Messages

1426

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: UNID 6953 USB 0420 UTC 17 August 2020

« on: August 17, 2020, 0439 UTC »

0432z - Skit?
0433z - music
0433z - Skit? Something about the number of humans? Weak humans?
0436z - music
0430z - Ongoing skit about centaurs commenting on humans?
0431z - music
0448z - SSTV
0450z - music
0456z - SSTV

Under S1 via the LoG, but above the noise floor, so a relatively easy copy. Music is clear and nearly armchair copy other than some static crashes and occasional utes. Skits sound narrow or maybe dynamically compressed quite hard?

Thanks for the broadcast! :)

1427

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: WREC 4185 USB 0215 - 17 AUG 2020

« on: August 17, 2020, 0246 UTC »

Modulation right inside the <S1 noise floor with occasional fades to slightly above. Considerable static crashes currently.

Thanks for the broadcast. :)

1428

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Enclave Radio, 6932 usb, 0215 utc, 17 Aug 20

« on: August 17, 2020, 0242 UTC »

0238z - music
0239z - SSTV
0241z - ID + skit

Peaking S3+ via the LoG ant. Clean modulation. Occasional ute and some static crashes, but a good copy otherwise.

Thanks for the broadcast! :)

1429

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Unid 5137 AM 0038 UTC 17 August 2020

« on: August 17, 2020, 0050 UTC »

0048z - SSTV. Anyone get a decode?
0050z  - Three Stooges broadcasting loop
0052z - ?
0053z - Three Stooges broadcasting loop
0118z - music

Under S1, but above the local noise floor; minus static crashes.

Thanks for the broadcast! :)

1430

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: UNID 6925 AM 0002 UTC 17 Aug 2020

« on: August 17, 2020, 0008 UTC »

Slight modulation mixed in the noise floor with ECSS LSB tuning. Utes on USB.

Hopefully conditions improve here. Still, thanks for the broadcast! :)

1431

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: UNID 6865 USB 2355 UTC 16 Aug 2020

« on: August 17, 2020, 0001 UTC »

Music at 2359z. Under S1 via the 148' LoG without preamp, but strong modulation with an easy copy.

Thanks for the broadcast! :)

1432

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Cannabis 41 KNBS Relay 4150 USB from 6925 2231 UTC 16 Aug 2020

« on: August 16, 2020, 2352 UTC »

Modulation at 2450z is right inside the noise level here, with occasional fades up, so it is making it to a Florida.

Hoping local conditions improve tonight.

Thanks for the broadcast!

1433

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Radio Free Whatever 4185 USB 2318 UTC 16 Aug 2020

« on: August 16, 2020, 2346 UTC »

ID at 2337z and 0013z.

Under S1, but that is via my 148' loop-on-ground without preamp, so it is a relatively easy copy with a quick twist of the volume knob. ;) Frequent static crashes, which is typical summertime noise at my QTH, but strong modulation is carrying through them.

As always DJ DW, thanks for the broadcast! :)

覧覧覧覧-

Peaking S3+ at 0033z.

Peaking S4+ at 0048z.

Conditions seem to be improving. Would be practically armchair copy if not for static crashes.

Thanks for the shout-out!

1434

Equipment / Re: Garbage Baluns

« on: August 16, 2020, 2227 UTC »

Amazon sure values its RS ladder line. o.O

Check out The Wireman, DX Engineering, GigaParts, etc. for quality ladder line.

A couple of quick notes about 4:1 television-grade transformers.

Some have inline caps that affect operation outside VHF/UHF. Open the balun and bypass them if required.

Some also might be more like ?:1 at HF and lower.  YMMV, though it is not like most common antennas are going to present the same loading characteristics across the entire HF spectrum anyway.

Alternatively, more "proper" 9:1 baluns for HF reception are affordable via eBay, and 450-ohm ladder line usually can be found for not much more than its 300-ohm sibling.

覧覧覧覧

BTW, in case anyone is curious regarding why an air-wound coaxial balun might sometimes work.... or not:

http://www.karinya.net/g3txq/chokes/

1435

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: UNID 6925 USB 0137 UTC 15 AUG 2020

« on: August 15, 2020, 0147 UTC »

0146z - Peaking S4 with music. SINPO 35333.

0147z - ID, but did not catch it.

0154z - Occasional ute interference. Slight noise improvement. SINPO 35443.

Thanks for the broadcast! :)

1436

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: WILD 6950 USB 0054 UTC 15 Aug 2020

« on: August 15, 2020, 0106 UTC »

Peaking S4 with music at 0105z. Some ute interference. Decent copy with good modulation.

Thanks for the broadcast! :)

1437

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: The Fox 6960 usb 0045 utc, 15 Aug 20

« on: August 15, 2020, 0101 UTC »

Skit or commentary at 0056z. S3, so hearable, but with plenty of static crashes and occasional powerful ute interference tonight.

Improving somewhat at 0101z. Commentary over music. Sounds like shout outs or similar.

Thanks for the broadcast! :)

1438

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: WTF Radio Worldwide 6915 USB 2356 UTC 14 Aug 2020

« on: August 15, 2020, 0037 UTC »

Averaging S3 via RTL-SDR and 9' vertical. SINPO 25332.

Thanks for the broadcast! :)

1439

Equipment / Re: ICOM ICR-75 vs. TECSUN S-2000

« on: August 15, 2020, 0019 UTC »

True enough. For a personal perspective, I have lots of the extra stuff collecting dust on shelves anyway. Preamps, preselectors, tuners, attenuators, etc.

I still have an even cheaper built E4000 dongle from back when the RTL-SDR fad started. Admittedly, yeah, that thing was largely useless for anything but basic experimenting.

My next significant SDR purchase probably will be an Airspy HF+. That seems to be about the current break even point for a SDR regarding decent HF performance versus cost.

1440

Equipment / Re: ICOM ICR-75 vs. TECSUN S-2000

« on: August 15, 2020, 0006 UTC »

I use a RTL-SDR V3 in direct sampling mode for casual HF listening in the den, as I do not have any desktop HF receivers currently there. Like Chris basically insinuated, it is not a solution for DX or selectivity, especially compared to something like a Airspy HF+ or better. However, it is less than $30, so.... It is where I usually tell people to start into SDR if they are not sure about dropping $200 for something better.

Luckily I was able to remove the lowpass filter I had inline without any significant issues, thus I can tune casually MW through UHF with point-and-click ease. Local AM stations, broadcast shortwave stations, regional SSB amateur ragchews, FM locals, NOAA weather, etc.

I do have substantial RF choking inline: a KD9SV SV-CMC common mode choke, plus ferrites on both the feedline and USB cables.

The big deal with RTL-SDR dongles is incredibly easy overloading in direct sampling mode. They have low dynamic range, among other issues, particularly at HF and lower. I typically use my 9' vertical ground-mounted over a few radials when listening via a RTL-SDR, even well into VHF. An outboard preamp just raises the noise floor and further lowers available SNR. An outboard preselector might be more prudent, but if going to the expense and/or hassle, you might as well start with a better SDR anyway.