Messages

1

HF Mystery Signals / Re: Strange data (?) signal on 6860 kHz

« on: September 16, 2025, 1948 UTC »

I heard the signal again early this a.m., Pacific time (Sept 16th, UTC), from tune in at 1229 UTC until it cut off completely at 1309 UTC, which was 6:09 a.m. Pacific Time. Frequency was 6988 kHz. The signal seemed to increase in strength from 1229 to 1300 or so, from around S1 out of 5 to S3 out of 5, before seeming to dip again right before cut off.

The signal also -- just like last time -- had what sounded like a polar flutter or fast fade to it, maybe 6-10 fades per second. Cut off was the same as I described and WA4FHY has described. Like flipping a switch.

Unfortunately, neither time I've heard this carrier have conditions or activity on 40M been good enough to judge the 6988 kHz signal against anything else. Both times I did NOT hear the Petropavlovsk 'K' beacon on 7039, which usually is a pretty good beacon to N Asia and the N Pacific. But, as we all know, prop can vary from region to region. Still, this signal stuck out when there was no DX activity, to speak of, in the lower reaches of the 40M band (CW was dead).

Being that this signal is a bit erratic, and that the increase in signal might have been due to a grey line effect (indicating it might be in the US), I wonder if this is a pirate signal of some sort. Especially considering the proximity to the pirate radio frequencies.

Just throwing that out there. At this point, I have no idea what the signal may be.

This time I tuned it in on my DX-394, using my indoor wire.

2

HF Mystery Signals / Re: Strange data (?) signal on 6860 kHz

« on: September 15, 2025, 1452 UTC »

I heard the carrier earlier this morning (Sept. 15, 2025) on 6988 kHz between 1135 UTC (when I tuned in) until 1150 UTC when it switched off. It was weak, under S1 in signal strength, and had a polar flutter to it.

This was on my Tecsun PL-330 and an 8 meter indoor wire, and I'm in the PNW US.

I suppose I'll have to monitor this frequency more often.

3

General Radio Discussion / Re: Unknown "Hypnotoad" Signals Spotted on HF

« on: September 12, 2025, 1704 UTC »

The YT clip sounds a bit like the famous Buzzer, as you said.

Interesting. Keep us all posted.

4

General Radio Discussion / Re: US warns hidden radios may be embedded in solar-powered highway infrastructure

« on: September 12, 2025, 1657 UTC »

Part of me says, yeah, looks like a problem, just as the hidden spy chips in Chinese made PCB's that were destined for sensitive Naval equipment (the chips were complete spychips, made small and shaped to look like diodes or SMT transistors) were a problem.

On the other hand, every smartphone, modern car, many modern flatscreens, and other devices are spying on everybody already.

What's the difference, really? It's all a matter of who's selling the data to whom.

5

General Radio Discussion / Re: Unknown "Hypnotoad" Signals Spotted on HF

« on: September 08, 2025, 2105 UTC »

What exactly is a 'hypnotoad'? Never heard of this before.

6

Equipment / Re: Hermes-Lite SDR rig? Anyone try one?

« on: August 01, 2025, 0748 UTC »

I am not into SDRs and don't have one -- which means I, of course, don't have a Hermes.

But I've heard several hams on 40 and 20 meters who have them, and the sound and clarity they put out is excellent.

And the guys who use Hermes SDRs in their hamming swear by them. They apparently are that good.

7

Equipment / Re: Receiver Advice

« on: August 01, 2025, 0746 UTC »

I don't know why anyone would avoid Tecsun. They make good radios.

I got a PL-330 in early May and it's an excellent SSB and SW / MW / FM radio.

Two FETs and filtering in front of the DSP chip, multiple bandwidths on AM and SSB modes, battery lasts about two weeks if you're using headphones.... It's a terrific radio for the money.

Clip on or add a few meters of wire and you're set.

EDIT TO ADD:
I may have misconstrued the OP's first post. It appears he or she is looking for a dealer for Tecsuns, as well as other radios.

I got my PL-330 on Amazon. Good price, and i think the dealer on there is Tecsun, or a storefront related to Tecsun.

8

HF Beacons / Re: New Beacon?

« on: July 31, 2025, 1847 UTC »

Interesting bit of information. Makes some sense. I have heard a few California hams on 40 Meters -- maybe 4-5 of them? With at least a couple who may be in the Sac area, who may sort of fit the bill. Fairly outspoken, not that there is anything intrinsically wrong with that. Not having been all that up on the goings-on on 40 (I've rarely, if ever, heard the 7200 stuff that I keep reading about online) I got the feeling these Central Cal area guys were in a part time feud with some other hams. But that was just after hearing them over two nights.

Can't recall the frequency offhand.

Thanks for posting the info, guys.

9

HF Mystery Signals / Re: Unid RTTY/FSK, 14001-14002 kHz, between 0800-1800 UTC, over several days

« on: July 31, 2025, 1219 UTC »

An Update: I've been hearing this intruder on 14002 over the past 8 hours or so, from 0528 (when the RTTY was strong, about S4 out of 5) to just now, 1210 UTC (5:10 a.m. local, Pacific time). The signal dipped into the static, just barely legible, around 0935 UTC.

It's been pretty consistent as RTTY though (or related FSK).

I've also heard a different RTTY signal at 14009 kHz, several times during the past several evenings. Earlier this a.m. (July 31) I heard the RTTY on 14009 at 0523, after which it put out a peep noise and then stopped. This also happened the a.m. of July 30th at 0530 UTC, and on July 26th UTC the 14009 RTTY was fairly strong, S4 out of 5, and it sped up its bit rate and then ended with a peep noise at 0525 UTC (10:25 p.m. local Pacific).

I'm not aware of all the amateur band plans world wide, but continuous RTTY doesn't seem to fit any amateur transmission procedures, and RTTY in the US is only slotted in above the CW band for the most part.

So I've got two mysteries, one on 14002 and the other one on 14009, which look like intruders. I'm still guessing Asia, due to the fadeout characteristics on 20M after 1 a.m. or so local time.

Receivers used have been DX-394, Tecsun PL-330, DX-398, all working off the same indoor, 25 ft second story wire. I'm in Western WA state.

Any ideas out there?

10

HF Beacons / Re: New Beacon?

« on: July 25, 2025, 1059 UTC »

I've been hearing it on 7259 over the past week or so, after I first discovered it. A lazy sounding CW 'A'. Varies in strength from s1- to s4+, depending on prop, of course (S4+ out of S1-S5). The only other CW beacon I can pick up here at my location in WA state is the Desert Whooper (not counting the 'K' military beacon on 7030 out of Petropavlovsk). This 'A' beacon is much louder than the Desert Whooper. The Desert Whooper is usually really low level, in the static.

Never heard the 3844 kHz 'A' beacon, at least any time I've tried for it.

Wednesday night the 'A' beacon wasn't in at all -- I'm guessing the propagation to wherever it's located wasn't good.

Earlier tonight it was varying from s2-s3+ or so. I've noticed that -- at least at my location -- sometimes it disappears after 2:30 AM Pacific time. Not sure if that's prop related or it gets shut off. For example, earlier this evening it was in with s3+ signals, and right now it's MIA. And it's 3:44 AM local.  Could be prop dropped out between me and the beacon, or maybe it's timed? Hard to say. The 40M band still has some ham activity, a couple Spanish language guys reasonably loud on 7130, and some CW down between 7010-7025 or so.

I have heard the 'A' Beacon as late as 6 AM Pacific time here.

Either way, this new beacon is a mystery.

Equipment here varies from Tecsun PL330 to Yaesu FRG-7 to DX-394, all off the same 25-30 ft indoor 2nd story antenna.

11

General Radio Discussion / Re: Letter: For DX With SDRs, It’s Not the Same As It Was

« on: July 25, 2025, 1035 UTC »

Tech is always a double edged sword -- in any hobby. FT8 is adding to the ham radio hobby (low signal catches, ease of use in a limited antenna environment) but it's also killing it, being that bands like 20 Meters are half empty even when prop is up because so many hams are using FT8 instead. It's leaving a lot of spectrum unused, and that probably looks good to HFT traders who may want it.... Who needs all this spectrum when just one frequency is where most of the activity is?

Although I can see their benefits, I basically dislike SDRs. Most of the ones online sound like utter crap. I think that a lot of SWL's, MWDXers and other DXers reliance on SDRs has demoted the hobby somewhat to them only paying attention to the brightest lines on the waterfall display. There is a lot to hear that you can't really see on a waterfall. I hear a lot of DX on the ham bands that goes unanswered. Sometimes I wonder if it's because so many hams are relying on their visual display, which may not show much of a signal when the DX is in the mud and watery sounding -- yet if they manually tuned it in, they'd be able to read it and respond to it.

That said, every DSP chip in a modern radio is technically an SDR. And DSP chips have revolutionized the hobby because, when it comes to SWBC DXing or listening, a $15 XHDATA with just a DSP chip inside can pick up almost as much as an expensive portable from the 70's-90's could off the same amount of wire. Considering the vast difference in cost, the performance of a DSP portable is impressive.

I think SDR's do have their benefits. They do make catches easier to share, and a lot of signal hunters use them because the visuals in the waterfall can give them a better idea of what sort of signal they're hearing.

And the idea that someone who's in an RFI infested location can use his internet connection to still DX from a distant SDR is pretty cool.

So yeah, pluses and minuses. There's room in the hobby for all of it, really. Like TreehouseSWL said, there really is no 'right' or 'wrong' in it.

As for the AM band, I like hearing the Punjabi and Sikh music overnights. And there are a lot of classic hits and classic country stations out there. You just have to tune around to pull them in.

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General Radio Discussion / Re: VOA Brings Back Farsi Speaking Staff

« on: June 16, 2025, 0651 UTC »

Too bad it took a war to wake up the government to the importance of a radio service like VOA.

But it's better than not waking up to its importance at all.

13

General Radio Discussion / Re: Decommission of Gander VOLMET Service

« on: June 14, 2025, 0036 UTC »

I suspect more will be going off the air, for the same reasons. HF is simply old tech for a lot of the aeronautical and maritime services today.

Some of the military ones might stay on the air, though. Redundancy, and all that.

I am not sure I ever heard Gander -- I probably did a long time ago. I do hear Trenton VOLMET from time to time on 15034.

14

General Radio Discussion / Re: Overcomer Ministry says it's ending Brother Stair radio broadcasts

« on: June 14, 2025, 0030 UTC »

Thank 'God' for that!

Complete and utter nonsense and they've probably realised no one took it seriously.

They took up quite a few frequencies so they'll hopefully be available.

Will miss the nonsense.

Available?  'Available' for what, static? Because a lot of money accompanied those Overcomer Ministry broadcasts, and that money helped keep the SW stations on the airwaves. If Overcomer Ministry follows through and goes off the shortwaves, it's going to hurt the SW stations that they used to broadcast their programming.

How many other programs will fill the breach? Especially to the same extent?

15

General Radio Discussion / Re: Good old days

« on: February 12, 2025, 1032 UTC »

I remember SW from the late 70's through today. Less stations today, of course, and ionospheric conditions aren't quite what they were in prior decades, even during this solar maximum. But, on average, the radios are better, with the advent of DSP in the early 2010's. DSP has pretty much saved the SWL hobby.

There still is DX, although it's different, obviously. But it's still cool to hear Kashgar, Urumchi, Botswana, Swaziland or Madagascar here in the PNW US.