Messages

1771

SDR - Software Defined Radio / Re: Unattended Recording

« on: March 29, 2013, 1549 UTC »

Being able to do scheduled recording is a function of the software that you are using with the SDR hardware.  I do not think SDR# supports this function.  I do not know of anything Mac native that does.  The software that I know of that does support scheduled recording would be SpectraVue, HDSDR, SDRDX, and SDR-Radio Console.  Possibly HDSDR and SDR-Radio will support your RTL SDR, so you might give them a try (I have heard they do, but never confirmed it for myself).

T!

1772

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Red Mercury Labs 6.925 USB 0215Z

« on: March 29, 2013, 0329 UTC »

RML very loud in the Mojave Desert of California this evening.  Nice job.  I missed the name of whoever was out in the zodiac with a 175 IQ, but seems to me he should be able to figure out how to get out of that particular duty

T!

1773

Spy Numbers / Re: Spanish YL Voice Only

« on: March 27, 2013, 1331 UTC »

This is Cuban numbers station V02a.  This station is less common today, as many of the transmissions have been replaced by the hybrid digital / voice transmission of HM01 from the same source.

T!

1774

Other / Re: 17300 @ 1945z

« on: March 26, 2013, 2056 UTC »

This is a "new", probably experimental, waveform associated with HEB and WLO.  That particular example is probably from WLO, Mobile, Alabama.  It is quite likely there were at least one, if not two, other frequencies active at that time with very similar, but not identical, waveforms.  I am at work right now, so I do not have the exact frequencies handy, but one freq is in each of 14 MHz, 16 MHz, 17 MHz, and 21 MHz.

By the way, there is no "right" or "wrong" on this, but in general I call this signal on 17299 kHz.  This places the MFSK signal within the normal audio passband of the transmitter used (there transmitter has been well characterized by other transmissions).  Tuning to 17300 kHz will result in signal excursions below 0 Hz.  Of course, if the highest and lowest frequencies of the signal were known you could designate by center frequency, and I think that might be about 17300.5 or so kHz.

T!

(edit)  At home now, able to check the logs.  I have logged this same signal on 16926.5, 17299, 17384, and 22819 kHz.  Have received reports of it being on 14747 kHz but have not seen it there myself.

Something to note is the drift "trends" for these signals.  While it might be on multiple frequencies at one time (I have seen up to 3 active at one time) they are not identical.  However they do tend to go in the same direction.  As one frequency drifts generally "up" in pitch so do the others, and when drifting down the same.  Not step-for-step, but just kind of the same directions.

1775

Spy Numbers / V07, 14374 kHz, USB, March 24, 2013, 0157 UTC

« on: March 25, 2013, 0112 UTC »

I have not mentioned this station in a while, so thought I would throw it in here, since someone in the #wunclub chat reminded me it was on

This is the Spanish language, but Russian sourced, numbers station that carries the Enigma designator V07.

There are apparently 2 outlets for this station.  One that appears to target Europe and one that might target the Pacific or US.  This is the later of those two.  The one heard in Europe is generally in AM mode and on a different schedule.  The one I hear well in California is in USB.  This station has been on the same schedule for the last 2+ years.

The bearing from me to this station is about 330 degrees true, suggesting Kamchatka as a possible source.  Naturally there are other possible sources along that bearing, but since this is known to be Russian in origin I am trying to tie it to something Russian along that bearing.  There are several Russian bases on the Kamchatka peninsula, including Petropavlovsk.

The station transmits one day a week, on Sunday morning.  Start times range from 0100 to 0700, depending on time of year.  It normally transmits three times in one hour (all the same message), when there is a message.  Start times are XX00, XX20, and XX40.  When it is a null message, no traffic, it only sends two times, at XX00 and XX20.

The most complete schedule I have for this station is here:
http://token_radio.home.mchsi.com/V07_latest_sched.JPG

Looking at that schedule the transmissions should have been at 0100 UTC on 18074 kHz, 0120 UTC on 15874 kHz, and at 0140 UTC on 14374 kHz.  If a null message it should have been sent at 0100 and 0120 UTC only.  However, that is not what happened.

The first time that I have seen, in several years of periodically catching this station, the message was so long that it went over the 20 minute possible window.  This pushed out the start time of the second and third message.  The first started on time, at about 0100 UTC.  The second started at about 0128 UTC, and the third started at about 0157 UTC.

This video is of the third and last message, sent on March 24, 2013, at 0157 UTC, on 14374 kHz, USB:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3gWJLA73V8

T!

1776

Equipment / Re: Running a Persius on a MAC?

« on: March 23, 2013, 0434 UTC »

The Afedri appears to be a pretty good value, as it is quite a lot cheaper than many of the other popular options - at the expense bit of performance.

Keep in mind the AFEDRI is one of the SDRs that I do NOT have hands on.  I have not compared it against the SDRs I have and use, or have had and used first hand, such as the WinRadio G31DDC, G33DDC, RFSpace NetSDR, SDR-IQ, and SDR-14, Microtelicom Perseus, SoftRocks of several flavors, Soft66LC, QS1R, etc.

But, looking at the specs and talking with people who have or have used the AFEDRI I think the performance shortcomings come down to 3 issues that many people will be interested in.  Raw sensitivity, dynamic range, and imaging.  And as far as I know those shortcomings have not been quantified, only identified as issues.

Raw sensitivity is the one that gets most peoples attention, but to tell the truth it is not all that important.  The sensitivity looks to be slightly better than the SDR-IQs is, and slightly worse than the Perseus.  If this is the case it is significantly worse than the G31DDC or the G33DDC.  If you have the advantage of living in a quiet location (form an RFI / noise standpoint) this might be noticeable.  The average city dwelling listener will probably never tell the difference.

Dynamic range and imaging are going to show up in dense and crowded RF locations.  If you have BCB transmitters near or other strong sources of RF this might be a real image.  A suburbs or country dweller might not have a problem but I bet it would show up for a city dweller.

However, I have to say, if I was looking to get into an SDR to see if I liked the technology or as a first SW radio I would have to put the AFEDRI very high on the list, if not at the top.  If I was a long time SWL, used to good equipment and looking to get into the SDR arena I would have to look at one of the better, but more expensive, offerings on the market.

And to the original question, I have no input on MAC stuff, have not used one in years.

T!

1777

Other / Re: The ditters are back

« on: March 22, 2013, 1746 UTC »

The frequencies seem to have changed around 1700z:

During this time period no dits were heard at my location on any freq.  I tried a couple of spot freqs as Chris reported them and then concentrated on freqs from 10000 kHz up.  I got up to about the 15500 kHz area before Chris reported the signal off, and I never saw a thing during my search.

T!

1778

Other / Re: The ditters are back

« on: March 22, 2013, 1744 UTC »

Observed so far on:
10670
10830
10990
11150
11830

During the time period 1629z (first seen, may have been up before that) to 1644z the frequencies appear to have been (incomplete list, signal stopped before all were found):

7800 *
7920 *
8040 *
8160 *
8280 *
8400 *  #
8530 *
8660 *
9050 *  #
9190 *
9610
9900 *
10200 *  #
10350 *
10510 *  #
10670 #
10830 #
10990 #
11150 #
11490 #
11830 #
12190 #

ChrisSmol reported the frequencies from 10200 kHz and down, none of those could be heard here on the west coast.  I only had the freqs from 10350 kHz and up.

Frequencies with asterisk ( * ) are the same frequencies as seen here on April 18 of 2012 for an identical signal.  This is the signal SW-J and I had a discussion about concerning pulse width and multiple sources.  The signal today had the same 3.0 sec spacing and approximately 64 msec pulse width.  Frequencies with hashtag ( # ) are the same frequencies as seen on April 28, 2012 with the same signal.  Both previous dates more frequencies were found above and below the freqs listed here, but the signal was up for over an hour so there was more time to hunt for them.

Note the reuse of some frequencies, such as 9050 kHz, by several pulse/dit/pip signals, not just the one discussed here.  

T!

1779

Spy Numbers / Re: HM01 16.178 AM 2100z on 16 Mar 2013

« on: March 17, 2013, 0230 UTC »

desmo, I showed the freq as 16180 kHz.

T!

1780

Other / Re: The Fast Forward Music Station on 16160 kHz

« on: March 16, 2013, 1455 UTC »

They are a jammer and they respond to their targets.  This means they change frequencies often.  Typically the are jamming staitons like Sound of Hope Chinese service.  If you find a listing for that station you can predict when you have a good chance of hearing Firedrake.

Also remember that many times Firedrake does not come on until 5 to 25 minutes after the hour, so your best bet to hear them is from 30 minutes after the hour until the top of the next hour, when most Firedrake outlets go off air.  Some Firedrake outlets do stay on through the top of the hour and do not break, but that is a minority of them.

Example, right this minute (1450z) Firedrake is up 15870, 15800, 14750, and 13130 kHz (and probably many more freqs, those are just what I saw quickly), but they will be off air in a few minutes.

T!

(edit)

1450z (probably until 1500z) 15870, 15800, 14750, and 13130 kHz.

1540z (probably until 1600z) I only see it on 2 freqs, 11970 and 9955 kHz.

2350z (probably until 0000z) I see it on 18180, 17170, 16920, 15800, 15550, 14980, 13920, and 13850 kHz.

2335z (probably until 0000z)  Different day from above listing.  17300, 16920, 16100, 15970, 15800, 14700, 14400, 13970, 13130, and 12670 kHz

0025z (probably until 0100z) I see it on 18250, 17645, 17300, 17250, 17170, 16920, 16100, 15385, 14750, 13850, 13530, and 11500 kHz.

0125z (probably until 0200z) I have it on 17730, 17300, 17250, 16920, 16600, 14980, 14800, 14750, 13920, and 13530 kHz.

0225z (probably until 0300z) I see it on 17730, 17370, 17250, 17170, 16920, 15800, 14750, and 13850 kHz.

1781

Other / Re: The Fast Forward Music Station on 16160 kHz

« on: March 16, 2013, 0216 UTC »

Firedrake plays music of several different tempos throughout its 60 minute program, some of them are very fast.  I believe you are hearing a normal speed change in tempo.  Why do I say that?  Because I started listening to 16100 about 0140z, and from that time to the time it went off air at 0159:59z and I heard nothing uncommon for Firedrake.  Yes, it was fast, but it was its normal fast pitched drums / pipes.  At 0157:05 it did its normal change and went back to slower paced music, no change in recording speed, just a tempo change in the music.

Watch it for a few days, I bet you will see it "speed up" every day, but this is not a sped up recording, jsut a normal shift in tempo for the program.

T!

1782

Other / Re: The Fast Forward Music Station on 16160 kHz

« on: March 16, 2013, 0154 UTC »

But do you still hear it fast?  Was it fast for only a few minutes, or did it stay fast from then on?

T!

1783

Other / Re: The Fast Forward Music Station on 16160 kHz

« on: March 15, 2013, 2333 UTC »

16100 is the normal old Firedrake, as are the other 13 frequencies I can find it on right now.

Not sure why it was speeded up in your example, in many, many, hours of hearing this jammer I have never heard it do that.  I would assume that it was a technical error.

T!

1784

Other / Re: The Fast Forward Music Station on 16160 kHz

« on: March 15, 2013, 1536 UTC »

In that post they are talking about commercial stations very slightly speeding up a song to make it fit a time slot.  Most of the time when this is done it is almost unnoticeable.  Someone mentions pirate stations doing it also, personally I have never heard an HF pirate do it other than as a bit/skit.

If you had a recording it might help a bit to narrow down what is going on.  Was this music twice as fast as normal?  50% faster?  etc

Also, since your profile does not have a location it might help if you tell people in such a post where you are, that can give folks an idea if they might have a chance to hear the same station you heard.  If you are using a remote to hear this mention the location of the remote.

T!

(edit) OK, a possible answer here.  Have you ever heard the Firedrake Chinese jammer?  Portions of its program can sound "speeded up".

What is scheduled on that freq (16160 kHz) and that time is Sound of Hope out of Taiwan, in Chinese.  Mainland China does not like this station and generally jams it using either CHR1 or Firedrake.  Firedrake almost always stops at the top of the hour.  It generally stays off for 5 to 25 minutes before coming back to jam.  I believe that during this time they are confirming that the program they want to jam is on the target frequency, what is called "listen time" in some jamming applications.

1785

SDR - Software Defined Radio / Re: SDR# Waterfall

« on: March 15, 2013, 0456 UTC »

A couple of suggestions.

First select “Correct IQ” in the “Radio” pane (upper left).  This will not do anything for your noise issue but it will reduce the DC bias or LO spike in the middle of your display

Then try adjusting the Spectrum “Offset” and “Range” slider under the “FFT Display” pane (lower left).  I would try the Range slider first, pushing it to the left a bit from where you have it.

Another suggestion, crank up the FFT Resolution (you have it at 2048 in that image, try 8k or 16k and see how that looks).  This will result in a smoother waterfall, with the data less blocky.

It also looks like the switch in resolution when you went full screen messed with the display, there may not be anything you can do about that excpet to not switch resolutions.

T!