HFU HF Underground

Loggings => Peskies => Topic started by: R4002 on November 20, 2018, 2201 UTC

Title: Pescadores Freebanders and UNID Radio Nets 43 meters 20 Nov 2018
Post by: R4002 on November 20, 2018, 2201 UTC
Logged between 2130 and 2200 UTC via the sigma SDR on the CT/MA border 43 meter band

Some background about the 6-7 MHz region and official allocations:
5900 kHz - 6200 kHz - 49 meter shortwave broadcast band SWBC band
6200 kHz - 6525 kHz - 6 MHz HF marine band
6525 kHz - 6685 kHz - 6 MHz HF aeronautical - civilian aircraft band on route
6685 kHz - 6765 kHz - 6 MHz HF aeronautical - military aircraft band off route
6765 kHz - 7000 kHz - fixed/mobile band aka "43 meters", although many consider 43m to be 6800-7000 kHz

6765-7000 kHz fixed mobile band commonly used by pirate radio stations in North America and all sorts of other places, a large amount of unknown origin "bump in the night" two-way SSB QSOs heard in this band (and nearby frequencies, especially in the 6525-6765 kHz aeronautical band and the frequencies above 7000 kHz into the 40 meter amateur band).

The 6525-6765 kHz band is broken down into two subbands, with civilian/on-route allocations in the lower 6525 kHz to 6685 kHz portion and military/off-route allocations in the 6685 kHz to 6765 kHz portion.  Most of the freebanders and UNID signals seem to be closer to the military subband, although 6666.6 kHz is really popular.  Below 6525 kHz is the 6200 kHz to 6525 kHz 6 MHz marine band (where the line blurs a bit, if you're a fishing fleet operating within the marine band are you still a peskie?).  Below 6200 kHz is the 49 meter broadcast band 5900 kHz to 6200 kHz (some sources say 5950 kHz to 6200 kHz) although there are several broadcasters that use portions of the 6 MHz marine band.

Anyway, on to the logs: 

presumed radio amateur (freebanders) and fishing fleets and/or possible radiotelephone link system, Latin American origin

6666.6 kHz USB - Spanish language, this is a common "45 meter" calling/QSO frequency
6688 kHz LSB - Spanish language, OM and YL talking
6690 kHz USB - Spanish language
6703 kHz USB - Spanish language, presumed freebanders
6713 kHz USB - Spanish language, very strong signals, some very "salty" language heard...
6720 kHz USB - Spanish language, likely freebanders (doesn't sound like a phone patch to me)
6737.7 kHz USB - Spanish language, freebanders, very good signals
6750 kHz USB - Spanish language, possible radiotelephone link
6752 kHz USB - Portuguese language, with QRM
6757 kHz USB - Spanish language
6765 kHz USB - Spanish language, with QRM from Old Time Radio on 6770 kHz
6789 kHz LSB - Spanish language
6789 kHz USB - Spanish language (6789 kHz is another easy to remember frequency!)
6813 kHz USB - Spanish language
6825 kHz USB - OM and YL talk, SS - Spanish speakers, possible radiotelephone link, mention of Antonio
6845 kHz USB - heard OM laughing, then Spanish language chatter
6851 kHz USB - Portuguese....I think, heard OM say "WOP WOP WOP!"
6855 kHz LSB - Spanish language chatter
6860 kHz LSB - Portuguese with some QRM, possibly two QSOs at once
6863 kHz USB - somebody whistling into their mic
6880.8 kHz USB - Spanish language, another possible radiotelephone QSO (OM and YL) off-frequency 6881 kHz
6890 kHz LSB - UNID language, probably Portuguese or Spanish considering
6890 kHz USB - Spanish language, weak SS speakers
6893 kHz USB - Spanish language, more freebanders, two OMs talking, several numbers mentioned
6900 kHz LSB - Spanish language, busy
6900 kHz USB - Spanish language, freebanders sound like ham operators 6900 kHz calling freq.
6906 kHz USB - Spanish, strong signals
6910 kHz LSB - Spanish language chatter
6925 kHz LSB - Portuguese, very busy, peskie frequency/mode
6935 kHz LSB - Portuguese (common peskie frequency)
6935 kHz USB - Spanish language, one station is off-frequency
6940 kHz USB - Spanish language, possibly testing
6950 kHz USB - Spanish language, weak/sporadic
6954 kHz USB - I believe this may be a radiotelephone link or patch....hearing an OM and YL talk
6957 kHz USB - weak, UNID language, probably Portuguese w/ ute QRM
6963 kHz LSB - Portuguese, very busy
6970 kHz LSB - sounds like two stations talking over each other,
6974 kHz USB - Similar to 6954 kHz, OM and YL chatting away SS Spanish speakers
6976.6 kHz USB - weak, UNID language
6979.5 kHz USB - somebody whistling into their mic, very strong signal, also 6979.7 kHz
6985 kHz USB - Spanish language, sounds like radio amateurs or freebanders / outbanders, several stations heard
6990 kHz LSB - Spanish language, heard "negativo" and use of pro-word "over" (in Spanish) SS speakers w/QRM
6990 kHz USB - Spanish language, weaker with QRM from data on 6993 kHz
6999 kHz LSB - Spanish language, casual QSO with good signals