Topics

91

Huh? / Radio Jay Allen covers the rise & fall of AM Stereo.

« on: March 21, 2022, 0427 UTC »

Hey... AM Stereo is still out there and an option on some stations.   https://radiojayallen.com/the-rise-and-fall-of-hi-fi-am-am-stereo/

92

Amateur Radio / USB trend noticed on both 75M and 40M? As well as C4FM.

« on: March 21, 2022, 0419 UTC »

Has anyone else noticed this on both the 75M and 40M bands the last few months? I've been noticing USB being used more on these bands,  instead of LSB, mode. Now, as far as I know, there's nothing in the rules that says that an op can't do that, but even tonight, on 7296kHz, ops were in USB mode. Just an observation. Someone, around the AM portion of the 75M band, 3880kHz, is trying Yaesu's digital C4FM mode. They must be using the FT-991A, since it can do C4FM in HF. I have the FT-70D VHF / UHF C4FM HT, so it might me interesting to see if I can up-convert 3880kHz to 2M to decode that. (It would make for an interesting experiment.) 

93

Huh? / 10 Times Hackers Hacked Live Television? Leenks rip.

« on: March 03, 2022, 0607 UTC »

Most of us have heard about the the 1980's Chicago TV hacks of that Max Headroom-like dude, and I remember when HBO got hacked in 1986. Well, there's more!   https://listverse.com/2019/07/19/10-times-hackers-hacked-live-television/

94

Amateur Radio / ARN will have Ukraine news on radio-wise topics this weekend, for 2/25/2022!

« on: February 24, 2022, 2018 UTC »

Correspondence with Amateur Radio Newline's, Caryn, K2GUT, will top-feature Ukraine radio topics, and Amateur Radio related for sure. This might even include WRMI's news,   https://swling.com/blog/2022/02/wrmi-resumes-broadcasts-of-radio-ukraine-international/

95

FM Free Radio / Possible Franken-FM Pirate, 87.7MHz?

« on: February 11, 2022, 0739 UTC »

2/10/2022, 9:20PM EST, commuting from one job location to another and put the truck stereo on 87.9FM for possible pirates and Part #15'ers on satellite radio. Exiting from an industrial park, I was hearing co-channel bleed-over. It wasn't 88.1FM, but 87.7FM, to my surprise! (Possible Franken-FM on TV audio CH6, 87.750MHz? There were clues to tell me. Audio wasn't loud, but maybe 1/2-level of commercial FM, and MONO. Audio didn't sound compressed, but did sound limited, and no gain to quiet passages, like TV. Good, strong, full-quieting, signal that was heard for over 2 miles, when I rounded the valley side that I was traveling on. Unfamiliar with artist aired, but what sounded like a mix of modern rock with soul thrown in. After +2 miles, the signal went from full-quieting to faded gone within a few hundred feet of rounding a valley side. Signal, never recovered after that. This isn't the 1st suspected Franken-FM that I've heard traveling. The last time was in Western New York, almost 20 years ago, traveling through the Allegany Indian Reservation, jamming classic rock on 87.7FM. Heard that one for almost 10 miles, further than I've heard known analog CH6 TV LPTV and translators. Anyway, I thought that it was a neat catch, just wish that I had time to check it out more. 

96

Huh? / Might be an interesting time to monitor the CB band for a trucker's rally?

« on: February 03, 2022, 0548 UTC »

With the buzz of the truckers rallying up in Ottawa, there's now a buzz in the USA of such a rally in February 2022, somewhere. So, it might be interesting to scan the 40 channels for truckers talking about this, around CH19 and +/- a few channels from there. And, if there is such a rally(s), then CB scanning would be essential.

97

Amateur Radio / AM Rally this weekend 2/5-7/2022!

« on: February 01, 2022, 2039 UTC »

http://www.amrally.com/    This is always a fun one. ARRL doesn't seem to mention this, yet, for this year. Question is, will this week's CME squash propagation from 40M, on up. Tech Class can still get-in on this with 6M 50.40MHz AM. I use to do +40 miles on 20W with a Kenwood TS-60S with a 6M Halo. 2M AM can be had, albeit no one seems to have a good AM spot for there, but more locally 'try & see', like 144.300MHz AM. And, if there's some Tropo, even better. 73!!!!

98

Part 15 AM and FM Station Operation / A revisit to Part #15 media coverage? It's winter, so yeah!

« on: January 29, 2022, 1810 UTC »

Huh... Heard our local LPFM WSTQ-LP 88.1FM, https://wtsq.org/ , replay the Radio Survivor podcast with that interview from that dude from https://www.hobbybroadcaster.net/    . So, that is a good show to get Part #15 info from, and to even air on your Part #15 stations. Download from here,   http://www.radiosurvivor.com/2017/12/podcast-120-tiny-radio-station/

99

Huh? / SWL'ing covers, WBCQ TESTS 4790 KHZ IN FEBRUARY!

« on: January 26, 2022, 1907 UTC »

https://swling.com/blog/2022/01/wbcq-tests-4790-khz-in-february/     Cool!!!! I'm buying a couple hours on this myself. What I find a little strange is the push for this new FREQ, when they still have 3265kHz down. Eh... Whatever... Should have very similar propagation characteristics as WWV's 5MHz, and the 5-Channel 60M Amateur Radio Band, nice regional daytime coverage, and Coast to Coast coverage at night. Hey, I welcome that.  http://www.wbcq.com/

100

Amateur Radio / Winter Field Day, January 29/30, 2022!

« on: January 23, 2022, 1916 UTC »

https://www.winterfieldday.com/     Yeah... At the time of this writing, there a North American Sprint going on, (1/22-23/2022), but I heard several 75M SSB'ers sating that they were gearing up for this years Winter Field Day. Well, good! Any station that they contact, via non-repeater mode, is a point to them. Oh yeah... The AM Rally the weekend after that.

101

North American MW Pirate Radio / UNID 1710 AM 0255 UTC 23 JAN 2022

« on: January 23, 2022, 0530 UTC »

In battling with 1710kHz TIS, Hudson Co. (The Pest), was audio of Tucker Carlson talking about the Ukraine / Russian debacle. Was only in there for a couple of quick fades. UNID. It was certainly different.

102

Weather / Bitter cold makes for interesting LF, MW, and HF, signal enhancements? Uh-huh...

« on: January 21, 2022, 1903 UTC »

Reaching single digits Saturday morning 1/22/2022, this might be a neat time to check-out lower FREQ signal enhancements. And, not just the lower FREQ's, but possible Tropo from VHF / UHF stations, especially if you are up by the Great Lakes. And, if you have a Part #15 AM station, see how much further that's going to reach. If we're going to get stuck with being frigid, might as well have some fun with it. Right???

103

Part 15 AM and FM Station Operation / An AM Carrier-Current station from your livingroom? This dude does. And, gear???

« on: January 19, 2022, 1956 UTC »

Huh... Most folks doing a station either do it from the den, basement, attic, garage, or even a bedroom closet. This dude set-up in his living room. Eh... Why not???   https://www.radioworld.com/columns-and-views/workbench/workbench-retirement-starts-in-your-living-room

104

10/11 meters / Late night "E" on 10M to 06:00UTC!

« on: January 09, 2022, 1922 UTC »

Glad to hear 11M and 10M jamming last night, when I got back home from work. Heard MN and WI, but worked three friends in the same town in MO, doing a round table, just after 04:30UTC on call FREQ 28.400USB. Then, seen a nice spike of a signal on 28.405USB, with a Texas station working Philadelphia, PA. When the Texas station later called CQ, I jumped-in with just 20W and worked him to 06:00UTC, when we signed. He worked with 100W, with signals from S3 - S9, and must have had that direct pipeline from WV to TX. NICE!!!!!

105

Amateur Radio / ARRL January VHF / UHF Contest Weekend 1/15 - 16/2022.

« on: January 08, 2022, 1925 UTC »

Sporadic E rarely rocks for this, but some Tropo by coastal areas and the lack of foliage absorption usually makes this contest decent for 222MHz and 432MHz.    http://www.arrl.org/january-vhf   Now... When's that AM Heavy Metal Rally?