Hikers back on the air on 8000 kHz and 7998 kHz

[Greenfroggy]

The Hikers  are coming in well tonight at 0400 Utc...this is the second night in a row that I have heard both of these guys hiking along the Pirate Beacon trails...the 8000kHz one is faster(100 plus dits/min) then the 7998 kHz which is about 90 dits/min.  I'll have to attempt to count them when condx are better.

Cwguy, who ever he is should be happy these guys are showing up once again....a true mystery is fun for everyone.

[cwguy]

I copied both of these on the same night Greenfroggy did.  I remember decent signals (not much noise here that night I guess) but some time afterwards, when I thought the band was dead, I heard a weak "S" on or just below 8000 KHz.  It was one "S" every 15 seconds, and lasted for quite a while. I don't recall the exact time, but probably after 0400z or so...

If I come across it again I'll try to post sooner.  This is not the same "S" that was the famous yoopy "S" Beacon that was just above 8.0 mhz for years.  This cw was clean and precise.

Anyone else come across this one? 

[BoomboxDX]

For the uninitiated here, what is meant by 'hikers'?  Are they some sort of beacon?  I just learned about the 'unlicensed HF beacon thing'... are these 'hikers' one of those?

My apologies if this is a stupid question. 

These HF beacons might be something worth looking for when I tune the shortwaves...

The only CW I've heard tuning around between the SWBC and ham bands was a Russian CW signal in the 8 mhz maritime band a few weeks ago.

Boombox

[cmradio]

Hi Boombox,

Yes, these beacons are known as PiFER's, or pirate beacons.

Here's a small, frequently changing list: http://www.hfunderground.com/wiki/High_Frequency_Beacon

They provide a service:

- DX window openings on a variety of frequencies.
- Areas of maximum propagation.
- Skip distance.

They provide entertainment:
- How many can you log?
- Discover the best time for these beacons.
- Can you find new ones no one's heard of?
- Is it a PiFER, or a commercial/military beacon?

IME, you're addicted, or you're not. If you spend many a winter night DX'ing longwave areo/marine NDB's, if you go "YAHOOO!" at a power outage and turn on the portable SW radio, you'll have a blast with the PiFER beacons

Peace!

* PHFER and PiFER are interchangeable.... those of us running a "Part 15" (RSS 210 - Canada), often refer to them as PiFER

[cwguy]

Hearing Hiker (7998.7 or about) coming in well suddenly this early afternoon - had it weak in the noise this morning with fades to nothing.

Good to hear an 8 mhz beacon every now and then.

[cwguy]

Just turned on the rig at 1530z this morning - hearing the 7998.7 KHz Hiker.  Sigs fair, but very steady.  I haven't heard it this early in a long time....

[Token]

7998.76 ditter is in here about 18 dB above the noise floor (S4 peaks with an S1 noise floor) at about 0115z, Oct 11, 2012.  I have not looked at the 8 MHz beacons in quite a while.

There also appears to be something sending on 8000 from time to time, but have not caught enough of it to know what it is yet.

T!

[zackers]

These are actually people hiking along trails with transmitters?

[cwguy]

I have heard this one a few times before, but as of 2000Z today - nuthin'.  I'll keep checking as time permits.

[ChrisSmolinski]

I may have 7998.6 here at 1203z, extremely faint, but I can hear some occasional beeping in CW mode.

[ChrisSmolinski]

I have beacon on 8000.38 at 2046z.

[mark-n-nut]

Have a dasher this evening on 7998.0 at 0030 utc

And..

Some regular morse code? on about 7998.210.  Though I have not been able to make heads or toes of it yet? 

mark-n-nut

[Nikola]

I have a dasher this evening at 7997.97.  Approximately 13 dashes / minute.

Also, at ~0209 UTC a slightly stronger dasher came up on 7999.98 for about 1 minute.  Similar rate as the 7998 dasher.

I'm posting this here because the frequencies for this pair are consistent with the reported "hiker" beacons.