Messages

46

HF Mystery Signals / Re: UNID 18165 to 18185 kHz USB 1604 UTC 2 Nov 2022

« on: November 04, 2022, 1309 UTC »

Thanks T!, found this explanation on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsmMvOuFtOs

Unfortunately, YouTube will not allow me to change that video.  I put that video up on my YouTube channel in 2015, with YouTube hosted annotation (arrows and text words point out some features).  YT stopped their hosted annotation, so all of that annotated information went away, leaving long periods, in the current video, when you are just looking at the signal with no explanation.

Also, in about 2018 the Russian 29B6 went through an upgrade (it was off-air for many months for this upgrade).  When I made that video both 29B6 and PLUTO normally used a 50 Hz rep rate, as shown in the vid.  After the 29B6 upgrade the 29B6 switched to a 40 Hz rep rate as its default, most common, condition.  Also, 29B6 became capable of more simultaneous beams of operation.  Currently PLUTO can do up to 4 simultaneous beams, and 29B6 can do up to 8.  PLUTO most often does about 2, and 29B6 normally has all 8 operating.

As I said, YT will not allow me to change that video, I can delete it, or I can upload an additional vid, but not change that one.  So I have left it up and active for now, intending to do a new vid eventually, with the new 29B6 features more thoroughly pointed out.  One day.

T!

47

HF Mystery Signals / Re: UNID 18165 to 18185 kHz USB 1604 UTC 2 Nov 2022

« on: November 03, 2022, 1221 UTC »

1604 UTC - S7 signal into WNY, some type of OTHR at the tail end of the 17 meter amateur band. Can anyone ID this thing ?
 Sounds like the Russian 29B6 Container Radar reported before ...https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,98675.0.html
1638 UTC - Signal was S7 then off at 1640 UTC.

This was a radar, yes, but not the Russian 29B6 Container.  Instead, this radar is the British PLUTO radar (also called the PLUTO II radar) from the base at Akrotiri.  It actually started on that frequency at about 1345 UTC, and ended, as you note, at about 1640 UTC.

The Russian 29B6 radar and the British PLUTO radar are similar, but can be told apart.  29B6 typically has a width of about 12 - 14 kHz, while the most common PLUTO bandwidth is 20 kHz.  However, both radars have other bandwidths also, for example PLUTO might be 10, 20, 40, or 100 kHz wide (this is not a complete list of possible PLUTO bandwidths, just some of the more common ones).  Note that PLUTO typically uses a bandwidth that is some multiple of 5 kHz, while 29B6 does not.

Also the repetition rates of each radar are different.  This is the audible "buzz" rates of the radars.  29B6 most often uses 40 Hz, while PLUTO most often uses 50 Hz.  However each can use other rates also, but the PLUTO is typically some multiple of 12.5 Hz, i.e., most often 12.5, 25, 50, or 100 Hz.

And when you look at each signal closer, look at the modulation itself, the 29B6 uses FMOP while the PLUTO uses FMCW.  IN the below image the chirps (diagonal lines) at the top are 29B6, and the ones on the bottom are PLUTO.


T!

48

HF Mystery Signals / Re: UNID 14880 USB October 27 2022 00:00 UTC

« on: October 28, 2022, 2200 UTC »

October 28 2022 21:00 UTC Same frequency. Now hearing a deep tone water dripping signal. Fairly regular. Pitch changes but that might be propagation at work. Vey weak, in the noise at S$

https://prnt.sc/-UrazLitYFv3

You don't happen to have an audio recording of it do you?  I strongly suspect that this is the same MFSK Oddity signal, just at the much slower rate of 1 Hz or so.  Compare what you heard to my recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdzHIOUuJ-c

Keep in mind mine may sound slightly different due to filter bandwidth and mode settings.

T!

49

HF Mystery Signals / Re: UNID 14880 USB October 27 2022 00:00 UTC

« on: October 27, 2022, 1034 UTC »

Can't seem to find this one on the Signal Identification Wiki. Very strong with deep fades so not QRM. 4K wide, see pic. Any help would be appreciated. QTH and specifics in my tag. Off at 00:30 UTC

https://prnt.sc/528xhZlrXdpM

https://voca.ro/1h3DonXU9eWU

This is the signal I call the "MFSK Oddity" in my logs.  It is almost certainly (although not proven) associated with the HFT (High Frequency Trading) stations that are popping up on HF.  The version in your screen capture and audio clip is only one type of this signal, it is seen in various widths and rates, from about 2.6 kHz wide to over 20 kHz wide, and from rates as low as one bit per second to as fast as 100 per second. This signal has been around in various formats for a couple years or more.

Some of my recordings of this signal in this post:
https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,94727.0.html

T!

50

HF Mystery Signals / MOVED: UNID 17789 AM 1449 UTC 24 October 2022

« on: October 25, 2022, 1205 UTC »

This topic has been moved to Shortwave Broadcast.

https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php?topic=103741.0

51

Utility / Re: HFGCS Force Directional Message (FDM) and Emergency Action Message (EAM) Log

« on: October 15, 2022, 1322 UTC »

HFGCS Force Directional Message (FDM) and Emergency Action Message (EAM) Log

Daily call sign for 14 October 2022: SQUAD ROOM (ground NCS)

It looks like you did not hear the 166 char EAM that was sent at ~1630z and ~1644z on 14 Oct, 2022.

The message at 1630z was on all HF-GCS freqs, a male voice, and using the SQUAD ROOM callsign.  It was almost immediately repeated, this time by a female voice, using the same SQUAD ROOM callsign, and only on 8992 kHz.  Also, the audio sounded a bit different on the female version, as if, maybe, from a different source.  The 8992 repeat was only heard on US receivers and could not be heard in Europe or Asia.

T!

52

Utility / Re: Have the EAM's gone MIA?

« on: October 14, 2022, 1207 UTC »

From my qth up here by the U.P. of Michigan border south into North Eastern Wisconsin in the deep woods HF 4724 ect. has been zero copy of EAM"s.  Has been for days. Token, Didnt mean to sound arrogent. Apoligies if needed. Take care.

Sometimes, in  a text communications, it can be difficult to judge the other persons intent.  No problem.

Lets keep in mind that I seldom monitor HF-GCS for its own sake, but I monitor other stuff near there (in frequency) and so often I catch HF-GCS traffic even when I am not looking for it.  Call mine a casual, or accidental, observation.  I typically do not log them, but I see / hear them and often accidentally record them when grabbing a chunk of spectrum for something else.

There have been EAMs each day for the past several days.  Yesterday there was at least 6, maybe 10, the day before there was 5 or 6, the day before that there were many.  To the best of my knowledge they were mostly sent on all 4 frequencies, 4724, 8992, 11175, and 15016.  I know that some of them, at least, were on 4724, since I specifically saw that frequency used.

I have noticed that propagation, for me here in the Mojave Desert, appears to have been less favorable for 4724 recently.  Normally that freq is one I can count on, but recently that has been less good than other frequencies.  I am assuming it is propagation, but I suppose it could be a change in the source on 4724.

So it looks to me like there has been plenty of traffic, not heavy, but has been present.  If you have not been hearing it I wonder if it is because of propagation, or possibly hardware issues on their end.

T!

53

Utility / Re: Have the EAM's gone MIA?

« on: October 13, 2022, 1734 UTC »

Do not tell me  to " Define Sometime." Who the hell do you think you are.

Errr...what?

You said "nothing copied for some time now".  I asked you to define what you meant by "some time".  Note I was asking a question, thus the question mark at the end ("Define some time?"), I was not telling you to do anything.  "Some time" is a little bit undefined, did you mean you had not heard anything in the last hour or so, did you mean you had not heard anything in the last day or so, or were you talking you had not heard anything in weeks?

As for who I think I am, I thought I was a person trying to help you find an answer to your question.

T!

54

HF Mystery Signals / Re: "ColdWar WoodPecker 2.0" I CAN'T be the ONLY listener who copied the following:

« on: October 12, 2022, 0206 UTC »

Token: Thanks for your info. I access the internet Exclusively (100%) @ the public library. I have Zero way to record audio/video & post for your evaluation. Again, Thanks for your input.    Still Summer!

UncleJohn, if this was the US ROTHR, or the Australian JORN, that you heard, each has a distinctive, and different, pre-beep.  With the US ROTHR, when listening in SSB mode you may hear a long-short-short burst before the sweeps of the radar actually start.  Kind of sounds like the letter U in Morse code.  With the Australian JORN you will hear a similar, but different, burst, it will be a single long tone, like a Morse code letter T, before the sweeps of the radar start.

Not every burst with start with these pre-tones, but if you listen long enough you should hear one.

T!

55

HF Mystery Signals / Re: "ColdWar WoodPecker 2.0" I CAN'T be the ONLY listener who copied the following:

« on: October 11, 2022, 0959 UTC »

Russian "Container" OTHR auxilary mode (believed to be propagation test sounder) sounds like Woodpecker and does frequency hopping.

(My notes from Sat. night, local): " 0255gmt., All over the G. D. place...WTF/Hell is This?! "Cold War WoodPecker 2.0"?!! F This! Just caught Woody around 6.935usb/rrty/cw modes. "Whistle/Clicking" "sorta rata tat tat (the best description moi can come up with).
(The following from Sunday night, local): 0055gmt., "4.010, 4.045, 4.515, 5.055, 5.090, 6.100, 6.818 (moi skippin' randomly thru the bands), 6.910, 6.945, 7.415, 8.055,... again Whistle/Clicking"! Oh almost forgot, I double checked on my Grundig...there too! So can't be moi's R8B "Bitin' the Dust" (phew!)
                                                                     Dare I Say It?:  Let's Hear It People! 

@minorukun, However, the Russian 29B6 Container sounder (I think that is the signal you are talking about) does not go low enough to be the signal he is reporting, it bottoms out at about 6000 kHz.  But yes, the Container sounder sounds rather Woodpecker'ish if you are tuned in AM mode, it sounds nothing like the old Woodpecker if you are in any other receiver mode, USB, LSB, CCW, etc.  It uses a completely different modulation technique (FMOP vs pulsed), and other than being about 10 Hz it just is not the same in any other way.

Also, at that time of night (0055 GMT and 0255 GMT), at his location, I don't think he would be hearing the Container or its sounder, it just is not heard on the US west coast at this point in the cycle.  A year from now it will be more common, right now it is not.

@UncleJohn, an audio or video recording would really help.  The most probable answer, based on time, location, and description, is the Australian JORN, or the US ROTHR (AN/TPS-71), but without a recording it is all just a guess.  I would lean towards US ROTHR.  One of the problems is that, other than being a pulse sound in AM mode, neither of those really sound anything like the Woodpecker.  In addition to different modulation types (FMCW vs pulsed) they both typically use PRFs (now fast you hear the pulses repeat) significantly faster than the old 10 Hz Woodpecker when in hopping mode.

When you hear / make a recording of a radar, or what you think might be a radar, the best receiver mode to use is SSB (either USB or LSB) and the widest filter you have.  I am assuming a traditional radio, not an SDR, with an SDR you set the filter width to encompass the full width of the signal on a waterfall.  Note, and report, which SSB mode you use (I almost always use USB, just because), as which used can make the signal sound different.  Use of SSB yields the most data / complete description.  For example, it typically makes modern radars sound more like "tweeps" than pulses or ticks, since they pretty much all use some kind of linear FM modulation.

T!

56

Utility / Re: Have the EAM's gone MIA?

« on: October 09, 2022, 1353 UTC »

Nothing copied for some time now.

Define "some time"?  3 hours before your post they were running 6 to 10 per hour.  There were a couple after 0000z, but before that was moderate / heavy traffic for a couple of hours.  The newbs on several forums were freaking out with statements like "I have never heard them this often" etc.  Of course the traffic level was not unprecedented, but it was fairly active for a while.

T!

57

Utility / Re: SKYMASTER Traffic Log

« on: September 24, 2022, 2134 UTC »

DEATH 32 may be;
DEATH A-10A 355th Wing, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
DEATH    B-2A, 509th BW, Whiteman AFB MO
DEATH   A-10, 23 Wing Moody AFB GA
My bet is B2

SPEAR F-15 33rd FW, Eglin AFB, FL

Yeah, I would go with B-2 also.  Although, it "DEATH" might be a tactical call, and not one on a list.

I am not sure, but I think the A-10 has no SSB HF capability.  They have a lot of radios to talk with people on the ground, but I don't think any are SSB.

T!

58

Utility / Re: Test EAMs on 7000 USB in the ham band

« on: September 02, 2022, 0143 UTC »

• In the past, I have only ever heard "MESSAGE OF" when the message exceeds the standard 30 items;

I have heard the use of the term "MESSAGE OF" for all lengths of message, long, short, and "standard".  But it is most common with longer messages.  And when it is sent with the normal length stuff it always makes me take note, sometimes thinking "must be a new op".

T!

59

HF Mystery Signals / Re: UNID 7000 UNID Mode 0117 UTC 28 JUL 2022

« on: August 01, 2022, 1701 UTC »

Yes, this is CIS-12 / AT3x04D / Fire / whatever other name people have given it.  I say "AT3x04D" because both the AT3004D and AT3104D modems have this mode.  I have seen it on this frequency before.

An easy tell-tale (visually) is the 3300 Hz Doppler / Pilot tone, when combined with the rest of the signal.  This is the carrier like portion of the signal to the right of the data.  In this case (the last image you posted) the tuned frequency and mode would be 7058.0 kHz, USB mode.  This puts the Doppler tone right at 3300 Hz audio.  In the state your pictures show the 12 PSK data channels can be seen, but in other states it may look very different, and the Pilot tone will still be present.  There is also a 20 tone version, typically called CIS-20, that is from the same modem (I think only the AT3104D, not the AT3004D) and looks almost identical except for the 20, vs 12, PSK tones.

I know we don't use it much, and no one has added anything to it in years, but this signal is in this sites Signal Identification page:
https://www.hfunderground.com/wiki/index.php/File:CIS12.jpg

T!

60

HF Mystery Signals / MOVED: UNID 11175.8 CW 0122 UTC 18 JUL 2022

« on: July 18, 2022, 2249 UTC »

This topic has been moved to Other.

https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php?topic=99698.0