10111.35KHz What is this beeping sound?

[ArthBH]

I'm new to this so I'm sorry if I'm an idiot.

I've been listening to 10111.35 on LSB. Its 1am GMT. It's making a kind of beeping sound which is not unlike morse code. Sometimes it is clearer than other times. Is there anything to this?

[l0ngwire]

That frequency is in the 30 meter amateur radio band, which is only Morse Code and digital signals--no voice comms.  So perhaps it was Morse Code?  But, perhaps not--there are a lot of strange signals that stray into the ham bands.

If you want to hear more ham Morse, try listening around 7025 at night, and 14025 and 21025 during the day.  By tuning up and down about 20 kcs, you should hear more ham Morse Code, which can vary from about 5wpm up to 30wpm.  Software and standalone-gadgets are available to decode the stronger, clear signals.  (Not many folks want to bother learning to copy Morse Code by ear these days... even most new hams.)

[ArthBH]

Ah thanks! What are these morse code signals for?

[l0ngwire]

When I do Morse code with my ham license, I usually have a short conversation with the other station.  Typically we will exchange signal reports, first names, locations, and type of radio/antenna we are using. 

Other ham Morse operators do a lot of "contesting". Radio contesting is very popular among some hams--typically a weekend or a day will be scheduled by a radio club for some particular goal--number or type of contacts, etc.  The exchanges are very short during contesting, partly due to the slowish WPM speeds, but Morse code works well in radio conditions where a voice signal would be almost inaudible.

Here's more info:  http://www.arrl.org/learning-morse-code