Messages

2176

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

« on: June 13, 2017, 1551 UTC »

Awesome.  Their repeaters are apparently licensed for an effective radiated power of 220 watts.  Knowing now that they're also located on top of hills makes more sense.  Their local area range has got to be really really good.

2177

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

2178

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..

2179

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...

2180

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.

2181

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.

2182

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.

2183

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). 

2184

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.

2185

10/11 meters / Re: 11 Meter Band Activity 7 June 2017

« on: June 12, 2017, 2016 UTC »

Next time 11 meters (and 10 meters) are open enough to hear the New York 10m FM repeaters, try scanning the 29.7 to 33 MHz region.  Lots of car services, commuter buses, etc, in the Northeast USA (mainly the New York City and Boston metro areas) use FM on these frequencies.  Bushwick Car Service out of Brooklyn, New York can often be heard on 29.7700 MHz / 29770 kHz operating under license WQAP986 with 146.2Hz and 162.2Hz CTCSS / PL tones (if your scanner has CTCSS decode capability it will help a lot with IDing these transmissions.  Van Pool Transportation, LLC high power repeater system out of Massachusetts can be heard on 29.790 MHz / 29790 kHz 100.0Hz CTCSS / 100Hz PL tone under license WQMA652.  Van Pool operates several repeaters throughout Massachusetts on the following frequencies, all transmitting 29/30/31 MHz band 100 watt repeaters with 35 MHz band mobile input transmit frequencies:

30.660 MHz 151.4 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQPU857
30.680 MHz 100.0 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQMA652
30.680 MHz 151.4 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQMA652
30.720 MHz 151.4 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQPU857
30.740 MHz 100.0 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQPU857
30.740 MHz 151.4 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQPU857
30.760 MHz 100.0 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQPU857
30.760 MHz 151.4 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQPU857
30.820 MHz 151.4 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQPU857
30.940 MHz 100.0 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQMA652
30.940 MHz 151.4 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQMA652
31.060 MHz 100.0 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQMA652
31.080 MHz 100.0 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQPU857
31.080 MHz 151.4 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQPU857
31.120 MHz 151.4 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQPU857
31.480 MHz 151.4 Hz CTCSS Repeater license WQPU857

This extensive repeater system is used by Van Pool Transportation throughout Mass. and is often heard by European and UK based VHF low band DXers, as their online forum logs often show.  When 11 meters is really busy and the 10 meter FM repeaters are busy too, chances are these frequencies and those around them are active.     


Check out the "Taxi and Limo Services" listing for NYC here:  http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?aid=5546 - tons of radio taxi traffic on 30 MHz, 31 MHz, and 35 MHz in the New York area can be heard when 10 meters is open.   29.710, 29.730, 29.750 and 29.790 are also used in addition to 29.770 MHz as part of that forgotten sliver of frequency spectrum between 29.7 MHz and 30.0 MHz.  

Another interesting catch on lowband is Fort Hood, Texas range control on 30.450 MHz (CTCSS 150.0 Hz, some scanners will decode this as 151.4 Hz depending on how tight your CTCSS decoder is)

2186

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

2187

10/11 meters / Re: European Paging Pager Frequencies 11 meters

« on: June 12, 2017, 2000 UTC »

The RadioShack pagers operated on 27255 kHz / 27.255 MHz (CB channel 23).  While FCC rules permit up to 4 watts on the "A" channels but up to 25 watts (carrier power) on channel 23.  The RadioShack paging transmitters did 6-7 watts carrier power IIRC, which, with a ground plane antenna, I imagine produced some impressive coverage.

I have personally monitored (and recorded) POCSAG traffic on 27255 during band openings.  I know this frequency is used for point-to-point data links in specialized "niche" systems like lightning detector systems today.  The fact that pager traffic has been heard recently on 27.255 MHz channel 23 indicates that at least some of the RS paging transmitter systems are still in operation.

2188

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

2189

10/11 meters / 11 Meter Band Activity 7 June 2017

« on: June 07, 2017, 1611 UTC »

I'm about to run out the door but noticed 11 meters is waking up.  26905 AM, 26915 AM and several frequencies above channel 40 are all coming alive, all from the Southern USA.

2190

Utility / Re: Three Character Callsign EAMS 6778 USB, 6833 USB, 6903 USB, 6988 USB, 7703 USB

« on: June 07, 2017, 0307 UTC »

Seemed like stuff dropped off after 0230 UTC or so.