Topics

16

Utility / JN53DV time station on 10Hz in Italy

« on: September 30, 2022, 2010 UTC »

New to me...

10 MHz experimental time station in Italy, JN53DV, with fast CW every minute and top of hour. Plays "Dance of the Hours" from Italian ballet opera “La Gioconda” by Amilcare Ponchielli, between pips. AM but modulates to USB like Canada.

Via Twente SDR, 30 Sept 2022, 0300 UTC

17

Shortwave Broadcast / Radio Romania International 11825 AM 0330-0357 UTC

« on: September 30, 2022, 0445 UTC »

30 Sept 2022
11825 AM
0345 UTC Radio Romania International (from Galbeni-Bacau in Romania) in English, news, commentary and music. Fair signal through noise and fades.

Sony ICF-2010 portable with random wire antenna on grass in backyard, better than whip.

18

Utility / UNID net 6818 khz 24 Sept 2022 0227 UTC

« on: September 24, 2022, 0345 UTC »

Net via Magnavox D2935 portable on the whip. Drifty BFO tuner, no way to distinguish LSB from USB.

24 Sept 2022
6818 sideband, slightly off frequency, between 6818-6819 kHz
0227z American English language net, only net control fairly clearly audible, radio checks, check-ins. Can't quite copy station IDs.
0233z 9WF? Nine Whiskey Foxtrot, data burst
Net control also having difficulty copying stations reporting in.
0238z "You are weak, mostly unreadable, probably need a relay, wait." (Something tango X-ray)

19

North American Shortwave Pirate / Two Dog Radio 6280 USB 0156 UTC 24 Sept 2022

« on: September 24, 2022, 0210 UTC »

6280 USB, following Thunder Chicken Radio
0156z some version of The Thrill is Gone, more blues, some QRM from adjacent comms
0207z Two Dog Radio ID

Fair signal to the old Magnavox D2935 portable on the whip with guestimate BFO tuner.

20

Utility / UNID net 6981 USB 8 Sept 2022 0215 UTC

« on: September 08, 2022, 0528 UTC »

8 Sept 22 UTC
6981 USB
0215z
CIW517 call sign (?), was only clearly audible operator. Responses barely audible.
0229z data burst

Ham net. Talk about arrest of second suspect in Saskatchewan, presumably referring to Sanderson brothers, saying suspect died in custody.

Conduct of net was similar to MARS nets, which I haven't heard in years. Might account for the out of band, unlisted frequency, which MARS nets sometimes used years ago.

21

North American Shortwave Pirate / UNID stations 6915-6926 22 Aug 2022 0000-0050 UTC

« on: August 22, 2022, 0306 UTC »

Field notes from outdoor walk with portable radio and telescoping whip, between rain from regional t-storms. No IDs heard for any. Fair to good signals, peaking between 0030-0050 UTC with some fading, lots of noise from regional t-storms, some RFI. Listening via Panasonic portable from under a highway bridge, sheltered from rain, trying to avoid heavy RFI at my apartment.

Sunday August 21-Monday 22 Aug, 2022
0000UTC, 7 PM local
Bluesy guitar, sounds like concert. Barely audible over noise.
22 Aug 22
0007z - Sounds like Joe Bonamassa version of ZZ Top Just Got Paid
0016z signal improving here over increasing noise, t-storms and flickering RFI
0025z SSTV
0026z Joe Bonamassa again

0017z "CQ 17" a bit louder and slightly off frequency
0020z QRM music and voice slightly above 6915, stronger signal. Maybe 6917, odd sounding fx

Reportedly Thunder Chicken Radio on 6915, no ID heard here.

***
6920 (presumably USB, no way to tell on this portable with BFO tuner for sideband)
0027z 6920 music, good signal, hard to tune with portable radio BFO
0040z female computer voice shout out to HFU listeners by name Ray, My T Quinn, others, "What would you like to hear?"
0050z Doors "Summer's Almost Gone" for Skipmunk, "Wishful, Sinful," ended song early, Mountain "Mississippi Queen" booming signal, almost overloading my portable. Sounded like op was using computer voice to respond to HFU loggers.

***
6925
0033z music not quite as strong as 6920, better audio, less distortion

Presumably moved up to 6926
While walking home so no other notes for time, Nirvana "Come As You Are," Linda Ronstadt "Long, Long Time". Strong signal, sudden fade as local conditions changed at dusk, t-storms rolling in.

22

General Radio Discussion / American Red Cross Asks ARRL’s Assistance with Puerto Rico Relief Effort

« on: September 28, 2017, 0420 UTC »

American Red Cross Asks ARRL’s Assistance with Puerto Rico Relief Effort

09/24/2017
The American Red Cross (ARC) has asked the ARRL for assistance with relief efforts in Puerto Rico. ARC needs up to 50 radio amateurs who can help record, enter, and submit disaster-survivor information into the ARC Safe and Well system. In the nearly 75-year relationship between ARRL and ARC, this is the first time such a request for assistance on this scale has been made. ARRL now is looking for radio amateurs who can step up and volunteer to help our friends in Puerto Rico.

Requirements
There are very specific requirements and qualifications needed for this deployment.

Due to the nature of this deployment you will need to process in as ARC volunteers. This includes passing a background check. The ARC has indicated that it will cover all expenses for transportation, lodging, and feeding while on deployment. ARC will also provide liability coverage for volunteers. The only out-of-pocket expense to the volunteer would be personal items purchased during deployment.

ARRL and ARC will require training for volunteers being deployed. ARC will provide general deployment training and advanced training in working in austere environments. ARRL will provide to ARC training on Amateur Radio equipment and modes to be used, reporting guidelines, and operating guidelines.

Deployment will be for up to 3 weeks.

Qualifications
General class Amateur Radio license or higher
Familiarity with WinLink, HF voice, and VHF simplex communications
Strong technical skills
Ability to work under difficult conditions
Ability to deploy for up to 3 weeks
Ability to work as part of a team
Helpful Skills

Spanish language skills
Previous experience in disaster response
Previous or current work as a Red Cross volunteer
Previous experience with shelter operations
If you feel that you meet these qualifications and would like to be considered for this deployment, please contact ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager Mike Corey, KI1U (860-594-0222), who will make the introduction of qualified volunteers to ARC.

23

North American Shortwave Pirate / Unid relay of KIPM 6925 AM 2350 UTC 12 Dec 2015

« on: December 13, 2015, 0028 UTC »

Unid relay of KIPM 6925 AM 2350 UTC 12 Dec 2015

Caught only bits and pieces of this outdoors on Sony 2010 portable in AM sync mode.  Elkhorn QSL contact address, so one of the later KIPM programs.  Title sounded like "Monsters of the Mind" episode, not sure.

Just barely audible during peaks, too much local QRN from storms to copy much.  Audio seemed clear during peaks.

24

North American Shortwave Pirate / Unid SSTV 6925 USB 0738 UTC 20 Sept 2015

« on: September 20, 2015, 1857 UTC »

Unattended reception of three SSTV images between 0738-0757 UTC on 6925 USB, in Scottie DX, Robot 72 and SC2 180 modes (might be inaccurate, sometimes MMSSTV auto-triggers incorrectly).

25

Shortwave Broadcast / Unusually low audio modulation on XEPPM Radio Educación Mexico 6185 AM 8 Sept 20

« on: September 08, 2015, 0557 UTC »

Unusually low audio modulation on XEPPM Radio Educación Mexico 6185 AM 8 Sept 2015 0438 UTC.  One of the few remaining great shortwave broadcasters with diverse programming, but for some reason XEPPM has had unusually low audio modulation this year despite a pretty strong carrier.  The S7-S9 carrier over very modest QRN has modulation comparable to only an S2-S3 signal.  Reminiscent of Radio Cairo several years ago, which also boasted a strong carrier but very weak modulation.

Video recording off-speaker audio, switching between Radio Shack Optimus cube and Palstar SP30 speakers.

26

North American Shortwave Pirate / Unid - Ozzy - 6925 USB 6 Sept 2015 0110 UTC

« on: September 06, 2015, 0136 UTC »

Unid - Ozzy - 6925 USB 6 Sept 2015 0110 UTC
Not much to log, heard one Ozzy or Black Sabbath song (familiar but can't recall the title) on 6925 USB, with carrier underneath around 6925.2 from another AM station.  Faded out or off after a few minutes.

27

North American Shortwave Pirate / The Crystal Ship 6850 4 Sept 2015 0130 UTC

« on: September 04, 2015, 0131 UTC »

0130z: Kansas "Carry On Wayward Son" - extremely heavy local RFI, tough copy
0139z: BTO "Let it Ride", signal a bit stronger
0142z: The Crystal Ship shortwave relay network ID, audio clip from Monty Python and the Holy Grail
0142z: Judas Priest "You got another thing coming"
0148z: Springsteen "No Surrender"
0153z: Autograph "Turnip the Radio"
0157z: TCS unchained ID, Jane's Addiction "Been Caught Stealing"

SINPO=32322, good signal peaks, just miserable conditions locally between fades and heavy local RFI.

0220z: Van Halen, one break, coming up.
0222z: The Who "I'm Free"
0233z: The Who "Magic Bus", Don Felder "Heavy Metal"
0238z: .38 Special "Rocking Into the Next Motel 8"
0241z: Springsteen "Born to Run". Yikes, 40 years this year?  Can't be.
0246z: Donner Pass Diner ad, Jackson Browne "Running on Empty"
0305z: Sounds like sign-off, Quint, Ramones

SINPO=33323, good signal peaks, a little less local RFI after 0230z.

28

North American Shortwave Pirate / Turtle Head Radio 6925 USB 3 Sept 2015 0230 UTC

« on: September 03, 2015, 0231 UTC »

6925 USB 3 Sept 2015 0230 UTC

0230z: Just tuned in, didn't catch ID, hearing Charlie Sexton "Beat's So Lonely" through heavy local RFI.  Haven't heard the Texas guitar slinger in many years.  Some audio or transmitter glitches.
0235z: ID, sounds like Turtlehead Radio, but not sure due to heavy local RFI
0236z: Gene Loves Jezebel "Desire"
0243z: Another ID, still buried under local RFI.  More classic '80s tunes, INXS "Original Sin"
0250z: Icicle Works "Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)" - just barely audible but familiar
0251z: Loud and clear ID for Turtle Head Radio, audio clip from Tropic Thunder.  Never go full retard.  That's fer dang sure.
0252z: Nick Lowe "Cruel to be Kind".  Also fer dang sure.
0256z: Talking Heads "Take Me to the River"
0306z: Turtle Head Radio ID and Tropic Thunder audio clip.
0319z: Off or faded out.

Don't need Shazam or Firefly for these tunes, even through heavy RFI.

SINPO=32322, decent signal peaks but lots of roller coaster fading and heavy local RFI from parking lot and street lights.

29

North American Shortwave Pirate / OTR 6770 AM 28 Aug 2015 0145 UTC

« on: August 28, 2015, 0214 UTC »

Unusually strong signals (for my area) from stations that are normally barely audible, possibly gray line peak as the favorable conditions evaporated by 9 pm local time (0200 UTC).

0130-0145z: Heard Burns and Allen radio show, clear enough during peaks for AM tuning rather than sideband.

30

North American Shortwave Pirate / The Crystal Ship via Relay Network 6876 AM 28 Aug 2015 0045z

« on: August 28, 2015, 0112 UTC »

Carrier popped up around 0045z.  Just barely audible, hearing bits and pieces of '80s rock, Cure "Just Like Heaven", Tom Petty & HB "The Waiting".
0115z: The Crystal Ship Relay Network ID
0118z: Scorpions "No One Like You"
0124z: Donnie Iris "Ah Leah"
0135z: Peaking again after faded for several minutes, Belinda Carlisle "I Get Weak"

As of 0118z, SINPO=23332, just strong enough during peaks to copy familiar music and IDs.

Battling steady intermittent beeping tone that's nearly always audible around 6875 this year.

0207z: Just barely audible again after long fade-out.  Moody Blues "I know you're out there somewhere" and TCS ID.
0235z: Harry Nilsson "Without You"
0310z: Roxette "Fading Like a Flower" - never heard this one before, ID'd from a Google lyric search during a signal peak.
0325z: Meat Loaf, two outta three slices ain't bad.  One outta three = food poisoning.

Unusual conditions, I'm betting on gray line peak.  TCS and OTR stronger than usual, while local pesquitoes on 6900 LSB were barely audible.  Likewise the two aviation weather freqs I check daily for a rough gauge of conditions flip-flopped: 6754 Trenton was stronger than usual, while 6604 NY was weaker.  Then both resumed usual patterns after 0200 UTC.