Messages

691

Equipment / Re: Harmonics

« on: December 31, 2019, 2108 UTC »

First off is the noise blanker on? If so, that may be causing imd from strong signal overload. To test for this simply disable the nb and see if the issue is resolved or reduced.

If it is and you still need the nb in operation, what i do is find about the strongest am sig I can and tune like 3kc up or down from the carrier so you're in the splash. Then enable the nb and adjust the level until there's no imd, then you should be in good shape with regards to imd caused by the nb on just about any sig level.


If the nb isn't at fault, perhaps the preamp is on and is causing imd? Disable it to test. If using a sdr, reduce the gain however one does so, and check for imd. If it happens regardless of acceptable gain settings, a ambc highpass filter may be the only thing you can do to remedy the issue.

Also test via another radio, if present on both then it may well be the station having spurs. In that case time to make a phone call.

692

VHF/UHF Logs, including satellites and radiosondes / Re: UHF mil air

« on: December 31, 2019, 2055 UTC »

TACAMO flight burning mux on 366.600MHz 2030Z 31DEC19
Dtmf and ssb voice on orderwire. Strong sig so far.

693

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Radio Illuminati 5145 AM 1828 UTC 31 Dec 2019

« on: December 31, 2019, 2053 UTC »

Thanks for the alt tracks!

694

Equipment / Re: Harmonics

« on: December 31, 2019, 0144 UTC »

You sure it's them and not your station?

695

General Radio Discussion / Re: TDoA Questions & maybe an article?

« on: December 30, 2019, 2223 UTC »

I suspect the only real way to obfuscate is with multiple tx sites that are gps timed to be offset/skewed so as to smear the tdoa results. I doubt it would sound very good. Think of it as a modern day conelrad but for pirates!

696

Huh? / Re: Sleepy LaBeef, a Rockabilly Mainstay, Is Dead at 84

« on: December 30, 2019, 2218 UTC »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHS0YQmYkLU

697

Huh? / Re: Don Imus, Legendary 'Imus in the Morning' Host, Dies at 79

« on: December 30, 2019, 2210 UTC »

You are not incorrect, Josh.  But I will take the biting, cutting remark as your homage to the late Mr. Imus   .

Lol never even heard of him till the nappy incident.

698

Equipment / Re: MLA-30 Loop antenna

« on: December 30, 2019, 2208 UTC »

I recall reading in the teardown/review that the input of the guts is looking for something on the order of 100 ohms, so a loop that had that z at hf would likely perform best.

699

Other / Re: Jackassery on 7200 LSB 16:42 UTC

« on: December 30, 2019, 2204 UTC »

Around here it's known as HAMs Behaving Badly.

700

Utility / Re: CIS Navy on HF

« on: December 30, 2019, 2158 UTC »

The part of the 12mHz band we listen to is populated with many strange creatures (other than ourselves of course).
From Piscadors in Spanish ssb to various other maritime assets communicating, for example at 12577.0 kHz (tune 2kc lower to decode) we have a global gmdss freq that sees a lot of traffic.
Another frequent visitor is a othr of some type who often plops their doppler correction/equalizer training tone right on 12464, when he's on freq you hear the letter O sent in slow morse and then a burst of radar fart, when he's off freq you just hear the fart.

The portion of the 8mHz band we tune to also has nearby non-naval maritime cw freqs that are still active in addition to the CIS Naval channels. It also sometimes gets a visit from a radar/fart and loads of pescadors pescadoring.

This extraneous traffic is why a rig with a fish finder (panadapter display) is so wonderful for the hobbyist, you can see what is going on around you, and in most cases identify the type of signal without tuning to it.

In the near future the sdr will be hooked back up to the tenna so multiple vrx operation can ensue, being able to copy both sides of a duplex net without having to switch vfos will be interesting. In the past, pros (men from US Army, Navy, and Air Force on loan to NSA) would stand watch for hours with two or three R390As sitting in front of them, one R390A tuned to the outstation (in our case the ships) and another R390A tuned to the control (Naval hq), with the other R390A (in the case of the lucky ones who had 3 R390As) tuned to a hfbc station playing current rock music, shoes off and cup of coffee in hand, copying morse traffic by pencil or on a mill (typewriter). Their logs would then be sent to NSA and the various commands who wanted the traffic, today we just want to see who we can hear, however NSA (and other sigint orgs around the world) watches us and our logs too. Hi guys!

701

MW Loggings / Re: WPTX 1690 210 UTC 9 Dec 2019

« on: December 30, 2019, 2134 UTC »

HAHA! Yes! Woo her with dulcet sound emanating from your 74 Pinto Pioneer Supertuner/8 Track combo!

702

VHF/UHF Logs, including satellites and radiosondes / Re: UHF mil air

« on: December 30, 2019, 2130 UTC »

TACAMO flight burning mux on 366.600MHz 2100Z 30DEC19
Psk modem on orderwire.

703

General Radio Discussion / Re: Radio to the rescue!!

« on: December 29, 2019, 2009 UTC »

Interesting piece, seems someone can pop a nuke anywhere in orbit and fry stuff around the world. Also note that NK has two "sats" up, they fly over the US a few times a day but apparently have not emitted a peep, causing some to speculate they're emp weapons rather than comsats.

704

Utility / Re: CIS Navy on HF

« on: December 29, 2019, 1952 UTC »

When you hear traffic on 8345 or 12464 look for the other side of the duplex channel on the following freqs;

RIW Moscow sends to ships on 9145, 11000, 14556

RCV Sevastopol sends to ships on 15586 day and 7566 night, with weather reports also on 5915, in the past on 10543

RIT Murmansk (artic circle) 5343, 7467, 11155

RAA St Petersburg 8120

RJS Vladivostok (pacific coast of Russia) 4048, 5411, 7632, 10203, 13636

RIW, RIT, and RCV are the most commonly copied hq calls heard here, so whoever is called by the ship being monitored, look for a response to their call on the designated channels.
The top two are also the most likely to be heard here due their locations, I don't expect to hear RJS Vladivostok (means something like Ruler of East) at all for the most part due the distances and would be surprised if I could hear RIT Murmansk.

705

Huh? / Re: Don Imus, Legendary 'Imus in the Morning' Host, Dies at 79

« on: December 28, 2019, 1924 UTC »

something about being nappy headed goes here