HFU HF Underground
Loggings => Utility => Topic started by: R4002 on February 19, 2019, 2216 UTC
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Dodah Net - Dolittle Net - Cruiseheimers Net - Yachtmen's Net - EE English language marine HF maritime mobile HF-SSB
8 MHz band frequency 8152 kHz 8.152 MHz USB voice SSB
Yachtmen talking about maritime stuff, "how many days did they give you for immigration" - "its right there on the dock" good signals with various OMs and YLs talking about conditions in the Caribbean, sailing conditions and then discussion to which frequencies (HF) and channels (VHF) good weather forecast broadcasts can be heard on at/near which islands in the Caribbean. Discussion of VHF marine radio ranges and the "sunrise effect" on VHF channels. "He monitors 72, but they do the initial call on 16 and then switch to another channel so I assume its 72" - mention of 4 MHz marine frequencies as well.
"Cuban Key" (?) possible location mention. Looking at the KiwiSDR waterfall, I see over a dozen SSB QSOs in the 7900 kHz to 8500 kHz range, 8000-8815 kHz is all marine stuff and looks like the 8 MHz band is performing well. Receiver is the COMMSIGMA KiwiSDR on the CT/MA border. Same frequency as the Cruiseheimers Net 8152 kHz USB. Stations IDing with the name of their boats. English language. Lots and lots of other marine SSB traffic on the band right now...8 MHz is busier than 6 MHz.
Lots of QSOs nearby, including a weaker one in Spanish on 8150 kHz USB and another, much stronger one in Spanish on 8146 kHz USB. Weak SSB voice traffic on 8149 kHz USB as well. Minor QRM from the USB voice traffic on 8150 kHz.
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8152 kHz is a simplex only or cross-band duplex only frequency in the marine mobile service. Either ship-to-ship comms on frequency 8152 kHz or cross-band with 4051 kHz (channel 18). Shared with fixed service in the 4000 kHz to 4063 kHz band and the 8000 kHz to 8195 kHz band. For this net it appears that all users were using simplex mode only for ship-to-ship comms, which seems to be the primary mode of operation for most marine users, especially the yacht and sailing nets I've heard on the 4 MHz, 6 MHz, 8 MHz and 12 MHz.
From the USCG MF/HF SSB frequency information pages:
The following channels in the band 4000-4063 kHz and 8100-8195 kHz may be used:
for supplementing ship-to-shore channels for duplex operation;
for Intership simplex (single-frequency) and cross-band operation;
for cross-band working with coast stations;
for duplex operation with coast stations working in the band 4438-4650 kHz or with Channels 834, 835, 836 and 837;
for ship-to-shore or shore-to-ship simplex operations (8100-8195 kHz only).
4000 kHz - 8101 kHz - channel 1
4003 kHz - 8104 kHz - channel 2
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4051 kHz - 8152 kHz - channel 18
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2207 UTC - Do-Dah Net 20 Feb. 2019, hearing Marine chatter on 8152 kHz USB. Signals are S7 at best in WNY.
2212 UTC - Spanish speaking chatter on 8113.2 kHz USB
2214 UTC - English speaking chatter on 8137 kHz USB but signal is poor.
2216 UTC - Do-Dah Net closed and Do-Little Net opens but signals are down in the noise.
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The 8 MHz marine band is right up there with 4 MHz and 6 MHz as far as massive amounts of activity. The Cruiseheimers guys are quite talkative, even with the QRM from 8150 kHz USB they were 100% readable. I noticed on the waterfall that, at least around the 2200-2230 UTC time frame, 8 MHz was busier than 6 MHz as far as SSB voice activity goes. The 8 MHz marine band offers a huge amount of channel options, like 4 MHz the bottom edge is shared with fixed/mobile users. 8000-8815 kHz in 3 kHz steps, with 8000 kHz to 8195 kHz shared with fixed/mobile. Even though its shared that bottom portion seems to be where a lot of activity takes place.
https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/doc/rtchan.txt (https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/doc/rtchan.txt)
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Both Doo-Dah & Do Nothing copied here today 2/23 2200z - very strong & clear.
Typical check ins - WX info, etc.
FPE