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Author Topic: Odd carrier on 1838khz  (Read 3482 times)

Offline BacardE

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Odd carrier on 1838khz
« on: December 15, 2016, 0059 UTC »
Hopefull below is a link to my waterfall image.
I run a wspr receiver station and I noticed a carrier above the wspr frequencies. I slowed my waterfall down and the carrier, unmodulated as far as I can tell, is varying in frequency very slowly in a sine wave pattern. Anyone ever see anything like this?
Initially I had the software thinking it was on 630 meters. I changed it to 160 meters. That has nothing to do with the signal, just the data reporting for wspr stations.
The rx is tuned to 1836.6khz and the odd signal is about 1690 on the waterfall.
2016 Dec 15, 00:45 utc.

Thanks BacardE

« Last Edit: December 15, 2016, 1250 UTC by BacardE »
Kenwood ts-440, RTL-SDR v3/gqrx.
Multiband dipole at 50 feet, 200 ft longwire.
e-Qsl appreciated. Send to bacarde@bacarde.com

Offline Terry

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Re: Odd carrier on 1834khz
« Reply #1 on: December 15, 2016, 0144 UTC »
Never seen that, but I don't look at 160 very often. Usually on 40 rx/tx or listening on 0.4742. Looking at 160 now and not seeing anything like that. Using Spectran V2 and WSPR 2.12. I have Spectran slowed down and resolution expanded. That looks like about an 8 minute period.
I did note reports of good conditions on 160 on the NA/EU path.
I am receiving about 6 different stations on 160 right now, all in the South and upper midwest. I do not have a transmit antenna for that band, so listen only.

And welcome to the group.
QTH Florida's Treasure Coast, near Stuart 100 mi N of Miami Grid locator EL97uf
Equipment: Kenwood TS-480SAT, R-600, Yaesu FT-857D, R. S. SW portable (Sangean), R.S. Pro-106 Scanner 25-1300 MHz, HyGain 18AVQII, M2 6M 3 el beam, Misc verticals and dipoles
73,
Terry

Offline BacardE

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Re: Odd carrier on 1834khz
« Reply #2 on: December 15, 2016, 0354 UTC »
Thanks.
I hear it on my rtl-sdr and on my kenwood ts440, I tried a few of the online web based sdrs but I dont see any in the USA that covers 160. Its still going on.  To see it you really have to slow your water fall down. Well not to see the carrier of course, just the change in freq.
Here is an even better pic of the waterfall.


Thanks for the welcome!
Lloyd - BacardE
Kenwood ts-440, RTL-SDR v3/gqrx.
Multiband dipole at 50 feet, 200 ft longwire.
e-Qsl appreciated. Send to bacarde@bacarde.com

Offline BacardE

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Re: Odd carrier on 1838khz
« Reply #3 on: December 16, 2016, 0522 UTC »
Signal is back started at 0400z tonight on 1838.285 - 1838.3khz... very weak..
Kenwood ts-440, RTL-SDR v3/gqrx.
Multiband dipole at 50 feet, 200 ft longwire.
e-Qsl appreciated. Send to bacarde@bacarde.com

Offline Pigmeat

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Re: Odd carrier on 1838khz
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2016, 0839 UTC »
That's close to the AM window for 160, if my memory isn't failing me. A number of those guy's modify old MW broadcast tx's for work up there. The sine wave makes me think it's someone giving his handiwork the smoke test by injecting some audio into the carrier to check it out on his scope. He may be even be testing into a dummy load and not know it's getting out. I've heard a bunch of "dummy load" QSO's on HF bands over the years.

It's the beginning of prime winter conditions on 160, everyone up there is tweaking and testing.

Offline Terry

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Re: Odd carrier on 1838khz
« Reply #5 on: December 16, 2016, 1147 UTC »
I looked last night about 2 Z and nothing. Could be someone is testing into a dummy load close to you.

The AM frequencies on 160 are 1.885, 1.900, 1.945, 1.985. From the ARRL web site. I kind of miss the old days of AM. Some days I wish I still had my 6M AM rig. Real AM, high level plate modulated.
« Last Edit: December 16, 2016, 1152 UTC by Terry »
QTH Florida's Treasure Coast, near Stuart 100 mi N of Miami Grid locator EL97uf
Equipment: Kenwood TS-480SAT, R-600, Yaesu FT-857D, R. S. SW portable (Sangean), R.S. Pro-106 Scanner 25-1300 MHz, HyGain 18AVQII, M2 6M 3 el beam, Misc verticals and dipoles
73,
Terry

Offline BacardE

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Re: Odd carrier on 1838khz -the movie
« Reply #6 on: December 16, 2016, 1612 UTC »
Here is a movie from last night of screen captures overnight... dunno what it is.. link is to youtube video .  https://youtu.be/LQjaSagPT0I

Waterfall captured once a minute...
Kenwood ts-440, RTL-SDR v3/gqrx.
Multiband dipole at 50 feet, 200 ft longwire.
e-Qsl appreciated. Send to bacarde@bacarde.com

 

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