common Spanish calling frequencies with 27690 USB/LSB being the "alternate", just like 6900 LSB, 6900 USB as well as 6895 LSB and/or 6905 LSB being the alternate frequencies.  I think it boils down to easy-to-remember frequencies too.    

I was just surprised as the professionalism heard by net control stations on 6900 LSB.  A lot more professional than some of the jamming and nonsense I've heard on 27385 LSB or 27555 USB or other 11 meter "calling" frequencies".

Looking forward to what else you can hear on 8076 USB.  
Title: Re: 6707 kHz USB - Asian Japanese Fishery Radio? 0738+ UTC 22 April 2017
Post by: Looking-Glass on April 24, 2017, 0829 UTC
Nothing at all heard on 6.707MHz USB, have the FT-2000D running there since 0715z.  It's 0820z as I type.

Band is open to Japan as there are three Japanese chatting on 6.847MHz USB, two men and one lady, strongest is just a touch under 10dB over nine, the lady is 5X3 at best.  One of them is on Okinawa as Naha was mentioned a few times and talk about flights to Tokyo Narita also.

The second receiver on the set is running on 8.076MHz and nothing at all heard so far.  As you suggest they may have a morning and night frequencies.

American chick heard awhile back reading out letters/numbers "I say again" then she goes over them again, on 6.739MHz USB, probably SAC, same format as the Sky King gigs, slight echo on her voice too.

One thing you have to take in account concerning Japanese, South Korean and Chinese stations is that they are not always where their language dictates.  Lot of Japanese stations active from the Pacific islands, Indonesia and Malaysia as they are talking home from logging camps, fisheries bases and other Japanese aid style or investment projects abroad.

Last year I picked up a Chinese fellow talking away on 10MHz, a friend was here who speaks Manadarin after listening for awhile said he was operating from a construction site in Nigeria of all places and was talking to someone in Guangzhou.

I used to listen to Japanese talking from a big logging site in Lofang, Solomon Islands on 7MHz around 1000z, they were talking back to Japan.

It's nearly 0830z and nothing on 6.707MHz as yet, likewise 6.900MHz LSB is quiet too as too frequencies either side of it.

Weak carrier building on 6.900MHz (0915z), probably China, Taiwan or North Korea, nothing else noted.

Title: Re: 6707 kHz USB - Asian Japanese Fishery Radio? 0738+ UTC 22 April 2017
Post by: R4002 on April 24, 2017, 1559 UTC
So just like the Spanish-speaking traffic heard, it could be coming from anywhere.  6739 USB is part of the USAF HF network, a network which includes 4724 USB, 8992 USB, 11175 USB and 13016 USB as well as 6739.  The messages are usually simulcasted on all five frequencies from multiple transmission sites (this explains the echo) to ensure worldwide coverage.  The SKYKING SKYKING DO NOT ANSWER Emergency Action Messages (EAM) and other high-priority encrypted traffic has notably increased over the past couple weeks as tensions between the United States and North Korea (and the United States and Russia) have escalated.

Have the loggers you've heard on the 7 MHz band actually been exactly on 7000?  Because I've heard lots of traffic on 6999 USB before, it would make sense - you don't even have to modify the radio in question for out-of-band transmit...just use the edge of the bands.  No radio enforcement in the South Pacific...or at remote construction sites in Nigeria for that matter. 
Title: Re: 6707 kHz USB - Asian Japanese Fishery Radio? 0738+ UTC 22 April 2017
Post by: Looking-Glass on April 24, 2017, 2126 UTC
R4002: All sorts of traffic spread across 7MHz from Asian companies abroad, also noted on 10MHz as well, fisheries, construction, logging etc.  I don't bother recording each individual frequency, some have been posted on the DX World logger.

Japan, China and South Korea have many projects in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji so lot's of strange HF activity, some legal, some not. Japan has many projects in Micronesia too.  Used to hear a Japanese fellow in Mogmog talking home on 6MHz a few years back, ordering things for the site and progress reports.

Often hear Spanish on 6-10MHz and most often it's the large Spanish trawlers chasing tuna or the illegal catch of Patagonia Toothfish found in the Indian Ocean right down to Antarctica past Heard & McDonald Islands.

The 8.076MHz transmission has been solved.  At exactly 2100z a lady came up ( I missed what she first said as Indonesian splattering from 8.079MHz), she had a "Reading for today...He stood among them and said peace be with you."  She then asked for any priority checks ("please give your call sign"), then announced a "schedule for today" mention made of Morobe, Sepik, Goroka, Madang and Ishivara. These are all districts in Papua New Guinea, she started working individual stations and reverted to PNG language  (Tok Pidgin).  Not the lady from yesterday with the American accent, different lady today, fluent in local dialects too.

So above points to a church radio net work, denomination not known as yet, could be Catholic as they have a huge following in PNG.

Nothing heard on 6.900MHz , or frequencies either side, except an Asian shortwave station which appeared around 0900z weak on 6.900MHz AM and this morning it was 5X3 at 2000z with Cantonese announcer, SW Search says it's in Taiwan.  Cross checked 6.707MHz USB for trawlers and nothing at all noted on that one, it may be a one off group channel used when the main one is cluttered. If it's trawlers.

Sorry no luck with the two frequencies on 6MHz so far, will keep them in mind.  Likewise nothing on 8.047MHz USB with aviation traffic, I suspect it's Indonesian military, Indonesian accented English last heard there a few days back and Selcal check given.

Public Holiday here today so may have a chance to check some more the outstanding frequencies you gave.

Title: Re: 6707 kHz USB - Asian Japanese Fishery Radio? 0738+ UTC 22 April 2017
Post by: R4002 on April 24, 2017, 2215 UTC
Looking-Glass,

I always appreciate the extensive replies you put together and the monitoring time you put in trying to find out these mystery stations.  So 8076 kHz USB is some sort of missionary radio network (not a broadcaster) using HF to communicate with their remote missions.  Have you heard any actual callsign callsigns?  That is, a FCC-issued callsign (generally alphanumeric, beginning with K or W - land mobile stations are K or W, only US Navy and aircraft use the N-prefix and amateur uses A-prefix in addition to N and K and W).  Something like WXX1234 or KA9876.  You get the idea.  Some very old stations have three-level alphabetical only callsigns (WLO is a good example) and this also applies to US Navy and USCG stations (NMN, NAA, etc).  

If the users on 8076 USB are licensed, they should, in theory, be identifying using their FCC-issued callsign.  Of course, there's always the chance they simply picked a vacant frequency and used it.

Since you have the day off, I'd put 4724/6739/8992/11175 in your "scanlist".  As I said before, most USAF traffic is simulcasted across all frequencies.  There are several alternate ("discrete") USAF HF frequencies such as 11180 that also sometimes have USB voice traffic in addition to encrypted digital modes.  

There are Portuguese-speaking fishermen chattering away on 6925 kHz LSB right now, and I imagine 6900 LSB and the nearby frequencies will become active after 2300-0000 UTC or thereabouts, if they have any sort of schedule at all.

Since 6707 kHz USB remains a mystery I think your theory about it being a "side channel" to a main net makes sense.  You also mention Spanish language activity in the 6-10 MHz range - do you have a listing or log somewhere of the frequencies you've heard that activity on?  

Your logs are some of the better ones out there - keep up the good work!

----

Postscript:

I just did a quick FCC license search for both 8.076 MHz and 8.0774 MHz.  The FCC often licenses USB traffic 1.4 kHz above the "carrier" or "window" (also known as "display" frequency since that's what the radio's display shows).  So, for example, 2182 kHz is licensed either as 2.182 MHz, 2.1834 MHz, or in some licenses - like this one: http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/license.jsp?licKey=1964239 (http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/license.jsp?licKey=1964239) <---click the "Frequencies" tab - using both methods.  I then searched for all active licenses with authorization for frequencies 8 to 9 MHz and come up with thousands of results.  More research needed.

Here's the Advanced Search page for the FCC website:  http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/searchAdvanced.jsp (http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/searchAdvanced.jsp)

I don't have a lot of time at the moment to browse through all the active licenses for 8-9 MHz (make sure you check "Active" under the "Status" section - or your result will be cluttered with expired/canceled/terminated licenses) but they could be in there.  Or they're operating illegally.  Still, the FCC license database is a good place to start. 
Title: Re: 6707 kHz USB - Asian Japanese Fishery Radio? 0738+ UTC 22 April 2017
Post by: Looking-Glass on April 25, 2017, 0425 UTC
In the past when I have heard missionary transmissions they seldom use an official callsign.  I used to tune into the Catholic Mission HQ on South Tarawa in Western Kiribati when I lived on the tip of South Tarawa at Betio and they used to just say "Abemama, Abemama, Abemama, Tarawa."  Abemama is south of Tarawa.  If they were to use the local licence it would be "T3" prefix.

Likewise, for the 8.076MHz people, they would use an official "P2" prefix for Papua New Guinea, FCC has no jurisdiction over missionary postings abroad as it would fall under "local" licensing and spectrum management under the Communications Ministry of government.  

Regarding the SAC frequencies I have heard the ones you have listed, especially 8.992MHz USB which is strong here, also logged SAC on 15.015MHz I think and also on 13MHz somewhere if I recall. Thinking back one of the transmitters is at Anderson AFB and there used to be on at Hickham AFB way back.

In 1983 I visited Anderson AFB near Yigo, on Guam.  They have a preserved B-52 Bomber on static display at the base entrance, had a good look over it and toured most of the base, impressive.  When I was on Majuro, in the Marshall Islands I also had the courtesy of a base tour of Kwajalein Atoll, a little USA in the Pacific, in contrast to nearby Ebeye where the "domestic" Marshallese workers live in absolute filth and poverty in a gorssly overcrowded "shanty town" type of living.  They used to test fire missiles from California to land in the Kwajalein lagoon in those days.

Some place in my documents section I have an article I copied off the net in PDF telling the SAC story and what the transmissions mean and a huge list of frequencies, interesting read.

Will keep an eye on 6.707MHz as it's caught my interest.  Could be a fleet operating off the west coast of USA too complete with a mother ship for snap freezing and possibly canning the catch too so you would hear it better than here.  Those big trawlers are raping this planet of fish stocks, which are now at historic lows, cannot go on for ever, which is why those huge Spanish trawlers are sneaking around here as the Atlantic has been raped to the max.

Once I was in Pago Pago, American Samoa and I watched the huge Purse Seiners, complete with helicopter on board, discharge their catch at Van Camp/Starkist plants, my goodness they can hold some fish in those holds.  Little wonder we are running out of fish... :'(

Nothing at all heard on 6.707MHz from 0720-0815z this evening, not a whisper. WLO beacon on 8MHz 589 report so band open across your way, nil on 6.900MHz.
Title: Re: 6707 kHz USB - Asian Japanese Fishery Radio? 0738+ UTC 22 April 2017
Post by: R4002 on April 25, 2017, 1705 UTC
We're going to be out of fish soon the way the legal (and, of course, illegal) fisheries are operating.  Our monitoring only provides a glimpse into their operations.  But, if they're not going to follow the regulations regarding fisheries laws...they're probably not going to care about radio either.  After all...once you're in international waters.

I completely blanked re: the license/callsign information - since they're not operating on U.S. soil they don't need a U.S. license!   ;D

15016 kHz USB and 13200 kHz USB are two of the "high band" frequencies used for EAMS, usually simulcasted with 4724 USB, 6739 USB, 8992 USB and, of course, the main one, 11175 kHz USB.  There are dozens and dozens of frequencies also in use by USAF in the 11 MHz, 13 MHz and 15 MHz regions near the frequencies already listed and discussed.  Apparently 11180 kHz USB is another one, although I've personally never logged activity on it.  The 6 MHz region is another story. It is popular for USAF comms, as well as MARS and Canadian military (CANFORCE) communications.  There's a powerful military VOLMET weather forecast transmitter in operation on 6754 kHz USB (Trenton Military is the ID/callsign) and it is often QRMed by pescadore traffic on 6750 kHz USB, 6755 kHz USB, 6755.5 kHz USB, 6757 kHz USB (when overmodulated/splattering).

6750 and 6755/6755.5 along with 6962 seem to be active later on in the evening (after 0300ish UTC) and may also be worth checking out. 
Title: Re: 6707 kHz USB - Asian Japanese Fishery Radio? 0738+ UTC 22 April 2017
Post by: Looking-Glass on April 25, 2017, 2212 UTC
R4002:  Very cold here this morning, they predict a possible snow fall tonight, gave the radio a good going over after the football finished;

6.707MHz nothing noted on the actual frequency at all, although weak CW was on 6.709MHz around 1030z.

6.900MHz  again, nothing noted on that, except for the Asian shortwave station "warming up" around 1030z, lowered powered Taiwanese station.

8.076MHz very lively this morning, very business like with no local chit chat or joking. Starts spot on 2100z, same lady on base as yesterday, speaks the local language very fluently.  As usual she kicked things off with the "Reading for today" a quote from the bible. She had traffic on hand for A-575, A-573 and A-547.  The latter checked in, just readable, A-547 male operator and judging by the accented English was a PNG local, they reverted to local language when traffic passed.  They are using two frequencies but I missed what she said..."Are you hearing me on....? Getting you better on 8.076." Also thought I heard the word "Diocese" mentioned which would indicate Catholic church network.

So no luck with the other frequencies at all.  Also noted that 8.439MHz USB quiet last two nights, normally activity there, "Kompanyeea" precedes the calls, probably Greek or Cypriot military. Brief chat then gone.

Likewise 8.047MHz USB gone quiet with aero traffic, I seem to think it was Indonesian military with a special operation frequency.  Traffic was in English but heavy Indonesian accent.

Title: Re: 6707 kHz USB - Asian Japanese Fishery Radio? 0738+ UTC 22 April 2017
Post by: R4002 on April 30, 2017, 1548 UTC
The search continues.  So 6900 AM is a regional (Taiwanese) frequency?  Because the Spanish speaking stations on 6900 LSB are an almost daily thing.  Its possible that you're just not in a good spot for them - as they're regional as well.

I wonder if 6707 USB was some sort of a fluke.  But keep listening and I will too :D