Messages

2296

10/11 meters / 11 Meter Band DX Skip Propagation 27MHz Band Activity 30 May 2017

« on: May 30, 2017, 1658 UTC »

Tuned in at 1600 UTC:

25000 AM - WWV (S9 to S9+10 signal)
25695 AM - Spanish speaking YL taxi dispatch lady
25785 AM - Spanish speaking YL taxi dispatch lady
25860 USB - data signal
25835 AM - "come up and save some wire" (Southern accents)
25875 AM - Spanish speaking YL taxi dispatch lady with roger beep and noise toys
25925 AM - Spanish speaking YL taxi dispatch
26055 AM - Spanish language OMs talking (no usual YL taxi dispatcher heard)
26085 AM - "A week ago you end up gettin' her or somethin'....I dunno" "oh man" (active frequency, along with 26105)
26105 AM - "Did you go down there and see that piece of property?" "10-4" "oh, yeah, that's right..."
26115 AM - Spanish speaking OM with lots of echo (probably truckers)
26165 AM - US truckers
26375 AM - Spanish speaking traffic, likely truckers or taxi companies
26395 AM - Spanish language, busy with lots of fading
26530 LSB - Spanish language traffic, sometimes badly overmodulated
26575 AM - Mexican truckers (Spanish speaking)
26585 AM - Mexican calling channel - busy with some very strong signals heard
26595 AM - Spanish speaking traffic, Mexican truckers operating out of band
26635 AM - Spanish speaking, mention of Dominican Republic
26705 AM - The usual strong signals from Puerto Rico, Florida, etc heard here and on 26715
26735 AM - Truckers (one signal is off-frequency pretty bad, closer to 26732.5 or so)
26775 AM - Spanish, maybe truckers?  - later, US stations heard on this frequency
26805 AM - Southern US stations
26825 AM - "audio check check check" "delay...delay...delay...." "ha! ha! ha!" (lots of echo/reverb)
26845 AM - Truckers talking about company-related business (Midwestern accents) with heavy fading
26885 AM - Similar to 26915 AM
26915 AM - Southern US stations working AM DX Skip
26945 AM - US stations, similar to 26915 AM

26965-27405 usual CB band activity

27415 AM - Spanish language, with minor QRM from 27420 LSB
27420 LSB - US stations, various accents
27425 LSB - US stations, calling CQ
27435 LSB - US stations, another common "high channel" frequency along with 27.425 LSB, 27.420 LSB, etc
27445 LSB - Midwestern accented OMs, sounded like a "local" net
27455 USB - Spanish Language, Latin American 11 meter calling frequency - some very very strong signals
27465 LSB - US Stations, "Bob", "347", "James Barnyard" and several others
27465 USB - Spanish Language, very strong
27475 USB - Spanish language
27485 LSB - "I guess nobody is around" [Southern accent]
27500 USB - Spanish language, common Caribbean frequency (along with 27510 LSB and 27515 LSB)
27515 AM - Spanish Language YL Taxi Dispatcher (often logged on this frequency, 27.515 AM indicates Latin American opening)
27535 USB - "001" and other numerical callsigns (Spanish language), often several stations talking at once, Puerto Rico mentioned
27540 USB - "10 Alpha Delta" heard
27555 USB - Stations calling CQ (in Spanish) several Latin American countries heard
27565 AM - Spanish speaking OMs, sounds like truckers
27600 USB - Spanish language
27615 AM - Truckers EE / English language
27620 USB - Southern US stations, numerical callsigns/handles, very professional "ham radio" sounding chatter
27635 AM - "by the time we get back, it'll be dried up" (truckers, southern accent, strong S7 signal)
27645 USB - Spanish language
27655 USB - Spanish language
27675 USB - Spanish language
27685 LSB - Mention of Mexico City, Los Angeles, Baja California and several other locations (two stations having a QSO)
27695 LSB - Spanish language "roundtable" or "ragchew" net, similar to traffic heard on 6900 kHz LSB (stations checking in, etc)
27700 LSB - Spanish language, stations from 27695 LSB (same callsigns/names and signal strengths)
27715 LSB - Spanish language, similar to other traffic heard in the 27.6-27.8 MHz region (and the 6.9 MHz region...)
27725 LSB - Spanish language - S9+30 very powerful signals several stations in a "net-like" traffic pattern
27775 LSB - Spanish language
27775 USB - Spanish language (does not seem to be the same group heard earlier on 27775 LSB)
27785 AM - Truckers - English language (barely...)
27805 AM - Spanish speaking OMs, likely truckers or taxis (not radio hobbyists)
27890 USB - Data signal (FSK, often heard during band openings, previously also heard on 27650 kHz / 27.650 MHz)
27955 AM - Spanish language, possibly taxi dispatcher

2297

10/11 meters / Re: 11 Meter Band DX Skip Propagation 27MHz Band Activity 28 May 2017

« on: May 28, 2017, 2230 UTC »

Tuned back in at 2200 UTC, noticed heavier AM activity below CB channel 1:

26405 AM - Spanish language
26475 AM - Spanish language (another common freeband / trucker frequency)
26500 LSB - Spanish language
26515 AM - Spanish language
26555 LSB - Spanish language, very busy
26565 AM - Spanish language
26575 AM - Spanish language
26585 AM - Spanish speaking traffic, common Mexican trucker and freebander DX frequency 26.585 MHz AM
26625 AM - Alabama, Mississippi and other deep south areas mentioned
26655 AM - Truckers, US English language (with lots of fading)
26665 AM - English language
26675 AM - Midwestern US accents, weaker than 26765 AM
26705 AM - Spanish language - very high power signals (similar to 27025 AM, etc)
26715 AM - See 26705 kHz AM
26765 AM - Midwestern US accents / English language speaking stations
26775 AM - English language English speaking, Florida mentioned
26795 AM - Truckers (US based, mention of Interstate 85)
26815 AM - English language, Midwestern accents
26825 AM - "around the Buckeye state" strong signals
26875 AM - English language / Southern US stations
26885 AM - English language
26905 AM - English language, Southern and Midwestern accents - very active with very strong signals
26915 AM - English language, also very very busy
26925 AM - English language, with QRM and splatter from 26915 AM and 27025 AM
26935 AM - "Do what you've been doing, its working really well" (S9 signal)
26945 AM - "I talked to 508"
26955 AM - English language, Midwestern USA accents

Basically every channel from 26965 to 27405 active, with 27025, 27085, 27115, 27135, 27205, 27265, 27285 AM and 27365 LSB, 27375 LSB and 27385 LSB all busy

27025 AM - CB Channel 6 - Prime Minista (Sir Mix-A-Lot), Gold Chain, 695, Switchblade and dozens of other stations just killing it this evening

27410 USB - Spanish language
27425 LSB - English language, Southern US accents
27435 LSB - English language
27445 LSB - English language, Southern US accents
27455 USB - Spanish language - Latin American / Spanish Speaking calling frequency
27475 AM - English speaking (EE language) - truckers?? (odd frequency/mode choice)
27475 USB - Spanish language
27500 LSB - English language, causal QSO (talking about another radio operator, mention of "B-Town" and "first HF rig")
27505 AM - English language, two OMs talking, possibly truckers (not overmodulated like a lot of AM signals heard today)
27515 LSB - English language
27525 LSB - "987 Charleston, South Carolina" S9+30db very strong signal
27525 AM - AM voice signal underneath SSB traffic (possibly truckers local to each other)
27555 USB - International Calling Frequency 11 Meter Freeband, English and Spanish traffic heard
27575 AM - Several stations heard at once
27615 AM - English language, American / US stations
27655 AM - English language, truckers
27675 USB - Spanish language
27695 LSB - Spanish language
27730 USB - Spanish language
27740 USB - FSK
27745 AM - Truckers, English speaking
27855 AM - "yep I've got you"

2298

10/11 meters / 11 Meter Band DX Skip Propagation 27MHz Band Activity 28 May 2017

« on: May 28, 2017, 1730 UTC »

Starting at around 1700 UTC:

Likely some Sporadic-E, considering that WWV on 25000 kHz / 25.000 MHz hasn't been heard at all today (at least not by me).  

25985 AM - SS Spanish speaking YL reading numbers, likely taxi cab dispatcher
25990 FM - FM carrier (S3-S4 with some fading, very faint modulation heard)
26225 USB - Spanish language traffic (several stations at once - this is a common Latin American SSB frequency)
26290 USB - FSK signal
26375 AM - Spanish language
26400 USB - strong data signal
26485 AM - SS Spanish language traffic, Mexican accents (weak)
26575 AM  -SS Spanish language, Mexican accents
26585 AM - SS Mexican truckers
26595 AM - SS Spanish language (11 meter DX from Mexico, see also 26.585 MHz AM)
26675 AM - Dominican Republic (Spanish language) with QSB (S7 at peaks with splatter from 26705 AM and 26715 AM)
26705 AM - SS Puerto Rico, etc, very strong signals (just like 26715 AM)
26715 AM - SS "Spanish Superbowl" Puerto Rico, Florida, Dominican Republic, etc - strong signals
26735 AM - US truckers (weak signals combined with splatter from 26705 and 26715 making copy nearly impossible)
26755 AM - SS Spanish language traffic
26775 AM - EE Mention of Florida, Georgia
26885 AM - EE Southern accents
26905 AM - EE Southern accents (US stations, see also 26885 AM and 26915 AM)
26915 AM - EE Southern US stations "915" AM freeband calling channel
26945 AM - English language, southern accents (weak, but readable)
--begin 26965 to 27405 "Legal 40" CB band--
26995 FM - RC/data/telemetry channel "3A" FSK signals 10-12 seconds apart
27005 AM - CB Channel 4 - Spanish language (getting clobbered by splatter from 27025 AM / CB CH 6)
27025 AM - CB Channel 6 - The beginnings of what I imagine will be an afternoon of fun on 27.025 MHz AM
27065 AM - CB Channel 9 - Spanish language, mention of Puerto Rico
27085 AM - CB Channel 11 - Similar to 27025 AM
27115 AM - CB Channel 13 - "048 Daytona Beach, Florida" working Pennsylvania w/ good signals
27165 AM - CB Channel 17 - Nonstop heterodyne, similar to 27185 AM / CB Channel 19
27175 AM - CB Channel 18 - "105, 105" "alright, got that" "come on back" (lots of het QRM and roger beeps)
27185 AM - CB Channel 19 - Dozens, possibly hundreds of stations talking at once
27205 AM - CB Channel 20 - "Hey Buckshot, you sounding good here on the bottom end of the sandpile"
27235 AM - CB Channel 24 - "I got a mouse up here" (heavy heterodyne QRM)
27255 FM - CB Channel 23 - FSK signals roughly 6 kHz wide, every 4-7 seconds, one is stronger than the others
27255 AM - CB Channel 23 - "114 in Carolina you're blanketing my receive" (several other stations heard underneath this one)
27265 AM - CB Channel 26 - Busy AM pileup
27275 AM - CB Channel 27 - Spanish language YL taxi dispatcher lady, likely from Mexico
27285 AM - CB Channel 28 - Similar to 27085 AM, 27265 AM, etc
27355 AM - CB Channel 35 - Truckers talking
27380 LSB - US / American CB stations operating "inbetween channels" on the "zeros" (to escape QRM on 27.385 LSB)
27385 LSB - CB Channel 38 - Domestic SSB Calling Channel 38LSB, several stations heard, mostly from Southern USA
27395 LSB - CB Channel 39 - SSB traffic heard, southern accents (similar to 27385 LSB)
27400 LSB - US / American CB stations heard "in between channels" (between channel 39 and 40)
27405 AM - CB Channel 40 - Spanish language with roger beeps
--end 26965 to 27405 "Legal 40" CB band--
27415 LSB - Very strong signals, long QSO heard on this frequency S9+ at points
27425 LSB - US stations chatting away, Midwestern/Southern accents
27430 LSB - US stations, southern accents
27455 USB - Spanish speaking stations calling CQ
27460 LSB - US stations (southern accents, with heavy QRM from 27455 USB)
27465 LSB - "down in Florida down there" "171" "yeah, Jim, its gonna get good and hot" deep south accents
27465 USB - Spanish language (lots of QRM on this and nearby frequencies)
27470 LSB - Southern US stations having a QSO, 3-4 different stations heard with heavy fading/QSB
27485 LSB - EE US stations heard (English language)
27500 USB - SS Spanish speaking / Spanish language (possibly Mexico)
27505 AM - English language (sounds like truckers)
27515 LSB - Jamaican stations - Knight Patrol CB Club primary frequency
27530 USB - "my audio is set pretty tight" "well, we'll give it a shot" "what was his callsign again?"
27570 LSB - English language, heavy fading making for difficult copy
27600 USB - Spanish language
27665 USB - Spanish speaking stations (several stations at once)
27695 LSB - Spanish language
27715 USB - Spanish language, weak
28005 AM - Spanish language, with CW QRM

2299

10/11 meters / Re: 11m Activity 26 May 2017

« on: May 28, 2017, 1406 UTC »

27835 AM is an interesting one.  Usually when I hear AM signals (English speaking stations) they tend to stay below channel 1 (26965 kHz), with the big exception being truckers, hunters and poachers operating all over the bands.

For what it's worth, 27835 kHz / 27.835 MHz is channel 38 up one band (27385 + 450 = 27835).  Maybe they were having a QSO on 27385 and the QRM got too bad so they flipped that band switch.

2300

10/11 meters / 11 Meter Band DX Opening Logs 22 May 2017 1600+ UTC

« on: May 22, 2017, 1825 UTC »

Another morning/early afternoon 11 meter 26 MHz 27 MHz band opening log, yes, here it is. 

Started monitoring around 1600 UTC May 22, 2017.  Lots of Latin American traffic, as usual, but the US frequencies of 26915, 27025, 27085, 27265, 27285 and 27385 were all active as well.  Our usual friends that hang around 27665 to 27705 were also booming in nicely, especially on 27695.  Did catch the tail end of a SSTV transmission on 27700 but haven't heard anything else since on that frequency, save for some very minor splatter from 27695 and 27705.

25000 AM - WWV, weak but readable, with some pretty serious QSB/fading
25615 AM - Spanish speaking taxi dispatch lady (weak) - this is Channel 1 on band A on most export radios
25775 AM - Spanish speaking YL taxicab dispatcher
25910 FM - Barely readable STL Studio Transmitter Link 85.4Hz CTCSS PL tone carrier
26005 AM - Spanish speaking taxi lady YL dispatcher (commonly heard in the lower bands 25615-26515)
26075 AM - Spanish language, taxi cab dispatcher lady with roger beep
26105 AM - Truckers, English language
26225 USB - Spanish speaking traffic. Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Florida and Mexico mentioned
26365 AM - Spanish language, lots of stations talking at once
26375 AM - Similar to 26365 AM
26405 AM - Truckers, commonly logged frequency during band openings
26545 USB - Strong FSK signal
26585 AM - Spanish language, Mexican trucker common frequency
26605 AM - Spanish language, likely from Mexico
26625 AM - Spanish language, much weaker than usual
26685 AM - Spanish language, Mexican accents
26695 USB - Strong FSK signal (26700 kHz in AM mode)
26705 AM - Spanish "Superbowl" - very strong and overmodulated signals (Puerto Rico, etc)
26715 AM - Same as 26705
26735 AM - Truckers, English language (see also, 27635 AM)
26775 AM - Truckers, English language
26790 USB - FSK signal
26865 AM - English language, southern accents
26895 AM - English language, sounds like truckers
26905 AM - English language, southern accents mixing in with Spanish speaking YL taxi dispatcher lady
26915 AM - Low channel calling frequency, US stations (mostly from the South)
26955 AM - "Big Radio 549 Texas" and other stations talking, strong signals
26965 AM - CB Channel 1 - several American stations heard
26975 AM - CB Channel 2 - Spanish OM heard, lots of echo/reverb and roger beep
26985 AM - CB Channel 3 - "Give that mudduck a run for his money now!" "Hello CK!"
26995 FM - RC/data channel FSK signal, possibly local telemetry or radio data link
26995 AM - Channel "3A" Spanish voice traffic heard when data link isn't transmitting
27005 AM - CB Channel 4 - Spanish language, getting obliterated by splatter/QRM from 27025
27025 AM - CB Channel 6 - "The Superbowl" almost nonstop wall-to-wall overmodulated powerful signals
27035 AM - CB Channel 7 - Spanish language sometimes heard through splatter from 27025
27055 AM - CB Channel 8 - Carrier with very weak modulation
27085 AM - CB Channel 11 - Similar to 27025
27135 AM - CB Channel 15 - Similar to 27025
27145 FM - RC/data channel, FSK signal heard
27165 AM - CB Channel 17 - Similar to 27025
27185 AM - CB Channel 19 - Truckers, etc (sounds like one of the "graveyard" AM frequencies at night)
27195 AM - RC/data channel, aka channel 19A - American stations heard AM voice
27215 AM - CB Channel 21 - Several powerhouse signals heard
27225 AM - CB Channel 22 - "106 in the Love Country and I'm back quiet"
27235 AM - CB Channel 24 - Spanish language taxi dispatcher
27255 AM - CB Channel 23 - English language stations, with Spanish heard underneath and splatter from 27265
27255 FM - CB Channel 23 - Pager or radio data link system (underneath AM voice traffic on same frequency)
27265 AM - CB Channel 26 - Similar to 27025, but with [slightly] cleaner signals
27270 AM - Strong carrier keyups with FSK data bursts (unusual frequency)
27275 AM - CB Channel 27 - Spanish language
27285 AM - CB Channel 28 - Similar to 27265
27305 AM - CB Channel 30 - Spanish language, then English-speaking stations
27335 AM - CB Channel 33 - English language, southern accents
27345 AM - CB Channel 34 - Truckers, mention of "King George"
27365 LSB - CB Channel 36 - US stations, several accents heard, casual QSO, mention of "Republic of Texas"
27375 LSB - CB Channel 37 - Stations calling CQ DX, alternate channel to 38LSB
27385 LSB - CB Channel 38 - SSB DX calling channel, very very busy
27390 LSB - English speaking traffic, mention of Texas, Arkansas
27395 LSB - CB Channel 39 - Domestic US stations
27405 AM - CB Channel 40 - Spanish language
27415 AM - Spanish language, YL speaking, likely taxicab company dispatcher
27425 LSB - English language (American stations) - strong signals
27430 LSB - English language (American stations)
27430 USB - Spanish language
27435 USB - Spanish language
27440 LSB - English language, midwestern accents (see also 27445 LSB)
27445 LSB - English language, midwestern accents
27445 AM - Spanish language YL taxi dispatcher
27455 USB - Spanish language calling frequency, very busy
27465 LSB - English language
27470 LSB - English language
27475 USB - Spanish language, Mexican accents
27495 LSB - Spanish language (not same traffic as 27495 USB)
27495 USB - Spanish language
27505 AM - English language, very long QSO, possibly poachers or hunters (consistently strong signals)
27515 LSB - English language Jamaican accents - Knight Patrol CB Club (Jamaica) primary frequency
27515 AM - Spanish language YL taxi cab dispatcher
27535 LSB - Spanish language with lots of echo and sound FX
27550 USB - Strong FSK signal
27565 LSB - English language, 864 Indiana calling 1877
27575 AM - Spanish language, possibly taxis
27585 LSB - Spanish language, heavily distorted
27600 LSB - Spanish language, with QRM from 27605 AM
27605 AM - Truckers, English language
27615 LSB - Spanish language, very strong signals
27635 AM - Truckers, English language, talking about traffic (this is CB channel 19 "up one band")
27655 USB - Spanish language
27665 LSB - Spanish language
27665 USB - Spanish language
27680 USB - Spanish language, possibly related to other 276xx frequencies (seems to be a pattern here with this portion of the 27 MHz band)
27695 LSB - Spanish language - very strong and very active - strongly reminds me of our friends from 6900 kHz LSB, mention of Venezuela
27695 USB - Spanish language, sporadic signal
27700 USB - Tail end of SSTV signal heard
27705 LSB - Spanish language
27775 AM - Truckers English language
27890 AM/FM - Strong carrier, thought it could have been UK CB on 27891 / 27891.25, but no modulation heard
27925 LSB - Spanish, weak
27955 AM - Truckers, English language

2301

10/11 meters / 27505 kHz AM / 27.505 MHz AM Hunters or Poachers 1600-1745 UTC 22 May 2017

« on: May 22, 2017, 1751 UTC »

With all the other dozens of active frequencies in the 26-28 MHz range today, one of them sparked my interest, and that one is 27505.  This frequency is actually sporadically used in my local area as a "private" or "outband" (read: freeband) frequency for local AM CBers to get away from the usual crowd on their usual frequency (in this case, the frequency is 27125 / 27.125 MHz, or CB channel 14).

Anyway, I heard two OMs chatting on 27505 for well over an hour.  Topics included finding cover, hiding behind walls, and other things that made me think these stations weren't the usual AMers heard in this part of the band (often when AM traffic is heard above CB channel 40, its truckers).  Hunters usually hang out below CB channel 1, with some exceptions.  Judging by the topic of conversation, the fact that neither station had roger beeps, noise toys or anything else - indicating that they're using the radio for some practical purpose and not just for fun, I think they were either hunters or poachers.  An export radio or 10-meter radio is (along with a VHF radio of some kind, often a VHF marine radio or modified 2 meter ham radio) is often a requirement for a hunting club.  Modified 11 meter equipment is often synonymous with hunting radio.

FWIW, 27505 is CB channel 8 "up one band" (real CB channel 8 = 27.055 + .450 = 27.505).  I have a feeling these operators usually use 27055, but due to heavy QRM from 27025 and 27085 (both of which were booming in with massive overmodulated and splattering signals), they simply flipped the band switch up one band to get a clear frequency.  

I love these Sporadic-E openings.  You never know what you're going to hear.  Chances are the two stations I heard on 27505 were right next to each other.

2302

10/11 meters / Data Link 27270 kHz / 27.270 MHz 22 May 2017

« on: May 22, 2017, 1733 UTC »

Just below CB Radio Channel 27 - 27.275 MHz / 27275 kHz.  11 meters equals 27.2727272... MHz so 27.270 is about as close to exactly 11 meters as you can get.  Anyway....

I have often logged paging and other data link signals on 27255 kHz / 27.255 MHz (CB channel 23) but never on 27270.  It's possible this is coming from outside the US, given the large amount of international, specifically Latin American,DX traffic heard during today's band opening on 27 MHz.  Fair amount of domestic (US stations) heard all around the band as well.  

The band has been opening most of the morning into the early afternoon (it is currently 1330 local time, 1730 UTC).  First noticed data link around 15-20 minutes ago and it has been on and off ever since.  Strong, often overmodulated signals on 27265 (CB channel 26) and 27285 (CB channel 28).  Sounds like FSK signal to me, often S9+ so very strong.  

2303

10/11 meters / 27025 and 26715 insanity 22 May 2017

« on: May 22, 2017, 1617 UTC »

Hearing wall-to-wall overmodulated signals on 26705 (Spanish language) and 27025 (English language, if you could call it "English").  Some of the signals on 27025 are so terribly overmodulated and distorted that I can't understand anything.  S9 all day long, up to S9+30 or more. 

Watching on the waterfall, some of these channel 6 superbowl signals 27.025 MHz are 40-50 kHz wide.  I feel sorry for the stations trying to talk on 27005 or 27035.

2304

10/11 meters / Re: Activity 22 May 2017

« on: May 22, 2017, 1605 UTC »

Hearing Spanish language traffic on:

26575 AM
26585 AM
26705 AM -
26715 AM - BOOMING IN (S9++ signals)
27605 AM

Domestic US stations coming in loud and clear on 26865 AM and 26915 AM, as well as the usual channel 6/11/26/28 high power stuff, and strong signals on channel 21 (27215 AM)

AM/SSB traffic on

27385 LSB
27395 LSB
27415 AM
27425 LSB
27430 USB
27445 LSB
27455 USB - Spanish language calling frequency

2305

10/11 meters / Re: Slight opening starting on 10/11 2307 UTC 17-May 2017

« on: May 19, 2017, 1819 UTC »

CB Channel 11 - 27.085 MHz - or 27085 kHz to match HFU's policy on frequencies , was the original calling channel back in the 23 channel CB days when licenses were required.  Like channels 6, 26 and 28, it is often full of high power (and sometimes obscenely overmodulated and distorted) signals during band openings.  I've noticed several instances where stations flip back and forth between 27025 (channel 6) and 27085 (channel 11).

On that waterfall display, channel 6 / 27.025 MHz has a pretty decent signal on it as well.  It's interesting to see the various carriers on channels 14, 16 and 19.  Channel 14 seems to be a common "local" AM channel and 16, 17, 21, 22 and 23 seem to be common channels for truckers to use then why QSY from 27.185 MHz / 27185 kHz [CB channel 19]. 

That is, if they don't just use the band switch and drop down to 26735 or jump up to 27635 to carry on a "private" conversation.   

2306

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: YHWH 7585 AM 0500 UTC 19 May 2017

« on: May 19, 2017, 1401 UTC »

Announcing future show times on a regular basis, somebody isn't afraid of the FCC (especially considering he's already gotten the knock)....

2307

Peskies / Re: UNID 3118.7 USB 0741 UTC 18-May-2017

« on: May 18, 2017, 2016 UTC »

First time I've seen a log for the 3 MHz band.

Nice catch, RST111.  I'm glad posters are finding peskie / pesky / pescadore / fishing fleet / freebanders / outbanders on other bands besides the 6-7 MHz region. 

For what its worth, 3118.7 kHz USB is within the 2850 kHz - 3150 kHz aeronautical aircraft MF-SSB and HF-SSB (usually called MF/HF or just HF, even though it crosses the 3000 kHz or 3 MHz boundary area from medium frequency to high frequency) band.

I have logged several peskie transmissions in the 6525 kHz - 6765 kHz aeronautical aircraft HF band (in addition, it is also home the 6.6 MHz band or 45 meter band "Echo Charlie" pirate stations commonly heard in Europe using LSB mode around 6600 kHz / 6.6 MHz.  Doing some Googling shows several radio listeners in Europe have logged two-way pirate traffic similar to other freeband chatter on 6670 kHz LSB / 6.670 MHz LSB and other nearby frequencies, often with 3 kHz steps or 5 kHz steps like our Spanish speaking friends that hang out on 6895 kHz, 6900 kHz, 6905 kHz, etc.

I found the old "RF Man" site (based out of the UK) and freebanding.co.uk that contains information about various legal and illegal radio services, and a page exists for Echo Charlie and similar freeband "services" in different HF bands. They seem to follow the amateur radio practice of using LSB below 10 MHz and using USB above 10 MHz.

These include:

86 meters or 85 meters: 3000 - 3500 kHz - calling frequency 3470 kHz LSB (the 3000 kHz to 3400 kHz portion is often called 90 meters)
45 meters: 6530 - 6700 kHz - calling frequency 6670 kHz LSB (some sources say 6500 to 6700 kHz)
29 meters: 10400 kHz USB (only one frequency listed for this "band")
21 meters: 13500 - 14000 kHz - calling frequency 13970 kHz USB, South American calling frequency is 13555 kHz USB
16 meters or 15 meters: 18000 kHz - 18050 kHz - calling frequency 18030 kHz USB
14 meters: 20900 - 20980 kHz - calling frequency 20930 kHz USB

With this information in mind, it could be possible that you were hearing freeband activity.  Of course, by the very nature of freebanding...operators tend to make up things as they go along.  I've heard of the 6670 kHz frequency and nearby frequencies being used, in addition to the usual 6765-7000 kHz range for freebanders, fishing fleet communications, and of course pirates and military voice and data traffic. 

With this log being for a frequency so close to the 3000 kHz / 3 MHz MF/HF border, I begin to wonder if there are peskies operating in the 2000-3000 kHz range as well.

2308

North American Shortwave Pirate / Unknown Name Radio Network UNRN 6880 kHz AM 0113 UTC 18 May 2017

« on: May 18, 2017, 0114 UTC »

AM carrier popped up, then modulated with AC/DC's "Back In Black" S3 signal level at 0013 / 0014 UTC

Unknown Name Radio Network ID at 0019/0020 UTC.  Signal strength has increased significantly since sign-on.  At 0022 UTC, signal now S7 peaking to S8.

2309

Utility / Civil Air Patrol / CAP Net 4636 kHz USB 0040-0055 UTC 18 May 2017

« on: May 18, 2017, 0051 UTC »

Red Dragon 3710 working White Peak 4 [or possibly White King 4], calling another station for relay.  The third station's suffix is "52" and they have a roger beep or end-of-transmission EOT beep. Sort of reminds me of a Civil Air Patrol net, possibly a military net though.  Extremely strong static crash QRN at 0048 UTC.  EDIT:  Some quick Googling reveals this is a known CAP frequency.  

0048 UTC - "any other stations wishing to check in?"
0049 UTC - White Peak 81 checking in.
0049 UTC - "this net is shut down now, something-something 52 out"
0050 UTC - tuning up sounds (carrier squeal) followed by several beeps
0052 UTC - repeat of transmission heard at 0050 UTC
0053 UTC - weak transmission heard "Red Dragon 3710, test, test [carrier tone]...Red Dragon 3710 test [carrier tone] [beep]"
0055 UTC - more of the same (Red Dragon 3710 transmitting tones, carriers, etc) - probably tuning up radio or testing

2310

Peskies / Re: UNID Possible Italian / Portuguese 4630 kHz USB 0400+ UTC 8 May 2017

« on: May 18, 2017, 0044 UTC »

Just checked the 4630 kHz USB frequency in the 0040 UTC to 0045 UTC time frame (18 May 2017) and heard nothing.  Seems like this frequency does not become active until later on in the evening.