Messages

436

10/11 meters / Re: 10M FM repeater activity

« on: February 21, 2020, 2041 UTC »

I also remember listening to a 10m repeater out of NYC on 29.620 (I believe...) I don’t remember the PL tone though.  I do remember hearing stations from all over the East Coast working each other on it and via simplex on 29.600 MHz.  The 29.71 MHz - 29.79 MHz, 30 MHz, 31 MHz, 33 MHz, 35 MHz and 43-45 MHz land mobile bands were also lit up with activity from New York that day.   I was hearing all of this on a RadioShack scanner with the stock rubber duck too!  That must have been in 2002? Something like that.

Apparently 11 meters is extremely popular in Russia and is used by all sorts of business and industrial users in addition to hobbyists.  From what I’ve read there are dozens upon dozens of simplex repeaters in Russia alone.  Also the 27.205 MHz FM repeater out of Sweden must have some insane coverage (just going by the number of videos on YouTube!).

Russia’s CB band is 26.510 to 27.860 with two sets of channels, the E channels aka the fives (27.185 MHz, for example, is channel 19) and the P channels aka the zeros (27.180 MHz is channel 19).  Cities did, or do, maintain traffic information broadcasts or services on specific CB frequencies.  I’ve read 27.135 MHz AM is popular as well as 27.635 MHz FM for traffic info service in St. Petersburg.  Wouldn’t surprise me if there were some 11m repeaters there too!


Found another video on how to build an 11 meter FM CB simplex repeater using the SureCom repeater controller.  Looks like this guy is using 27.295 MHz FM.

https://youtu.be/Z5qZCDjMZGA

437

10/11 meters / Re: 10M FM repeater activity

« on: February 21, 2020, 1617 UTC »

The 10 meter FM frequencies are good indicators of a band opening on 10 meters/11 meters as well as a potential VHF low band (30-50 MHz) band opening. 

29.600 MHz is a good place to start for FM activity, then the repeater pairs

29.620 MHz
29.640 MHz
29.660 MHz
29.680 MHz

are good for scanning during a band opening.  I often include down to 29.5 MHz when I do a VHF low band scan for VHF low DX skip in FM mode. 

A few years ago there was actually a local logging company that used 29.625 MHz (also logged as 29.620 MHz) for truck-to-truck comms (they were using what they thought was a clear frequency on their export 11 meter CB rigs).  Whoops. 

I will also say, however, that I hear FM activity on 11 meters when the band is rolling too - and not just the UK FM CB frequencies with the 1.25 kHz offset (27.60125 MHz - 27.99125 MHz in 10 kHz steps).  I've heard FM freebander traffic on 27.505 MHz, 27.600 MHz and a couple other frequencies and the stations were US based.  27.600 MHz translates well from 29.600 MHz as a FM calling frequency. 

Speaking of FM repeaters - there used to be a linked FM repeater network of four 11m 27 MHz FM repeaters in the Caribbean on 27.620 MHz, 27.640 MHz, 27.660 MHz and 27.680 MHz.  They used a +200 kHz offset and even included a 88.5 Hz CTCSS or PL tone.  They were linked together (so keying up one would key up the other three and give you simulcast capability)...not sure how they were linked but I imagine it was VHF/UHF. 

Here's a video of the network being keyed up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pWB17LzsHk

Unfortunately it appears that all of these repeaters are now off the air. 

There are others, however.  Apparently there is a German 11m FM repeater system - input frequency is 26.565 MHz FM and output is 27.405 MHz FM (26.565 MHz is German CB channel 41).  In other words, a -840 kHz offset  -  -    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpfFs4M_U1c

I'm sure there are plenty of other 11m repeaters out there.  I've seen evidence of cross-band setups in the USA using MURS or FRS / 11m crossband systems.  Here's one example of FRS channel 3 - 462.6125 MHz - patched to 11m frequency 26.935 MHz as a repeater system (at least as a proof of concept)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNMiiyI7WQw

That being said, simplex repeater seems to be more popular, especially in Europe and Russia. They are easy to put together. There are dozens of 11m FM simplex repeaters operating in Russia and elsewhere in Europe.  There's apparently one on 27.205 MHz FM in Sweden that features DTMF-controlled playback and other options.  The 27.205 FM repeater has apparently been heard/hit in dozens of different countries...

Other known 11m FM simplex repeaters include:

26.965 MHz FM - Channel 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDI5T-_z7qQ

26.985 MHz FM - Channel 3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOWxgc9lRrk - this one has been noted by several other operators too

27.275 MHz FM - Channel 27 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgYlzLPH5Jk

27.305 MHz FM - Channel 30 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1QQlvwFAD0 - possibly more than one on this frequency?

27.415 MHz FM - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r82nX0QuIcw and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcW1IFBGnsw - assuming this is the same repeater it was heard in Poland and Australia!

27.675 MHz FM - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6__XiVyTvk

438

FM Free Radio / 107.7 FM Virginia House Radio - Richmond, VA 20 February 2020

« on: February 20, 2020, 1345 UTC »

Virginia House Radio continuing their usual programming on 107.7 FM in downtown Richmond Virginia.  Small bursts of QRM from 107.5 FM and 107.9 FM. 

WBQK on 107.9 MHz coming out of West Point, VA is doing 4 kW 328 feet HAAT / 305 feet AGL only 35 miles from downtown Richmond.   When the band is open, even marginally, I can hear another station or two mixing in on 107.9 MHz.   107.5 MHz has WNNT-FM (47 miles from Richmond at 6 kW, same height as WBQK) and WCHV-FM (65 miles away from the presumed Virginia House Radio transmitter site - only doing 210 watts ERP but their antenna is on top of a mountain, 259 feet above the mountain / AGL, 1109 feet (!!) AGL).

When it comes to 107.7 MHz itself, there are, unfortunately, three legal stations to contend with.  WWWT-FM (WTOP's 107.7 FM powerhouse, although their 44 kW transmitter on 103.5 FM out of Washington, D.C. also kills it....it's still a shame they got rid of the 1500 kHz facility and 1500 AM is now WFED - still, I can hear WFED on 1500 on a regular basis with factory Chevrolet and Toyota car radios into the sunrise hours during the winter without an issue.   

WETA on 90.9 FM gives WTOP on 103.5 FM / 107.7 FM a run for their money.  WETA 90.9 MHz FM is grandfathered in and does 75 kW from 456 feet AGL / 610 feet HAAT.  With my old sedan's "proper" FM antenna (a real 1/4 wave whip mounted on the fender - connected to a Pioneer receiver) I could hear WETA a solid 70 miles south of the transmitter location driving down I-95 towards Richmond. 

Anyway, WWWT-FM on 103.5 FM is doing 29 kW 80 miles almost due north, WMOV-FM out of Norfolk, VA doing 15 kW also 80 miles away, and WWDW-FM out of Alberta, VA, only 2.2 kW but around 55 miles to the south-south-west.  When the band is rolling, I can usually hear WTOP's audio mixing with WMOV and WWDW along with Virginia House Radio on 107.7 FM. 

Virginia House Radio's signal is excellent in the central business district (downtown downtown) area of downtown Richmond, I won't speculate as to their transmitter location but they must have at least some elevation.

439

FM Free Radio / Re: FM pirates in the Boston area.

« on: February 20, 2020, 1330 UTC »

Check the higher FM broadcast frequencies as well...frequency, I should say.  107.9 MHz FM is another one.  I do second 87.7 MHz FM and 87.9 MHz though. 

Unfortunately the proliferation of translators and repeaters for AM stations and/or HD Radio sub-channels means there are very few, if any, clear frequencies on the FM bands in larger urban areas. 

440

10/11 meters / Re: 18 Feb 2020 1915UTC - Big opening!

« on: February 20, 2020, 1327 UTC »

Seems like the band closed pretty quickly too.  I checked on one of my handheld CBs later in the day (with the telescopic antenna that actually resonates on 26-28 MHz)....and nothing as far as DX goes.  Only the locals yakking away on channels 14, 19 and 22. 

441

10/11 meters / Re: 18 Feb 2020 1915UTC - Big opening!

« on: February 19, 2020, 1646 UTC »

38 LSB is active in addition to numerous 26 MHz frequencies.  Maybe the 26.500 MHz USB and 27.515 MHz LSB crowds will make another appearance.

442

VHF/UHF Logs, including satellites and radiosondes / Re: 151.625 MHz Business Band Itinerant Analog FM vs. DMR Digital Voice 12 Feb 2020

« on: February 19, 2020, 1644 UTC »

The DMR users on 151.625 have moved at least one of the other groups off 151.625 MHz and on to 151.505 MHz.  Strong analog FM voice on 151.5050 MHz

443

Utility / Re: CIS Navy on HF

« on: February 17, 2020, 2206 UTC »

Do the Rooskies make a habit of using 80 meters in USB mode?  Seems like it’s pretty common for marine purposes (military and otherwise). 

I’ve read numerous reports from hams in Europe of Irish fishing fleets, Finnish trawlers, Italian fishermen in the Med, etc. using 3500-4000 kHz in USB mode for ship to ship comms.  It’s a good place to hide a military net.  Same with 40 meters.

The split frequency operation seems pretty common too. 

444

VHF/UHF Logs, including satellites and radiosondes / Re: 151.625 MHz Business Band Itinerant Analog FM vs. DMR Digital Voice 12 Feb 2020

« on: February 17, 2020, 2154 UTC »

Like standing on top of a several hundred (or thousand) foot tower with a HT.  Love it. 

It would be cool to go up in a balloon with a handheld CB with a halfway decent antenna. 

I’ve done some basic range testing on 2 meters and the 151 MHz / 154 MHz MURS frequencies (they have the same propagation characteristics) with another op in his mobile...I parked on top of a hill roughly 200 feet above the floodplain and low-laying area and alternated between 10 watts, 25 watts and 70 watts on with my mobile radio and 4 watts on my handheld.  Only when you get to the fringe of the 4 watt/10 watt range does having the high power capability make the difference.

Would love to do a side-by-side with 11 meter AM and VHF high band (2m or MURS) with the same power level range test. 

Of course these have been done in mostly urban areas with lots of obstructions...

In most areas, rural and urban, the proliferation of data link and telemetry systems on the MURS channels make fringe-range operation more annoying.

445

For Sale / Wanted / Barter / Re: Galaxy 959 blue

« on: February 17, 2020, 2146 UTC »

Which frequency / channel expansion mod does it have?  Does it do 26.695 MHz to 27.965 MHz coverage aka the P5 P6 or switch mod or the 26.515 to 26.955 MHz / 26.965 MHz to 27.405 MHz / 27.415 MHz to 27.855 MHz Lescomm or Viagra 120 channel board installed?

446

10/11 meters / Re: Quite a bit of activity 16 Feb 2020

« on: February 17, 2020, 2143 UTC »

Any out of band activity? On say, 26.915 MHz or any of the other freeband 27 MHz SSB freqs?

447

VHF/UHF Logs, including satellites and radiosondes / Re: 151.625 MHz Business Band Itinerant Analog FM vs. DMR Digital Voice 12 Feb 2020

« on: February 15, 2020, 2100 UTC »

They’re probably getting some pretty insane range if they’re 400-500-600 feet above ground level. 

Assuming they’re using 4-watt or 5-watt handheld radios...it wouldn’t surprise me if their signals are making it 40-50+ miles from that high up (depending on the terrain of course).

I know there's a low power (~4 watts transmitter power, ERP is probably about 8 watts) simplex repeater installed in the downtown area of the city I live in...it's on MURS channel 2 - 151.880 MHz - and the antenna is maybe 30 feet above street level.   Even with that modest height and power level, it can be heard 5 miles away....and this is in an urban area with lots of obstructions.

I've monitored what sounded like either RF engineers or IT installation guys installing antennas of some sort in a high-rise building, they were talking about coax cable runs, antennas, filters and the like.  They weren't on VHF, they were on one of the UHF itinerant business band frequencies (specifically 469.500 MHz).  From their conversation it was obvious that they were either on the roof of the building or on the top floors.  They were very strong for several miles away from the downtown area, even with QRM from other business users on the same frequency.  Lucky for them they were running a DCS / DPL code and weren’t suffering any sort of QRM.

Height is key.  It wouldn't surprise me if the tower climbers on 151.625 MHz you're talking about cause at least minor amounts of QRM to all sorts of users dozens of miles away from them. 

448

VHF/UHF Logs, including satellites and radiosondes / Re: 151.625 MHz Business Band Itinerant Analog FM vs. DMR Digital Voice 12 Feb 2020

« on: February 14, 2020, 1523 UTC »

Just another update: 

Heard some more very strong DMR traffic on 151.625 this morning, along with some weak analog FM voice.  023 DCS code along with 67.0 Hz, 94.8 Hz, 97.4 Hz and 136.5 Hz CTCSS tones have been logged in the past.  I know the film school for the local university uses 151.625 and 151.955 for camera crew comms and other purposes.  I've logged them as using both 67.0 and 94.8 PL tones.  Unfortunately there's also a local funeral home that uses 151.625 with 97.4 Hz PL tone, and of course Crane Master doing 110 watts with 167.9 Hz PL.

I found the listing for the default factory frequencies for the Motorola RDX series RDV5100 VHF radio:

Channel 1 - 151.6250 MHz - 67.0 Hz PL
Channel 2 - 151.6250 MHz - 77.0 Hz PL
Channel 3 - 151.6250 MHz - 88.5 Hz PL
Channel 4 - 151.6250 MHz - 179.9 Hz PL
Channel 5 - 151.6250 MHz - CSQ - carrier squelch (no PL or DPL)
Channel 6 - 151.9550 MHz - 67.0 Hz PL
Channel 7 - 151.9550 MHz - 82.5 Hz PL
Channel 8 - 162.4000 MHz - CSQ - RECEIVE ONLY - "WC" (Weather Channel)
Channel 9 - 151.9550 MHz - 179.9 Hz PL
Channel 10 - 151.9550 MHz - CSQ - carrier squelch (no PL or DPL)




Here are the "27 business exclusive" frequencies available for the Motorola RDX and RDV VHF radios (and others, including the Kenwood TK-2400 series radios such as the TK-2400VP)

Frequency 01: 151.6250 MHz - itinerant
Frequency 02: 151.9550 MHz
Frequency 03: 152.8850 MHz
Frequency 04: 152.9150 MHz
Frequency 05: 151.7000 MHz - itinerant
Frequency 06: 151.7600 MHz - itinerant
Frequency 07: 152.9450 MHz
Frequency 08: 151.8350 MHz
Frequency 09: 151.8050 MHz
Frequency 10: 151.5125 MHz - itinerant
Frequency 11: 151.6550 MHz
Frequency 12: 151.6850 MHz
Frequency 13: 151.7150 MHz
Frequency 14: 151.7450 MHz
Frequency 15: 151.7750 MHz
Frequency 16: 151.8650 MHz
Frequency 17: 151.8950 MHz
Frequency 18: 151.9250 MHz
Frequency 19: 152.9000 MHz (incorrectly printed in some Motorola manuals as "152.7000 MHz")
Frequency 20: 154.4900 MHz
Frequency 21: 154.5150 MHz
Frequency 22: 154.5275 MHz - itinerant
Frequency 23: 154.5400 MHz
Frequency 24: 153.0050 MHz
Frequency 25: 154.5475 MHz
Frequency 26: 158.4000 MHz - itinerant
Frequency 27: 158.4075 MHz - itinerant


The Motorola RMM2050 (MURS radio - license free, but sold as an on-site business radio)

Defaults to:

Channel 1 - 154.5700 MHz - 67.0 Hz PL
Channel 2 - 154.6000 MHz - 67.0 Hz PL
Channel 3 - 151.8200 MHz - 67.0 Hz PL
Channel 4 - 151.8800 MHz - 67.0 Hz PL
Channel 5 - 151.9400 MHz - 67.0 Hz PL

Motorola also identifies frequency 1 as 154.570 MHz, frequency 2 as 154.600 MHz, frequency 3 as 151.820 MHz, frequency 4 as 151.880 MHz and frequency 5 as 151.940 MHz.

449

For Sale / Wanted / Barter / CRE 8900 (Alinco DR-135CB / DR-135DX) 11 meter CB 10 meter radio AM FM SSB CW

« on: February 14, 2020, 1440 UTC »

For sale is a lightly used CRE 8900 all-mode export radio.  This is a DIN-sized version of the AnyTone AT-5555 series (also known as the SS6900/Superstar 6900, Alpha 10 Max MA-1000, Maas DX5000, K-Po DX5000, Voyage BR-9000 and a dozen other models).  See below for the specifications:

http://cbradio.nl/cre/cre_8900.htm

The radio is in excellent condition and comes with original box, mounting brackets/hardware and microphone (with UP/DOWN and automatic squelch on/off on the mic).  All-mode AM FM LSB USB CW and PA modes.  Power output is adjustable for all modes.

25 watts SSB PEP
10-12 watts AM carrier
10-12 watts FM power
10-12 watts CW power

Features:

-Selectable clarifier steps 10 Hz, 100 Hz, 1 kHz or 10 kHz (change steps by simply pushing the clarifier knob in, very useful for SSB operation)
-10 meter mode (28.000 MHz - 29.700 MHz) and 11 meter mode (25.615-30.105 MHz)
-6 band radio with 60 channels per band, fully programmable channels
-Fully adjustable RF output power for all modes including SSB
-Adjustable RF gain
-Built-in echo control (echo level and time delay control)
-Five different display color modes
-Programmable emergency channel
-Dual watch
-Noise blanker and automatic noise limiter on/off (NB/ANL)
-AF noise filter (hi-cut)
-Fully adjustable roger beep duration and tone
- +10 kHz button
-Programmable scanning with scan list
-7 digit frequency display - shows the UK FM frequencies correctly (i.e. 27.78125 instead of 27.781 or 27.7812)
-Automatic SWR indication (shows SWR on transmit) option
-Power supply voltage indication (shows DC voltage on transmit) option

Right now the radio is programmed with the standard 6 band export channel plan with some extras, including the UK FM 27/81 channels as channels 21-60 on band F) the A channels for each band, several SSB freeband channels such as 27.440 MHz, 27.470 MHz, 27.500 MHz, etc. and several 10m FM frequencies

Computer programmable (computer programming is NOT required).  I have received numerous excellent signal reports on AM, FM and SSB mode.  Several ops commented that it sounded like I was talking on a "real" HF SSB ham rig.  The very fine tuning (10 Hz and 100 Hz steps) come in extremely handy when working SSB

This radio looks great in modern vehicles and can be dash-mounted with a DIN adapter.  Will be shipped with its original box/packaging and manual/documentation.  This radio is one of the first CRE 8900s to hit the market - I actually purchased it from a UK based radio distributor before the radio was even available in the USA. 

It's been sitting in my radio closet for a while now...unused.  I recently saw a new opened box version of this radio on sale on eBay for $300.  I'm asking $250 including shipping within the lower 48.  Send me a PM.

Thanks!

450

10/11 meters / Re: Man without a life....

« on: February 14, 2020, 1333 UTC »

Josh is right, 45auto. 

If the operator in question is throwing harmonics and/or spurs on other bands, it will gain the attention of the feds quicker.  The 4th harmonics of the CB band runs from 107.86 MHz (107.9 MHz effectively) to 109.62 MHz (109.6 MHz or 109.65 MHz effectively, the VOR band uses 50 kHz steps from 108.000 MHz to 117.950 MHz).  27.025 MHz (CB channel 6) drops its 4th harmonic right on 108.1 MHz, 5th harmonic on 135.125 MHz, 6th on 162.150 MHz...

The 4th harmonics can cause serious interference with the aircraft navigation service (VOR) in the 108.0 MHz - 117.95 MHz range.  The 5th harmonics can cause serious interference with aircraft communications in the 118.000 MHz - 136.975 MHz range, specifically 134.8 MHz - 137.025 MHz.   Since CB radio uses AM mode and the VHF aircraft band uses AM mode...the source of the interference will likely get noticed pretty quickly.  If he's running that dirty of a setup he's probably causing interference all over the bands.  Aircraft communications are considered "safety of life" communications and the FCC and FAA will get involved. 

All it takes is a few milliwatts (or even microwatts, depending on the antenna used and how close the transmitter is to air traffic) to cause issues with the VHF air band.   

Prior to the digital TV conversion, the obvious issue as far as CB harmonics go is that the 2nd harmonic of 27 MHz is right on TV channel 2 (54 MHz - 60 MHz) and AM signals cause massive interference to analog TV signals.  z

That aside, a strong AM CB signal can also get into all sorts of electronics (stereo systems, computer speakers, headphones, guitar amplifiers, PA systems, VCRs, entertainment systems, etc. etc.)  it's not uncommon for a strong AM CB signal to be heard coming out of a speaker (after all, all you need is a diode to act as a detector if the signal is strong enough). 

I did a series of tests a few years back with a home built 11 meter beacon transmitter.  It did in the 50-100 milliwatt range and was connected to a dipole antenna mounted in an attic.  It was a simple AM transmitter modulated with a 1000 Hz tone generator.  Crystal controlled on 27.500 MHz (for initial testing anyway, I eventually played with other frequencies - once I got my hands on a bunch of 26 MHz - 27 MHz crystals) it made a nice carrier signal with two tones 1 kHz up and 1 kHz down from center frequency 27.501 MHz and 27.499 MHz = perfect for doing range testing with a mobile radio in SSB mode. 

Anyway, the transmitter's 1 kHz tone could easily be heard coming out of the neighbor's hi-fi system's speakers and my roommate's computer's speakers.  Sooo...that got noticed pretty quick.  The installation of a low pass filter on the transmitter and several RF chokes on the speaker wire solved the problem.