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991

Peskies / UNID Spanish Language 6930 kHz USB 1425 UTC 23 August 2017

« on: August 23, 2017, 1429 UTC »

Frequency: 6930 kHz 6.930 MHz
Mode: USB
Language: Spanish


UNID unidentified two-way pirate radio bootleggers, likely freebanding Spanish speakers heard in the 6-7 MHz range (and in lots of other places).  Noticed SSB traffic on 6930 kHz while watching the carrier on 6925 kHz AM.  Very faint this morning but I can make out the fact that its Spanish.  Not sure if pescadores or freebanders given the time of day it could be either way...and frequency choice/mode choice don't really help me narrow it down either but there are people having a QSO on 6930 kHz USB this morning.

992

North American Shortwave Pirate / UNID 6925 kHz AM 1420 UTC 23 Aug 2017

« on: August 23, 2017, 1426 UTC »

UNID pirate station
Frequency: 6925 kHz 6.925 MHz
Mode: AM - several minutes of unmodulated carrier followed by music starting sometime between 1422 and 1429 UTC.

Have a carrier sitting on 6925.0 kHz at 1420 UTC (1020 local) tune-in time.  No audio heard or modulation seen on various US-based remote receivers, but the carrier is nice and strong, about a S6 to S7 signal locally.  Nearly completely quiets the receiver in FM mode (or did, back when it was just an unmodulated carrier).    See below for the logs, as I tuned in before they started playing music.  

I have to say, I am enjoying these daytime shows!  

1430 UTC - Tuned back in after listening to pescadores on 6930 kHz USB, now hearing music on frequency!  Tail end of a track
1432 UTC - new song playing, nice looking signal and strong modulation with S7 signal strength overall SIO 444 right now
1433 UTC - Signal readable on NY remote same as southern US remote receivers, roughly 7-8 kHz wide signal with nice AM audio
1434 UTC - data burst QRM on the USB
1438 UTC - some selective fading now, but nothing that detracts from the listening experience
1439 UTC - new song playing with YL vocals
1452 UTC - minor data burst QRM, this time on 6919 kHz USB
1453 UTC - another track now playing - YL vocals
1509 UTC - signal strength now down to S5, still very good signal and little noise means no problem with armchair copy right now
1516 UTC - REO Speedwagon - Take It On The Run
1520 UTC - Modern English - Melt With You [solid S5 signal still!]
1526 UTC - Eddie Money - Take Me Home Tonight [signal has dropped a bit down to S3 or so with more pronounced fading]
1748 UTC - [was away from the radio for a bit] came back to hear "Hold The Line" by Toto, S4 peaking to S5 with minor fading

993

Peskies / UNID Spanish Language 6933 kHz LSB 0100 UTC 23 August 2017

« on: August 23, 2017, 0102 UTC »

Frequency:  6933 kHz 6.933 MHz
Mode: LSB
Language: Spanish

Similar to the traffic heard on 6930 kHz LSB, hearing two operators having a casual ham radio like QSO, ragchewing, in other words.  Only two stations heard on this frequency as well.  At 0101 UTC, a third station "broke in" the QSO and signal reports were given, then the usual discussion about operating conditions and radio equipment.  Sounds like radio amateurs or freebanders (or radio amateurs operating out of band)  Sounds like the Spanish speaking freebanders often heard on 6900 kHz and other frequencies.    Heavy radar buzz QRM making copy very very difficult.  OTH radar QRM obliterating signals by 0102 UTC.

994

Peskies / UNID Spanish Language 6930 kHz LSB 0055 UTC 23 August 2017

« on: August 23, 2017, 0059 UTC »

Frequency: 6930 kHz 6.930 MHz
Mode: LSB
Language: Spanish


Hearing more Spanish speaking freebanders chatting away with heavy QRN and over the horizon radar buzz QRM, sounds like two operators, one of them sounding really nice audio wise, the other just barely above the noise with considerable fading.  Numerical callsigns but informal chatter.  At 0058 UTC, they're talking about band conditions and DXing on "20 meters" as well as lack of DX on 11 meters.  Likely ham radio operators operating out of band.  Continued discussion about HF antenna setups and preferences when it comes to wire antennas at 0058-0059 UTC.  Good signals.  These guys are radio hobbyists, not fishermen or pescadores. 

995

Peskies / UNID Spanish Language 6985 kHz USB 2235 UTC 22 August 2017

« on: August 22, 2017, 2236 UTC »

Sounds like Spanish but heavy fading and static crashes are making confirmation of this difficult, there seem to be several stations having a roundtable like QSO, which matches with the frequency and mode (5 kHz channel step, USB mode).  Too weak to really get a decent enough copy to understand what they're saying though.

996

North American Shortwave Pirate / UNID 6925 AM 2220 UTC 22 Aug 2017

« on: August 22, 2017, 2223 UTC »

Log

Frequency: 6925 kHz 6.925 MHz
Mode: AM


Noticed an AM carrier, hearing bits and pieces of dramatic instrumental music, but weak modulation so far.  

2222 UTC - hearing OMs talking "the dinner isn't ready yet"
2226 UTC - "hey you, come here" - OM talking, some sort of skit
2229 UTC - weaker now, bits and pieces of music coming through but that's all I'm able to make out, S2-S3 signal
2234 UTC - seems to have faded out or gone

997

Peskies / UNID Portuguese Language 6925 kHz LSB 2200 UTC 22 August 2017

« on: August 22, 2017, 2218 UTC »

Bootleg fishing fleet radio communications traffic two-way radio 6925 kHz 6.925 MHz
Mode: LSB

Hearing bits and pieces of our old friends the Portuguese speaking "peskies" on 6925 kHz LSB, with lots of static crashes and fading...but they're there.  

We need more powerful AM pirates to hang out on 6925

998

North American Shortwave Pirate / UNID 6925 AM 1450 UTC 22 Aug 2017

« on: August 22, 2017, 1456 UTC »

Pirate Radio Station - so far UNID / unidentified
6925 kHz 6.925 MHz, carrier seems to be right around 6924.95 kHz, so we'll say 6925 kHz
Mode: AM
Time: 1450 UTC (started listening at 1450 UTC)
Date: 22-AUG-2017

Decent AM signal, minor fades, S5 signal level

1455 UTC - Human After All with some minor selective fading
1500 UTC - Elton John - Your Song with some static
1507 UTC - Steve Winwood - Higher Love (signal faded down at the beginning of track, then came up nicely, then back to previous levels)
1510 UTC - signal jumped up to S7, sounding much better - with "Higher Love" still playing
1515 UTC - Huey Lewis And The News - Heart And Soul, S6-S7 with deep fades
1517 UTC - Elton John - Tiny Dancer, a very deep fade into the noise, then back to S5
1518 UTC - signal back up to S7, much "fuller" audio on these peaks
1523 UTC - signal faded down to nothing, just a carrier now
1524 UTC - bits and pieces of music coming through
1527 UTC - rapid fading up and down, getting what sounds like Boston - More Than A Feeling now
1532 UTC - Steely Dan - Hey Nineteen (now around a S3 signal, still suffering from heavy fading)
1533 UTC - signal came up to S7 and sounded really good for a few seconds, then dropped back down to S3-S5
1536 UTC - rapid fading making it hard to make out what's being played
1636 UTC - was away for the radio for about an hour, come back and there's still a carrier on 6925 kHz, but I'm not hearing any modulation
1646 UTC - hearing a OM talking, however fading is making copy difficult, heard mention of "anything untrue" "you don't have to worry about that"
1647 UTC - OM mentioning Facebook "the last five times I attempted to create an account, they deleted it"

999

Peskies / UNID Spanish Language 6666.6 kHz USB 1345 UTC 22 August 2017

« on: August 22, 2017, 1348 UTC »

UNID Spanish speakers unidentified unknown pirate bootleg freebanders 6666.6 kHz 6666.6 USB Spanish voices, 6 MHz band, 6-7 MHz band, 4-10 MHz, 6.666 MHz, 6.6666 MHz, assuming the operator's radio display looks something like

6.666.6 USB

Reminds me of these "Echo Charlie" pirates I remember reading about years ago

Another easy-to-remember, or "cute" frequency, 6666.6 kHz - noted that Traveling Wave made a log a few days ago of Portuguese language traffic on this same frequency:  https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,36791.0.html

Strong Spanish language traffic coming through on 6666.6 kHz USB, with wide variations in signal strength (not sure if this is due to band conditions or the operating conditions of the stations in question).  I do know that the 6.6 MHz band is home to lots of European pirate stations known as or formerly known as "Echo Charlie" or "EC" stations (not sure where that "designation" comes from).  These guys couldn't have picked a worse area to pirate though, since they're operating in the middle of the aero HF aircraft band.  Hearing "positivo" over and over again, as well as lots of informal phrases amounting to "what's up!?" and other light chatter.  

1000

Peskies / UNID Spanish Language 6723.5 kHz USB 1325 UTC 22 August 2017

« on: August 22, 2017, 1331 UTC »

One side of a QSO 6723.5 kHz.  6.7235 MHz 6.723.5 MHz.  I have monitored communications like this on 6.7-7.0 MHz, but they're usually higher in frequency.  However, there is a pattern here.  I have noted similar traffic in the past on 6771.5 kHz and 6772.5 kHz.  The connection here is that those transmissions had a "phone patch like" characteristic to them, just like this traffic does.  The other connection is the use of "offset" frequencies ending in .5 instead of regular "integer" frequencies that are usually found.

Spanish language chatter squeezed in between military communications on 6721 kHz USB and a strong unmodulated carrier heterodyne on 6725 kHz making listening to these guys very difficult.  At 1327 UTC, it became clear that I'm only hearing one side of the conversation.  Station is asking "30, are you sure?" then said "okay of course".  Very relaxed sounding operator, doesn't have the urgency of stations heard on 6950 kHz USB 10-15 minutes ago.  Accent is hard to pin down with the het QRM and SSB QRM from 6721 kHz USB.

1001

Peskies / UNID Spanish Language 6950 kHz USB 1315 UTC 22 August 2017

« on: August 22, 2017, 1324 UTC »

Spanish language UNID traffic unidentified 6950 kHz USB 6.950 MHz USB

The band is really waking up this morning.  Lots and lots of Spanish language (and other stuff) popping up all over 6-7 MHz.  This almost sounds like a phone patch (have heard similar traffic on 6771.5 kHz USB and 6772.5 kHz USB)

Hearing an OM talking to what sounds like a child, both of them sounding very excited.  Several numerical IDs heard, including "750" "702" "705" "765" "724" and many others.  Not sure if these are three-number IDs or six-number IDs being broken up into bits the way they were read.  The OM sounds like he's yelling into the microphone. 

Maybe a telephone patch of some kind? At 1323 UTC, the "yelling man" has disappeared, and the frequency has returned to the more "normal" Spanish language freebander type ham radio like or 11-meter freebander style "roundtable" ragchew type deal.

1002

Peskies / UNID Spanish Language 6792 kHz USB 1315 UTC 22 August 2017

« on: August 22, 2017, 1317 UTC »

More Spanish language freebanders on 6792 kHz USB - 6.792 MHz USB this morning (the band is very active this morning).  Hearing what sound like Mexican accented OMs chatting away, reminds me of the stuff heard on 6900 kHz and the like.  Several Spanish curse words heard in a short amount of time

1003

Peskies / UNID Spanish Language 6800 kHz USB then 6850 kHz USB 1300 UTC 22 August 2017

« on: August 22, 2017, 1303 UTC »

UNID unknown Spanish speaking stations on 6800 kHz USB - 6.800 MHz USB, then moved up to 6850 kHz USB - 6.850 MHz USB around 1320 UTC

Hearing some weak informal Spanish language chatter on 6800 kHz USB.  Not as quick-paced as the stuff heard on 6900 kHz, 6930 kHz, 6940 kHz, etc earlier today, so maybe not part of the same group.  Signal is considerably weaker so harder to get a handle on the accents involved.  

Stations QSYed up to 6850 kHz USB when a very strong ute signal appeared right on 6800.

1004

North American Shortwave Pirate / UNID 6750 kHz LSB 1245 UTC+ 22 Aug 2017

« on: August 22, 2017, 1248 UTC »

6750 kHz LSB - 6.750 MHz LSB UNID loop about the government on 6.75 MHz 6750 LSB

Hearing somebody talking about "the government" "working for billions of dollars" - speaking English, with some minor Spanish language QRM from two-way pescadore or "peskie" traffic on 6747 kHz USB.  The freebanders/peskies eventually QSY and move up to 6751 kHz USB, making it a lot easier to understand what this guy is rambling about.  Well, making it easier to understand what he's saying anyway..

"Some operations....[faded out] work the government... [1247 UTC]

Continued rambles about the government this and the government that.  Not really sure what I'm hearing here, if this is a pirate its an interesting frequency choice.  Mention of "local government" at 1248 UTC.  

"Impossible for us to comprehend" "200 days a year" "next hundred million dollars" "the people of America" "its time for you [faded below the noise floor]" "everyone at the government" sounds like a short recorded loop almost.  that, or this guy is just repeating the same thing over and over again.  

S3 signal or so with some deep fades.  At 1253 UTC, heard the "some operations" part again.  This is almost certainly a looped transmission being played over and over again.  Not sure if this is a pirate or some sort of weird psyop training transmission.  Checked other remote SDRs in VA and they are also hearing it so its not something (too) local.  

1254 UTC [inaudible] "special station investigation"
1255 UTC "hundreds of millions of dollars...and the remainder, by local government"
1258 UTC - somebody tuning up on 6750 kHz, several carrier / CW signals transmitted on 6750.0 kHz, the two-way SSB traffic that was originally interfering with this has moved up to 6751 kHz USB
1259 UTC - "we get hundreds of millions of dollars"
1300 UTC - "from the government" "five dollars today" "one hundred million dollars each day" "some operations"
1300 UTC - recorded loop restarts
1301 UTC - another carrier/tune up transmission made on 6750.0 kHz, like somebody is keying their radio in AM mode or pushing the "tune" button
1304 UTC - "Michigan State University" (I think) - then loop started over again
1305 UTC - several 1-2 second long carrier key ups/tune up transmissions made on 6750 kHz while the recorded loop keeps going on 6750 LSB
1307 UTC - "by the national government" [another 1-2 second key up made during this] "operations"
1307 UTC - "I want the people of America to work less for the government and more for themselves"
1309 UTC - loop continues, with more carriers being dropped on 6750kHz
1311 UTC - a different OM said something about Michigan State University, then loop restarted
1335 UTC - still going here.  signal peaking at S3.  carrier keyups every few seconds on 6.750 MHz
1339 UTC - "pay for million..." - signal dropping in strength a bit...but I have a feeling I know what he's going to say next  
1343 UTC - several more carriers transmitted (usually not for longer than 1 second) on 6750 kHz carrier center frequency while loop continues
1349 UTC - "working conditions" or something like that
1350 UTC - mention of "University", possibly the source of the audio itself? loop continuing, signal now just barely making it above the noise
1408 UTC - now just getting bits and pieces of audio, signal is JBA

1005

Peskies / UNID Spanish Language 6900 LSB/USB, 6930 USB, 6940 USB, 6977 USB, 6994 USB

« on: August 22, 2017, 1241 UTC »

The 6900-7000 kHz region is busy this morning (well, morning on the East Coast of the USA)...that is, starting around 1200 UTC on August 22nd, 2017, with the following frequencies active:

6.900 MHz
6.930 MHz
6.940 MHz
6.977 MHz
6.994 MHz

[see below for more detailed logs, and see the peskies forum for more logs, these guys were also heard on several frequencies below 6900 kHz]

6900 kHz LSB - logged in its own thread, Spanish speaker bootleggers or freebanders
6900 kHz USB - first logged today, logged in its own thread, still active at 1240 UTC with several stations in roundtable net fashion
6930 kHz USB - logged in its own thread, heard after 6900 USB became active with the usual Spanish language freebander chatter
6940 kHz USB - similar to 6900 USB and 6930 USB, very informal chatter, operators referring to each other by first name, still active at 1241 UTC
6977 kHz USB - weaker than the others, and suffering from ute QRM, but still Spanish language
6994 kHz USB - suffering from severe utility QRM, but strong signals are making copy possible.