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Loggings => HF Mystery Signals => Topic started by: JustGreg on February 05, 2022, 0056 UTC

Title: White Noise Hump 6890 K 2/5/2022 0017UTC
Post by: JustGreg on February 05, 2022, 0056 UTC
I get this signal after dark in the 41 meter band at different frequencies around 6900 KHz.  It is present for about 10 minutes.   It is fairly wideband.  Attempts to demodulate it only produces white noise.  As can be seen from the screen shot of my AirSpy HF + Discovery.   It was taken on 2/5/ 2022 0017 UTC.  Sometimes there are several MSFK signals near it.  When the hump goes  away, the MSFK  signals seem to disappear.  Any ideas on what it might be.(https://i.imgur.com/EeD2RCJ.jpg)
Title: Re: White Noise Hump 6890 0017 UTC 05 FEB 2022
Post by: ~SIGINT~ on February 05, 2022, 0219 UTC
I as well receive what I term the "ball or mass of energy" on a regular basis. As with you, I have observed it when the grey line passes through. I have alway attributed it to being part of ionization due to solar energy or a solar flare. Rarely do mine ever only last 10 minutes. I generally observe them for well over an hour although recently, I have seen them come and go much more rapidly. I have also observed the mass oscillating.

(http://www.milspec.ca/board/img/2022-01-20_183612.png)

Here it is in action with Mix Radio International as the centre frequency.
http://www.milspec.ca/board/media/video_2021-08-06_223351.mp4 (http://www.milspec.ca/board/media/video_2021-08-06_223351.mp4)
Title: Re: White Noise Hump 6890 0017 UTC 05 FEB 2022
Post by: ~SIGINT~ on February 05, 2022, 0407 UTC
04:00 UTC 05 FEB 2022 - Energy swath in progress. Started around +/- 6900 kHz and slewed down to +/- 6820 kHz;
04:06 UTC - Gone;
04:08 UTC - Reappeared on 6840 kHz (CF), 60 kHz wide;
04:15 UTC - Shifted freqeuency to 6890 kHz (CF) then gone;
04:18 UTC - Reappeared and oscillating in frequency around 6890 kHz (CF) and fluctuating in amplitude;
04:24 UTC - Gone;
04:25 UTC - Reappeared briefly on 6890 kHz (CF) then gone;
04:28 UTC - Reappeared 6890 kHz (CF);
04:34 UTC - Gone;
04:35 UTC - Reappeared briefly on 6840 kHz (CF) then gone;
04:40 UTC - Reappeared on 6840 kHz (CF);
04:44 UTC - Gone.

I am currently pretty much dead smack in the middle of the grey line at 04:00 UTC.

(http://www.milspec.ca/board/img/2022-02-04_231315.png)
Title: Re: White Noise Hump 6890 K 2/5/2022 0017UTC
Post by: rpjjpr on February 05, 2022, 1451 UTC
I get this too.
Title: Re: White Noise Hump 6890 K 2/5/2022 0017UTC
Post by: Token on February 05, 2022, 1607 UTC
This appears to be a wideband PSK data source, probably associated with the same HFT sources that are the MFSK Oddity.  I often see it (this and similar signals) on the same or similar (freq / time / conditions) frequencies used by the MFSK signal, and TDOA geolocation resolves them to about the same locations.  While typing this (1600 UTC) I see the same signal active on 3 frequencies, 16302 kHz, 18600 kHz, and 18655 kHz.

If you look into the licensing data for the HFT sources you will find they have many modes authorized, including several wideband PSK modes.

T!
Title: Re: White Noise Hump 6890 K 2/5/2022 0017UTC
Post by: JustGreg on February 05, 2022, 1609 UTC
Thanks to everyone for the reply.  SIGINT, yes, it is gray line propagation.  I also get a Chinese (regional or local) station on 6885 at the same time.  I do not think it is a natural event.  It tends to have selective frequency fading, which indicates a long path.  I think it is some type of communication signal from the Asia area.  I think my impatience makes me under estimate the length of time it occurs.   Now, I am definitely sure it is not some local source.   

Thank you Token for information on HFT, which is High Frequency Trading.  This is a subject that I know little.  But, the high data rates used by HFT, explains the large bandwidth with phase shift keying for encoding.    With this knowledge,  the signal is not that strange.   
Title: Re: White Noise Hump 6890 0017 UTC 05 FEB 2022
Post by: ~SIGINT~ on February 05, 2022, 2259 UTC
22:27 UTC 05 FEB 2022 -  Energy swath present on 6840 kHz (CF).

As for the Asian station, the one on 6865.0 kHz AM (not 6885) generally comes in well for me. This is CNR1.

As for the HFTs, be sure to visit my other posts on this subject:

UNID 6940 (CF) 0000 UTC 01 FEB 2022
https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,92398.0.html (https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,92398.0.html)

UNID 6985 (CF) 1310 UTC 09 JAN 2022
https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,91412.0.html (https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,91412.0.html)

UNID 6988 USB 2223 UTC 09 DEC 2021
https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,90040.0.html (https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,90040.0.html)

UNID 6965 (CF) 2200 UTC 09 DEC 2021
https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,90039.0.html (https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,90039.0.html)


RSPduo | Barker & Williamson antenna | Toronto, Ontario Canada
Title: Re: White Noise Hump 6890 K 2/5/2022 0017UTC
Post by: JustGreg on February 06, 2022, 0152 UTC
Yes, 6865 and not 6885.  I hate typos.  They get me every time >:(
Title: Re: White Noise Hump 6890 K 2/5/2022 0017UTC
Post by: ~SIGINT~ on February 06, 2022, 2359 UTC
23:59 UTC 06 FEB 2022 - Energy swath present on 6890 kHz (CF);
00:37 UTC 06 FEB 2022 - Energy swath present on 6840 kHz (CF)


RSPduo | Barker & Williamson antenna | Toronto, Ontario Canada
Title: Re: White Noise Hump 6890 0017 UTC 05 FEB 2022
Post by: ~SIGINT~ on February 08, 2022, 2322 UTC
23:18 UTC 08 FEB 2022 -  Energy swath present on 6890 kHz (CF) along with presumed HFT traffic on 6970 kHz (CF), 10 kHz wide. CNR1 is also coming in pretty good on 6865 kHz AM.


RSPduo | Barker & Williamson antenna | Toronto, Ontario Canada
Title: Re: White Noise Hump 6890 0017 UTC 05 FEB 2022
Post by: ~SIGINT~ on February 11, 2022, 0007 UTC
00:06 UTC 11 FEB 2022 -  Energy swath present on 6840 kHz (CF).


RSPduo | Barker & Williamson antenna | Toronto, Ontario Canada
Title: Re: White Noise Hump 6890 0017 UTC 05 FEB 2022
Post by: ~SIGINT~ on February 13, 2022, 0006 UTC
00:05 UTC 12 FEB 2022 -  Energy swath present on 6840 kHz (CF)


RSPduo | Barker & Williamson antenna | Toronto, Ontario Canada
Title: Re: White Noise Hump 6890 0017 UTC 05 FEB 2022
Post by: ~SIGINT~ on February 14, 2022, 0006 UTC
00:05 UTC 14 FEB 2022 -  Energy swath present on 6840 kHz (CF)


RSPduo | Barker & Williamson antenna | Toronto, Ontario Canada
Title: Re: White Noise Hump 6890 K 2/5/2022 0017UTC
Post by: G8JNJ on February 15, 2022, 1333 UTC
Some UK HF Trading receive sites have been identified by a search of planning applications in the vicinity of the London data centre located in Slough. The ones shown in bold have antennas that can be seen on Google Earth.

51.569786 , -0.61712269   Raft Technologies / Ratesu Limited   Beam on 30m Mast (retrospective)
51.569687 , -0.61714011   Raft Technologies / Ratesu Limited   Beam on 30m Mast
51.523818 , -0.68828198   Raft Technologies / Ratesu Limited   Beam on 30m Mast (refused)
51.456241 , -0.72476334   Raft Technologies / Ratesu Limited   Beam on 30m Mast (refused)
51.565688 , -0.92764361   New Line Networks   8 Loops (Temporary now gone )
51.656720 , -1.0345119   Elecomm   Wire V Beam (refused)
51.636671 , -0.96815008   Elecomm   Single Yagi (gone)
51.636671 , -0.96815008   Elecomm   2 x StepIR beams on tower
51.665376 , -1.0496111   AM Nixey   8 Poles (none seen)
51.525498 , -0.52678395   Vigilant Global - Peter O'Hara    8 Loops & Beam
51.535552 , -0.79647021   BTS Data   8 Loops (gone)
51.534485 , -0.80112645   New Line Networks   8 Loops

I would think that there are similar sites around Frankfurt in Germany, but these have not yet been found.
Title: Re: White Noise Hump 6890 K 2/5/2022 0017UTC
Post by: ~SIGINT~ on February 16, 2022, 0136 UTC
This is being heavily searched for in Europe. Here are a couple of videos:

https://youtu.be/LpeXmLpDC30 (https://youtu.be/LpeXmLpDC30)

https://youtu.be/RH9xD2U9Nj0 (https://youtu.be/RH9xD2U9Nj0)

And here you can download some of the site plans:

https://pa.chilternandsouthbucks.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&
keyVal=QFYYVPESJWI00 (https://pa.chilternandsouthbucks.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&
keyVal=QFYYVPESJWI00)

https://pa.chilternandsouthbucks.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=Q45COZESKSD00 (https://pa.chilternandsouthbucks.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=Q45COZESKSD00)

And there is an interesting read here: https://stacresearch.com/system/files/resource/files/STAC-Summit-13-Jun-2018-Shortwave-Trading.pdf (https://stacresearch.com/system/files/resource/files/STAC-Summit-13-Jun-2018-Shortwave-Trading.pdf)
Title: Re: White Noise Hump 6890 0017 UTC 05 FEB 2022
Post by: ~SIGINT~ on February 16, 2022, 2332 UTC
23:30 UTC 16 FEB 2022 -  Energy swath present on 6890 kHz (CF)


RSPduo | Barker & Williamson antenna | Toronto, Ontario Canada
Title: Re: White Noise Hump 6890 0017 UTC 05 FEB 2022
Post by: ~SIGINT~ on February 17, 2022, 2218 UTC
22:15 UTC 17 FEB 2022 -  Energy swath present on 6890 kHz (CF). It is actually earlyer then usual.


RSPduo | Barker & Williamson antenna | Toronto, Ontario Canada
Title: Re: White Noise Swath 6890 (CF) 0248 UTC 12 AUG 2022
Post by: ~SIGINT~ on August 12, 2022, 0302 UTC
02:48 UTC 12 AUG 2022 -  After some absence, the 60 kHz wide energy swath returns to 6890 kHz (centre frequency). The signal strength was observed to be as high as S+30 at times;
03:10 UTC - Off the air / stopped transmitting;
03:13 UTC - Resumed transmission on 6840.0 kHz for approx 10 seconds.

(http://www.milspec.ca/board/img/2022-08-11_225659.png)


RSPduo | End-fed longwire antenna