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Author Topic: What is this station? Need help figuring out what it is.  (Read 2930 times)

Offline rokpych

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What is this station? Need help figuring out what it is.
« on: February 04, 2014, 0212 UTC »
Hello all, yesterday at 0200 UTC I picked up a odd signal on 7.007 MHz in CW mode, you could also hear it on SSB USB (if that means anything.) This is with a icom IC-PCR2500 and a whip atenna. It appears to be a muscial tune, then followed by Morse Code. Sorry for the meh sound, I'm new at this stuff. Is it an actual number station, or a pirate?  ??? It also appears to run everyday, I picked it up today not too long ago. The music also seems to change after a while, as if it has several songs playing each time. I also heard a voice repeating at one point, if that means anything as well.

Video: (may need to turn sound up) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9JzQ-laZkc


Offline glimmer twin

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Re: What is this station? Need help figuring out what it is.
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2014, 1257 UTC »
Not sure because the speakers on my laptop are worthless & I am not at home & have no head phones. Having qualified my statement thoroughly I think its JT 65 a weak signal ham mode.
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Offline Token

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Re: What is this station? Need help figuring out what it is.
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2014, 1455 UTC »
Note the frequency (the one listed in the video is not the same as in the thread here).  This frequency is a typical JT65 freq, and the mode is JT65.

T!
T!
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Offline skeezix

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Re: What is this station? Need help figuring out what it is.
« Reply #3 on: February 05, 2014, 0431 UTC »
JT65... Is this the same or a similar mode that has been called the "snake charmer" outside of the amateur bands?

Next time I find that one, going to see if a JT65 decoder can do anything with it.
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Offline glimmer twin

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Re: What is this station? Need help figuring out what it is.
« Reply #4 on: February 05, 2014, 0525 UTC »
Token knows way , way more than anybody here about the snake charmer but I don't think there is any relationship between JT65 & the snake charmer. JT65 is a weak signal mode originally used for Earth Moon Earth contacts. They exchange calls & signal reports & that's about it. I always want ice cream when I hear JT65 as it reminds me of the jaunty little tune of the good humor man.
KCMO  Icom R 75 , SDR-IQ, Grundig Satellit 750 ,Tecsun PL 880, Tecsun PL660 , Tecsun PL380 & PL360  10 meter random wire  w/ RF systems MLB    Alpha Delta SWL DX sloper  
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gentlemen,you can not fight in here, this is the war room

Offline Token

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Re: What is this station? Need help figuring out what it is.
« Reply #5 on: February 05, 2014, 1452 UTC »
No, there is no relationship between the Snake Charmer and JT65.  The tones used and the number of steps are not similar.

The Snake Charmer (not my name for the signal, Hugh Stegman dubbed it that) typically uses 32 tones, however I have seen 8 to 64 used.  These tones are typically spread across about 2 kHz of bandwidth, the specific bandwidth depending on the mode the Snake Charmer is in.  JT65 uses, surprise, 65 tones, spread over 175 Hz of bandwidth.

T!
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Re: What is this station? Need help figuring out what it is.
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2014, 2310 UTC »
I always want ice cream when I hear JT65 as it reminds me of the jaunty little tune of the good humor man.

Dat's vere I heard that before! :D

Peace!