Utility Planet: April 2014

Friday, April 25, 2014

X1.3 Solar Flare Occurred 0027 UTC on 25 April

A bright X1.3 solar flare occurred yesterday (North American time) at 0027 UTC. It was accompanied by an 1100 Solar Flux Unit burst at 10 cm, and a large coronal mass ejection (CME).

This magnitude doesn't make the top ten list for Cycle 24 flares, but it's still up there.

Given the flare's position, on active region 2035 just over the west limb, its energetic CME should completely miss the Earth.

VOA Radiogram for April 26-27

From Kim Andrew Elliott:

Hello friends,

For the weekend of 26-27 April, we will transmit only one mode at a time.

One of the VOA News stories, about the Ukraine-Russia cyberwar, is very interesting, but it is also long and would take more than 10 minutes in MFSK32. So it will be in the faster MFSK64L mode.

Everything else will be MFSK32 except for the surprise mode during the closing music.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 56, 26-27 April 2014:

1:33 MFSK32: Program preview
2:45 MFSK64L: Ukraine Russia cyberwar
9:30 MFSK32: Heat into electricity, with image
13:46 MFSK32: Electric cars at the NY auto show, with image
21:33 MFSK32: (Spanish) NASA spacesuits, with image
26:00 MFSK32: Closing announcements

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5745 kHz
Sat 1600-1630 17860 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

Last weekend, the MFSK8 "bonus" mode centered on 1000 Hz was mostly successful except in the most challenging shortwave reception conditions. See videos from program 55.

I'm now responding to your reports from last weekend. I look forward to hearing from you this weekend.

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram

radiogram@voanews.com

voaradiogram.net
@VOARadiogram

Friday, April 18, 2014

Double Duty VOA Radiogram for April 19-20

From Kim Andrew Elliott:

Hello friends,

Last weekend's experiment with the "mystery mode," MFSK8 as it turned out, was mostly successful. I reduced the level of the MFSK8 to 8 dB below the level of the MFSK32, because unattenuated MFSK8 at a piercing audio frequency of 2300 Hz can be rather painful to listen to.

This weekend, we'll repeat the contact information and schedule in MFSK8, but we'll move it to 1000 Hz, which is easier on the ear. With MFSK32 and MFSK8 both at full level, a distorted, other-worldly sound resulted. So I reduced the MFSK8 to 4 dB under the MFSK32. You can still hear what sounds like distortion, but it should be harmless. Probably. I hope.

If you prefer an easy, set-it-and-forget-it decoding experience, just do the MFSK32 at 1500 Hz. If you want more of a challenge, then run two instances of Fldigi, or Fldigi and another decoder such as MultiPSK, or record the program, to see the MFSK8 output. Please remember that MFSK8 must be precisely tuned (it will likely be received a few Hz above or below 1000 Hz) for a successful decode.

Please let me know if you think the simultaneous modes are making the MFSK32 images "noisier."

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 55, 19-20 April 2014 (content in MFSK32 centered on 1500 Hz):

01:39 Program preview
02:57 Survey of US software developers, with image
07:08 Planets that wobble, with image
13:38 Cambodia's draft cybercrime law
16:06 Google buys drone company, with image
21:42 VOA Spanish* news story about El Niño, with image
26:23 Closing announcements

*Use the UTF-8 character set. In Fldigi: Configure > Colors & Fonts ...

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC):
Sat 0930-1000 5745 kHz
Sat 1600-1630 17860 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC, with studios in the Netherlands and transmitter in Germany, will include a minute of MFSK64 Saturday at about 1130 UTC (during the new Big Beach Show) on 6095 kHz. And Sunday at about 0130 UTC (Saturday 9:30 pm EDT) on 7375 kHz. Reports to Eric at themightykbc@gmail.com.

Thank you for your reception reports to VOA Radiogram last weekend. I will try to answer them before this weekend is over. And, as always, I look forward to your emails.

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott
Producer and Presenter
VOA Radiogram

Friday, April 11, 2014

Solar Peak VHF DX Log Part 8 (Supplemental from 4/10)

Interesting Participatory VOA Radiogram for April 12-13

If you couldn't hear the first VOA sked last weekend, on 5745 at 0930 UTC, it wasn't your equipment. Due to scheduling mixups, it was never broadcast.

From Kim Andrew Elliott:

Hello friends,

After last weekend's schedule mishap, the VOA Radiogram transmissions should be back to their regular times and frequencies this weekend:

UTC Day

UTC Time

Frequency

Notes

Saturday

0930-1000

5745 kHz

Was missing on 5 April

Saturday

1600-1630

17860 kHz

Sunday

0230-0300

5745 kHz

Saturday 10:30 pm EDT in North America;

try unattended reception in Europe

Sunday

1930-2000

15670 kHz

All transmissions via North Carolina

Mystery mode: VOA Radiogram, for the weekend of 12-13 April 2014, will be all MFSK32 centered on 1500 Hz, but there will also be a mystery mode transmitted simultaneously at an audio frequency of 2300 Hz. (The RSID will help unlock the mystery of the mystery mode.)

You can decode both the MFSK32 and the other mode by 1) running two instances of Fldigi, 2) running Fldigi and another decoding software such as MultiPSK or DM780, or 3) recording the show and decoding the mystery mode later.

The audio frequency of the mystery mode needs to be tuned very precisely. It will probably be a few Hz above or below 2300 Hz. The content is the VOA Radiogram email address, website URL, and schedule, transmitted over and over, so you will have plenty of time to achieve a successful decode.

One of the MFSK32 VOA news items will be in Spanish. You will need the UTF-8 characters for the accented letters to display correctly. Find the UTF-8 setting via Configure > Colors and Fonts.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 54, 12-13 April 2014 (all MFSK32 centered on 1500 Hz except where indicated):

1:43 Program preview

2:58 Mystery mode starts centered on 2300 Hz

4:44 Survey of trust in the Internet, with image

13:00 Intel's use of non-conflict minerals, with image

19:15 US Navy developing fuel from seawater, with image

24:19 VOA Spanish on "cardio," with VOA Voz de América logo

27:10 Closing announcements

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com

Thanks for your reports to VOA Radiogram from the past weekend. I will begin to answer them today. I look forward to hearing from you this weekend.

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott

Producer and Presenter

VOA Radiogram

radiogram@voanews.com

http://voaradiogram.net

Twitter: @voaradiogram

PS: The Mighty KBC will transmit a minute of MFSK64 Saturday at about 1130 UTC (new time) on 6095 kHz and Sunday at about 0130 UTC (Saturday 9:30 pm EDT) on 7375 kHz. Reports to Eric via email: themightykbc@gmail.com.

Sunday, April 06, 2014

Solar Peak VHF DX Log Part 7 (Supplemental from 6 April 14)

Saturday, April 05, 2014

Solar Peak VHF DX Log Part 6 (Supplemental from 4 April 14)

37570.0    Unid    FM    Very weak tones. Looks like analog paging. Likely South America.    2050    CSQ

37630.0    Unid    N0N    Starting point of well defined Squiggle    2044    n/a

38625.0    Unid    ?    Hissy Station    2056    n/a

38900.0    Unid    FM    Slow fade in of YLs in unk lang, NOT English. 2 stns, one 380 Hz off frequency. Short xmsns.    2111    CSQ

39625.88    Unid    FM    Very weak carrier keyed on and off, seems to be using PL. Obviously not CHP. Frequency is exact carrier.    2058    ?

Friday, April 04, 2014

Solar Peak VHF DX Log Part 5 (34-38 MHz)

Thursday, April 03, 2014

Set and Forget VOA Radiogram for April 5-6

From Kim Andrew Elliott:

Hello friends,

Last weekend's "battle of the 100-word-per-minute modes" produced useful results. Based on a quick analysis of the percentage of correct characters, the average of all responses is…

MFSK32                98%

MT63-1000L        90%

Thor25x4             86%

PSKR125               74%

[My results were very close to these percentages. Around 100% for MFSK32, 99-100% for MT63, mediocre copy on the Thor, and rough copy on the PSKR125. PSK modes don't seem to fare well in this particular application. -Hugh]

The MT63-1000L would have had an even better result if it had not been for four occasions of no decode at all. In situations where any MT63-1000L text was received, its performance was very close to that of MFSK32.

MFSK32 does have the advantage of being about 20 words per minute faster than MT63-1000L. Furthermore, MFSK32, unlike MT63-1000L, can be used for images.

This weekend, VOA Radiogram will return to an all-MFSK32 "set it and forget it" format. I do this at the risk of losing the interest of those of you who prefer a program replete with experiments. The program will be interesting in that it will include four images and an Flmsg CSV form with the updated VOA English transmission schedule.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 53, 5-6 March 2014:

All MFSK32 centered on 1500 Hz...

1:36 Program preview

2:40 Head of Russian social network resigns, with image

9:28 NASA aircraft research, with image

16:13 Maryland company helps in search for MH370, with image

23:04 VOA English broadcast schedule as Flmsg* CSV form

26:44 Closing announcements

*To make Flmsg work with Fldigi (both can be downloaded from w1hkj.com), in Fldigi: Configure > Misc > NBEMS -- Under Reception of flmsg files, check both boxes, and under that indicate where your Flmsg.exe file is located.

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule

(all days and times UTC)

Sat 0930-1000 5745 kHz

Sat 1600-1630 17860 kHz

Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz

Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz

All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

Reception of the Sunday 0230 UTC broadcast in Europe: This broadcast is audible in Europe but occurs at a rather inconvenient time for Europeans. If you are in Europe, please consider unattended reception of this transmission. Three ways to do this involve leaving you radio on and tuned to 5745 kHz all night: 1) Use the Audacity audio recording software, specifically its Transport > Timer Record feature. 2) Use Fldigi's File > Text Capture feature, then retrieve the decoded text from the file that will contain mostly gibberish. 3) Instead of using Fldigi text capture, scroll up through the receive pane to find the decoded text, which you can copy and paste to a text editor or word processor.

The Mighty KBC will again transmit a minute of MFSK64 Saturday at about 1230 UTC on 6095 kHz, and Sunday at about 0130 UTC (Saturday 9:30 pm EDT) on 7375 kHz. Both frequencies are via Germany. STF Radio International is also planning tests on The Mighty KBC, presumably again in MFSK32 about 15 minutes after my MFSK64 transmissions.

Amateur radio digital nets: As KD9XB, I usually check in to the New York NBEMS net Saturdays at 1400 UTC (10 am EDT) on 7036 kHz and the Pennsylvania NBEMS net Sundays at 1500 UTC (11 am EDT) on 7072.5 kHz. I occasionally also check in to the USeast NBEMS net Wednesdays at 2300 UTC (7 pm EDT) on 7036 kHz. All these nets are USB and start with Olivia 8-500, then change to another mode such as MFSK32 or MT63-1000L for messages.

Thanks for your reception reports last weekend, and I look forward to hearing from this weekend.

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott

Producer and Presenter

VOA Radiogram

radiogram@voanews.com

http://voaradiogram.net
Twitter: @voaradiogram

ONEMI May Have Changed Frequencies

The frequencies in my last list used to work just fine here, but now several seem to be either off by 500 Hz, or the wrong sideband, or something.

Still checking.

Chilean Earthquake Emergency on HF

I've been hearing some ALE soundings from OMEMI, Chile's emergency management agency.

The thing to understand about Chile is that it's very long and skinny on a N-S axis, so its coastline is very, very long and evacuating the whole thing is a massive undertaking. They've done it twice in two days.

ONEMI stands (in Spanish for) Oficina National de Emergencia del Ministerio de Interior (Ministry of Interior National Emergency Office).   It's USB ALE frequencies are:

    6834.0     6843.0     6861.0     6871.0     6877.0     9084.0     9087.0
    9091.0     9140.0     9150.0     10128.0     10135.0     10160.0
    10176.5     10187.0     10193.0     10218.0     10222.0     10234.0
    10244.0     17411.0     17426.0     17446.0     17450.0     17454.0

The navy uses LSB and USB on:
    6848.0     11429.0     17466.0     20400.0

Voice comms have been heard in the past after the autolinking.

Wednesday, April 02, 2014

Solar Peak VHF DX Log Part 4 (33.5-34 MHz)

All intercepts made in Southern California by the author, using a WiNRADiO G33DDC SDR and a PAR EF-SWL end fed 45' wire. All frequencies kHz, all times UTC.

OM = male, YL = woman, SS = Spanish, EE=English, Disp=Dispatcher, Unid = Unidentified.

Tones are CTCSS (Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System) aka "PL."
CSQ = no tone in use (Carrier SQuelch)

Frequency ... Callsign ... Mode ... Description ... Time ... Tone

33500.0    Unid    ?    Hissy Station    2011    n/a

33520.0    Unid    FM    Weak OM    2011    77.0

33520.0    Unid    FM    OM, medic alarm    2011    131.8

33560.0    KGC755    FM    Lancaster County, PA, Fire/EMS Northeast Fireground. OM & YL dispatching Deputy 33 and medic, then "Ambulance 372, OK." OM, "Ambulance 31, OK," "Sheriff's 35, OK, I copy." "Medic 430, OK." Etc.    2124    CSQ

33580.0    Unid    FM    Very weak    2045    ?

33600.0    KGC755    FM    Lancaster County, PA, Fire/EMS receiver activation pager. Tones and dispatches for major incident at WGAL-TV, parallel with 33.9 (main dispatch fq). One call was self-identified as "Lancaster County." On 22 Mar 14, CW ID "KGC755" at 2047.    2121    CSQ

33620.0    Unid    FM    Weak tones and OM dispatch    2044    123.0?

33640.0    Unid    FM    EMS Dispatch paging tones, then OM "05, [unintelligible] City Ambulance 250," with CW ID getting cut out by the voice, so it makes no sense. Possibilities are Lancaster, Westmoreland, & Cattaragus Counties.    2206    CSQ

33640.0    KGC755    FM    Lancaster County, PA, Fire/EMS Northwest Fireground. "County," YL wkg Medic 86, Medic 63, and similar. Short xmsns, mostly rogers with "OK," and a few dispatches. On 28 March, asked a mobile if he wanted help, followed closely by dispatch to same incident on 33.9. Usually distorted. CW ID used.    1746    CSQ

33640.0    Unid    FM    YL & OM, not Lancaster    2109    114.8

33660.0    Unid    FM    Parallel to other fqs, not much known    2016    ?

33680.0    KBH343    FM    Morgan County Fire Dept., OH, for Malta-McConnelsville and Chesterhill. Tones and OM w/ dispatch for "[unintelligible] Squad" to medical emerg.    2259    CSQ?

33680.0    WPGJ389    FM    Lancaster, PA, city Metro Fire, YL wkg OM. On 30 March, simulcast a CW ID with 33.72.    2119    CSQ

33680.0    WPFW622    FM    Hunterdon County, NJ, dispatch channel. OM: "Any additional [unintelligible] fire units, you can cancel 30 Utility 21." //33.74    2047    192.8

33700.0    KGH706    FM    Westmoreland County Emergency Center, PA. OM with a broadcast of a winter storm warning for possible 6-8" of snow possible, signed "Westmoreland County Radio, clear at 1736"    2136    CSQ

33700.0    KGH706    FM    Westmoreland County Emergency Center, PA. Sent DTMF tones 650831, 650371, and 650911, plus 2-tone pages, each time followed by OM dispatching various units for a traffic accident with ops on tac-11. Definitely multiple transmitters in use, with slight fq and strength changes between calls. Also DTMF 650711 at 2206.    2159    CSQ

33700.0    Unid    FM    "OM: "--five, West Valley Chief, go ahead… [unintelligible]… need PD out there."    2121    107.2

33700.0    KDP395    FM    Cattaragus County, NY FD dispatch channel. Dispatch and fireground comms at a brush fire. Possible repeater/remote. This one has been heard in Europe!    2015    151.4

33700.0    KGD869    FM    Somerset County (PA) dispatch, sent units to North-1 (33.84). Later sent unit to Central-1 (33.9).    2235    192.8

33720.0    KGC755    FM    Lancaster County, PA, Fire/EMS South and East Fireground. 2 YL dispatchers wkg Medic 61 then Medic 67, eastern time. Morse code tone ID KGC755. On 30 March, simulcast an ID with 33.68.    1941    CSQ

33740.0    Unid    FM    Two quick carrier keys, OM with tree down dispatch, two more quick keys    2314    151.4

33740.0    WPXI556    FM    Hunterdon County, NJ, FD/EMS command channel. OM wkg "Utility 21" Later OM dispatching "Station 91 Fire, Engine 11-1, Rescue11" to an alarm…" followed by verbal call sign ID. //33.68    2047    192.8

33750.0    Unid    ?    Hissy Station, weak    2202    n/a

33760.0    KGC755    FM    Lancaster County, PA, Fire/EMS. YL "County," dispatch to car vs pole with wires down. Later tone calls //33.72. Morse code tone ID KGC755.    2053    CSQ

33760.0    KCN572?    FM    Possible SRWW Joint Fire District, Clinton County, OH. OM dispatch.    2308    131.8?

33780.0    KTG669    FM    Allegany County Fire/EMS dispatch, MD, very large old style system with 6 base stn towers and hundreds of mobiles at FDs. Fireground is on 33.68, .98, & .60. ID in disp for medical emerg: "King First Responders, this is your medic alert… 1636 hours, this is KTG669."    2336    82.5

33800.0    Unid    FM    OM asking mobile, "Do you need additional manpower?" QRM with two other stations on-channel.    2227    CSQ

33800.0    Unid    FM    YL disp for "2," and "1840." Radios emit a "turkey call" when carrier dropped. QRM.    2227    ?

33800.0    Unid    FM    Tones, siren sound, and OM with dispatch. QRM.    2227    179.9

33820.0    KGC755    FM    Lancaster, PA, City FD frequency, YL dispatching brush fire    2109    CSQ

33820.0    KCO372    FM    Calvert County, MD, many 2-tone pages, OM dispatching for traffic accident, then YL and OM conversation, squad 7 and Tac-1 mentioned. Later YL disp for North Beach, on Chesapeake Bay. Another day same YL disp for brush fire, with several mobiles enroute. Later requesting a water drop.    2140    141.3

33820.0    Unid    FM    FD dispatch    2011    186.2

33840.0    KGD869    FM    Somerset County, PA "North-1." Tactical from 33.7 dispatch. "614" wkg "Command Somerset."    2235    92.8

33860.0    KFO822    FM    Pickaway County, OH. YL with self-ID "Pickaway County, clear" after medic dispatch. Apparently some kind of legacy mutual aid frequency.    2030    77.0

33860.0    KGC676    FM    Washington County Fire/EMS, Hagerstown, MD. YL clearing with a medic unit and self-identifying call sign.    2036    77.0

33860.0    KQH904    FM    Licking County Emergency Comm Ctr, OH. Identifies "904," and is addressed as same. A large radio system with obvious remote bases in use. Lots of kerchunking and control tones. Frequently self-identifies as KQH904. Many fire dispatches, and some mobiles are audible. Great freq.    2025    82.5

33860.0    KBH343    FM    Morgan County Fire Dept., OH, tactical for Malta-McConnelsville and Chesterhill. OM self-identified "KBH343, 1800 hours." Also heard on 33.68.    2300    146.2

33880.0    WPVT322    York County Fire/EMS, PA, 3 open-carrier key downs. ID from Radioreference.    2028    186.2

33900.0    KGC755    FM    Lancaster County, PA, Fire/EMS Main Dispatch Channel. Tone pages, simul on 33.6 (Lancaster volunteer receiver activation frequency), then voice with several dispatches and more tones/ dispatches for roof collapse at WGAL-TV. This one made CNN!    2121    CSQ

33900.0    Unid    FM    2 dispatches, not much else known    1810    127.3

33920.0    Unid    FM    Brief carrier, later YL dispatch. Louder 11 March, but no ID made.    2245    151.4

33940.0    WZX412    FM    Indiana County FD, PA. OM, wkg FD units. "190, Chief, Indiana County."    2205    CSQ

33940.0    KNBX247    FM    Berks County Fire/EMS, PA, response F-1. OM, recalling apparatus from [unintelligible] township. OM wkg "Chief."    1857    77.0

33950.0    Unid    FM    Hissy Station    2110    n/a

33960.0    Unid    FM    Distorted tones & OM dispatch    2035    CSQ

33975.0    Unid    FM    Hissy Station, long bursts    2225    n/a

33980.0    KFR674    FM    Perry County, OH, FD dispatch, OM and mobiles, with turkey calls at end of transmissions. Fireground is 33.86.    2112    CSQ

33980.0    WPBB478    FM    Erie County FD, PA, OM dispatcher with "Priority 1" medic dispatch to an address in Lake City (right on Lake Erie).    2112    CSQ

33980.0    Unid    FM    YL w/ FD dispatch, different station than the 103.5 tone, making QRM here. Several possibilities in PA.    1849    62.5

33980.0    WZC522/WPMB234    FM    Muskingum County, OH, FD Dispatch. YL disp ending with time stamp and verbal self-ID WPMB234. Some mobiles heard enroute. WZC522 is a legacy simulcast of WPMB234 on 151 & 155 MHz.    1956    103.5

33980.0    Unid    FM    YL dispatcher wkg OM in unit    2246    141.3

33980.0    Unid    FM    Several stations on a grass fire response    2020    151.4

UTC Day	UTC Time	Frequency	Notes
Saturday	0930-1000	5745 kHz	Was missing on 5 April
Saturday	1600-1630	17860 kHz
Sunday	0230-0300	5745 kHz	Saturday 10:30 pm EDT in North America; try unattended reception in Europe
Sunday	1930-2000	15670 kHz
All transmissions via North Carolina