11 meter DX Logs 2 April 2016 1900 UTC +

[R4002]

I haven't posted a log in a few weeks but the band has been busy.

I have noted the de-facto standard "export" frequency bands that are used on 99% of radios used on these frequencies.  Starting frequency is usually 25615 and coverage ends at 28305, 28755, 29655, 30105 or even 30555.  The new generation of Chinese exports cover either 25615-28305 or 25615-30105 but their "band A" is almost always 25615-26055, thus putting the legal CB band at "band D".  Some radios start at 26065 instead, which makes the legal CB band at "band C".  Each band is  450 kHz wide, divided into 40 channels, plus the 5 "A" channels that are accessible via the +10 kHz switch.  Most radios either include a +5 kHz switch as well, or a clarifier that can go up 5 kHz and down 5 kHz to reach the 0 offset frequency (giving, in theory, 90 channels per band).

Many radios cover only C/D/E (or "low/mid/high").  Others, such as the Connex Deer Hunter, cover 120 channels, but are set up with the CB band as the "high" band.  The band switch is labeled B-C-D, following the "standard" channel plan.  There are several other similar radios that are obviously geared towards the hunting/fishing/outdoorsman market, including the Connex Coyote Hunter, which covers 160 channels (legal CB band is still the highest band covered).  The band switch on that radio is labeled A-B-C-D.  

The majority of activity is found in the lower/upper bands, as these frequencies are the most accessible.  Following this, the lower bands become more active.  Some CB mods only include the upper channels (or only the lower channels).
 
The regular 6-band export radio configuration is:

25615-26055 - Band A - 40 channels + 5 A channels
26065-26505 - Band B - 40 channels + 5 A channels
26515-26955 - Band C - 40 channels + 5 A channels
26965-27405 - Band D - Legal CB band for most of the world.  Called the "Mid band" or "FCC band" 40 channels + 5 A channels (not legal for voice)
27415-27855 - Band E - 40 channels + 5 A channels
27865-28305 - Band F - 40 channels + 5 A channels
on a radio the covers up to higher frequencies, this plan would continue in 40 channel blocks.  Since some radios start at lower or higher frequencies, the letter band designation does not always match up.  For example, many of the older Galaxy radios started at 25165, making the CB band "band E".  Combine this with the fact that many radios do not come equipped with a frequency counter/display and you can see why people hear truckers talking in AM mode in the CW-only subband of 10 meters (channel 19 - 27185 - up two bands is 28085...)

Country-specific allocations that are often used outside their intended country:
27601.25-27991.25 - UK FM "27/81" band - 40 channels in straight sequence (part of band E and band F)
26330-26770 - NZ (New Zealand) AM band - 40 channels + 5 A channels (same channel sequence as the legal CB band)
26965-27275 - IN (India) AM/FM  - 27 channels + 5 A channels, same as channels US channels 1-27
26875-27245 - I2 (Italy "Band 2" 34 channels) - Normal channels 1-24, channels 25-34 are 26875-26955 in straight 10 kHz steps
26565-27405 - DE (Germany) - 80 channels + 5 A channels (channels 1-40 are the same as the US CB band, channels 41-80 are 26565-26955 in straight 10 kHz sequence, almost mirroring the "low band" channel plan).  Apparently the "high band" frequencies are just as popular in Germany, to the point that 27765 AM/FM is used as a calling frequency just like 27315 FM is.  

Church Service Broadcast/Re-broadcast Transmission Services UK/Ireland (similar services exist elsewhere):
27605-27995 - Wireless Public Address System (WPAS) Ireland UW Bandsplit, 40 channels straight 10 kHz steps, AM/FM allowed
27601.25-27991.25 - Wireless Public Address System (WPAS) Ireland LW Bandsplit, 40 channels same as UK FM band, but AM and FM are allowed
26965-27405 - Community Audio Distribution System (CADS) All of UK - regular 40 channel mid band (FM only for CADS)
27601.25-27991.25 - Community Audio Distribution System (CADS) All of UK - same as UK FM band - FM only in UK

According to Irish regulations, the regular 40 channel mid band 26965-27405 may not be used for Church broadcasts, but it often is, in addition to the legal 80 WPAS channels.  Note that instead of using the odd UK FM offset, many churches will simply use the zero offset, for example, 27600 instead of 27601.25.  With regular FM, the 1.25 kHz offset hardly makes any difference, especially if the (intended) listeners are very close to the transmitter.  Church services have been heard in other parts of the band too, including the 26MHz portions, and the space between 27405 and 27600. 

It seems that similar "audio distribution" services exist not only in Europe, but also North Africa and the Middle East.  I have heard several Arabic prayer broadcasts in the 26965-27405 and other CB bands while listening on remote SDR receivers in various parts of Europe.  France operates a "tourist radio" service in the lower part of the 26 MHz band, AM/FM with weird channeling, frequencies like 26275, 26350, etc.  Italian pagers operate on 26200, 26250, 26300, 26350, 26400, 26450 and 26500 (AM and FM).  The UK still uses 26MHz for paging as well, on the following (odd offset frequencies):  26237.5, 26410, 26437.5, 26462.5, 26545, 26588, 26615.5, 26669.5, 26725.5, 26815.5, 26865, 26865.5.  The 26MHz frequencies are listed as "25 kHz channels" which seems like FM (POCSAG, etc).  POCSAG has been heard on several of these frequencies.  It appears that there exists a "European standardized" paging band from 26175-26935, which the UK/French/Italian frequencies all fall within.  This, of course, clashes with several other services in that spectrum, including cordless phone bandplans (French CT1 base stations 26312.5-26475), some Eastern European/CIS CB bands (26515-27855 being the primary one).  Further clashing with these band plans is the 80 channel German CB allocation discussed above (26565-27405). 

This doesn't even touch on Central/South American/Caribbean paging bands, of which there appear to be several in the 25-28 range, or the US Part 95 legal (25w carrier power - that means 100w peak power!) paging channel on 27255.  Considering the extreme proliferation and widespread use of 25-30 MHz in those parts of the world, its entirely possible that paging/one-way voice broadcast systems (such as CADS and WPAS) have been set up and are operating illegally.  If they can get away with it in places like Ireland and the UK, they can certainly get away with it in Mexico and South America. 

Speaking of South America, one shouldn't forget the heavy use of 26-28 MHz for fishing net buoy transmitters (fishnet buoys, driftnets, etc).  Their use seems to stick mostly to the 26MHz side of things, but they've been reported from 26-28 MHz in 5 kHz steps...usually sending their 2, 3, or 4 letter IDs as some version of their home ship's callsign/name in CW.  Some simply transmit a specific number of dots followed by a tone.  Others use more advanced SELCALL techniques and don't transmit unless they have first been "pinged" by their home fishing vessel. 



Enough random background information, to the logs:

SS = Spanish speaking
EE = English speaking

25000 AM - WWV - S8 signal
25615-26055 "Super-Low" or "Ultra-Low" band, usually "A" band (some radios start at 26065, but the newer-generation of "exports" all seem to start with 25615 as the lowest frequency
25635 AM - SS
25675 AM - YL Taxi Dispatcher with roger beep (SS)
25785 AM - YL Taxi Dispatcher with roger beep (SS), weaker than the other 25-26 MHz taxi logs
25825 AM - OMs talking, possibly truckers (SS)
25835 AM - Hearing SS Taxi Dispatch YL and EE Truckers fading in and out on top of each other
25895 AM - YL Taxi Dispatcher with roger beep (SS).  Reading numbers and talking to different taxis about scheduling for next week.
25910 FM - STL, weak, but its there.  Unable to copy enough to get an ID
25945 AM - YL Taxi Dispatcher (SS), just barely readable
25950 FM - STL (I think).  There's a FM carrier here, but I can't get anything out of the noise and QRM from 25945 AM
25975 AM - YL Taxi Dispatcher (SS), can hear some taxis replying to her
25990 FM - STL (very strong)
26025 AM - Spanish language, weak
26065-26505 "Low-Low Band"[/i]
26105 AM - Spanish language (weak).  Doesn't sound like taxis
26175 AM - YL Taxi Dispatcher (SS).  Strong signal with roger beep.  Can hear some of the taxi drivers replying to her
26185 USB - SS OM having a QSO with another station that I can't hear.  S7-S9 strong signal
26195 AM - YL Taxi Dispatcher (SS).  Weak signal with roger beep
26205 USB - EE/SS "They're both Spanish speaking, everyone in my family speaks English and Spanish"
26225 USB - SS OMs (this is a common calling frequency for Latin American stations)
26235 USB - SS OMs (similar to 26225 USB and 26240 USB)
26240 USB - SS OM QSO
26275 AM - SS
26305 AM - Spanish language, lots of stations at once, music and roger beeps heard (lots of fading)
26375 AM - Spanish language, strong heterodyne, noise toys, music and lots of echo
26385 AM - OM talking really fast, Spanish language.  Fading up to S9 and then back down to S3.  Music in background
26395 AM - Similar to 26375 AM
26400 USB - SS traffic, heavy fading w/QRM from 26395 AM
26435 AM - SS stations with roger beep.  At noise floor.  Really long roger beeps!
26475 AM - SS stations with roger beep.  Possibly taxi company or truckers
26500 USB - EE, Caribbean stations heard
26515-26955 "Low Band" or "Low Channels", usually either "B" or "C" band depending on radio.  On a 120 channel radio, this is "low"
26515 AM - SS stations, weak
26525 AM - Roger beeps heard, unable to copy enough to get a language (Likely Spanish)
26540 LSB - Spanish language
26555 LSB - Spanish language, Dominican Republic mentioned (this is a very common calling freq)
26565 AM - SS OMs, lots of roger beeps and echo fx (probably truckers)
26575 AM - SS OMs talking to each other.  Several roger beeps heard
26585 AM - Mexican/Latin American AM calling channel.  Heavy usage.  Signals fading up to S9 and down to the noise floor
26605 AM - SS OM talking with music in the background (very loud signals)
26615 AM - SS, Puerto Rico mentioned.  Very strong signals (similar to 26715, etc)
26625 AM - SS, heard a YL talking (probably taxicab dispatcher)
26635 AM - SS, Puerto Rico mentioned, discussion of antennas and radios...with echo/reverb
26705 AM - SS Puerto Rico "Superbowl" (see also 26715, 26725)
26715 AM - SS PR (see above and below).  S9+30 signals VERY strong
26725 AM - SS PR strong signals, some splattering up and down the band
26735 AM - SS, very strong signals.  Likely same group of stations as 26705, 26715, etc
26775 AM - EE "Boca Raton, Florida"
26795 AM - SS
26805 AM - SS
26815 AM - EE, "hello out there in DX land!" and similar traffic (this is channel 26 "down one band")
26835 AM - EE, similar to 26815 AM (see also 26915 AM)
26855 AM - SS, lots of stations talking at once
26885 AM - Weak music heard, with roger beeps
26905 AM - YL Taxi Dispatcher (SS) with roger beep.  Lots of fading/QSB
26915 AM - LOUD station Motor Mouth Maul (broadcast quality wide AM audio) heard working stations
26925 AM - EE, Southern accents
26935 AM - EE, similar to 26925 AM
26945 AM - SS heard, weak
26955 AM - EE, truckers?  Sounded like mobile stations

26965-27405 US/CEPT CB band "mid band" - very active so skipping on this log, but noting the following:
27045 AM - CB Channel "7A" (R/C channel) - SS Taxi Dispatch traffic
27195 AM - CB Channel "19A" (R/C channel) - Big Radio 549 Texas heard here working stations (has been logged here before, also 26955, 26965)
27255 AM/FM - CB Channel 23 - AM voice traffic in EE/SS heard, then very strong FM pager/telemetry signal completely blocked other signals
27370 LSB - World Radio 190-something heard here ("guard band" between channels 36 and 37)
27380 LSB - EE, US stations QSYed from 27385 LSB (likely due to heavy QRM on 27385 as well as 27375 and 27395)
27400 LSB - EE, similar to 27370 LSB and 27380 LSB)

27415-27855 "High Band" or "Upper Channels", usually either "E" or "D" band depending on radio.  On a 120 channel radio, this is "high"
27415 AM - YL Taxi Dispatcher with roger beep.  Spanish language.  Can hear OM taxis talking to her
27420 LSB - EE, US stations, talking about traffic on 27385 LSB and other "high channel" frequencies
27425 AM - SS OMs talking, weak
27425 USB - SS OM having a QSO, S7 signal|
27425 LSB - EE, 494, North Texas and many others talking about the President/Uniden HR2510 and Cubical Quad antennas
27430 FM - Tail end of a CWID "...U796"
27430 LSB - EE
27435 AM - SS, YL heard, possibly a taxi dispatcher, heavy QRM from SSB signals above/below
27435 LSB - SS
27440 LSB - EE
27445 AM - YL Taxicab Dispatcher with roger beep
27445 LSB - EE, Southern accents (strong)
27450 USB - SS, strong signals - with slight QRM from 27455 USB
27455 USB - SS, Latin American calling frequency (usually pretty active)
27465 USB - SS, "CQ de Espana!"
27475 LSB - EE "He said he was in Alaska but I'll say to hell with him!"
27475 USB - SS, several QSOs going on at once
27480 LSB - EE
27485 USB - SS
27490 LSB - EE, US stations
27495 USB - SS
27495 LSB - EE, Midwestern accents
27500 USB - SS, Dominican Republic mentioned
27505 AM - AM carrier het heard in USB/LSB mode but no modulation heard
27510 LSB - EE, Caribbean area
27515 AM - YL Taxicab Dispatcher with distinctive roger beep (multiple beeps, almost sounds like a ANI burst or MDC1200 burst)
27515 LSB - EE, Caribbean area, several stations calling CQ DX
27520 USB - SS/EE "14....Kilo Papa" and then switched to Spanish language
27525 USB - SS
27525 LSB - SS
27530 USB - SS
27530 USB - Unknown language, possibly Portuguese
27535 AM - SS weak OM chatter, maybe truckers/taxis (I've logged truckers on this freq in AM mode several times before, both EE and SS)
27545 LSB - EE, talking about antennas
27555 USB - International Calling Frequency, West Indies, USA, Canada, Central/South American stations heard EE/SS
27560 USB - EE - 10AD113 Northeast Mexico working another station
27565 USB - SS, weak, with some sort of data link or "buzzer" on frequency
27575 USB - SS
27580 USB - SS - "Estado Texas"
27585 USB - SS
27590 USB - EE 29KP105 and several others (Jamaican accents)
27600 USB - SS, weak
27605 USB - SS
27605 AM - EE - Truckers talking about traffic in New York City/New Jersey area
27615 USB - SS, strong signals
27625 USB - SS
27635 USB - SS
27637 USB - SS/EE - 10AD013 Calling CQ DX (odd offset frequency)
27645 USB - SS
27650 USB - SS
27650 FM - Constant carrier on this frequency, has been noted several times before.  Sounds best in FM but I think its just a carrier.
27665 USB - SS
27665 LSB - SS
27675 USB - SS
27685 USB - SS
27687 USB - SS/EE - another "10 alpha delta" (10AD prefix) station working DX on a weird offset
27690 USB - SS, weak with QRM from 27695 LSB
27695 LSB - SS
27695 USB - SS, strong
27705 AM - Spanish speaking stations, just barely readable (with strong OTH Radar pulse QRM)
27730 LSB - SS, strong
27745 AM - SS, possibly truckers
27765 USB - SS, with strong OTH Radar QRM
27765 LSB - SS
27795 LSB - SS, YL and OM having a QSO
27805 AM - YL Taxi Dispatcher (SS) with roger beep
27815 AM - Roger beeps heard at noise floor
27825 USB - SS
27855 USB - SS
27865-28305 "Super-High" or "High-High" band (really only 12 frequencies available before you're above 28MHz)
27875 USB - Warbling data burst heard (sounded sort of like SSTV).  Stayed on this frequency for a bit after and heard nothing
27885 AM - OMs having a QSO (Spanish language)
27905 AM - SS
27915 AM - SS
27950 USB - Data warble heard here, has been logged in years past, sometimes just a "channel marker" empty carrier (see 27650)
27955 AM - Hearing a het down at the noise floor, with some roger beeps and other fx

[Looking-Glass]

Chinese made amateur radio transceivers have a very poor reputation in Australia, cheap and nasty, usually break down within weeks, so you get what you pay for.   

Last CB I owned many years ago was a Superstar 360FM which looked very identical to a American Cobra, very nice radio, made in Taiwan and served me very well back then.

Japanese CB comes in here very day on 27.005MHz AM, heaps of people all trying to talk at once, not sure what other channels they have in 27MHz but have heard them on AM & SSB up to 27.390MHz.

Not all that many left on CB 27MHz in Australia, most went to the 80 channel UHF system.  Only ones left on 27MHz are the old timers and Freebanders.

[R4002]

My understanding is that 27005 in Japan is what 27025 is in the USA.  Their legal CB frequencies are

26968 - Channel 1 - 0.5w, AM only
26976 - Channel 2 - 0.5w, AM only
27040 - Channel 3 - 0.5w, AM only
27080 - Channel 4 - 0.5w, AM only
27088 - Channel 5 - 0.5w, AM only
27112 - Channel 6 - 0.5w, AM only
27120 - Channel 7 - 0.5w, AM only
27144 - Channel 8 - 0.5w, AM only

Maximum output power is 500mW, must not have provision for external antenna (all units must have built-in antenna).

Clearly these rules are ignored (as they often are), as 27005 isn't even one of the legal channels listed.  Apparently, the 26-28 MHz range in Japan is legally allocated to the "1w DSB Fishery Radio" or "1 watt double side band fish radio service" or various similar translations.  Seems like their version of the Australian 27MHz AM Marine Band (27680-27980).  I bet their other channels that you've heard (you mention up to 27390) cause interference to this "Fishery Radio" service, which, according to the frequency list below, occupies the 26.760-27.988 MHz range, with several skips in channeling, likely to counteract QRM from the legal CB band....note the skip between 26.944 and 27.016, then the skip between 27.016 to 27.524. 27016 is right in the middle of their CB service though...and several of the frequencies listed below are either exactly the same as the 27MHz Australian marine channels, or are very close to them, due to the odd channel steps used by the Japanese frequency plan.

I found a listing of the 1W-DSB FISHERY RADIO SERVICE frequencies on another forum, 1 watt maximum carrier power, AM (DSB) mode only, frequencies listed in kHz:

26760
26768
26776
26824
26840
26848
26856
26864
26872
26880
26888
26896
26912
26920
26928
26936
26944
27016
27524
27532
27540
27548
27556
27572
27580
27628
27636
27644
27652
27660
27668
27676
27724
27732
27740
27748
27756
27764
27772
27780
27828
27836
27852
27860 - Same as Australian 27MHz Marine Channel 86
27884
27892
27908
27916
27932
27940 - Same as Australian 27MHz Marine Channel 94
27956
27964
27980 - Same as Australian 27MHz Marine Channel 98
27988

According to the official Japanese frequency allocation table, the 26175-27500 kHz range and 27500-28000 kHz range are allocated to FIXED, MOBILE, and MARITIME MOBILE - including Radio Control (R/C), Citizen Band (CB) Radio, Radio Control Transmitter (also R/C lol) and 1W-DSB FISHERY RADIO.  Apparently the 29.7-37.5 MHz range and 38.25-41 MHz range are allocated to the 5W-DSB FISHERY RADIO service.  Maybe there aren't a lot of users of the "1W DSB" service anymore, with a 5 watt service available on higher frequencies in the VHF-low band (and no interference from CB there!).  

EDIT:  I stand corrected.  Further Googling leads me to believe there are/were several other "27MHz 1W DSB" radios sold for the Japanese market and/or for similar services in places like Taiwan (looks like their allocation is 26475-27275? or maybe higher)

http://www.wenden.com.tw/goods1-cat28-lang2.html [three models, various power outputs, frequency coverage 26.475-27.275, 25.550-30.495, 24.265-29.655].  Maybe Taiwan has yet another 11-meter band fishery radio service...

Looks like JRC used to make a radio for the 26.760-27.988 band:  The JRC JSD-282.  Listed as "discontinued" however.  http://www.jrc.co.jp/jp/product/discontinued/jsd282/, Furuno produces one with GPS data link capability - http://www.furuno.com/jp/products/radiotelephone/DR-100 and a company called "Koden" makes a model that looks very similar to the JRC radio called the DS-33:



I have personal experience with several Chinese export rigs, namely the Anytone Smart and the CRE 8900 (also sold as the Alinco DR-10, Alinco DR-135CB/DR-135DX/DR-135UK).  The CRE 8900 is an excellent radio and the local SSB club I talk to on a highly secret frequency above channel 40 agree that it sounds just as good as "real" Icom/Yaesu/Kenwood HF ham gear on SSB.  The CRE 8900 is apparently a smaller version (DIN car radio size) of the Anytone AT-5555 (which has been sold under two dozen other brand names/models).  The Superstar 360FM is a great radio.  Apparently it uses the same main PCB as the Cobra 148GTL-DX (the "export" version of the famous Cobra 148GTL).  

I'd love to get my hands on a Superstar 360/360FM.  I currently use a Superstar 3900 Mk1 (made in Taiwan) as my mobile CB/11-meter radio.  I've owned and used the Malaysian-made version of the same radio (Superstar 3900) and the Taiwan-built radio is clearly superior, not only in build quality but in transmit/receive performance.  Sounds great on SSB and is super loud on AM.  

The US still makes heavy use of the 26-28 MHz band, nearly all trucks have at least a Cobra 29 in them.  There now exist easy-to-install kits to give "bare bones" AM radios like the Cobra 29 freeband channeling capability (usually 26515-27855 - so 120 channels low/mid-CB/high).  I actually recently purchased a kit from an Australian vendor for my Cobra 29XLR - one of the oldest 40 channel versions of the Cobra 29, uses the uPD858 PLL, that, once I install it, will give me almost 200 channels.  Still a very active market for CB and export "10-meter" gear in the USA for sure.  As I'm sure you've noticed from my other logs, there's even a more active market/user base for the 11-meter band in Latin America.  

[Looking-Glass]

R4002, very good information you have provided, thank you.  Yes, the Japanese CB system seems to be a bit of a free for all these days. 

Just about every day I hear a gentlemen on 27.805MHz USB running what seems to be a check in system, all language is Japanese and very orderly run.  The base is always strongest here, today he was 5X6 report at 0200z.  The stations checking in are much weaker, contact is brief and he keeps calling, possibly from a list.

Maybe this is a fishing boat frequency and the vessels are checking in with base?  The base station runs this list/calling for around 10-15 mins and is always spot on 27.805MHz USB.  If I understood Japanese it may shed more light on this one.

You still see the old American CB sets appear at radio club swap meets or "Trash & Treasure" sales in Australia, last year I seen a President Washington base station 40ch for $120, it was in excellent condition, also on the same bench was a Pearce Simpson 23 channel Super Panther for $75, in working order but had a few marks on it, this set was still attached to a Redco Digi-Scan.

10/11m getting quieter here as winter nears, over Christmas I heard quite a lot of Latino voices on 26 & 27MHz AM and SSB plus the usual "AT" and "SD" people on or around 27.555MHz from the Caribbean plus Central/South America.

[HERMANROCKS]

Really great info, thanks


http://www.wa2ooo.com/CB-Radio.html

[Leonard]

Great info, really good. I happen to own an anytone at5555 and I bought it from a chinese seller, who said I got the last one, I think he was a bit worried about selling to US, but now I see them on Amazon. I use in it my van and its great to be able to pick up some HF. Really surprising how that portion of the band is being used worldwide. Anyway, wish conditions would be better, today the sfi number was 64, so low.