We seek to understand and document all radio transmissions, legal and otherwise, as part of the radio listening hobby. We do not encourage any radio operations contrary to regulations. Always consult with the appropriate authorities if you have questions concerning what is permissible in your locale.

Author Topic: UNID 6970 kHz 1600 UTC 5 Nov. 2018  (Read 2574 times)

Offline Traveling Wave

  • DX Legend
  • ******
  • Posts: 1717
  • Western N.Y.
  • Nobody told me there'd be days like these
    • View Profile
    • Email
UNID 6970 kHz 1600 UTC 5 Nov. 2018
« on: November 05, 2018, 1742 UTC »
This morning at 1600 UTC I noticed a strong signal S9+20dB in WNY on 6970 kHz, AM mode. This signal had was an empty carrier. It lasted a minute then went off and came back on at 1603 UTC but the signal was now S9+40dB. This carrier then emitted a transmission which looked and sounded just like this video I found on youtube... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AIZLc-ZqW0

The transmission lasted about a minute, not sure what  it was, maybe a test of some sort ?
The sound of the transmission I heard is .29 seconds into the video.
« Last Edit: November 05, 2018, 1744 UTC by Traveling Wave »
Location: Western New York ( Niagara Frontier)
Radio :TS480 with RTL-SDR pan-adapter, HDSDR software, Omni-Rig Control, Zenith T/O R600,T600
Antenna: 40m dipole, 20-17-15 meter fan dipole. One of N. Tesla's own prototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production.
Knowledge is a deadly friend when no one sets the rules. The fate of all mankind I see is in the hands of fools - from Epitaph by King Crimson
eQSL appreciated KC2ZYL@gmail.com

Offline Token

  • Global Moderator
  • DX Legend
  • *****
  • Posts: 2121
    • View Profile
Re: UNID 6970 kHz 1600 UTC 5 Nov. 2018
« Reply #1 on: November 06, 2018, 2002 UTC »
Recordings of the signal you heard might help.  Many signals can sound similar and actually be very different.  Also, you said the sound you heard was in the video at “ .29 seconds ”.  Did you really mean 29 seconds as opposed to 0.29 seconds?

The video you linked is my video.  I never determined the source of that signal, but I did encounter it on other freqs besides 6970 kHz.

Assuming you meant 29 seconds into my video, that becomes a pulsed signal, at about 303 Hz rep rate.  At first glance that might be very radar like, in fact there is a known radar with that rep rate, however when combined with the other factors of the signal it becomes decidedly less radar like.  This is where a recording of the signal you heard would help a great deal, does the one you heard have these other non-radar indicators or not?

At a guess the signal in my video is either a test signal or some kind of atmospheric heater (HAARP / Arecibo / etc).  Of interest, during the time you report the Arecibo facility was doing HF tests.  I am not sure how well the Arecibo feed performs at 6970 kHz though, they seem to stay closer to 5100 and 8175 kHz for their testing, possibly because of the feed.

However, while Arecibo was scheduled active during the time you report, it was not scheduled as active during the time of my video.  So if the signal you heard is the same signal in my video it might tend to point away from Arecibo.

T!
T!
Mojave Desert, California USA

Offline Traveling Wave

  • DX Legend
  • ******
  • Posts: 1717
  • Western N.Y.
  • Nobody told me there'd be days like these
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: UNID 6970 kHz 1600 UTC 5 Nov. 2018
« Reply #2 on: November 06, 2018, 2312 UTC »
Token, I meant to say the sound of the transmission I heard was 29 seconds into the video not .29 seconds. I do have a WMA file of the sound  but I am having trouble attaching it. The attachment and other options is not working.
Location: Western New York ( Niagara Frontier)
Radio :TS480 with RTL-SDR pan-adapter, HDSDR software, Omni-Rig Control, Zenith T/O R600,T600
Antenna: 40m dipole, 20-17-15 meter fan dipole. One of N. Tesla's own prototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production.
Knowledge is a deadly friend when no one sets the rules. The fate of all mankind I see is in the hands of fools - from Epitaph by King Crimson
eQSL appreciated KC2ZYL@gmail.com

Offline Josh

  • DXing Phenomena
  • *******
  • Posts: 4322
    • View Profile
Re: UNID 6970 kHz 1600 UTC 5 Nov. 2018
« Reply #3 on: November 07, 2018, 1801 UTC »
Looks more like something a heater perturbing the ionosphere than a oth radar. They send various tones up there to mix in the ionosphere and get harmonics out of it, then they tune around for the sweet spot and jiggle that jello of ions up there to the max.
We do not encourage any radio operations contrary to regulations.

Offline Matt_B

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 186
  • Southwestern CT, USA
    • View Profile
    • Radio Free Connecticut
Re: UNID 6970 kHz 1600 UTC 5 Nov. 2018
« Reply #4 on: November 08, 2018, 1110 UTC »
Looks more like something a heater perturbing the ionosphere than a oth radar. They send various tones up there to mix in the ionosphere and get harmonics out of it, then they tune around for the sweet spot and jiggle that jello of ions up there to the max.

Being that it seems to be "a heater", I would guess that this is, perhaps, a signal from HAARP (High Altitude Atmospheric Research Project...think that's what it stands for).  This is a large array operated by the US government, and located in Gakona, Alaska.  It operates by heating up the ionosphere, apparently....so I think that might be your culprit. 

Just to point out, HAARP is a pretty weird cookie.  There are several conspiracy theories surrounding it....one of them is that HAARP can/has been used to "create weather", such as severe hurricanes.  Another is that HAARP is really a defense against nuclear missiles for the US, ala the "Star Wars" program.  Don't ask me how I know these things....LOL!! :)
Matt Boland
Southwestern CT
Owner/Operator, "Radio Free Connecticut"
Skype: FairBol15
PS4: JupBol16

Offline Josh

  • DXing Phenomena
  • *******
  • Posts: 4322
    • View Profile
We do not encourage any radio operations contrary to regulations.

Offline Token

  • Global Moderator
  • DX Legend
  • *****
  • Posts: 2121
    • View Profile
Re: UNID 6970 kHz 1600 UTC 5 Nov. 2018
« Reply #6 on: November 09, 2018, 1456 UTC »
Being that it seems to be "a heater", I would guess that this is, perhaps, a signal from HAARP (High Altitude Atmospheric Research Project...think that's what it stands for).  This is a large array operated by the US government, and located in Gakona, Alaska.  It operates by heating up the ionosphere, apparently....so I think that might be your culprit. 

Just to point out, HAARP is a pretty weird cookie.  There are several conspiracy theories surrounding it....one of them is that HAARP can/has been used to "create weather", such as severe hurricanes.  Another is that HAARP is really a defense against nuclear missiles for the US, ala the "Star Wars" program.  Don't ask me how I know these things....LOL!! :)

A few points.

HAARP is not operated by the US Government.  Yes, HAARP was originally funded by the US Government, and operated under a US Air Force administered contract, however the US G shut down and started dismantling HAARP in 2015.  Sometime after that the facility was turned over to the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Geophysical Institute.  UoA actually had to rebuild the transmitters, as they had been stripped of their tubes when the gov started dismantling the facility.

You can rent research time on HAARP today, at the paltry fee of $5k / hour of air time.

Even when HAARP was operated by the USG there was an online, web based, spectrum monitor that anyone could access.  This monitor confirmed operations times and frequencies.  Today that spectrum monitor web page no longer exists, but HAARP pre-announces periods of activities.  They even have a Twitter account for HAARP that posts frequencies and times of operation.

As for the conspiracy theory stuff about HAARP…while amusing most of it is pretty patently out to lunch.  Results of tests conducted there were regularly published, no security clearance was required to visit the facility, and they regularly held open houses.

However, HAARP was NOT the source of the signal in my video from 2012, and I rather doubt it was the source of Traveling Waves reported signal from this month.

How can I say it was not the source of the signal in my video?  The HAARP spectrum monitoring system was online during that video, and showed no transmitter activity during that time period and on that frequency.

How can I say HAARP was probably not the source of the transmission reported this month?  HAARP no longer operates year round, periods of operation are planned months in advance, with significant ramp up operations involved with any period of activity.  Because of setup and checkout requirements, as well as power requirements (for example, getting fuel in for the big generators as opposed to the utility generators), they can’t just turn it on or off anytime they want.  To the best of my knowledge they are not currently ramped up for operation.

So while the signal reported might indeed be a heater of some kind (without further detail, such as a recording, it is impossible to say), it probably was not HAARP.  I would say it was definitely not HAARP, however that would be hard to prove one way or the other.

But, HAARP is not the only heater around, there are laterally over a dozen such facilities Worldwide, HAARP is just among the most famous.  And, like I said before, Arecibo was active at the time of this reported signal.  I just am not sure if Arecibo would be using that frequency.

But I am still not convinced the reported signal is a heater.  Yes, it absolutely could be, but, especially without more detail, there are other explanations that also fit.

T!
T!
Mojave Desert, California USA