Topics

1276

North American Shortwave Pirate / Old Time Radio OTR 6770 kHz AM 0215 UTC 14 June 2017

« on: June 14, 2017, 0216 UTC »

Very faint carrier on 6770 kHz 6.770 MHz AM mode, listening in USB mode gives me bits and pieces of audio but considerably harder to hear any modulation in regular old AM mode.  The carrier is certainly there though. 

1277

10/11 meters / 27.855 MHz AM - 27855 kHz AM Late Night 11 Meter Band Skip DX 14 June 2017

« on: June 14, 2017, 0212 UTC »

Switched up to 11 meters real quick, hearing two OMs chatting away on 27.855 MHz, which is channel 40 up one band, an interesting frequency, er, channel choice.  Slight southern accented OM, possibly truckers.  Pretty colorful conversation, talking about another man's daughter...not going to type the details here but pretty standard CB radio conversation topics here...

Reference to Interstate 95 at 0210 UTC.

Looking at the waterfall, seeing AM traffic (all English language) on nearby frequencies:

27815 kHz AM - 27.815 MHz AM
27825 kHz AM - 27.825 MHz AM
27835 kHz AM - 27.835 MHz AM
27865 kHz AM - 27.865 MHz AM
27885 kHz AM - 27.885 MHz AM

All six of these frequencies were carrying English-speaking stations and all of them appeared to either truck drivers or local CBers talking to other stations that are local to them.  Usually AM signals aren't found in this portion of the band, which further backs up the local net frequency being heard because of a sporadic-E propagation band opening.

1278

Peskies / 6900 kHz LSB Spanish Speaking Freebander Net 0200+ UTC 14 June 2017

« on: June 14, 2017, 0206 UTC »

6.900 MHz LSB 6900 kHz LSB 6900 LSB Spanish language Spanish speakers freebanders bootleggers outbanders operating below 40 meter band.

Heavy static from thunderstorm QRN pretty bad on the lower frequencies this evening, but I am hearing some traffic on the "home" frequency 6900 kHz LSB.  One stronger station coming in nicely, other stations considerably weaker.  11 meter-like chatter.  Stronger stations welcoming new stations into the "net" with a greeting (generally "good evening") and a signal report.  Heard "welcome to the frequency" a couple times as well.  Unfortunately I don't have a lot of time to listen to the net for awhile tonight but the voices sound pretty familiar.  I have a feeling its another ragchew like roundtable style net so often heard on amateur radio frequencies (these stations are, after all, likely operating modified ham radio equipment out of band and chances are they're amateur radio operators themselves).  These stations are often heard on the 11 meter band, with primary frequencies being around 27665 kHz to 27775 kHz in USB and LSB mode, 10 kHz steps.

At 0204 UTC, hearing the strongest station making comment to a weaker station about band conditions today, remarked about conditions on both 43 meters and 11 meters (which was WIDE open earlier today).  This matches an earlier log I made for chatter on this frequency regarding operators talking about band conditions on different bands (11 meters is the great equalizer! ).

At 0205 UTC, hearing two stations talking at once with one of them having a noticeable microphone "unkey" sound.  Not a noise toy or roger beep, but you can hear the PTT button being depressed and unkeyed.  0206 UTC, another station checks into the net after a moment of silence, greeted by a signal report and then welcomed to the frequency.  Chances are this frequency will be busy for the next couple hours.

1279

10/11 meters / 11 Meter Band DX Skip 27MHz Band Activity 1715-1730 UTC 13 June 2017

« on: June 13, 2017, 1736 UTC »

Another 15 minutes of monitoring - I wanted to break these into different posts to show the various different stations that come and go during 11 meter band openings.  Lots of Spanish speaking taxi cab dispatch ladies reading numbers (and sometimes I was able to hear the taxi cabs replying to the dispatcher!) and general Spanish speaking chat channels, often with lots of noise toys, music, roger beeps and the like.  American truckers heard all over the band from 26 MHz up.  Yesterday I monitored several different trucker conversations intruding into 10 meters (generally the bottom end of 10 meters, most export radios go up to either 28305 kHz / 28.305 MHz or 28755 kHz / 28.755 MHz...that is, the ones that don't do the entire 10 meter band). 



25000 AM - WWV
25625 AM - Taxi dispatch / YL dispatcher taxicab company Spanish language
25665 AM - Taxi dispatch / YL dispatcher talking to OM drivers, Spanish language
25695 AM - Taxi dispatch / YL dispatcher taxicab company Spanish language
25775 AM - Taxi dispatch / YL dispatcher taxicab company Spanish language
25835 AM - US truckers / English language
25855 AM - Taxi dispatch / YL dispatcher taxicab company Spanish language
25875 AM - Taxi dispatch / YL dispatcher taxicab lady reading numbers (strong copy, S7-S8 signal with roger beep)
26005 AM - Taxi dispatch / YL dispatcher reading numbers (worse copy than 25875, still readable)
26025 AM - Spanish language, lots of QRM etc
26055 AM - Two Spanish speaking OMs talking - possibly taxis or trucking company
26075 AM - Spanish language, roger beeps and noise toys heard
26105 AM - US truckers / English language
26125 AM - US truckers / English language
26135 AM - US truckers / English language
26225 USB - Spanish language DX frequency Latin American SSB calling channel
26240 USB - Spanish language
26305 AM - US truckers / English language
26315 AM - Taxi dispatch / YL dispatcher taxi lady reading numbers (heavy fading) Spanish language
26325 AM - Spanish language
26355 AM - Spanish language
26375 AM - Spanish language, nonstop traffic, lots of QRM, hets, roger beeps etc
26395 AM - Spanish language, similar to 26.375 MHz / 26375 kHz
26405 AM - Spanish language
26475 AM - Spanish language
26555 LSB - Spanish language, very busy at points - low channel Latin American DX calling channel frequency
26575 AM - Mexican truckers / Spanish language
26585 AM - Mexican AM DX channel, lots of QRM very busy at points
26595 AM - Spanish language
26605 AM - Spanish language
26645 AM - Taxi dispatch / YL dispatcher taxi lady Spanish reading numbers (can hear drivers replying to her)
26655 AM - Spanish language, with QRM
26665 AM - Spanish language, two OMs chatting with roger beeps
26705 AM - Big Radios Channel / Spanish - Puerto Rico, etc
26735 AM - US truckers / English language
26775 AM - English language, Florida and Georgia based stations chatting
26805 AM - English language
26815 AM - English language - some very strong signals a la 26.915 MHz AM
26835 AM - English language
26865 AM - English language
26905 AM - Taxi dispatch / YL dispatcher taxi lady reading numbers Spanish language
26915 AM - English language "915" or "36 low" AM DX calling channel
26935 AM - English language, possibly truckers or freebanders (or maybe both!)
26945 AM - Taxi dispatch / YL dispatcher taxi lady reading numbers Spanish language
26965-27405 US CB "legal 40" mid band FCC CEPT CB band
27415 AM - Spanish language, busy with roger beeps
27420 LSB - English language, American freebanders
27435 LSB - English language
27440 LSB - English language
27445 LSB - English language (strong signals)
27445 USB - Spanish language
27450 LSB - English language
27455 USB - Spanish language - high channel Latin American DX calling channel frequency
27470 LSB - English language, mention of North Carolina
27475 USB - Spanish language
27485 LSB - English language, Southern accents
27495 LSB - English language, Midwestern accents
27500 USB - Spanish language
27505 AM - English language, Southern US accents, probably truckers or hunters
27515 AM - Taxi dispatch / YL dispatcher taxi lady reading numbers with roger beep Spanish language
27525 USB - English language
27535 AM - US truckers / English language
27540 USB - Spanish language
27555 USB - International calling frequency / English and Spanish heard
27575 AM - US truckers / English language
27595 LSB - English language, US stations having a QSO
27605 USB - Spanish language
27615 AM - US truckers / English language
27635 AM - US truckers / English language
27645 LSB - English language, two stations talking, Midwestern American accents
27665 USB - Spanish language
27675 USB - Spanish language
27695 LSB - Spanish language
27695 USB - Spanish language
27705 LSB - Spanish language, numerical callsigns / identifiers (with roger beeps, of course!)
27715 LSB - Spanish language
27765 LSB - Spanish language (busy)
27775 AM - Spanish language, possibly taxi cab
27805 AM - US truckers / English language
27815 AM - Taxi dispatch / YL dispatcher taxi lady Spanish language
27905 AM - Spanish language, possibly truckers?
27935 AM - US truckers / English language

1280

10/11 meters / 11 Meter Band DX Skip 27MHz Band Activity 1545-1600 UTC 13 June 2017

« on: June 13, 2017, 1603 UTC »

More logs, this time from 1545 UTC to 1600 UTC

25000 AM - WWV - S5-S6 signal with minor QSB
25950 FM - Weak FM carrier heard, very heavy QSB
26105 AM - English language / US trucker frequency
26375 AM - Spanish language
26555 LSB - Spanish language
26585 AM - Spanish language, common Mexican trucker low channel freeband frequency
26615 AM - Spanish language
26685 AM - Spanish language
26705 AM - Spanish language, Puerto Rico, Florida and Dominican Republic heard
26735 AM - US truckers (commonly heard trucker frequency, see also 26105, 26405, 27615 and 27635)
26795 AM - Spanish language
26835 AM - English language / US stations (often used as an "alternate" for 26915)
26865 AM - English language / US stations (often used as an "alternate" for 26915)
26885 AM - English language / US stations (possibly truckers)
26915 AM - Busy, Southern USA and Midwestern USA
26965-27405 40 channel US CB band, basically every channel busy
27425 LSB - English language / US stations - another busy DX frequency like 27465 LSB
27430 LSB - English language / US stations
27445 LSB - English language / US stations
27455 USB - Spanish language - Latin American 11 meter DX Frequency
27465 LSB - English language, very busy DX frequency
27475 LSB - English language / US stations
27495 LSB - English language / US stations
27500 USB - Spanish language
27525 AM - US truckers
27525 USB - English language, US freebanders
27555 USB - International 11 Meter DX Frequency Triple 5 T5 27.555 USB
27675 AM - US truckers
27675 USB - Spanish language (underneath the trucker chatter)
27685 LSB - Spanish language
27695 USB - Spanish language
27755 USB - Spanish language
27765 USB - Spanish language
27885 AM - Spanish language

1281

10/11 meters / 11 Meter Band DX Skip 27MHz Band Activity 1530-1545 UTC 13 June 2017

« on: June 13, 2017, 1546 UTC »

Sporadic-E conditions late this morning on the 11 meter band (monitoring started at 1530 UTC and ended at 1545 UTC)

25835 AM - US truckers talking about paychecks
25950 FM - STL, barely making it with heavy fading
26105 AM - US truckers / freebanders mixing in with Spanish language traffic
26115 AM - Spanish language YL talking, probably a taxi dispatcher
26225 USB - Spanish language, Domician Republic, Mexico and several other countries heard
26285 AM - US truckers
26305 AM - US truckers
26365 AM - Spanish language, Mexican truckers
26375 AM - Spanish language, Mexican truckers (busy)
26405 AM - Spanish language
26555 LSB - Spanish language, similar to 26225 USB
26585 AM - Mexican freeband common channel, very busy with strong signals
26605 AM - Mexican truckers and freebanders
26705 AM - Puerto Rican "Superbowl" very busy as usual
26735 AM - US truckers
26765 AM - English language, Southern accents
26775 AM - Busy propagation from Southern US states
26865 AM - Busy propagation from Southern US states
26905 AM - Spanish language taxi dispatcher (female dispatch with roger beep)
26915 AM - "915" 26.915 MHz one of the busiest freeband frequencies on the low side of the CB band
26945 AM - US truckers
26965-27405 CB band - basically every channel active
27420 LSB - Busy propagation from Southern US states, common high channel freeband frequency
27425 LSB - English language
27435 LSB - English language
27455 USB - Spanish language DX calling channel (similar to 27555 USB)
27465 LSB - English language station working DX (mention of Kentucky and "15A1 Wayne" and "159 Mobile", "Dayton Ohio")
27495 USB - Spanish language
27505 AM - English language, US truckers (weak but readable)
27515 AM - Spanish language taxi cab dispatcher
27555 USB - English and Spanish speaking stations calling CQ DX
27615 AM - US truckers / English language
27625 AM - US truckers
27635 AM - US truckers
27665 USB - Spanish language
27675 USB - Spanish language
27695 USB - Spanish language
27765 USB - Spanish language

1282

10/11 meters / Truckers in 10 meters - 28085 kHz AM - 28.085 MHz 12 June 2017

« on: June 12, 2017, 2130 UTC »

Hearing truckers chatting away on 28085 kHz / 28.085 MHz this evening.  SIO 222 - SIO 333 with lots of fading.  Going by the conversation...these guys are likely very close to each other...and probably use this frequency on a regular basis..

1283

10/11 meters / 27615 kHz / 27.615 MHz Truckers 11 Meter DX Skip Bootleggers 12 June 2017

« on: June 12, 2017, 2127 UTC »

27615 kHz AM - 27.615 MHz AM Channel 17 up one band CB channel 17 27.165 MHz + .450 MHz = 27.615 MHz band E ch. 17.

Was listening to trucker chatter on 27.635 MHz, then noticed big signals 20 kHz down...tuned in to hear a very strong signal (S9 to S9+30) several truckers talking about sexual fetishes...then trash on the road...then a reference to somebody with the handle of "Rookie", now giving another trucker directions to Shook Lane or another similarly-sounding road.  Flanking Road.  Informal CB chatter indicates that these guys are likely very close to each other...

1284

10/11 meters / 27635 kHz / 27.635 MHz Truckers 11 Meter DX Skip Bootleggers 12 June 2017

« on: June 12, 2017, 2123 UTC »

Hearing two truckers talking about other vehicles around them (with repeated mentions of "gumbo") on 27635 kHz AM - 27.635 MHz AM a/k/a CB channel 19 up one band 27.185 MHz + .450 MHz = 27.635 MHz (see also, 26.735 MHz AM, which is channel 19 down one band).

Tuned in at 2217 UTC, basically nonstop chatter...now talking about the motors in various trucks in standard transmissions vs. automatic transmissions "automatic is just faster".  At 2220 UTC, another (third?) party joined the QSO, not sure if they're local to the other two stations talking or if the truckers are working skip themselves.  Given the frequency choice, I think they're close to each other and simply flipped the band switch up one to find a clear channel...as the real channel 19 is probably close to unusable right now. 

Stations will talking with SIO 333 or so (decently readable with some minor fading but lots of static high noise level).  Stations were still chatting away at 2223 UTC when I tuned away from this frequency.

1285

10/11 meters / Van Pool Transportation WQMA652 29790 kHz 29.790 MHz 2105 UTC 12 Jun 17

« on: June 12, 2017, 2113 UTC »

After noticing considerable activity in both the SSB and FM portions of the 10 meter phone bands, I decided to check out the land mobile frequencies in the 29.71 to 29.79 MHz region (considered part of VHF low band in the FCC's eyes). 

After sitting on 29790 for a few minutes, knowing that my best bets are 29770 and 29790, I heard a dispatcher talking to a mobile, mentioning that a pickup has been canceled and then the dispatcher wished the driver a good evening, the driver keyed back up to return this greeting.  Heard callsign WQMA652 at 2107 UTC, which is a positive ID for Van Pool Transportation, LLC, out of Worchester County and Bristol County, Massachusetts.  FB2 station class (mobile relay - repeater) per FCC license 110 watt transmitter power with 220 watt ERP power rating for all 29 MHz, 30 MHz and 31 MHz band repeaters under that callsign / license.

1286

10/11 meters / 27505 kHz AM / 27.505 MHz AM "Local" Net "Channel 50" 12 June 2017

« on: June 12, 2017, 2055 UTC »

Hearing "Johnny" and "Sammy" talking on 27505 kHz AM - 27.505 MHz AM, signed off at 2052 UTC.  The way these two stations were talking, it was clear they knew each other and are likely local to each other.  27.505 (or "channel 50") is actually channel 8 on the high band, or band E, but is almost always referred to as channel 50.  It is popular with locals in my area too for "private" communications.  Even though a lot of the traffic heard above channel 40 is SSB traffic, there are some channels that almost always seem to have AM signals on them.  27.505 is one of those channels.

Continued listening for another couple minutes and didn't hear anything else on this frequency.

1287

10/11 meters / 26235 kHz / 26.235 MHz US Hunters or Fishermen 12 June 2017

« on: June 12, 2017, 2043 UTC »

26235 kHz AM - 26.235 MHz AM. 

Two OMs with Southern US accents talking about catching bluegill and other fish.  Informal chatter on 26235 kHz (AM mode).   Continued QSO about fishing and things "swimming around" (possibly talking about something else here...so many these are truckers or just guys in trucks talking vs. radios mounted in boats, hard to say for sure).  Given the propagation conditions today, I would usually expect to hear Spanish language traffic on or around this frequency, with 26225 USB / 26.225 MHz USB being the big one, and stations going QSY up to 26.235 MHz USB when things get really crazy 10 kHz down.  No trace of SSB voice near this frequency.  Closest active frequency is 26105 kHz (see other thread I posted earlier). 

26.235 MHz is channel 15 (27.135 MHz) down two bands, putting us at Band B (assuming Band D is the CB band) channel 15.  This matches with other "lowers" being active, especially channel 4 on the same band (26105 kHz) also being busy.  Lots of empty channels between 26235 and 26505 (the end of band B, band C runs from 26515 to 26955 and only the higher portion of that band is active). 

1288

10/11 meters / 26105 kHz / 26.105 MHz US Truckers Trucking Freeband DX 12 June 2017

« on: June 12, 2017, 2034 UTC »

26105 kHz - 26.105 MHz illegal bandit freeband CB trucker outbander activity, fun with export radios.  26105 is channel 4 "down two bands".  So, if the regular mid band CB band is Band D, that makes this Band B, channel 4, and, for whatever reason, even though there are dozens of empty channels in the higher bands, this frequency seems to be one of the most popular.

Tuned down to this frequency around 2025 UTC after noticing some activity below the "lowers" limit of 26515 kHz / 26.515 MHz.  The "120 channel" or "high - med - low" freeband band plan of 26515-27855 usually contains most activity, as even though many radios reach above and below these limits, chances are a user's antenna system is tuned for the center of the regular CB band.

26105 kHz, however, is just as busy as many of the higher frequencies, including 26775 and 26915.  Hearing lots of US-based stations chatting on here, some of them sound like truckers (in fact, most of them do).  Lots of heterodyne interference and QRM but hearing traffic-related comments, and a real lack of handles or callsigns or identifiers of any type makes me think its basically all trucker traffic.

1289

10/11 meters / 26915 kHz / 26.915 MHz - "Radio Station WDRP" 2000 UTC 12 June 2017

« on: June 12, 2017, 2005 UTC »

Very powerful signal from OM identifying as "Radio Station WDRP Broadcasting in High Power AM" and "WDRP AM Broadcasting"" communicating with several other stations on the busy freeband frequency of 26.915 MHz / 26915 kHz AM.  At 2002, working station "Triple 5" at SIO 555 with decent modulation...considering how many stations are overmodulated on these frequencies.  "333" "345" "4152 Mobile in Texas" "working the side of the beam" "135 Missouri" "Stringbean" and lots of other numerical and "handle" identifiers.

WDRP on 26915 kHz AM identified as also being in Missouri at 2005 UTC.

Also noticing considerable freeband AM traffic on

26705 kHz / 26.705 MHz AM - Spanish language
26715 kHz / 26.715 MHz AM - Spanish language
26735 kHz / 26.735 MHz AM - English (all other frequencies listed below this one also English language)
26765 kHz / 26.765 MHz AM
26775 kHz / 26.775 MHz AM
26805 kHz / 26.805 MHz AM
26885 kHz / 26.885 MHz AM

1290

10/11 meters / 11 Meter Band DX Skip Propagation 27MHz Band Activity 12 June 2017

« on: June 12, 2017, 1956 UTC »

Lots and lots of in-band activity this afternoon.  Very strong signals on 26705 AM, 26715 AM, 26735 AM, 26905 AM and 26915 AM on the low side, and 27420 LSB, 27425 LSB, 27445 LSB, 27455 USB, 27475 USB and several others popping up, including 27515 LSB with Caribbean Sea area traffic