Messages

2971

HF Beacons / Re: Afternoon Beacons

« on: March 20, 2015, 1845 UTC »

Many of these beacons move around a bit in freq, so the relative frequencies of this trio can be different at different times.

Here is a spectrum shot of Rocky, Rainy, and the Unknown ditter.  At the time of this image Rocky was centered on 6626.7, Rainy on 6626.4, and the Unknown at 6626.2.

I think this unknown has been there a while, just not reported.  I would have to look at old SDR recordings to try and come up with a time frame, unfortunately Rocky / Rainy is one I tune to often, but almost never record.

T!

After a little while I did recognize the crappy frequency stability of a lot of the pirate beacons. I've been inconsistent about reporting it here as I was more about just logging that it could be heard in my location at certain times of day. Now that I have the PX3 display it does not matter what mode the radio is in as I can rapidly spot signals without having to tune around. My monitoring location is urban-noisy so it takes days with great propagation to hear a lot of these.

2972

HF Beacons / Re: Pips 13559 kHz

« on: March 20, 2015, 1838 UTC »

I never used just narrow CW mode to look at this signal.  Rather, the demodulation mode might be narrow CW, but since pretty much all I use for this kind of monitoring is SDR I have always seen that wider signal you are talking about, I just never mentioned it because I assumed everyone else was seeing / hearing it also.  I think you are seeing multiple signals, not just a single one.  The wider signal you are showing there goes away for me around sundown, while the ditter stays in there a while after the wider one goes away.  13560 kHz is smack in the middle of an ISM (Industrial, Scientific, Medical) band.  These are regions where there are all kinds of mystery signals, pretty much any device that must radiate for non-communications purposes is a candidate for these bands.  For example, some (not all) RFID tags and readers work at 13560 kHz.  I have seen laser pumps and modulators at that frequency (and similar ISM bands).

Signals seen here might be local, or might be DX, for example I traced down one particular 13560 kHz signal to a local retail store, it is part of their inventory control / shoplift detection system at the door of the store.

T!

So far I have always seen them together but I've not monitored 24/7 yet and am open to the possibility. What is telling is that you, Dag and I are hearing different things in different locations: I always hear the double dit on 58th PIP no matter what time of day, Dag always hears the 55th as a double and you have heard no double dit late at night.

So, I am still doubtful that there is one beacon broadcasting one pattern to all.

2973

HF Beacons / Re: Afternoon Beacons

« on: March 20, 2015, 0018 UTC »

I am pretty sure that I am hearing the 3rd beacon that Token alerted me to and it is distinctive. A fast dit that sounds as if it goes up in frequency a little and the PX3's display seems to show that. Maybe a 2 dit/sec rate?. Currently centered at 6626.420 KHz. Local time is 17:05 PST

2974

Clandestine Stations / Re: Updated B14 Clandestine list 3/18/15

« on: March 19, 2015, 0018 UTC »

Thank you very much! Am going to print it out to keep by the radio.

best regards,

Jim

2975

HF Beacons / Re: Pips 13559 kHz

« on: March 18, 2015, 1726 UTC »

We have a different mystery on our hands but it is not a beacon of the type that we chase. What we thought was a PIP of some sort is part of a larger signal
centered at 13,560 KHz

http://imgur.com/iNMZI5P

When using just narrow CW mode we missed all of the content. The signal was so strong today that I tried AM, FM, Sidebands, digital etc. and then I looked at the waterfall display and understood



When we tuned lower than the center frequency we only picked up what seemed like a 1 second PIP

2976

HF Beacons / Re: Morning log

« on: March 17, 2015, 1334 UTC »

from 06:30 to 06:35 local

13,559.86 unknown PIP with 60 second cycle and solid signal
5205.3  Sally with good signal
2097.3  "A" in CW about 10 secs apart, very strong

2977

HF Beacons / Re: Pips 13559 kHz

« on: March 17, 2015, 1328 UTC »

I have been listening and counting pips since 06:00 PST and it is still running the same pattern. Maybe there are multiple transmitters and we are each hearing something different?

2978

HF Beacons / Re: Pips 13559 kHz

« on: March 17, 2015, 0406 UTC »

A Russian numbers station was heard on this freq last year

Post #6   http://www.aurfscan.com.au/showthread.php?9499-Cuban-numbers

2979

HF Beacons / Re: Pips 13559 kHz

« on: March 17, 2015, 0344 UTC »

I'll be curious to see what this thing does during other time periods. Right now at 20:44 local it is still on the same pattern that I put in YouTube. If you make any other observations please note the time.

2980

HF Beacons / Re: Evening Beacon

« on: March 17, 2015, 0342 UTC »

13,559.86 unknown PIP with 60 second cycle

2981

HF Beacons / Re: "C" single letter CW beacon 13527 kHz

« on: March 16, 2015, 2117 UTC »

Nice catch! When I next go out to the desert for a DX-pedition I need to remember to bring a list of beacons like this in order to see what I can catch.

2982

HF Beacons / Re: Pips 13559 kHz

« on: March 16, 2015, 1718 UTC »

Agree on timing as there would be exactly 60 PIPs in 60 seconds if they were on second each. Maybe you and Dag and I need to log exact times and see if somehow this signal's timing varies across 24 hours. Last night when I made the video it was the same as other times I have observed in the morning and midday but I should now start logging exact times. I've also been watching my waterfall display on the PX-3 to see if any other artifacts arise.

In my truck I have a Yaesu FT-857D HF transceiver with the ATAS-120 screwdriver antenna (not a great antenna but okay). Yesterday morning in my driveway I heard this signal quite well and as I drove South about 25 miles on the freeway I heard a variety of other signals come and go on the same frequency.

2983

HF Beacons / Re: Morning log

« on: March 16, 2015, 1349 UTC »

5205.3 KHz  SALLY
13,559.86 unknown PIP with 60 second cycle

2984

HF Beacons / Re: Audio Recordings Of Beacons

« on: March 16, 2015, 0518 UTC »

13,558.855 unknown beacon  

Here is what I am hearing in Southern California on a video. There is a double PIP in the first second or two of video then 57 PIPs and at 1:02 a double PIP

Video/Audio at https://youtu.be/DLMZOSGsSv8


EDIT  Mar 18, 2015
It turns out that it is not a beacon but is some digital signal centered more at 13,560 KHz as can be seen in this waterfall display. What was thought to be a beacon or "pip" was just one component of the whole signal.

2985

HF Beacons / Re: Morning log

« on: March 16, 2015, 0517 UTC »

update as of tonight

13,558.855 unknown beacon 

Here is what I am hearing in Southern California on a video. There is a double PIP in the first second or two of video then 57 PIPs and at 1:02 a double PIP

Video/Audio at https://youtu.be/DLMZOSGsSv8