Messages

301

10/11 meters / Re: Local CB activity Morning 29 OCT 2021

« on: October 29, 2021, 1935 UTC »

Indeed.  There are several variants of the EPT3600 board.  A lot of the AM/FM export rigs like the Connex 3300, Superstar 3000, the various Galaxy rigs, General Lee, etc. I think have the same board, but with the SSB portions removed. 

I need to check CBtricks.com and take a look at those radios PCB layout compared to the all-mode exports.  I do want to say all the alignment points and adjustment points are in the same spot though. 

Yep, the Galaxy DX88 is the EPT3600-14B.  That's the same as the Superstar 3900F, Voyage VR-9000, Voyager VR-9000, etc.  The Galaxy DX77 is also the EPT3600-14B.  They're identical radios except the DX77 (and the Superstar 3900 and various clones) don't have a frequency counter.  The Connex rigs have another variant, the EPT3600-15C (I'm sure there are variants of that too)

Doing a little bit of digging, there are some Ranger/RCI rigs that use the similar, but not identical, EPT6900 series board. 

302

10/11 meters / Re: Local CB activity Morning 29 OCT 2021

« on: October 29, 2021, 1909 UTC »

I am originally from Cleveland. About 20-30 miles east of Chattanooga.

Still have my old Dirland SS-3900B. Probably a EPT360013B, EPT360014B/C, or similar board used by Connex, Galaxy, etc.

Have an AnyTone AT-6666 for the off-chance of actually talking these days.

The "18' End-Fed Vertical" in my forum sig is a Shakespeare 318-GBT grounded mounted over eight 9' radials and with a (W2DU-style) MFJ-915 1:1 choke at the feedpoint.

Ah, yes, Dirland!

I used to have one of the original (made in Taiwan) Superstar 3900 radios, with the EPT360011B board.  The newer Superstar 3900s had (or have?) the EPT360014B or EPT360014C board depending. 

Tons and tons of radios have the EPT3600 series board or just 3600 chassis EPT3600 chassis. 

303

10/11 meters / 11 meter activity 29 October 2021

« on: October 29, 2021, 1905 UTC »

At 1900 UTC, hearing some US stations working DX on the good old' 26.915 MHz AM frequency.  Sporadic, but its there.  Sounds like numerous stations on top of each other.  Channels 6 is busy.

Also, hearing FM on CB channel 30 at 1905 UTC - 27.305 MHz FM 27.305 FM

304

10/11 meters / Re: Local CB activity Morning 29 OCT 2021

« on: October 29, 2021, 1834 UTC »

The few locals here are mostly on one frequency and talk a lot about their radios.

Back in the 1990s when I was in east TN, the locals would park on the mountain tops and try to shout down others with their usual Cobra 29s and "300-watt" amps. It could be an amusing diversion for awhile, though I tended to continue talking DX over the top of them.

Ah, yes, the AM "peak" or "swing" watts.  Real men measure power output at carrier power (or RMS!).  So when I said "300 watts" I meant 75-100 watts (carrier power). 

Cobra 29s, Galaxy DX 66Vs or Connex 3300s.  Or General Lees!  Which are, of course, identical to the Connex 3300.

I can remember when I was in my teens running dogs - Raccoons/Hogs, sometimes I would get into an older guys truck and they would have an RCI2950 or Emperor TS-5010 etc and I was wowed by it. I told them, hey you can talk to people around the world with this and they were just like, oh I just leave it on channel 3 in the woods. They had no idea that it was a much more advanced radio than most people had.

Rob, you mentioned East Tennessee. My dads side of the family is from up there. Johnson City, Flag Pond, Jonesboro, Kingsport etc. The Maco 5/8 antenna I had was picked up at a garage sale near Bristol.

There are a lot of huntin' trucks with similar setups around here (Virginia).  More often than not, the CB is something like a RCI-2950 or RCI-2970, a Connex 3300, Galaxy, Superstar or similar.  I know one guy who has a Galaxy DX66V plus a Texas Star amplifier (I believe its a DX350)  as well as an older Uniden Solara VHF marine radio in his hunting truck.  According to him, he and his hunt club buddies usually use the CB radio for comms, AM mode only, in the "low channels" unless they're talking to somebody who has a regular 40 channel CB in his truck, then they simply use one of the normal channels. 

It's funny because he complained about how the CB has "more static" and of course the radio not only has FM capability but has this magical feature called squelch (that I don't think he or his hunting club friends ever used). 

Maybe that will change now that FM is a thing.

305

10/11 meters / Re: Local CB activity Morning 29 OCT 2021

« on: October 29, 2021, 1358 UTC »

I think CB sales might have been driven by the prepper crowd for awhile, but now it seems a little more widespread for whatever reasons. I have noted some of the popular CB shops no longer are even taking in radios for service due to existing service backlogs. o.0

Oh yeah. reminds me, my Radio Shack clone of an A99 is in storage. Need to check it, as I am thinking about using it for portable or stationary mobile ops.

Yep, that's certainly part of it.  I'm encouraging everyone I know with a truck, van or SUV to install a CB.  I actually was able to get one guy into freebanding and DXing in the process.  He bought a AnyTone AT-6666 all-mode AM/FM/SSB mobile transceiver and a Hustler IC-20 through-hole roof-mount antenna.  After a couple weeks of use, he decided that he wanted something that would "talk further".  I told him the next step would be to get the "real thing" (a 102" stainless steel antenna with a 6" stainless steel spring).  He did that, and then bought an amplifier (RM Italy KL503HD to be exact).  Now he's pushing 250-300 watts into a true 1/4 wave antenna, which, as you can imagine, means significant (local) range improvement. 

The Hustler IC-20 antenna was donated to one of his friends (it's now installed on the roof of another pickup truck) and I donated a Luiton LT-298 40-channel AM only mobile CB (a Chinese knockoff of the Uniden PRO510XL / PRO520XL series) to the cause.  There are several other folks who I've convinced that installing even a bare bones CB in their truck is worth the cost. 

Local CB here can be split into three categories:

-Local CB operators that talk on the radio on a regular basis and have home channel(s)
-Local business users, including job sites, trucking terminals and distribution warehouses, logging companies, quarries/crushed stone facilities with a coordination channel, hunt clubs, etc.
-Truckers using channel 19 and similar users, including flag car, chase car companies based in my area that use CB for car-to-car comms. 

The logging companies, truckers working for the same company and hunt clubs are big fans of the "extra channels" - for obvious reasons. 

306

10/11 meters / Re: FM CB Channels / Frequencies 11 Meter US FM Calling Channels

« on: October 29, 2021, 1331 UTC »

Channel 19 AM on the West Coast has remained in active use as a trucker and highway information channel since about 1976.
Prior to that, Channel 10 AM was the ad hoc nationwide trucker channel, but some regional trucker channels (such as 17 AM and 21 AM) also existed then. 

Channel 17 AM started as one of those regional trucker channels in California.
Then 17 AM became very active up and down the coast around 1978 during the intense skip of that roaring sunspot cycle.
Eventually, around 1996 during the low point in the sunspot cycles, most truckers in California began keeping their dial locked on 19 AM instead of switching to 17 AM when they were on Interstate I-5.
17 AM eventually stopped being a trucker channel at all, and devolved into a calling and working channel for the locals in many California towns and cities.

The addition of FM to the new FCC rules will probably cause another evolution in the use of FM for truckers and local information.

The growing use of Channel 29 as an FM Trucker Channel looks eerily similar to the way previous trucker channels evolved.

Considering how many truckers seem to already have FM-capable radios installed I can definitely see your point.

I know it's not a 1-for-1 comparison but in Russia they have 27.135 MHz AM (Channel 15AM, C15AM or D15AM) as the AM road/highway/trucker channel and 27.185 MHz FM (Channel 19 FM, C19FM or D19FM) as the FM road/highway/trucker channel.  27.635 MHz FM is also used as a highway advisory channel or road channel (D19FM or E19FM) in some areas.  In larger cities, truckers use additional channels (mostly in FM mode) but Channels 15 and 19 seem to be the main channels.  Rigs designed for the Russian market have Channel 15 switches like most rigs have a Channel 9 / Channel 19 / NORM switch (or just a Channel 9 switch). 

Maybe something similar will happen here.  FM does make more sense for local short-range communications, which is what channel 19 is used for now.  Maybe 19 will eventually switch to FM and another channel will become the AM channel. 

I remember reading about the 23-channel days, back when channel 9 was the emergency channel, channel 10 was the road channel/trucker channel and channel 11 was the calling channel.  Channel 11 has remained the calling channel in many respects.  I believe the switch from 10 to 19 was, at least in part, to reduce adjacent-channel interference on channel 9 and channel 11 from heavy traffic on channel 10. 

We might end up taking a page out of the European or Russian CB book and include the mode in the channel designator - CB channel 29 FM, CB channel 19 AM, CB channel 21 AM, CB channel 31 FM, etc.

Channel 1 -
Channel 2 -
Channel 3 -
Channel 4 - this is apparently used by 4x4 groups, Jeep clubs, etc. - see also: channel 16 - AM mode
Channel 5 - heavily used by Latin American stations - AM mode
Channel 6 - we already know what channel 6 is...
Channel 7 - often similar to Channel 5, although when the band is closed its used locally - AM mode
Channel 8 -
Channel 9 - still the emergency channel, in theory, but you'll have better luck on 19. Latin American calling channel - AM mode
Channel 10 -
Channel 11 - calling channel - AM mode
Channel 12 -
Channel 13 -
Channel 14 - AM mode channel, used locally - AM mode
Channel 15 - Often also used as an AM DX channel
Channel 16 - this is apparently used by 4x4 groups, Jeep clubs, etc. - see also: channel 4 - AM mode
Channel 17 - AM DX channel, calling channel - AM mode
Channel 18
Channel 19 - road channel - highway channel - trucker channel - AM mode
Channel 20 - "testing channel" - used for DX during band openings - AM mode (for now?)
Channel 21 -
Channel 22 - used locally (around me anyway) AM mode
Channel 23 -
Channel 24 -
Channel 25 -
Channel 26 - AM DX calling channel - AM mode
Channel 27
Channel 28 - AM DX calling channel - AM mode
Channel 29 - trucker FM channel - CB channel 29 FM 27.295 MHz FM mode
Channel 30
Channel 31
Channel 32
Channel 33
Channel 34
Channel 35 - sometimes used for SSB
Channel 36 - often used for SSB, or as a local channel
Channel 37 - often used for SSB
Channel 38 - SSB calling - 27.385 MHz LSB 27.385 LSB
Channel 39 - often used for SSB
Channel 40 - AM channel, sometimes used for SSB operations as well

307

10/11 meters / Re: FM CB Channels / Frequencies 11 Meter US FM Calling Channels

« on: October 28, 2021, 1529 UTC »

At 1529 UTC, some weak FM activity on 27.570 MHz

308

10/11 meters / Re: 11 meters 28 OCT 2021

« on: October 28, 2021, 1503 UTC »

1434 I have a strong Latin stn on ch 5, so the band may be opening?  Yesterday was a dud here, relatively speaking.

The band might be opening up...just a little later than it has been in the past week (weeks?).

CB Channel 5 is active, same with channel 6.  Noting some AM signals on 26.585 MHz AM, as well as the 26.715 MHz AM big radios channel.  Some weak AM voice on 26.765 MHz appears to be a taxi cab dispatcher...time to check the other common taxi frequencies and see if maybe those are active too...


===

Logs
From 1505 UTC to 1530 UTC

25695 AM 25.695 MHz AM - ahh, yes, here we go.  25.695 MHz active with the usual taxi dispatch traffic
25705 AM 25.705 MHz AM - weak taxi dispatch lady reading numbers (taxi IDs and addresses) in Spanish
26005 AM 26.005 MHz AM - weak taxi dispatch lady - Spanish language as well, barely readable
26035 AM 26.035 MHz AM - strong taxi dispatch traffic, Spanish - YL dispatch lady taxi lady
26175 AM 26.175 MHz AM - taxi dispatch, Spanish language
26515 AM 26.515 MHz AM - radio checks, sounded like a statewide US station - English language
26585 AM 26.585 MHz AM - Latin American freeband AM channel Mexican truckers, signals getting stronger
26645 AM 26.645 MHz AM - weak, heavy fading, unable to ID at 1511 UTC
26665 AM 26.665 MHz AM - Mexican CB activity, similar to 26.585 MHz AM
26715 AM 26.715 MHz AM - another couple of weak-ish AM signals on 26.715
26765 AM 26.765 MHz AM - taxi dispatch, Spanish language taxi lady dispatcher reading numbers
26935 AM 26.935 MHz AM - taxi dispatch lady reading numbers in Spanish
26965 AM 26.965 MHz AM - taxi dispatch, YL dispatcher - CB Channel 1 - can hear taxis replying to her at 1516 UTC
26975 AM 26.975 MHz AM - Spanish language, numerous stations at once - CB Channel 2
26985 AM 26.985 MHz AM - Spanish language, numerous stations at once - CB Channel 3
27015 AM 27.015 MHz AM - Absolute mess, similar to CB channel 6 during big band openings - CB Channel 5
27025 AM 27.025 MHz AM - speaks for itself - CB Channel 6
27035 AM 27.035 MHz AM - Spanish language and US stations (English) mixing together - CB Channel 7
27045 AM 27.045 MHz AM - Taxi dispatcher mixing with other Latin American stations and FSK data bursts (weak)
27195 AM 27.195 MHz AM - Taxi dispatch lady (strong) with FSK data bursts mixing in (slightly weaker)
27245 AM 27.245 MHz AM - Spanish language, very busy - CB Channel 25
27255 AM 27.255 MHz AM - Weak English language (American stations) heard - CB Channel 23 - lots of FSK QRM
27255 USB 27.255 MHz USB - Spanish language SSB traffic mixing in with FSK bursts and AM
27435 AM 27.435 MHz AM - Taxi dispatch, mixing with faint SSB signals off-frequency
27455 USB 27.455 MHz USB - Latin American SSB calling frequency
27485 AM 27.485 MHz AM - Taxi dispatch lady, strong signal at 1524 UTC
27525 AM 27.525 MHz AM - Taxi dispatch
27570 FM 27.570 MHz FM - Weak FM voice signals - seem to be closer to 27569
27575 USB 27.575 MHz USB - Spanish language
27665 USB 27.665 MHz USB - Spanish language, very good signals, mention of Monterrey
27765 AM 27.765 MHz AM - Taxi dispatcher - good signals - the usual user on this frequency

309

10/11 meters / 11 meters 28 OCT 2021

« on: October 28, 2021, 1236 UTC »

First off, happy FM is now legal on CB radio day!

At 1230 UTC the band is pretty quiet.  However, there is some faint traffic on 26745 AM 26.745 MHz AM - it sounds like a taxi dispatcher - female taxi controller reading numbers in Spanish.  26.745 MHz is one of those frequencies that often stays clear because its so close to the "big radio channels" - in this case, 26.705 MHz, 26.715 MHz and 26.725 MHz.  26.735 MHz is channel 19 down one band so its often used by truckers and other business or land mobile users looking for a clear channel.  See also - channel 19 up one band - 27.635 MHz, channel 19 down two bands - 26.285 MHz and channel 19 down three bands - 25.835 MHz.  I've heard local traffic on 25.835 MHz AM numerous times, and it was always truckers.  On most export radios, the legal CB band is Band D, so 25.835 MHz is channel 19 on Band A.  Its often easier to simply flip the band switch and leave the channel selector knob alone.  Need a clear channel?  Well, you're both already on CB channel 19 27.185 MHz..simply flip the band switch from D to A and you have a clear frequency. 

Also noting some activity on channel 7 - 27.035 MHz AM - appears to be Latin American stations

1400 UTC - the band appears to have quieted down a little bit...checking numerous KiwiSDRs on the US East Coast and it appears like things are pretty quiet

310

10/11 meters / Re: FM CB Channels / Frequencies 11 Meter US FM Calling Channels

« on: October 28, 2021, 1144 UTC »

It appears from their chatter that some truckers may be trying to claim CB Channel 29 as their new "trucker FM channel".
Perhaps that's just local to the west coast.
Also heard weak signals, distinctively FM activity, on 27295.0 when the skip was in to the plains states earlier today.

That makes sense though.  Do they still use channel 17 and channel 21 on the West Coast in addition to 19?  Here on the East Coast its 19 but I could see Channel 29 FM as the trucker FM channel being adopted nationwide relatively quickly. 

Goes to show how many trucks are equipped with export rigs with AM and FM capability.  They've likely just never had a reason to flip that mode switch from AM to FM.  Looking at pictures of the Connex 3300, General Lee, General HP40W (a General Lee with an amplifier on the bottom), Connex CX33HPC1, the Stryker radios, the Superstar 3000, Superstar 121, most of the Galaxy rigs, etc. - most of them have AM/FM/PA as a three-position knob or AM/FM switch as a two-position switch on the front panel.  These guys have had FM capability for a while.

By the way, happy FM is legal on CB day (October 28th, 2021).  See: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-09-28/pdf/2021-19399.pdf   

Changes effective October 28, 2021.  FM emission type F3E is now permitted on the CB Radio Service in the United States.  47 CFR 95.971: 

(a) Permitted emission types. CBRS
transmitter types must transmit AM
voice emission type A3E or SSB voice
emission types J3E, R3E or H3E, and
may also transmit FM voice emission
type F3E.

Maximum bandwidth: 8 kHz
Maximum carrier power: 4 Watts FM
FM deviation shall not exceed +/- 2 kHz 2kHz FM deviation

8K00A3E emission designator for AM voice
8K00F3E emission designator for FM voice
4K00J3E 4K00H3E 4K00R3E emission designators for SSB voice

FM CB radio is now legal!  AM continues to be the standard mode for CB radio in the USA, FM and SSB are optional modes. 

I just updated the first post in this thread to reflect the use of CB channel 29 FM 27.295 MHz FM 27.295 FM as the trucker FM CB channel.

311

10/11 meters / Re: FM CB Channels / Frequencies 11 Meter US FM Calling Channels

« on: October 28, 2021, 0042 UTC »

There's a lot of truckers using Channel 29 FM 27295 kHz.

Have they been using FM on Channel 29 for a while now?  Or is CB channel 29 FM a new thing like 26.805 MHz FM? 

I kinda like it - CB Channel 19 AM, Channel 29 FM.  Makes sense to use 27.295 MHz (channels 27 and 31 also make sense - in-between the "big radio" channels 26/28 27.265 MHz AM and 27.285 MHz AM) for FM CB. 

Glad to see the surprisingly rapid adoption of FM. Since there's a vast installed equipment base capable of FM mode already out "in the field" the switchover from AM/SSB to AM/FM/SSB CB radio / 11 meters is already happening. 

For short range comms, FM provides superior audio quality and rejection of noise/static.  When dealing with weaker signals, AM has some advantages but SSB is the obvious winner in those situations.

I had included 27.315 FM CB channel 31 - 27.315 MHz FM as the FM CB calling channel since CB channel 31 FM is one of the European in-band FM calling channels, I would call it the European version of 27.385 LSB channel 38 LSB but for FM mode specifically and for calling specifically. FM is the "default" mode for CB in many European countries so the situation is reversed. 

In the UK, for example, AM has only been legal on the FCC 40 CB channels or mid band CB or CEPT/EU standard 26.965-27.405 MHz band for the past 10-15 years.  SSB was legalized even later.  On the UK specific UK FM CB 27/81 channels 27.60125 MHz - 27.99125 MHz, FM is the only mode permitted and that probably won't change. 

Most European countries permit AM on the standard 40 CB channels in addition to FM (and most of those allow SSB as well) but this is somewhat recent of a development.  Now basically all CB rigs sold in Europe are AM/FM at least.  In many ways, the FCC legalizing FM on CB is sort of things coming "full circle".  AM will still be the standard mode for US CB radio - SSB and FM are now the extra-feature modes but I can see FM-capable FCC approved CB equipment entering the US market rapidly.

312

10/11 meters / Re: 11m 27 OCT 2021

« on: October 27, 2021, 1330 UTC »

At 1325 UTC, noted faint pager signal activity on 26.900 MHz 26900 kHz on the W3HFU KiwiSDR (11 meter dipole).  26.9 MHz is a known active European 26 MHz paging frequency.

Maybe a bigger opening today or some Sporadic-E activity. 

1357 UTC: caught the tail end of some CW on 27.500 MHz, then again on 27.501 MHz
1357 UTC: now some weak-ish AM on 27.465 MHz - and its...Italian! 
1358 UTC: now a CW signal on 27500.7 27.500.7 MHz 27.5 MHz CW signals...
1359 UTC: the Italians on 27465 AM have faded out - I think this a very sporadic E type situation at the moment
1440 UTC: 25.965 MHz AM taxi cab radio dispatch Spanish lady YL dispatcher on 25965 AM taxi dispatch 25 MHz
1440 UTC: 26.035 MHz AM taxi cab radio dispatch Spanish lady YL dispatcher on 26035 AM taxi dispatch 26 MHz
1440 UTC: 25.695 MHz AM taxi cab radio dispatch Spanish lady YL dispatcher on 25695 AM taxi dispatch 25 MHz
1443 UTC: 26.135 MHz AM - Spanish language chatter, probably also taxi dispatch 26.135 MHz
1443 UTC: 25.695 MHz AM - taxi dispatch Spanish - very good signal now
1444 UTC: 26.455 MHz AM - taxi dispatch Spanish language Juanita taxicab radio dispatch
1444 UTC: 26.175 MHz AM taxi cab radio dispatch Spanish lady YL dispatcher on 26035 AM taxi dispatch 26 MHz
1445 UTC: 25.695 MHz AM - usual taxi cab dispatcher YL reading numbers in Spanish
1446 UTC: 26.665 MHz AM - Spanish language chatter coming in now
1447 UTC: 27.605 MHz AM - taxi cab radio dispatch taxi dispatch 27 MHz lady reading numbers in Spanish
1448 UTC: 27.795 MHz AM taxi cab radio dispatch Spanish lady YL dispatcher on 27795 AM taxi dispatch 27 MHz
1448 UTC: 27.935 MHz AM taxi cab radio dispatch Spanish lady YL dispatcher on 27935 AM taxi dispatch 27 MHz
1448 UTC: 27.745 MHz AM taxi cab radio dispatch Spanish lady YL dispatcher on 27745 AM taxi dispatch 27 MHz
1448 UTC: 27.785 MHz AM taxi cab radio dispatch Spanish lady YL dispatcher on 27785 AM taxi dispatch 27 MHz
1449 UTC: 27.765 MHz AM taxi cab radio dispatch Spanish lady YL dispatcher on 27765 AM taxi dispatch 27 MHz
1449 UTC: 27.815 MHz AM Mexican taxi cab dispatcher Mexico City Mexico D.F. taxicab radio dispatch 27815 AM 27.815 AM
1457 UTC: 26.945 MHz AM - taxi cab dispatcher - Spanish numbers YL dispatcher with end of transmission burst
1457 UTC: 26.175 MHz AM - taxi cab dispatcher - Spanish numbers YL dispatcher lady 26175 kHz 26.175 MHz
1457 UTC: 26.935 MHz AM - taxi cab dispatcher Mexican taxi cab 26 MHz band
1500 UTC: 27.665 MHz - SSB activity - Spanish - 27.665 LSB and 27.665 USB at the same time 27665 USB and 27665 LSB
1515 UTC: now the 26.585 MHz AM Mexican trucker and freeband CB frequency is coming alive
1530 UTC: 27.450 MHz USB - Spanish language - busy
1530 UTC: 27.455 MHz USB - Spanish language - busy
1530 UTC: 27.415 MHz USB - weak English language mixing with AM signal (27.415 MHz AM taxi dispatcher)
1530 UTC: 27.415 MHz AM - taxi cab dispatch mixing with US stations - talking about 20 meter band openings
1530 UTC: 27.455 MHz USB - very very busy with SIO 555 signals at points
1530 UTC: 27.545 MHz AM - taxi cab dispatch lady YL dispatcher reading numbers Mexican taxi cab
1610 UTC: American CB stations coming in on 915 AM - 26915 AM 26.915 MHz AM - big radios channel!
1610 UTC: 27.195 FSK bursts - RC RS Frequency 27.195 MHz with FSK bursts every 3 seconds
1610 UTC: 27.195 MHz Channel 19A Taxi Dispatcher AM Voice mixing with Data bursts Class C data/RC +10 kHz
1615 UTC: 27.255 MHz Channel 23 - another taxi dispatcher lady coming in clear with data bursts telemetry in the background
1615 UTC: 26.995 MHz FSK data bursts - roughly 4 kHz wide signals
1620 UTC: WWV on 25 MHz 25.000 MHz 25000 kHz coming in very nicely now S7-S8 signal very good
1820 UTC: WWV on 25 MHz is now gone
1820 UTC: CB channels 26 and 28 are both busy with American CB stations - 27.265 MHz and 27.285 MHz
1820 UTC: the other big radio channels, namely the Super Bowl CB channel 6 and CB channel 11 27.025 MHz and 27.085 MHz
1820 UTC: Checked the Class C (RC) channels, very weak data bursts still coming in on 27.195 MHz
1820 UTC: 27.255 MHz - CB Channel 23 has AM voice (lots of it) and some FSK bursts underneath
1825 UTC: 26.585 MHz still active - Mexican 26 MHz 11 meter freeband stations - Latin American Spanish CB
1825 UTC: 26.715 MHz AM has very sporadic traffic with heavy fading QSB
1825 UTC: checked 26.585 AM again - now hearing music mixing with various stations
1825 UTC: weak activity on 26225 USB 26.225 USB - Latin American SSB calling channel - cf. 26.555 LSB and 27.455 USB

Seems like the band has quieted down a lot as of 1820 UTC (likely before that).  The low channels 25.615 MHz to 26.955 MHz are almost completely quiet again...

313

10/11 meters / Re: 11m 27 OCT 2021

« on: October 27, 2021, 1224 UTC »

Indeed - the band is showing the subtle signs that it might be open again today...

1233 UTC - music coming in on 27195 USB 27.195 MHz USB (on the W3HFU KiwiSDR)

314

10/11 meters / 26 MHz Pager Frequencies - European 11m Paging Band Opening Indicators

« on: October 27, 2021, 1219 UTC »

Here is a list of active paging and telemetry frequencies - all European in origin.  All frequencies are confirmed as active as of October 2021.  Many of these systems transmit an "idle" signal every 2-10 seconds, even if no data is being sent.  Others only transmit when needed. On the more active 26 MHz frequencies, several different signals may be noted on the same frequency.



Based on listening on several European SDRs:


26150 kHz 26.150 MHz - European paging, hospital pager data telemetry - POCSAG and other modes
26200 kHz 26.200 MHz - European paging, hospital pager data telemetry - POCSAG and other modes
26250 kHz 26.250 MHz - European paging, hospital pager data telemetry - POCSAG and other modes
26300 kHz 26.300 MHz - European paging, hospital pager data telemetry - POCSAG and other modes
26350 kHz 26.350 MHz - European paging, hospital pager data telemetry - POCSAG and other modes
26400 kHz 26.400 MHz - European paging, hospital pager data telemetry - POCSAG and other modes
26435 kHz 26.435 MHz - POCSAG hospital paging/other modes - noted use in UK
26450 kHz 26.450 MHz - European paging, hospital pager data telemetry - POCSAG and other modes
26550 kHz 26.550 MHz - European paging, hospital pager data telemetry - POCSAG and other modes
26555 kHz 26.555 MHz - European paging, hospital pager data telemetry - POCSAG and other modes
26600 kHz 26.600 MHz - European paging, hospital pager data telemetry - POCSAG and other modes
26610 kHz 26.610 MHz - POCSAG and FSK data, includes offset frequencies 26.608 MHz, 26.607 MHz
26645 kHz 26.645 MHz - European paging, hospital pager data telemetry - POCSAG and other modes
26650 kHz 26.650 MHz - European paging, hospital pager data telemetry - POCSAG and other modes
26655 kHz 26.655 MHz - POCSAG - narrow - noted in mainland Europe
26670 kHz 26.670 MHz - POCSAG - wide and narrow
26695 kHz 26.695 MHz - European paging, hospital pager data telemetry - POCSAG and other modes
26700 kHz 26.700 MHz - European paging, hospital pager data telemetry - POCSAG and other modes
26705 kHz 26.705 MHz - European paging, hospital pager data telemetry - POCSAG and other modes
26745 kHz 26.745 MHz - European paging, hospital pager data telemetry - POCSAG and other modes
26750 kHz 26.750 MHz - European paging, hospital pager data telemetry - POCSAG and other modes
26755 kHz 26.755 MHz - European paging, hospital pager data telemetry - POCSAG and other modes
26845 kHz 26.845 MHz - European paging, hospital pager data telemetry - POCSAG and other modes
26850 kHz 26.850 MHz - European paging, hospital pager data telemetry - POCSAG and other modes
26855 kHz 26.855 MHz - European paging, hospital pager data telemetry - POCSAG and other modes
26900 kHz 26.900 MHz - Telemetry FSK signals - noted in use mainland Europe
26945 kHz 26.945 MHz - Telemetry, paging and 2-watt data link systems
26950 kHz 26.950 MHz - European paging, hospital pager data telemetry - POCSAG and other modes
26955 kHz 26.955 MHz - European paging, hospital pager data telemetry - POCSAG and other modes
26960 kHz 26.960 MHz - Telemetry, paging and 2-watt data link systems
26995 kHz 26.995 MHz - R/C Channel worldwide data link and telemetry
27002 kHz 27.002 MHz - POCSAG narrow POCSAG wide (offset frequency)
27007 kHz 27.007 MHz - POCSAG narrow and FSK telemetry (offset frequency)
27045 kHz 27.045 MHz - R/C Channel worldwide data link and telemetry
27095 kHz 27.095 MHz - R/C Channel worldwide data link and telemetry, Eurobalise downlink (train data radio system)
27120 kHz 27.120 MHz - FSK data link signals noted here on German and Swiss SDRs
27145 kHz 27.145 MHz - R/C Channel worldwide data link and telemetry
27190 kHz 27.190 MHz - Paging - data links and telemetry center frequency (confirmed active late October 2021)
27195 kHz 27.195 MHz - R/C Channel worldwide data link and telemetry
27200 kHz 27.200 MHz - Paging - data links and telemetry center frequency (confirmed active late October 2021)
27250 kHz 27.250 MHz - POCSAG and other data modes
27255 kHz 27.255 MHz - R/C Channel worldwide data link and telemetry
27300 kHz 27.300 MHz - POCSAG and other data modes
27350 kHz 27.350 MHz - POCSAG and other data modes
27400 kHz 27.400 MHz - POCSAG and other data modes
27450 kHz 27.450 MHz - POCSAG and other data modes


The European standardized or harmonized 26 MHz paging band extends from 26.200 MHz to 26.935 MHz or 26200 kHz to 26935 kHz (according to several sources). 

Others indicate that the band extends from 26.175 MHz to 26.950 MHz or 26175 kHz to 26950 kHz.  The 26.995, 27.045, 27.095, 27.145 and 27.195 frequencies are standardized throughout Europe for model control telecommand radio control RC use.  The standardized 27 MHz ISM band (center frequency 27.120 MHz 27120 kHz +/- 163 kHz for a frequency range of 26.957 MHz to 27.283 MHz / 26957 kHz to 27283 kHz) also applies and the same range is permitted for very low power short range devices - nonspecific SRDs.

The table of frequency allocations breaks the bands down as follows:

26100 kHz - 26175 kHz 26.100 MHz - 26.175 MHz - Maritime Mobile - DSC, marine HF radio, military communications

26175 kHz - 26200 kHz 26.175 MHz - 26.200 MHz - Fixed and Mobile - Fixed service, military mobile

26200 kHz - 26350 kHz 26.200 MHz - 26.350 MHz - Fixed and Mobile - Fixed service, military mobile

26350 kHz - 27500 kHz 26.350 MHz - 27.500 MHz - Fixed and Mobile - CB radio (EN 300 433 band 26.96-27.41 MHz)

27500 kHz - 28000 kHz 27.500 MHz - 28.000 MHz - Fixed, Mobile, Meteorological Aids - Military mobile communications systems, including aeronautical military systems, land mobile military systems

315

10/11 meters / Re: 11 meters 26 OCT 2021

« on: October 27, 2021, 1121 UTC »

Not sure of the specs on freq. Quite an amazing radio though. Never heard of anything else like it. I had forgotten about the Cherokee. I knew there was another one. Back when things were really hot on 10/11, as I remember 96- 2001? you could have totally worked DX with it, if you had a decent antenna. And by decent, I don't mean a Yagi or anything. A 1/4 or 1/2 wave would have done the job. Depending on the particular day.

Those were the days.

I remember in 2000 or 2001 hearing California Highway Patrol on 42 MHz and hearing UK military traffic in the 30-32 MHz region (as well as US military traffic in the same region) along with various car services and taxi dispatchers in the same 29.7-50 MHz low band region - but especially the 30.580 MHz to 31.980 MHz and 35.020 MHz to 35.980 MHz business/industrial land mobile bands (for the car service dispatchers out of New York City and other business users nationwide). 

On really good days I could hear the low band military, police on 39 MHz/42 MHz and business users along with various 10 meter FM repeaters using a handheld RadioShack Pro-79 scanner with the stock rubber duck antenna.  That particular scanner's coverage stopped at 29.000 MHz and from 29-54 MHz it was FM mode only.  Still, nuts to hear all the things I did with the cheapo factory rubber duck antenna.