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1006

Peskies / 6900 kHz LSB 6.900 MHz LSB Spanish Freebanders 22 August 2017

« on: August 22, 2017, 1233 UTC »

About 10 minutes after 6900 USB started picking up, 6900 LSB also became active.  Looks like either its freebander field day, or I've stumbled upon some sort of lunch break net for these guys.  6900 LSB, 6900 USB, and 6930 USB all busy with Spanish language chatter.  

1007

Peskies / 6930 kHz USB 6.930 MHz USB Spanish Freebanders 22 August 2017

« on: August 22, 2017, 1232 UTC »

6930 kHz USB, 6.930 MHz USB Spanish voices - Spanish speaking freebanders
Started monitoring at 1230 UTC

Alberto and another station chatting away, noticed these guys after I tuned away from 6900 kHz USB at 1230 UTC.  Not getting the name of the other station but its another very informal net (similar in style, accent and signal strength to the stations on 6900 USB). 

1008

Peskies / 6900 kHz USB 6.900 MHz USB Spanish Freebanders 22 August 2017

« on: August 22, 2017, 1229 UTC »

Time: 1225 UTC (started monitoring)
Date:  August 22nd, 2017
Frequency: 6900 kHz - 6.900 MHz
Mode: USB
Language: Spanish

Hearing some casual Spanish language chatter on 6900 USB at 1225 UTC, sounds like two OMs having an informal conversation (going by the terms these guys are referring to each other as, they likely know each other).  Lots of "HOLA!" and people whistling into their microphone.  At 1226, sounded like another station talked over "4" (not sure if this is an ID or something else).  Lots of static crashes making it hard to listen to these guys.  It's also very early in the day to be hearing this traffic, usually 6900 kHz and the other related frequencies aren't busy until later in the evening.

At 1227, mention of "working at home" and "3 blacks", then discussion of the number of people "on frequency".  Reminds me of the freebanders usually heard on 6900 kHz LSB, but as we've found before, these guys make liberal use of the mode switch (at least between upper and lower side band, effectively using it as a way of finding a clear channel).  Nothing heard on 6900 LSB around this time though.

1009

North American Shortwave Pirate / UNID 6950 USB 1552 UTC 21 Aug 2017

« on: August 21, 2017, 1554 UTC »

UNID pirate station 21 AUG 2017
Frequency: 6950 kHz / 6.950 MHz
Mode: USB

In line with several other "eclipse themed" stations...

Hearing spaced out music on 6950 USB, S2-S3 with some minor fades...although those could be part of the music.

Sonar-like pings at 1553 UTC.  Sounds like Pink Floyd to me!  Yep, its Echoes (Part I) from Pink Floyd Live At Pompeii if my PF memory serves me correctly  

S4-S5 signal at 1600 UTC, signal is around 3.2 kHz wide, SIO 333

At 1604 UTC, somebody changed something on their equalizer, before the audio was really heavy on the high side and attenuated on the lower end, now it seems more flat  

1606 UTC - a couple really deep fades into the noise as "Careful With That Axe, Eugene" starts
1607 UTC - back up to nearly the previous signal strength, S4 peaks but good audio
1620 UTC - "A Saucerful of Secrets" ending...
1622 UTC - "One Of These Days (I'm Going To Cut You Into Little Pieces)" - signal jumped back up to S5, peaking at S6 now
1625 UTC - signal dropped down a bit (S3 now) but still readable with little noise
1627 UTC - "Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun" starting
1640 UTC - signal back up to S5 with the beginning of "Echoes Part II"
1646 UTC - down slightly (back to S3) for the vocal part of Echoes (Part II)
1651 UTC - OFF after end of Echoes Part II

1010

North American Shortwave Pirate / Black Swamp Radio 6955 USB 1528 UTC - 1543 UTC 21 Aug 2017

« on: August 21, 2017, 1541 UTC »

Hearing the tail end of "Eclipse" by Pink Floyd, SIO 444

SSTV at 1541 UTC

Appears to have gone off the air at 1543 UTC

1011

North American Shortwave Pirate / UNID 6925 AM 1445 UTC 21 Aug 2017

« on: August 21, 2017, 1452 UTC »

6925 kHz - 6.925 MHz
Mode AM
UNID (so far anyway)

Tuned in at 1445 UTC, noticed a carrier on 6925 kHz AM

Carrier on 6925.0 kHz, weak signal hovering around S2-S3, bits and pieces of music coming through at

1450 UTC, can't make out what's being played however.  Seems like there may be another station on 6925 USB, checking the waterfall on a remote receiver (Ohio) indicates a weak data signal on 6925 kHz USB that disappeared around 1451 UTC or 1452 UTC.

1453 UTC - checked another remote receiver (Luray, VA) and signal is considerably better, hanging around S7 to S9 on peaks with good modulation.  Still some fading, but can hear a YL singing, good audio on peaks with a little noise

1454 UTC - another track with YL singing, mention of "heaven", fading is becoming worse but still an armchair copy on the peaks.  Dropping down to S6 during deepest fades

1458 UTC - several seconds of dead air, into Belinda Carlisle - Heaven Is A Place On Earth, signal up a bit for better copy.  Sounding good!

1500 UTC - Belinda Carlisle still going, a deep fade down to S3, then signal jumped back up to S9!  Nice wide audio

1503 UTC - several seconds of dead air, a couple "beats", another 2-3 seconds of dead air, then into next track

1508 UTC - still going strong, noticing some selective fading on the sidebands, signal anywhere from S5 to S9 on peaks

1541 UTC - had the radio going this whole time, but was listening in the other room and not logging actively.  Still hanging around the S5-S6 area with fades.  

1652 UTC - after listening to the station on 6950 USB for a while (they just went off the air), I tune back to 6925 kHz AM to hear more Pink Floyd!  Love it!  Pink Floyd's "Speak To Me/Breathe" (first track from Dark Side of the Moon) sounding good with some noise and minor fading

1655 UTC - Pink Floyd - On The Run [checked several remotes, sounds best locally, peaking to S7 with solid S5 carrier]

1704 UTC - Over the horizon radar bursts and buzz on top of "Time" (which sounds even trippier due to the selective fading going on)

1705 UTC - The Great Gig In The Sky, sounding great here with minimal selective fading and nice wide audio

1711 UTC - Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash "Money" sounding great!

1719 UTC - OTHR beep "ID" followed by buzz burst during "Us And Them" still S6

1733 UTC - end of The Dark Side of The Moon (Brain Damage/Eclipse), carrier still going though

1734 UTC - dead carrier for a while, then spacey sounds, OTHR buzz burst...more spaced out sounds

1012

10/11 meters / Radio Taxi Moscow Russia 27.825 MHz 27825 kHz Russian SDR 21-AUG-2017

« on: August 21, 2017, 1153 UTC »

Russian Taxi Cab 26MHz 27MHz 28MHz 10 meter band taxi cab intruder Russia taxis 50 division CIS Russia

Frequency: 27.825 MHz - 27825 kHz high band freeband CB - legal frequency for business use in Russia (CB band extends from 26.515-27.995 MHz)
Mode: FM (narrow FM)
CTCSS / tone squelch: none, appears to be carrier squelch (CSQ)
Language: Russian
KiwiSDR in Nakhabino, Russia http://rz3dvp.ru:8073/
Near Moscow grid square http://www.levinecentral.com/ham/grid_square.php?Grid=KO85ou

In addition to the taxi company using 27.875 MHz in Moscow, another company is operating 50 kHz lower, on 27.825 MHz.  This one may be closer to the receiver or something because the mobiles are much easier to copy.

1013

10/11 meters / Radio Taxi Moscow Russia 27.875 MHz 27875 kHz Russian SDR 21-AUG-2017

« on: August 21, 2017, 1151 UTC »

Frequency: 27.875 MHz - 27875 kHz high band freeband CB - legal frequency for business use in Russia (CB band extends from 26.515-27.995 MHz)
Mode: FM (narrow FM)
CTCSS / tone squelch: none, appears to be carrier squelch (CSQ)
Language: Russian
KiwiSDR in Nakhabino, Russia http://rz3dvp.ru:8073/
Near Moscow grid square http://www.levinecentral.com/ham/grid_square.php?Grid=KO85ou


Started monitoring frequency at 1145 UTC (1445 local time) YL lady taxi dispatcher giving directions to mobiles (some of the mobiles have been heard replying to the dispatcher).  No distinctive roger beeps (compare to the Latin American Uber, Lyft and taxi cab radio systems using 11 meter CB equipment, each with a "jingle" roger beep so the drivers know who they're talking to) heard on these Russian systems.  Besides using FM, and the Latin American systems using AM (although above 29 MHz they're using FM, save for a Brazilian cab operating on 33.700 MHz and 33.800 MHz using AM mode and old equipment) these taxi cab systems are all quite similar.  The dispatcher has a base station of some kind, and the drivers have radios that cover 25615-30105 kHz or 25.615-30.105 MHz in 5 kHz/10 kHz steps.  Russia allows for 5 kHz steps on CB.

Anyway, after several minutes of monitoring, only one reply transmission has been heard on 27.875 MHz FM.  The base station, with the female dispatcher "Olga", is a solid S7 all day long. 

1014

Peskies / UNID Spanish Language 6775 kHz USB 1030 UTC 21 August 2017

« on: August 21, 2017, 1032 UTC »

Frequency:  6775 kHz 6.775 MHz
Mode: USB
Language: Spanish

Hearing what appear to be Spanish speaking freebanders operating on 6775 kHz this morning.  Just a faint trace of the Old Time Radio OTR station 5 kHz away on 6770 kHz so no QRM here.  The sun is just about to rise, so these guys could be coming from anywhere (Hearing Bangkok Weather on 6765 kHz USB and CANFORCE weather on 6754 kHz USB broadcast both strong and readable, with Bangkok naturally being weaker).  At 1031 UTC, a strong data signal appeared on 6777 kHz USB and basically obliterated the two-way radio traffic in Spanish I was hearing on 6775 USB. 

1015

10/11 meters / Russian Radio Taxi Dispatch 26865 kHz FM 26.865 MHz FM 21 August 2017

« on: August 21, 2017, 0201 UTC »

Checking out some Eastern European and Russian remotes (its just shy of 5am Moscow Summer Time, or 0155 UTC, Moscow Summer Time being +3 hours from UTC) and while the 2-4 MHz "Village Radio" channels are active [I posted a quick log in the Peskies forum], I checked higher in frequency, namely the 25 to 30 MHz region, and the band is unnaturally quiet.  Or maybe it is naturally quiet since its 4:55 am. 

The only traffic heard is a radio taxi dispatcher on 26865 kHz FM / 26.865 MHz FM and a POCSAG paging transmitter on 26945 kHz FM / 26.945 MHz FM.  Both of these have been logged several times in the past during band openings while listening to various remote receivers all over Europe and Russia.

It appears that there are at least two different transmitters using the 26.945 MHz paging frequency.  I know 26 MHz and 27 MHz paging is popular in Europe, especially in the UK and in Russia, but since I can be 100% sure the band is closed...these different signals [I know they're different because the weaker one will start transmitting, then the stronger one will transmit over it, etc] are local to the receiver. 

Makes be wonder how much power these 26 MHz on-site pager systems are running.  Presuming they're using base station CB antennas, just like Olga, the commonly used name for the female Russian taxi cab dispatchers heard all over 11 meters and 10 meters...they could be potentially dozens of km away.  We know the same thing happens with Irish Churches on 27 MHz running base station CB antennas and legal or close-to-legal output power.  The difference here is, Russian taxi companies continue to intrude on 10 meters and as intruders on 10 meters these taxi cabs can be a major problem.  Not that the Russian government could care less.

1016

Peskies / Russian Voices 3040 kHz AM - "Village Radio" QSO Strong 0145+ UTC 21-AUG-2017

« on: August 21, 2017, 0151 UTC »

Hearing very strong AM chatter on 3040 kHz or 3.040 MHz AM mode (apparently these are quite commonly heard in the 2-4 MHz region, mostly centered around 3 MHz) and often use AM or SSB, possibly using vintage Russian or Soviet military radio equipment.  However, all the stations in this net (I've logged at least three) appear to be right on frequency.

Heard via Stockholm, Sweden remote KiwiSDR receiver starting at 0145 UTC on August 21st, 2017.

1017

Peskies / UNID Portuguese Language 6970 kHz USB 0140+ UTC 21 August 2017

« on: August 21, 2017, 0143 UTC »

Frequency:  6970 kHz / 6.970 MHz
Mode: USB
Language: Portuguese
Best Guess: Fishing Fleet Radio Fishery Radio Two-Way 2-way comms chatter Marine SSB Communications "pescadores"

Hearing the usual peskies moved up in frequency this evening, probably due to the super strong (and super annoying) over the horizon radar QRM from roughly 6900 kHz to 6935 kHz or 6.9 MHz to 6.935 MHz.  6925 kHz (generally home to both pirates and peskies) has been quiet due to the heavy OTH Radar interference.  At least one pirate station moved down below 6.9 MHz / 6900 kHz for their broadcast to escape the heavy QRM from the over the horizon radar pulses. 

1018

North American Shortwave Pirate / UNID Giles Live Shortwave Radio Show Relay 6925 USB 2000 UTC 11 Aug 2017

« on: August 11, 2017, 2042 UTC »

In addition to 6770 kHz AM, there's a relay of the Giles Shortwave Live Shortwave Radio Show (YouTube relay) on 6925 kHz USB.  S3 signal at best, 6770 is sounding much better.  

Signal dropped off or faded down into the noise around 2045 UTC but came back up at 2052 UTC.  

CW at 2132 UTC: "THIS IS NOT THE OFFICIAL SWL CHANNEL THIS IS NOT THEOFFICIALSWLCHANNEL YOUTUBE RELAY 6770 KHZ AM 6925 KHZ USB SIMULCAST AUGUST 11TH 2017

Appears to be off the air at 2135 UTC

1019

Peskies / UNID Italian Language 11180 kHz USB 1950 UTC 11 August 2017

« on: August 11, 2017, 1955 UTC »

Was watching 11175 kHz USB on the waterfall, and noticed SSB traffic 5 kHz up on 11180 kHz USB (which is also a USAF HF-GCS frequency, alternate to 11175 kHz USB).  Hearing casual Italian language traffic on 11180 kHz USB.  One station is considerably stronger than the other, but doesn't sound like aircraft comms to me.  Could be wrong (it should be aircraft, military aircraft communications, considering the frequency in question is in the aeronautical off-route band).

Either pescadores or Italian military traffic?  I don't speak Italian but this sure is an interesting frequency either way.  11175 kHz USB is active at the same time as well.

1020

North American Shortwave Pirate / UNID 6925 AM 1915 UTC 11 Aug 2017

« on: August 11, 2017, 1919 UTC »

UNID 6925 kHz AM - UNID pirate 6.925 MHz AM

Carrier appeared at 1915 UTC, bits and pieces of audio, couldn't make much of anything out though.  Gone at 1918 UTC.