Messages

2941

North American Shortwave Pirate / UNID - The Classic Film Audio Station - 6930 USB 0030 UTC 01/31/2016

« on: January 31, 2016, 0031 UTC »

Hearing music and OMs talking.  Sounds like dialogue/music from the film The Great Escape

S9 signal level with nice audio

0039 - hearing repeater tones (or roger beeps) in the background

EDIT: I changed the title of this.  I've heard several classic films be broadcast (The Bridge on The River Kwai, several old film noirs such as Double Indemnity, and newer ones like Basic Instinct - not sure if these are all from the same station but...maybe they are?

2942

Fishing Drift Net Beacons / Re: Two beacons on 27MHz CW, mystery? Can anyone id location/purpose for me?

« on: January 30, 2016, 2231 UTC »

I read somewhere that New Zealand legalized use of the "American 40" CB channels in addition to their 26.330 to 26.770 MHz allocation, giving 80 possible channels with the two allocations 26330-26770 and 26965-27405.  I could be wrong though.  I know New Zealand has the same UHF CB as Australia.

When you say "old fashioned radio-telephones" you're referring to duplex (or half-duplex) telephone interconnecting services using HF frequencies for communication between ships and shore stations?  Or are you talking about regular HF-SSB (USB) marine traffic?  

27025, 27085, 27265 and 27285 are the "big radio" AM channels in the USA.  27085 is CB channel 11 - which, back when CB was first allocated as a 23-channel service and required a license, CH 11 was the "calling" channel, CH10 was the "truck" channel - later changed to CH19, and CH9 was the "emergency" channel.  Many older 23-channel radios labeled 11 as such, with 9 labeled in red.  Now, channel 9 (27065) is commonly used by Latin American stations as an AM calling channel, much like 11 is used by English-language stations.  There are several out-of-band frequencies (mainly below channel 1) that are used for similar purposes.  26565, 26575 and 26585 are the busy ones for Spanish language.  26775, 26815, 26835 and 26915 are the busy ones for English language.  Next time 27025 is rolling in, check those frequencies as well.  On the SSB side, the busy ones are usually 26555 LSB and 27455 USB (both for Latin American stations). 

25-29 MHz is "anything goes" south of the US-Mexico border too.

2943

North American Shortwave Pirate / UNID 6940 AM 2110 UTC 01/30/2016

« on: January 30, 2016, 2116 UTC »

Was hearing music at noise level for a few minutes, then "The Final Countdown" pops out of the noise with some pretty decent audio quality.  Still pretty noisy, but I can at least tell which song is being played now.

2119 UTC - Some sort of echo FX comes on over the final notes of "The Final Countdown", then modulation disappeared.  Carrier still there at S8 signal levels but there does not appear to be any modulation/audio at 2120 UTC.

2120 UTC - Just as I type the last sentence, something else comes on the same carrier...its "Rock Lobster" by The B-52s

2944

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: UNID 6925 AM 1344 UTC 27 Jan2016

« on: January 27, 2016, 1624 UTC »

Hearing Spanish language chatter (sounds like CB noise toys, roger beeps and echo fx) on the USB.  Seems like a Spanish-speaking OM is giving a demo of a CB radio setup (and there's more chatter in the background). Maybe there's two stations going at once?

It was only a matter of time     Ham communications have been relayed on 6925, aero comms, aviation weather, marine communications, WWV, and other two-way stuff.  Somebody had to do the same with CB/freeband

1627 - Techno music under Spanish language OM talk about "un radio Connex"
1630 - More CB radio comms
1631 - English language (British accent) OMs having a QSO about a CB simplex repeater and about QSYing "down to mid band"
1634 - Sounds like British CB operator talking to another op - "26 Alpha Tango 106 26AT106 trying to get into the repeater"
1636 - "CQ Repeater 43 Papa Romeo 50 Australia"
1703 - Russian comms
1713 - Thick Scottish (I think) accent CB radio chatter

2945

North American Shortwave Pirate / UNID 6925 LSB 0040 UTC 01/27/2016

« on: January 27, 2016, 0045 UTC »

Hearing OM singing on 6925 LSB - maybe peskie party radio?

Disappeared at 0045, came back on at 0046...sounds like the same song.

2946

Utility / Re: 6927.9 kHz and 6929.1 kHz "ding" parallel channel markers 2345 UTC 01/26/2016

« on: January 27, 2016, 0000 UTC »

If tuned in at 6930 kHz LSB it (they?) sound like submarine sonar "pings"

2947

Utility / 6927.9 kHz and 6929.1 kHz "ding" parallel channel markers 2345 UTC 01/26/2016

« on: January 26, 2016, 2349 UTC »

Hearing beeps on 6927.9 and 6929.1 every few seconds.  Close to noise level so not sure if I'm missing some of the beeps but the timing doesn't seem to be the same all the time.  When tuned in USB mode (right now tuner is set on 6927.0 kHz USB) sounds like two different tones going at the same time.  The frequencies 6927.9 and 6929.1 are where the dots are showing up on the SDR waterfall. 

2948

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Unid 6925 USB 2051z 1/26/16

« on: January 26, 2016, 2315 UTC »

DTMF tones, swelling music and police sirens at 2313 UTC.  

OM talk about "time of death" at 2314
YL talking to OM "are you vice?" "no we're homicide" 2318

Something tells me this isn't Sunset Blvd audio anymore - its still got a very film noir feel to it though

2949

General Radio Discussion / Re: british spies crack pop song code and foil... ISIS

« on: January 26, 2016, 1550 UTC »

"the emergency frequency" as in the aircraft emergency frequency "guard" 121.500 MHz?  Isn't that one of the most monitored frequencies in the world? 

2950

Fishing Drift Net Beacons / Re: Two beacons on 27MHz CW, mystery? Can anyone id location/purpose for me?

« on: January 26, 2016, 1431 UTC »

IF they're not fishing buoy beacons I'd say their purpose is military/government and they are "channel markers" or propagation beacons - used for the same purposes the channel marker beacons in the lower parts of HF are used for - indicating that a certain frequency band is open for propagation to a certain area.  

27.878 MHz is far enough away from most "freeband" activity for it to be a military/government user.  I imagine the Chinese could care less about frequency allocation plans in the end anyway.  I do know that the 25-30 MHz band is heavily used in in the Asia/Pacific region - take a look at this video - showing the 10 meter band completely overrun by AM intruders using 28 MHz for two-way voice traffic, recorded in Thailand:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70fed-lAcxM

The 25-35 MHz region is sometimes used for Over-The-Horizon Radar (OTHR) and 27MHz is often where these things end up.  There are also ionosondes operating near or in conjunction with the OTHR activity.  Perhaps the 27878 signal is related to that. 

After all, 26-28 MHz is Japan's "1w DSB (double side band) fishery radio" band.  Here in the USA, there was a carrier on 27.650 MHz that I was able to hear 24/7 for several years (likely coming from a local military base) that could have been for a same purpose).  It has since disappeared.

27.385 MHz is CB Channel 38 and that happens to be one of the more active 11-meter frequencies out there.  It is the North American SSB Calling Frequency and has been for decades.  I know that frequency (along with 27.355) is heavily used for the same purposes in Australia/Oceania.    

2951

10/11 meters / 11 meter DX Logs 25 January 2016 1900 UTC +

« on: January 25, 2016, 1930 UTC »

A real quick band scan:

26575 AM - Spanish language - likely from Mexico
26585 AM - Mexican AM calling/chat channel, active
26665 AM - Taxi Dispatch (Spanish speaking YL)
26675 AM - Spanish language
26875 AM - OMs talking, down at noise level - could be truckers
26885 AM - "How's he been doin'?"
26905 AM - Taxi Dispatch (Spanish speaking YL) with roger beep, strong signal
26915 AM - Southern US accented stations heard, along with YL dispatcher down at noise level, lots of fading
27005 AM - CB Channel 4 - Spanish language OMs and YLs, lots of beeps, sound FX, heavy QSB
27015 AM - CB Channel 5 - Spanish language
27025 AM - CB Channel 6 - The Superbowl.  Strong signals, going up to S9+30 and down to S3, rapid fades/QSB
27035 AM - CB Channel 7 - Spanish language, with bleedover from strong signals on 27025 AM
27045 AM - R/C Channel "7A" - Spanish language, possibly taxis, weak
27065 AM - CB Channel 9 - Spanish language - this freq is used as an AM calling channel for Spanish-speaking ops, much like 6/11/26/28
27085 AM - CB Channel 11- Southern US accents, several stations talking, very deep fades/QSB
27185 AM - CB Channel 19 - Trucker/Road Channel, strong het (lots of fading here too)
27195 AM - R/C Channel "19A" - some sort of FM data burst here - could be local
27215 AM - CB Channel 21 - Spanish language, YL heard with roger beep
27225 AM - CB Channel 22 - Southern US accents, with echo.  "Heeeeeelllloooooo!" "Auuuddddiiooooo!"
27245 AM - CB Channel 25 - Hearing something at noise level, not sure of language but there's traffic on this freq
27255 AM - CB Channel 23 - Pager data bursts heard under QRM - could be local
27265 AM - CB Channel 26 - US AM DX Calling Channel - Active Southern USA (see also: 27085, 27285)
27285 AM - CB Channel 27 - See 27265 (not as active)
27345 AM - CB Channel 34 - Spanish Speaking YL with roger beep, other stations with different roger beeps down at noise level
27435 AM - Some sort of carrier here, heard in SSB mode...no audio heard
27455 USB - Latin American SSB DX Calling Frequency, stations heard at noise level
27465 USB - Spanish language with buzzing/warbling noise/QRM
27490 LSB - Southern US accents
27665 USB - Spanish language, weak
27725 LSB - Spanish language, weak

2952

10/11 meters / Re: Clandestine 27MHz CW beacons...

« on: January 25, 2016, 1200 UTC »

Likely fishing drift buoy transmitter beacons.  Usually found in the 1.6 to 2.2 and 26 to 30 MHz ranges.  Another (less likely) possibility is that they are "channel markers" or propagation beacons used to indicate band openings to certain locations and/or hold a frequency to prevent others from using it.  27385 is one of the busier 11m frequencies though - which means its likely drift net buoy transmitters that you're hearing.  The IDs could be anything from a shorting of the ship's name or callsign to a randomly selected group of characters (see the replies to the other thread you made about this in the beacons subforum).

2953

Fishing Drift Net Beacons / Re: Two beacons on 27MHz CW, mystery? Can anyone id location/purpose for me?

« on: January 25, 2016, 1050 UTC »

My guess is that "spy beacon" is akin to "channel marker" or some sort of propagation beacon used to indicate that 11 meters/27MHz is open.  

Token is right - some of these drift net beacons stay on the air for very long periods of time.  They're using relatively ineffecient antennas (for the 1600-2200 kHz range anyway) but as far as 26-30 MHz goes, they're likely running a base loaded 1/4 wave whip with the entire ocean as a ground plane.   

2954

HF Beacons / 27255 kHz Beacon "Mark II" 1 watt continuous tone modulated FM beacon ON AIR

« on: January 25, 2016, 0000 UTC »

I posted a lengthy thread about this in the "Dark Arts" section but felt I should mention it here as well.  In operation is a continuous tone beacon transmitting in FM mode but easily heard in AM or SSB.  Built from a re-purposed R/C transmitter with a crystal socket for frequency agility.  Chosen frequency is currently set at CB channel 23 - 27.255 MHz or 27255 kHz. Seems to depend on the mode you're using for receive.  Transmit power is 1 watt into a dipole facing roughly ENE/WSW.  Located on the East Coast of the USA.  Operating 24/7 unless otherwise specified.  

Here is the long post about the beacon in the Dark Arts subforum --> http://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php?topic=25624.0

This beacon is part of an on-going project for 11 meter beacons.  Mark I was a 80mW beacon on 27500.  It is currently off the air - Mark II has taken its antenna for now.  Mark III will feature a CW ID and (hopefully) a bit more power.  

Please post here if you hear this beacon!  

2955

Fishing Drift Net Beacons / Re: Two beacons on 27MHz CW, mystery? Can anyone id location/purpose for me?

« on: January 24, 2016, 2203 UTC »

These could be fishing net buoy beacons - used by fishermen to find drift nets.  They tend to operate in the 1600-2000 kHz (1.6-2.0 MHz) and 26-30 MHz range and usually transmit a CW identifier at low power.  The CW identifier is usually somehow related to the associated ship's radio callsign or name.

Here's a well-compiled list of 26/27 MHz fishing drift net buoy beacons and their IDs:

http://www.qsl.net/n2sln/driftnetbeacons.html

There are several "real" 27MHz 11 meter beacons as well, most of them in the 27500 - 27600 region, although there are others, mainly operating within the "legal 40" CB band (26965-27405) on 27125, 27140 and others.  27500 is the "official" 11 meter beacon frequency, apparently.  CW activity has been heard on this frequency as well as PSK31.

The frequencies you list - 27878 and 27003, aren't on any 11m / 27 MHz beacon lists I've found.  

Here's a list I've compiled from a couple different sites:

27125 kHz - 16mW power - California - 2QRP and AOH - "AOH" in CW
27140 kHz +/- 3 kHz - 500mW power - France, IDs in CW - 14RS000 followed by a long tone burst.  
27175 kHz - unknown power - Thailand - 153SD101
27405 kHz - 1W power - Germany - 1 pip a minute
27499.6 kHz - 2W power - Moscow, Russia - 50KS00 in CW
27500 kHz - unknown power - Mexico City - pips in CW
27500 kHz - unknown power - Greenland - Voice ID in USB "38 voice beacon"
27501 kHz - 25W power - Kansas - 2KP
27504.4 kHz - 1W power - France, IDs in CW/PSK31 - 14RS000 (may have moved to 27140 kHz)
27540 kHz +/- 5 kHz - 1W power - East Coast USA - FM signal modulated with tone, no ID.  10 kHz wide FM signal.
27550 kHz / 27610 kHz - 25W power - Costa Rica - IDs in CW as "69BY".  Apparently moves around in frequency.  Originally on 27500 kHz.  Also on 6775 kHz, 13555 kHz, and 40680 kHz.