Messages

2296

Spy Numbers / HM01 Loud 11635 kHz AM Data + Numbers 1 May 2017 1815 UTC

« on: May 01, 2017, 1817 UTC »

Hearing HM01 very strong this afternoon SIO 555 with long data bursts and short Spanish numbers (female / YL reading callup) 50856 30856 33004 31877 31104 and several others.  Was scanning the 25 meter broadcast band and stumbled upon this very strong transmission.

Coming in nicely on my "throwaway emergency radio" TECSUN R9012 analog AM/FM/SW portable with telescopic whip.  

2297

Utility / Re: RAF VOLMET 11253 kHz USB 1520+ UTC 30 April 2017

« on: May 01, 2017, 1812 UTC »

Good to know.  I personally haven't heard this one. The 11-14 MHz region is one I want to pay more attention to, I know it receives heavy use especially in local daytime and wider area around the clock.  By that I mean, I mean to listen to more than just 11175 USB.     I'll keep this frequency in mind, especially when listening through remotes.

2298

Peskies / Re: 6707 kHz USB - Asian Japanese Fishery Radio? 0738+ UTC 22 April 2017

« on: April 30, 2017, 1548 UTC »

The search continues.  So 6900 AM is a regional (Taiwanese) frequency?  Because the Spanish speaking stations on 6900 LSB are an almost daily thing.  Its possible that you're just not in a good spot for them - as they're regional as well.

I wonder if 6707 USB was some sort of a fluke.  But keep listening and I will too

2299

VHF/UHF Logs, including satellites and radiosondes / Re: UHF mil air

« on: April 30, 2017, 1544 UTC »

Josh,

Thank you for clearing that up - I had a feeling you meant multiplexed (as a TACAMO plane transmitting music on a UHF military frequency makes little sense to me).  So they simply use chunks of the vast 225-400 MHz band and multiplex voice/data on a wideband carrier, switching frequencies as they move and/or as the operational conditions warrant.  Sounds like you've got a good monitoring location and setup.  Naturally these guys are running power and high gain antennas.  Even without those, they're 40,000 feet up, as you've said.

2300

Utility / RAF VOLMET 11253 kHz USB 1520+ UTC 30 April 2017

« on: April 30, 2017, 1527 UTC »

Hearing a previously unlogged (for me anyway) military VOLMET (weather forecast radio / meteo) transmitter with distinctive English accent.  Quick Googling of frequency shows RAF use of 11253 USB for VOLMET traffic.  SIO 222 at best. 

2301

Peskies / Re: Spanish QSOs "Alpha Lima" 6895 LSB 6900 LSB 6910 LSB 0100+ UTC 27 April 2017

« on: April 30, 2017, 1456 UTC »

I'd say it was net-like, without the rapid-fire chatter a lot of these transmissions have.

That sounds exactly like most of the traffic I've monitored.  The Portuguese two-way chatter heard on 6925 LSB, 6919 LSB, 6933 LSB and dozens of other frequencies all has the "rapid-fire" characteristic you're talking about.  Often with stations talking over each other, etc.  The 6900 LSB crowd seems to be a bit more "civil" in their operating habits.  I'm not sure if they're just more professional operators (this would point towards them being licensed hams or having ham-like radio experience and understanding vs. a bunch of Brazilian fishermen with radios) or if there is another reason but I can't really think of another reason. 

I think its interesting how the "peskies" actually seem to be several different groups of operators using the same frequency bands for different reasons.  The parallels between the 6900 LSB ops and the traffic often heard on 27655-27705 (and various other 11m frequencies) indicates that at least some of these stations use both bands.  Next time 11 meters is consistently open, one will have to see if activity on 6900 LSB, etc, goes down any.  I have also heard stations on 6900 LSB talking about conditions on 11 meters (which further backs up this possible connection to 11m operators) as does monitored discussions about ham radio equipment (which most/all of these guys are using, as opposed to the Portuguese traffic, at least some of it I imagine it done using MF/HF SSB marine equipment. 

2302

General Radio Discussion / Re: FCC considers reform of Part 95 rules for personal radio services

« on: April 30, 2017, 1436 UTC »

Making GMRS license by rule and increase FRS power limits from 0.5 watts to 2 watts makes a lot of sense to me.  Since the vast vast majority of GMRS simplex operations is unlicensed anyway (I mean where can you find a 14 channel FRS only radio these days - you're basically forced to buy a 22 channel one that also covers GMRS and transmits higher-than-legal power on FRS channels 1-7...the FRS channels currently shared with GMRS).

Just like moving 154.570 and 154.600 MHz (two heavily bootlegged business frequencies) into the unlicensed MURS service made a whole lot of sense...making simplex GMRS license free (by moving its power levels and the 8 "GMRS only" channels, channels 15-22, to the FRS service).

Moving GMRS to its own service (and making it so you can't sell "combination" radios) also makes sense.  Keep licensed GMRS repeaters on the air, but make simplex operations on the 22 channels legal, in this case, by moving them to FRS and increasing the maximum output power.  You know it won't be long before Motorola starts selling a "30 channel FRS radio" that's really a GMRS radio with repeater capability.  That, or they'll simply re-do the packaging on their 22 channel radios as "new FRS" or something like that.  I think GMRS/FRS will eventually go the way of the UHF CB service in Australia.  Simplex and repeater operations are licensed by rule (no license required for individual users) but actually owning and setting up a repeater requires registration and a license of some sort.

I also like the idea of combining FRS and Part 15 equipment and allowing data transmission on FRS frequencies.  

In regards to the skip legislation...that's about 20 years late.  I don't think that rule was ever followed.  By anyone.  Pretty much impossible to enforce.  I agree with other posters too.  Increase carrier power limits to that of 10-15 watts.  The noise floor is a lot higher than it was 40 years ago.  Truckers aren't using 4 watt radios (even if they're using 4 watt radios they've been peaked and tuned [shudders] to get more power out of them) because 4 watts doesn't cut it anymore unless you're way out in the country and using a perfect antenna (neither of these conditions are easily met nowadays).  Follow what countries like Austria, Brazil and Germany have done.  Make CB 80 or even 120 channels and increase power levels to that of an "export radio" (10 watts AM carrier power, 25 watts SSB PEP).  Make the "high band" (in the case of Brazil - 27.415-27.855 MHz) channels 41-80 or make the "low band" - 26.515-26.955 MHz (in the case of Germany, Austria, and several other places) channels 41-80.

The majority of legal users of land mobile/business radio service in the 27.41 - 28 MHz range left a long long time ago.  I don't think there ever were Part 90 users in the 26-26.96 MHz range, theres military/government stuff there (or there was) but the first allocations that are still used that I can think of don't happen until you get down into the IFB/STL frequencies 25.87-26.03 MHz or whatever the allocation is...with only 25.91, 25.95 and 25.99 seeing any real use. 

Even if CB remained AM/SSB only, it would be a big step to increase legal power levels a marginal amount.

RST111.  I live in an urban area that is bordered on its southwest side by an area that is suburban for only 5 miles or so then becomes rural.  There's use of CB for day to day comms on those areas (and there's the circus...they're on different channels of course).  Even the guys using radios for day-to-day comms are higher-than-legal power and access to out of band channels.  They usually stay within band unless they want a "private" channel, but even for day-to-day comms they're running the de facto standard "25 watt export radio" or 100 watt HF ham radio.

2303

Utility / Re: CAP Net 7615 USB 0105 UTC 29 Apr 2017

« on: April 30, 2017, 1423 UTC »

7615 kHz is one of the NHQ HF (National Headquarters High Frequency) net frequencies, meaning it can (and is) used nationwide for CAP communications.  It seems to be the most popular 6/7/8 MHz CAP frequency (as the regional nets are on 4 MHz generally).

I have the full CAP HF frequency list, been meaning to put it on the wiki

2304

Peskies / Re: Spanish QSOs "Alpha Lima" 6895 LSB 6900 LSB 6910 LSB 0100+ UTC 27 April 2017

« on: April 30, 2017, 1418 UTC »

That would fall in line with my previous logs of the traffic on 6900 LSB.  It seems like stations like to ID using their first name or the location they're in.  Sometimes its a combination of those two things (Juan de Matamoros, etc).  But, if there's only one station from Chihuahua, there's no need to get more specific. 

Some of these guys run some heavy duty power.  I've heard QSOs on 6900 LSB about antenna equipment and several of the stations have mentioned using yagis and other directional antennas, which leads me to believe at least some of them are hams operating out of band (and/or are 11 meter operators using lower frequencies because 26/27 MHz isn't open too often right now).

Did you notice a "net-like" communication procedure on 6900 LSB?  Or was it just two operators chatting away?

2305

Peskies / Re: Spanish QSOs "Alpha Lima" 6895 LSB 6900 LSB 6910 LSB 0100+ UTC 27 April 2017

« on: April 30, 2017, 0257 UTC »

On which of these frequencies? Or all of them? 6900 kHz LSB is the primary frequency for this group, with the alternate frequencies being 6895 kHz LSB, 6900 kHz USB, 6905 kHz LSB and 6910 kHz LSB.  Of course, that's for the "usual" crowd heard on 6900 LSB. Alternate frequencies for other groups could be all sorts of things.  Some of these stations are running pretty serious power levels and high gain directional antenna systems.

2306

Peskies / Re: Espanol 6925 LSB 0048 UTC 28 Apr 2017

« on: April 30, 2017, 0254 UTC »

You're sure you're hearing Spanish on 6925 LSB? The majority of traffic heard on 6925 LSB seems to be Portuguese.  Wouldn't surprise me if the Spanish language ops used this frequency, but going by previous logs, only Portuguese has been heard here.

2307

Utility / Re: 22.606MHz CW Marine?

« on: April 27, 2017, 0308 UTC »

22606 kHz (and 22606.5 kHz) aren't listed as duplex channels on the ITU split frequency duplex HF frequency list (it starts at 22696 kHz for coast TX and 22000 kHz for ship TX and goes up to 22852 kHz for coast TX / 22156 kHz for ship TX.  I bet they're using a non-standard split (if they are indeed running a split).

Looking-Glass, I haven't logged any more traffic on 6707 USB since the first logging.  I have logged several other frequencies since (there's several threads that I'm sure you've read).  I admire your dedication - would be awesome if you heard those guys on 6707 kHz USB as well. 

2308

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Technosender 6925 AM 2250 UTC 25 Apr 2017

« on: April 27, 2017, 0222 UTC »

lol right.  Because the Enforcement Bureau always sends threatening emails with obviously made up names filled with comments about the music a pirate plays.

2309

Peskies / Spanish QSOs "Alpha Lima" 6895 LSB 6900 LSB 6910 LSB 0100+ UTC 27 April 2017

« on: April 27, 2017, 0149 UTC »

Our usual friends on 6900 kHz LSB are coming in nicely tonight (started listening at 0100 UTC April 27th, 2017), with several stations QSYed up (and down) to 6910 kHz LSB and 6895 kHz LSB.  The "usual" alternate frequency of 6905 kHz remains quiet for whatever reason.

6900 kHz LSB - several mentions of Alpha Lima - which is an 11 meter freeband DX radio club.  6900 kHz LSB may be the 43 meter Alpha Lima (also stylized as Alfa Lima) frequency for freeband chatter when 11 meters isn't open.  Many DX clubs have "club frequencies" on the 26-27 MHz band I don't see why this wouldn't translate to 43 meters or other bands.  Wouldn't surprise me if there's a 3-4 MHz Alpha Lima  / Alfa Lima frequency and another one between 7-25 MHz in addition to the usual 11 meter 27 MHz stuff and 6900 kHz.

6895 kHz LSB - stations that moved here from 6900 kHz LSB.  No names or callsigns heard, but one station has mentioned Puerto Rico several times.  Previous monitoring of 6900 LSB and related frequencies has shown a connection to Mexico, various parts of the United States including Florida, Virginia, California and Texas so Puerto Rico makes sense.  Puerto Rican stations have a large presence on the 11 meter freebanding scene so that also checks.  At 0150 UTC, a new station appeared on frequency with S9 level signal and loud clear audio.  Chatter about which stations he's talked to previously and signal reports.  Ham radio-like complimentary signal reports and mention of telephone conversations.  Still no names heard...0152, more personal ragchew-like chatter, very freeband SSB CB like.  Very...personal discussion of operator's lady friends' preferences and habits (we'll leave it at that   )...followed by more "PG rated" chatter about taking girls dancing and to the movies, etc.  

6910 kHz LSB - this frequency was coming in very very loud (S9+30db at points) around 0120-0130 UTC but it now appears to be clear.  Likely two operators went here to have a "private" QSO outside of the primary 6900 LSB net frequency

2310

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: UNID 6935 USB 0100 UTC April 27, 2017

« on: April 27, 2017, 0131 UTC »

Tuned in at 0130 UTC, OM chatting...lots of storm crashes