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Author Topic: Firedrake changing habits or reduced use?  (Read 10757 times)

Offline Token

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Firedrake changing habits or reduced use?
« on: April 21, 2013, 1446 UTC »
Hello all,

Over the last couple of days I have noticed that many time slots and frequencies that are normally the Firedrake Jammer have switched audio to CNR 1.  For example, at 1340 UTC today (April 21, 2013) the frequencies of 14700, 15115, 16160, and 16920 all had CNR 1 audio on them, but normally they have Firedrake in this time slot.

Not only is the CNR 1 audio being used on these frequencies instead of Firedrake, but the way they came online to cover the stations they were jamming is the same way Firedrake does it.

For those not familiar, Firedrake has 2 basic modes of operation, “on at the top of the hour” and “on later”.  In the “on at the top of the hour” mode Firedrake typically comes on like any other SW station at the top of the hour or slightly before.  In the “on later” mode Firedrake comes on sometime after the station to be jammed starts, typically Firedrake audio starts anything from 5 to 40 minutes after the hour, with about 10 to 20 minutes after the top of the hour being average.

For the last few days I have seen the CNR 1 audio start displaying the “on later” habits of Firedrake and on frequencies that Firedrake has normally hit.  In the last 12 hours I have found NO Firedrakes active, and normally I find them at will.

In the 1400 UTC time slot only two CNR 1 audio jammers appear to be active at this time (1445 UTC), on 12230 and 12370 kHz, both regular Firedrake targets.  All other outlets of Sound of Hope and other regular Firedrake targets are in the clear and have been for the entire hour.

Could the Chinese, in response to the recently publicized jamming articles and complaints, have reduced usage of Firedrake?  I suppose they could be having technical issues.

T!
« Last Edit: April 21, 2013, 1449 UTC by Token »
T!
Mojave Desert, California USA

Offline skeezix

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Re: Firedrake changing habits or reduced use?
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2013, 1716 UTC »
At 0430Z this morning, found 16360 kHz had programming, but was not Firedrake. At first thought it was SOH, but quickly dispensed with that notion as the signal was too strong. Got a recording and wasn't able to ID it as CNR 1, but guessing that it more than likely is.

Glenn Hauser on the dxld mailing list also noted the same change in broadcasts.

Although, not sure why jamming with CNR 1 would be more acceptable than jamming with Firedrake (or any other method).

Would be interesting to know if the satellites that carry the Firedrake for the SW xmtrs are still carrying it or that programming has changed too.


Minneapolis, MN

Online ChrisLobdel

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Re: Firedrake changing habits or reduced use?
« Reply #2 on: April 21, 2013, 2004 UTC »
Glenn Hauser, on his latest WOR, said that a major Chinese SWBC transmitter site was going down for maintenance, so that might have something to do with it?
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Offline Token

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Re: Firedrake changing habits or reduced use?
« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2013, 2012 UTC »
Glenn Hauser, on his latest WOR, said that a major Chinese SWBC transmitter site was going down for maintenance, so that might have something to do with it?

Very possible.  That would explain the reduced coverage, fewer jammers online at a time.  Not sure if that would explain the change from Firedrake to CNR 1 on former Firedrake targets.

Regardless, CNR 1 is a much less effective jammer than Firedrake.

T!
T!
Mojave Desert, California USA

Offline glimmer twin

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Re: Firedrake changing habits or reduced use?
« Reply #4 on: April 21, 2013, 2051 UTC »
The Chinese Transmitters that are off air, SARFT Jinhua Youbu (831 units) are off annually at or about this time. I wonder if this Firedrake absence has been noted before?
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Offline Token

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Re: Firedrake changing habits or reduced use?
« Reply #5 on: April 21, 2013, 2254 UTC »
Further research seems to indicate that the Jinhua Youbu transmitters are not frequently associated with Firedrake, and that there are too few transmitters at that site to really account for the absences of all of the Firedrakes.

Most reports put the majority of Firedrake jammers on Hainan Island.  Personally I believe that since the audio is distributed via satellite almost any transmitter site can be used, but still the Jinhua Yoube transmitters being off the air would not account for CNR 1 audio being used in an obviously Firedrake manor when that has not been the pattern in the past.


T!
T!
Mojave Desert, California USA

Offline Token

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Re: Firedrake changing habits or reduced use?
« Reply #6 on: April 26, 2013, 1439 UTC »
Glenn Hauser on the dxld mailing list also noted the same change in broadcasts.

Got a link to this list?  Not sure I am familiar with it, but would like to check it out.

Although, not sure why jamming with CNR 1 would be more acceptable than jamming with Firedrake (or any other method).

Just a guess here, nothing more, but CNR 1 audio might be a little easier to claim as just happenstance that it is on the same frequency.  It carries regular programming and so it is just another SW outlet that happens to be poorly frequency coordinated.

Still no Firedrake heard here in over 6 days (last logged April 19, but I think I heard it and did not bother to log it in the very early hours of April 20).  While I do not look for Firedrake, I am not listening for it in general I just log it most of the time when I stumble on it, I have not had a gap of more than 3 days of logging Firedrake in over 3 years.  I thought I might have had it on April 24, but the signal was weak enough I was never able to confirm it was indeed Firedrake, it just had that general boom and screech feel way down in the noise.

However every day since I first posted about this I have had CNR 1 covering multiple stations, such as Sound of Hope, so it is not that I am not hearing China.


T!
T!
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Offline skeezix

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Re: Firedrake changing habits or reduced use?
« Reply #7 on: April 27, 2013, 0002 UTC »
Glenn Hauser on the dxld mailing list also noted the same change in broadcasts.

Got a link to this list?  Not sure I am familiar with it, but would like to check it out.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxld/


Although, not sure why jamming with CNR 1 would be more acceptable than jamming with Firedrake (or any other method).

Just a guess here, nothing more, but CNR 1 audio might be a little easier to claim as just happenstance that it is on the same frequency.  It carries regular programming and so it is just another SW outlet that happens to be poorly frequency coordinated.

Still no Firedrake heard here in over 6 days (last logged April 19, but I think I heard it and did not bother to log it in the very early hours of April 20).  While I do not look for Firedrake, I am not listening for it in general I just log it most of the time when I stumble on it, I have not had a gap of more than 3 days of logging Firedrake in over 3 years.  I thought I might have had it on April 24, but the signal was weak enough I was never able to confirm it was indeed Firedrake, it just had that general boom and screech feel way down in the noise.

However every day since I first posted about this I have had CNR 1 covering multiple stations, such as Sound of Hope, so it is not that I am not hearing China.

T!

I've been listening in the mornings on the way to work and haven't heard Firedrake on 13MHz for a while (usually they come in on 13820, 13920, and/or 13970), but did hear CNR1 on 13920.

Minneapolis, MN

Offline BoomboxDX

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Re: Firedrake changing habits or reduced use?
« Reply #8 on: May 02, 2013, 2358 UTC »
For what it's worth, when I was tuning the 41 meter and 31 meter bands daily last Winter and Spring (Dec 2011-June2012), I generally heard CNR1 blasting away on top of a different, often weaker Chinese language broadcast. 

I'm assuming it was jamming.  I'd hear Firedrake in those bands only rarely. 

I'm sure some of the CNR1 I heard was actual CNR1 broadcasts -- but I think a lot of it was jamming, also.

Perhaps Firedrake was used mostly when jamming higher frequencies.  I think in the lower bands it's been mainly CNR1.  But I haven't done much listening to SW this year, so I could be wrong.
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Offline glimmer twin

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Re: Firedrake changing habits or reduced use?
« Reply #9 on: May 21, 2013, 1330 UTC »
Firedrake still on 13795 most days at 13:00 check via Twente & also from my qth in MO. Against RFA (Kuwait) I think. Reported by west coast dxer on 7385 (11;00-12:00Z) & 7365 (13:00-14:00z) in dxld #1320   

 http://www.w4uvh.net/dxld1320.txt
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Offline skeezix

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Re: Firedrake changing habits or reduced use?
« Reply #10 on: May 22, 2013, 0257 UTC »
Tuned in this morning at 1235Z to 13920 kHz and heard CNR1 and no Firedrake. Used to be a good frequency for the Firedrake. Haven't heard that thing in quite a while now.

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Re: Firedrake changing habits or reduced use?
« Reply #11 on: May 22, 2013, 0446 UTC »
Maybe their 8-track wore out :D

Offline skeezix

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Re: Firedrake changing habits or reduced use?
« Reply #12 on: May 24, 2013, 2348 UTC »
If it did, serves 'em right. They need to focus on quality (or at a minimum, cast a quick glance that way).

Found CNR1 on 13820 this morning around 1230Z. Nothing on 13850, 13920 nor 13970.
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Offline glimmer twin

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Re: Firedrake changing habits or reduced use?
« Reply #13 on: June 01, 2013, 1323 UTC »
The last firedrake that i've heard in 13795 around 13:00 has been replaced with CNR 1. I think they are all gone now.
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Offline skeezix

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Re: Firedrake changing habits or reduced use?
« Reply #14 on: June 01, 2013, 1948 UTC »
Haven't heard the Firedrake for over a month. Not even once since my last logging on HFU, yet, I still check frequently.

Perhaps a SW pirate can pick up where they left off and broadcast Firedrake on 43m.  ??? 
Minneapolis, MN

 

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