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Author Topic: Marine CW channel markers/beacons.  (Read 5108 times)

Offline Looking-Glass

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Marine CW channel markers/beacons.
« on: November 16, 2019, 1756 UTC »
They are slowly disappearing as the years pass, but there are some still about, most, if not all of the American ones have called it quits, however, quite a few remain in Asia and to some extent Europe.

Some (mainly China & Turkey) are preceded with three or  four "buzz" tones before the call sign in CW is transmitted, the call is only transmitted once. "XSQ" has three buzz tones whilst "XSG" four whilst "XSV" has four "chirps" instead of buzz tones.

The South Korean ones have a standard lengthy format.

SVO Olympia Radio from Greece is 10Kw. Transmits "de SVO" with no preceding buzz tones.

TAH from Istanbul, Turkey is 10Kw. Has four preceding buzz tones then "TAH" in CW.

HLG, HLO, HLW
etc are 3Kw to log periodic. Format is "CQ CQ CQ de HLG HLG HLG QSX 12MHz K" as per call sign and frequency.

4XZ in Haifa, Israel has a standard format "V V V de 4XZ 4XZ", often transmits military type traffic.

Be interesting to find out what people are hearing, will start off with some loggings and will add to it and thus build up a list:

2.680MHz  CW  4XZ  1549z  Haifa, Israel Military/Navy 319 report.

4.212MHz  CW  XSQ  1555z  Guangzhou, China 589 report.
4.215MHz  CW  XSG  1643z  Shanghai, China 579 report.
4.216MHz  CW  TAH  1640z  Istanbul, Turkey 519 report.
4.219MHz  CW  XSQ  1600z  Guangzhou, China 579 report. (Heard as "XSG" Shanghai in January 2020)
4.331MHz  CW  4XZ   1548z  Haifa, Israel Military/Navy 539 report.

6.316MHz  CW  XSQ  1050z  Guangzhou, China 569 report.
6.329MHz  CW  XSQ 1141z  Guangzhou, China 599 report. (Heard as "XSG" Shanghai in January 2020)
6.607MHz  CW  4XZ  1715z  Haifa, Israel 539 report.

8.417.5MHz  CW  XSV  1015z  Tianjin, China 559 report.
8.419MHz  CW  XSV  0856z  Tianjin, China 539 report.
8.424MHz  CW  SVO  1755z  Olympia Radio, Athens, Greece 559 report.
8.425.5MHz  CW  XSG  1711z Shanghai, China 569 report.
8.431MHz  CW  XSQ  1810z  Guangzhou, China 559 report. (Heard as "XSG" Shanghai in January 2020)
8.431MHz  CW  TAH  1811z  Istanbul, Turkey 529 report.
8.433MHz  CW  XSG  0855z  Shanghai, China 569 report.
8.435MHz  CW  XSQ  1809z  Guangzhou, China 569 report.
8.484MHz  CW  HLG  0950z  Seoul, South Korea 569 report.
8.636MHz  CW  HLW  0948z  Seoul, South Korea 589 report.

12.613MHz  CW  XSQ  0810z Guangzhou, China 559 report. (Heard as "XSG" Shanghai in January 2020)
12.622.5MHz  CW  XSQ  0805z Guangzhou, China 539 report.
12.637.5MHz  CW  XSG  0844z Shanghai, China 559 report.
12.648.5MHz  CW  XSQ  0806z Guangzhou, China 559 report.
12.843MHz  CW  HLO  0455z Seoul, South Korea 519/529 report.
12.916.5MHz  CW  HLF  0457z Seoul, South Korea 419 report.
12.923MHz  CW  HLW2  0500z Seoul, South Korea 319 report.
12.935MHz  CW  HLG  0811z Seoul, South Korea 419 report.

16.854MHz  CW  XSQ  0837z Guangzhou, China 539 report.
16.880MHz  CW  XSQ  0836z Guangzhou, China 539 report.
16.898.5MHz  CW  XSG  0840z Shanghai, China 519 report.
16.910MHz  CW  HLJ  0439z  Seoul, South Korea 319 report.
16.990MHz  CW  HLO 0423z  Seoul, South Korea 419 report.

17.130MHz  CW  HLW  0358z  Seoul, South Korea 319-419 report.

22.611.0MHz  CW  HLF 0220z Seoul, South Korea 519 report.

Note:  During late December 2019 and early January 2020 some "XSQ" Guangzhou Radio transmissions were changed to "XSG" Shanghai Radio, whether this is a "shared" frequency with alternating call signs or a permanent change?  Also some preambles have been changed to "de" prior to call sign eg: four buzz tones hence "de XSG" has been noted from late November 2019 onwards.
« Last Edit: January 15, 2020, 1922 UTC by Looking-Glass »
Condobolin, NSW.

Grid Square:  QF37ub

Yaesu FT-1000D, Yaesu FT-2000D, ICOM IC-736 HF/50MHz, ICOM IC R75 & Tecsun S-2000 to 450 feet of wire, 27MHz 1/2 wave CB antenna converted to 21MHz & a multi band vertical of dubious reliability.

Offline Boriken

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Re: Marine CW channel markers/beacons.
« Reply #1 on: November 17, 2019, 1153 UTC »
Heard these on 17 Nov 2019

8424kc CW SVO 0115z
8431kc CW TAH 0120z
8417kc CW XSV 0610z
8435kc CW XSQ 0615z
8484kc CW HLG 0620z
8636kc CW HLW 0623z

Hear XSQ/XSV most mornings, HLG/HLW are hit or miss.
CAY-40677 Receiver & 40m inverted vee at 30ft.
Scott / WB4YZA
Western North Carolina
Mosty homebrew, 100% analog

Offline Looking-Glass

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Re: Marine CW channel markers/beacons.
« Reply #2 on: November 17, 2019, 1635 UTC »
Thanks Boriken, didn't see your location on your post?  Daytime, late afternoon and early evening propagation picking up here in eastern Australia with 12, 16 and 17MHz getting better. :)
Condobolin, NSW.

Grid Square:  QF37ub

Yaesu FT-1000D, Yaesu FT-2000D, ICOM IC-736 HF/50MHz, ICOM IC R75 & Tecsun S-2000 to 450 feet of wire, 27MHz 1/2 wave CB antenna converted to 21MHz & a multi band vertical of dubious reliability.

Offline Looking-Glass

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Re: Marine CW channel markers/beacons.
« Reply #3 on: December 25, 2019, 0903 UTC »
Has any one logged XSG on 16.898.5MHz CW recently?  Have heard the others on this 16MHz section. Maybe it's off air?
Condobolin, NSW.

Grid Square:  QF37ub

Yaesu FT-1000D, Yaesu FT-2000D, ICOM IC-736 HF/50MHz, ICOM IC R75 & Tecsun S-2000 to 450 feet of wire, 27MHz 1/2 wave CB antenna converted to 21MHz & a multi band vertical of dubious reliability.

Offline sat_dxer

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Re: Marine CW channel markers/beacons.
« Reply #4 on: March 27, 2021, 0003 UTC »
12637.5kHz  FEC  XSG  2350z 26 Mar /21
Most times & frequencies posted are only an approximation.

Offline sat_dxer

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Re: Marine CW channel markers/beacons.
« Reply #5 on: March 30, 2021, 0001 UTC »
16910kHz  CW  HLJ  0001z  30 Mar/ 21 Seoul Radio

16880kHz  CW  XSQ  0005z  30 Mar/ 21 Guangzhou
« Last Edit: March 30, 2021, 0007 UTC by sat_dxer »
Most times & frequencies posted are only an approximation.

Offline sat_dxer

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Re: Marine CW channel markers/beacons.
« Reply #6 on: February 16, 2022, 1622 UTC »
8395kHz SITOR-A  w/QVXY un-id  1615z 16 Feb /22
Most times & frequencies posted are only an approximation.