Topics

136

Huh? / The mystery -550Hz carrier within 1240AM. I'm not the only one hearing this.

« on: December 19, 2021, 2104 UTC »

Here in WV, I'll do the late night drive home from work, and sometime MW DX'ing, if nothing is on C2C AM. But, if C2C AM is somewhat interesting, I'll tune-in to local 1kw 1240AM WVTS, and even drive right by the TX  site. Well, for the last week, when I get more than a few miles away from that station's site, I hear a HET tone that is somewhere from 500Hz - 600Hz in there. At 1st, I thought this to be yet another DSL internet carrier radiating out, but I hear this all over while on the drive, except very  near the WVTS TX site. I even see this carrier on the 'lil SDR display of my newer Xiegu G90. I've even heard this in the daytime, so I thought it to be local. However, Boomer, near Pittsburgh, is even seeing and hearing, this on his Kiwi SDR, and told me that the carrier is -550Hz from 1240kHz center. I've just asked a recently moved to FL friend if he hears and sees this. So, now I suspect that this isn't local from WV, unless someone is running several watts of power, and it can skip. Question is, can a 1240AM station be that far off FREQ? Maybe, someone grabbed an emergency back-up transmitter to get back on-air after all these Mid-West tornadoes? This timing would be about right. So, anyone else seeing and hearing this?

137

FM Free Radio / 87.9FM, 12/16/2021, 0230 UTC, weak, mono.

« on: December 17, 2021, 0755 UTC »

Sometimes I'll set the truck stereo on 87.9FM to see what comes up on the work commute. This time, a weak, mono station playing a Gorillaz tune that came IN / OUT for 2 miles. No ID. And, it wasn't bleed-through from 88.1FM's LPFM station locally. Usually, I hear other drivers on 87.9FM airing MP3's, or satellite radio, but they are true Part  #15 at just a few hundred feet. This covered miles. Station was gone by 06:30UTC, when I checked, later.

138

North American MW Pirate Radio / It's back!!!! That mystery X-mas music station on 1620, 03:30 UTC, 12/15/2021.

« on: December 16, 2021, 2041 UTC »

Yep... Last night it was really in there at 03:30UTC. A UNID station crankin' out really old-ass X-mas tunage on 1620kHz, and no announcements, and battling over those Pensacola and Cuban stations. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm???

139

Part 15 AM and FM Station Operation / Part15.us practically desolate? So is Part15.org. Try this site.

« on: December 15, 2021, 2219 UTC »

Huh... The Part 15 sites seem to be loosing traction, but there seems to be more Part 15 stuff here,   https://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/index.php    They are mainly doing Part 15 AM transmitters for something that classic rigs can jam to, but could certainly be used for our purposes.

And, forgot that Part15.us went to part15.org, but that even seems desolate.   https://part15.org/   

140

MW Loggings / It's back. The Mighty 1630KCJJ!

« on: December 10, 2021, 1905 UTC »

Well, it's always been in there, but last night is where I heard it with some sustaining signal strength to WV. Mainly airing hit music from a dozen years ago. https://www.1630kcjj.com/

141

Part 15 AM and FM Station Operation / The LPAM Handbook by Kyle Drake? Download free .PDF version.

« on: December 05, 2021, 2020 UTC »

Skimming through this, looks like a lot of good, compiled, LPAM info, including for Part #15 stuff.      https://sites.google.com/site/lowpowerradio/home/the-lpam-handbook-by-kyle-drake

While we're at it, might as well check-out the rest of the Low Power Repository,    https://sites.google.com/site/lowpowerradio/home   

142

Amateur Radio / 100th Anniversary of Transatlantic Tests: Special event station using a 1921 rep

« on: December 03, 2021, 1820 UTC »

SWL'ing rip.     https://swling.com/blog/2021/12/100th-anniversary-of-transatlantic-tests-special-event-station-using-a-1921-replica-transmitter/

143

Huh? / Legendary radio host believes local content will be the key to KDUN’s success?

« on: November 20, 2021, 1846 UTC »

Neat story! And, rare today.   (Thank you again Boomer for the FWR of this!)    https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/news-makers/delilah-revels-in-rediscovering-her-roots


Oh yeah... Here's the station's site,               https://www.kdunradio.com/

144

The RF Workbench / Giuseppe’s Homemade “Magic Tablet” Antenna System?

« on: November 19, 2021, 2019 UTC »

Another SWL'ing rip.   https://swling.com/blog/2021/11/giuseppes-homemade-magic-tablet-antenna-system/#comment-677623 

I made something like this from a godz-eye antenna, but mine is for just Medium Wave, but this dude made is switch from 40M, then 80M, and then 20M. Nice!!!! Granted, my Italian is non-existent, but the VID shows a lot.

145

General Radio Discussion / The Low-Down On Long-Wave: Unlicensed Experimental Radio?

« on: November 14, 2021, 2212 UTC »

Interesting that HACKADAY covered this, but.....       https://hackaday.com/2021/10/19/the-low-down-on-long-wave-unlicensed-experimental-radio/


BTW, there are still NBFM Intercoms out there that use the 1750M band, around 175kHz, but many are 10mW, or even less. Still, some of the older ones can be cranked-up.

146

The RF Workbench / SWL'ing covers the Radio Shack iconic TRF portables!

« on: November 14, 2021, 2031 UTC »

NICE!!!!! I have the #12-655 portable. Not the best AM-Only portable out there, but I think that it certainly holds it's own.   https://swling.com/blog/2021/11/guest-post-remembering-the-radio-shack-trfs/?unapproved=676517&moderation-hash=a653775516a8dc68ab4b681bf45ebddf#comment-676517

I've added my own $0.02 worth in the comments, and a link to this dude's site:      http://earmark.net/gesr/12-655.htm

BTW, when I recorded the Pat Murphy and Andrew Yorder interviews on C2C AM, the RS #12-655 is the portable that I used to record from.

147

Other / WWV at 25MHz is heard again!

« on: November 10, 2021, 1959 UTC »

Wow... For the 1st time in about 6, or 7, years, WWV at 25.0000MHz came-in to WV at 17:10UTC, MAX'ing out to S9. Then, faded out after that. So, F2 from Ft. Collins, CO. Good to hear that, again.

148

The RF Workbench / Ferrite Toroids Can Be an Engineer’s Best Pal? Oh yeah!!!!

« on: November 05, 2021, 1831 UTC »

Boomer FWR this to me, and I have Ferrite clamps and toroids everywhere at my locations.  https://www.radioworld.com/tech-and-gear/tech-tips/ferrite-toroids-can-be-an-engineers-best-pal

149

MW Loggings / GND-Wave continuity must be better now for local MW stations.

« on: November 03, 2021, 1738 UTC »

Huh... Where I am in WV, I won't hear 1020KDKA Pittsburgh during the summer months during the daytime, but do during the mid-day in the dead of winter. Well, on the work drive, KDKA was in there with a decent, steady, signal just before 5:30PM yesterday afternoon. With no fading, I've counted out skip. So, looks like this cold snap has given this a plus.

150

Amateur Radio / Long Haul 75M AM! WA to ME...

« on: November 02, 2021, 1827 UTC »

Whoa!!! Heard Timtron, WA1HLR, on 3885AM last night around 06:00UTC, workin' a station West of Seattle, WA. That's a good haul on 75M in any mode, let along AM, from ME to WA. I was hearing that dude at S20/9 with some kick-ass hardware on his end, a commercial Harris TX and a dipole at 160ft up! (No wonder I heard him that well.) Timtron, was bangin' into my QTH in WV at S40/9. Maybe, this weekend, I'll bring back a transceiver on-line and try and join them.