Messages

4876

General Radio Discussion / Re: Waterfall Display

« on: March 14, 2013, 0046 UTC »

skeezlx and Token: Thank you for the replies they were very helpful.

Since I am currently limited to one of the VHF/UHF USB dongles and the supplied antenna haven't been able to locate AM signals. I would like to see what some of the data signals look like. I know that some of the local hams are using APRS, so that shouldn't be too hard to find.

On VHF/UHF/800, its usually FM or digital. You can find AM on 118-137 MHz for aircraft (and 108-118, but those are navigation aids and unless you're near one of them, probably not worth worrying about).

With the amateurs, it can be a grab bag of FM, AM, SSB, digital, depending on your location and their whimsy.


The Z axis is the third axis, that is in/out of your screen. Since that's not practical, its represented in different colors and/or intensities.

4877

General Radio Discussion / Re: Waterfall Display

« on: March 14, 2013, 0032 UTC »

Thanks. Things are beginning to make some sense now. Using the same image, would the line to the left of 6840 be a carrier signal?

Looks like that could be a carrier.

A much better example- If you look to that mass of color to the right, 6875 which is WWCR, you can see the carrier in the middle. LSB to the left and USB to the right.

The yellow mess just to the left of 6900 is some digital mode.

At 6885, what looks like a lone carrier is Galei Zahal from Israel. They come in many nights (if you're lucky enough to hear them, I can only see a carrier, but hear no audio being in MN.  Those on the east coast can hear them). Can just barely see some audio in the USB (to the right).

This is not a great waterfall image as there's interference from something (HAARP?).

4878

General Radio Discussion / Re: Another Pirate Radio Bust

« on: March 14, 2013, 0023 UTC »

Interfering with ATC and repeated warnings? Might as well put sign on the door "bust me!"

4879

Other / Re: 43 meter band wide noise 2105 UTC 10 Mar 2013

« on: March 13, 2013, 1206 UTC »

Was reading an overnight digest (digest #5176 from Mar 13) from the dxld Yahoo! group and there was a message:

just noticed HAARP is active again on 8630 & 9330 with 50 khz wide signals 25 khz each side of center frequencies. just sounds like a fast radar.

DH KCMO

9330 stuck out as that's what I noticed around Mar 13th @ 0342Z.  Leads me to believe that the helicopter = HAARP.

A while back, zackers posted (http://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php?topic=6326.0) how to tell if HAARP was operating. He said to look for wide blocks of yellow in their spectrum waterfall chart:
http://www.haarp.alaska.edu/data/spectrum2/www/hf.html

If that's the case, then can see that in the last 36 hours, around 0300-0400Z they were operating around 9300 & this morning around 8700. Which would be consistent with what I & DH (from dxld) heard.

In looking at the chart from Mar 10th, can see a little block of yellow near 7 MHz around 21Z. But, doesn't show up around 22Z when beerus heard it.
http://www.haarp.alaska.edu/cgi-bin/spectrum/getchart.cgi

4880

Other / Re: 43 meter band wide noise 2105 UTC 10 Mar 2013

« on: March 13, 2013, 0343 UTC »

Hearing what sounds like a helicopter (in AM) from 9301 to 9358 and is of decent strength.  Mar 13, 2013 0342Z



_{Sangean ATS-909X with 25' wire}

4881

Shortwave Broadcast / Firedrakes Mar 13, 2013 0235Z

« on: March 13, 2013, 0248 UTC »

17730 35433 S8 0235Z
17170 25432 S7 0237Z
16920 35433 S8 0237Z
16600 35433 S8 0238Z
16360 15421 S5 0238Z
16100 15421 S5 0238Z (barely above the noise)
15970 15421 S5 0239Z
14750 45433 S8 0240Z
14400 35433 S7 0241Z


_{Perseus SDR with Wellbrook ALA1530S+ loop}

4882

General Radio Discussion / Re: Ham Radio in Hollywood: Last Man Standing to Feature Amateur Radio Storyline

« on: March 12, 2013, 2254 UTC »

Maybe it's the EAM Girl.  At least, that is how I will imagine her from now on...

Or:
http://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/topic,6539.0.html

4883

General Radio Discussion / Re: Waterfall Display

« on: March 12, 2013, 2250 UTC »

I find the waterfalls invaluable. Only been using them for a year and a half or so, but provides so much information as Token mentioned. And using it became second nature for me after about a week or two (same with the spectrum display).

If you're looking for a weak station, can pick that out even if you can't hear it. Then can sit & wait to see if propagation improves and then can listen to it. Otherwise, may never have noticed it and skipped right by it.

I used it the other night specifically to check for a station. The Mighty KBC was testing on 5955 kHz at 0900-1000Z. I knew there was a very, very slim chance that I would hear it, but since I happened to be up anyway (  ), gave it a try. Went to the SDR and looked at the waterfall for about 20 seconds and didn't see even a hint of a carrier. That was enough confirmation that no way was 5955 coming over here at that hour, so went back to bed (after confirming on the Twente WebSDR that they were transmitting, which they were). 

Listen to what you hear and compare with what you see. With Token's suggestions and using it, you'll figure it out in no time. 

Some applications also have a live spectrum display. I use one that has both visible at the same time and trying to find signals with the two displays is exactly like shooting fish in a barrel, especially ones that aren't constantly on.

4884

Shortwave Broadcast / Radio France Int'l 9790//11605//11700 March 12, 2013 0508Z

« on: March 12, 2013, 0509 UTC »

9790 15421 S1
11605 35433 S3
11700 35433 S3

OM speaking in French. All freqs are in parallel.




_{Sangean ATS-909X with 25' wire}

4885

Shortwave Broadcast / Voice of Turkey 9655 kHz March 12, 2013 0421Z

« on: March 12, 2013, 0425 UTC »

0421Z 35423 S5 Pretty decent signal with flutter. English program, some culture type thing.
0423Z 35423 S5 ID "This is the Voice of Turkey"
0424Z 35423 S5 Talk of Turkish films.  (Strangely, no mention of Turkish Star Trek. I've seen it and it sure is something.)
0434Z 35423 S5 The Question of the Month: "What is the name of the popular singer that performed in Istanbul on Feb 21st & 22nd."
0435Z 35423 S5 Music
0448Z 35423 S5 News headlines
0448Z 35423 S5 Frequency sked
0450Z 35423 S5 Signed off followed by IS.
0450Z Off air



_{Sangean ATS-909X with 25' wire}

4886

Shortwave Broadcast / Voice of Islamic Republic of Iran 9710//11770 Mar 12, 2013 0417Z

« on: March 12, 2013, 0419 UTC »

English Voice of Justice
9710 (33423) // 11770 (45423)  Talk show with topics of war & U.S.. Both freqs about the same, but 9710 has co-channel interference.



_{Sangean ATS-909X with 25' wire}

4887

Shortwave Broadcast / Firedrakes Mar 12, 2013 0325Z

« on: March 12, 2013, 0334 UTC »

0323Z  17860 kHz  35433 S8
0324Z  14750 kHz  25432 S7
0325Z  15900 kHz  45434 S8
0326Z  14400 kHz  15431 S- (just above the noise)
0327Z  13820 kHz  15331 S- (just above the noise)
0327Z  13760 kHz  15331 S- (just above the noise)



_{Perseus SDR with Wellbrook ALA1530S+ loop}

4888

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: 6925AM 01:42 UNID 03/11/2013

« on: March 11, 2013, 0202 UTC »

25432 S7 Music
0201Z 25432 S7 ID "Captain Morgan Shortwave"
0206Z 25432 S7 ID
0206Z 25432 S7 Music
0226Z 25432 S7 Jimi Hendrix "All Along The Watchtower"
0230Z Off air.


_{Perseus SDR with Wellbrook ALA-1530S+ loop}

4889

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Radio Ronin Shortwave 6925AM 0013z 3-11-13

« on: March 11, 2013, 0101 UTC »

About S9 here, 35433. Lots of great songs, never heard most of these before.

0100Z 35433 S9 ID. Signal coming up and sounding good.
0115Z 35433 ID + stuff.
0129Z Off air



_{Perseus SDR with Wellbrook ALA1530S+ loop}

4890

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: BOR - 13875 - 1629UTC - 10/3/13

« on: March 10, 2013, 1633 UTC »

1630Z 15421 S5 Just above the noise. Heard ID & some music. One of the rare times, its strong enough to listen to.
1658Z 25422 S6 Signal better, but still fluctuating.
1702Z 35423 S8 Signal came up more, still some fading to the noise, but overall much better.
1709Z 35423 S8 ID



_{Perseus SDR with Wellbrook ALA1530S+ loop}