We conclude The Great WebSDR Tour with some stuff found on 40 meters.
7033.3 (listed 7037.9)
I probably should have switched to LSB before getting a frequency on this one. It's TA2BBS-4, node #4 of a packet/Pactor mailbox and bulletin board system. The transmitter is in Ankara, Turkey.
7034.0 (see above, listed freq is much higher)
This is also packet, but I couldn't get an ID
7038.7
This is the infamous 40 meter SLHFB cluster that European hams have been serenaded by for decades now. Like 80m and the others, it's a cluster of propagation beacons (?) used by the Russian Navy. They bang away in CW, with single-letter IDs spaced 100 Hz that are consistent from cluster to cluster. That's why you'll remember some of these from 80.
Here's what I have so far:
7038.7 "D" Sevastopol 01/30/09 0650
7038.8 "P" Kaliningrad 01/30/09 0659
7038.9 "S" Severomorsk 01/30/09 0650
7039.0 "C" Moscow 01/30/09 0650
7039.1 "A" Astrakhan? 02/03/09 2050
(Again, thanks to Ary Boender.)
Quite the racket when these are all coming in at once, with different letters fading up and down at different rates.
7054.0
Indicated center frequency of what sounds like a loud teleprinting idler. May be an image, I don't know. It's REALLY loud, and it appears (much weaker) the same distance from the other side of the IQ mixer center frequency. Appears to be 75/200 and sounds like some military and diplo stuff but I have no way of knowing if I'm right. Fades in and out with the night time skip. ?????????????
Happy SDR'ing!
Showing posts with label slhfb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label slhfb. Show all posts
Sunday, March 01, 2009
The Great WebSDR Tour - Part 3
3589.7 (Dial, listed 3588.0)
This is an output frequency for an interesting European data network called PSKmail. Those who have used "packet" mailboxes get the concept, except that this one is in PSK250. This is a much faster, and much wider, version of the PSK31 that everyone's probably heard on 14070 kHz. It works better than HF packet, and you don't need a US $1500 modem to receive it, like you do for Pactor-II and III. The shareware MultiPSK program does it just fine, even over the grungy webSDR.
The station on this frequency identifies as DK4XI-8. It seems to dump large files of amateur callsigns and coordinates on the hour. I don't know if these are APRS or obtained in other ways. Many of the stations are afloat. At hour +15, it dumps an even larger file of Deutscher Wetterdienst WX and NAVTEX Hamburg, both in German. This contains weather observations and maritime safety information from the German weather and hydromet offices.
I've also copied another PSK250 station, DA5UWG, on 3588.5. This is also PSKmail.
3592.6 (listed, dial can vary all over)
This is an interesting world propagation spotting net using a semi-automated amateur mode called WSPR (Weak Signal Propagation Reporter, aka "whisper"). WSPR is implemented in another small computer program resembling WSJT. Look and feel are similar, since both are written by K1JT, but WSPR is even less intuitive if that's possible.
This mode is designed for very bad HF circuits. It is precisely timed, with transmissions beginning exactly 2 seconds into each even UTC minute and lasting around 110 seconds. DEFINITELY sync your computer to an Internet time server if you're going to use THIS mode.
The information rate is very slow, around 1 baud. The signal is only about 6 Hz wide. It uses a very narrow 4PSK modulation and a lot of redundancy (FEC, etc). Therefore the dedicated WSPR software decoder can extract very weak signals, well below the noise.
Even when it's audible, WSPR is easy to confuse with just another dirty carrier or more local computer grunge. This makes it easy to miss, but if you park WSPR on the SDR at or near 3592.6 USB, you'll hear it eventually. At home, try this one and 10138.6 USB.
So far my only successfully decoded hit is:
0622 -4 1.7 3.594074 0 OE1SMC JN88 30
and yes, the actual transmitted frequencies are between 3594 and 3594.2 kHz.
3595.7
Our tour comes to an end with the Russian Navy SLHFB Single-Letter HF Beacon cluster. Like all these clusters, this one consists of several CW Morse beacons spaced 0.1 kHz repeating one letter forever. These have been on the air for a very long time, and they are thought to be propagation beacons. It's possible to tune in the whole range at once and see where the band's open to.
So far, on 80, we have nailed:
3593.7 "D" Sevastopol 02/04/09 0431
3593.8 "P" Kaliningrad 02/08/09 2142
3593.9 "S" Severomorsk 02/04/09 0431
(Thanks to Ary Boender for the locations).
There should at least be "C" (3594.0, Moscow) audible at some point, and also an "A" on 3594.1 and maybe a "K."
Well, that's the 80 meter part of our tour. Sure a lot more to hear than around here.
For those who want to do the WebSDR thing, there's a list of these here. Note that K7UEB has just brought up a new one at his US location near Walla Walla, WA. It covers 14000-14095 kHz (or most of the 20 meter digital band).
Happy decoding!
This is an output frequency for an interesting European data network called PSKmail. Those who have used "packet" mailboxes get the concept, except that this one is in PSK250. This is a much faster, and much wider, version of the PSK31 that everyone's probably heard on 14070 kHz. It works better than HF packet, and you don't need a US $1500 modem to receive it, like you do for Pactor-II and III. The shareware MultiPSK program does it just fine, even over the grungy webSDR.
The station on this frequency identifies as DK4XI-8. It seems to dump large files of amateur callsigns and coordinates on the hour. I don't know if these are APRS or obtained in other ways. Many of the stations are afloat. At hour +15, it dumps an even larger file of Deutscher Wetterdienst WX and NAVTEX Hamburg, both in German. This contains weather observations and maritime safety information from the German weather and hydromet offices.
I've also copied another PSK250 station, DA5UWG, on 3588.5. This is also PSKmail.
3592.6 (listed, dial can vary all over)
This is an interesting world propagation spotting net using a semi-automated amateur mode called WSPR (Weak Signal Propagation Reporter, aka "whisper"). WSPR is implemented in another small computer program resembling WSJT. Look and feel are similar, since both are written by K1JT, but WSPR is even less intuitive if that's possible.
This mode is designed for very bad HF circuits. It is precisely timed, with transmissions beginning exactly 2 seconds into each even UTC minute and lasting around 110 seconds. DEFINITELY sync your computer to an Internet time server if you're going to use THIS mode.
The information rate is very slow, around 1 baud. The signal is only about 6 Hz wide. It uses a very narrow 4PSK modulation and a lot of redundancy (FEC, etc). Therefore the dedicated WSPR software decoder can extract very weak signals, well below the noise.
Even when it's audible, WSPR is easy to confuse with just another dirty carrier or more local computer grunge. This makes it easy to miss, but if you park WSPR on the SDR at or near 3592.6 USB, you'll hear it eventually. At home, try this one and 10138.6 USB.
So far my only successfully decoded hit is:
0622 -4 1.7 3.594074 0 OE1SMC JN88 30
and yes, the actual transmitted frequencies are between 3594 and 3594.2 kHz.
3595.7
Our tour comes to an end with the Russian Navy SLHFB Single-Letter HF Beacon cluster. Like all these clusters, this one consists of several CW Morse beacons spaced 0.1 kHz repeating one letter forever. These have been on the air for a very long time, and they are thought to be propagation beacons. It's possible to tune in the whole range at once and see where the band's open to.
So far, on 80, we have nailed:
3593.7 "D" Sevastopol 02/04/09 0431
3593.8 "P" Kaliningrad 02/08/09 2142
3593.9 "S" Severomorsk 02/04/09 0431
(Thanks to Ary Boender for the locations).
There should at least be "C" (3594.0, Moscow) audible at some point, and also an "A" on 3594.1 and maybe a "K."
Well, that's the 80 meter part of our tour. Sure a lot more to hear than around here.
For those who want to do the WebSDR thing, there's a list of these here. Note that K7UEB has just brought up a new one at his US location near Walla Walla, WA. It covers 14000-14095 kHz (or most of the 20 meter digital band).
Happy decoding!
Monday, February 09, 2009
WebSDR Utility Hits
WebSDR is a remote Software Defined Radio at the University of Twente, Netherlands (grid locator JO32KF). It runs a Java applet that displays three waterfalls for amateur band segments, and allows multiple Internet users worldwide to listen to different parts of these at the same time.
While the amateur signals are interesting enough, the real fun is the utility reception at this location. It gives those of us trapped here on the US West Coast (aka The Land That Shortwave Forgot) a chance to hear some of those utilities that Europeans keep reporting on UDXF.
Here's a short log of some recent stuff I heard. Keep in mind that some of the frequencies are offset from where you'd hear them on your own equipment. Others are not (because I looked them up).
3589.7 (Indicated on WebSDR)
Unid - BPSK250 Weather obs in GG 01/30/09 0636
This unidentified station appears to dump files from various sources on a regular schedule. At 250 baud, it's pushing the limit of what the rubbery Internet timing can pass undistorted. Garbled characters are common. However, there's never been anything resembling an ID.
One file included many amateur callsigns and sets of coordinates, perhaps an APRS dump. Another one, passed frequently at hour +15, contains Deutscher Wetterdienst (German Weather Office) warnings and formatted marine safety bulletins from "NAVTEX-Hamburg."
80 meter Russian single-letter HF beacon cluster:
3593.7 CW SLHFB "D" Sevastopol 02/04/09 0431
3593.8 CW SLHFB "P" Kaliningrad 02/08/09 2142
3593.9 CW SLHFB "S" Severomorsk 02/04/09 0431
(frequencies are actual, from records)
3607.0 Unid Link-11 (idling) 01/04/09 0427
3610.0 Unid Link-11 (busy) 01/04/09 0427
(On pretty much nightly. Unknown NATO. Other Link-11 comes and goes. Frequencies are WebSDR readings.)
Other utilities abound in the band 3500-3700, which by the way is legal for their use in region 1. There are several very strange fax-like digital signals. Also, several old fashioned analog weather fax stations can be copied here, though the SDR's timing makes sync difficult.
40 meter Russian single-letter HF beacon cluster:
7038.7 CW SLHFB "D" Sevastopol 01/30/09 0650
7038.8 CW SLHFB "P" Kaliningrad 01/30/09 0659
7038.9 CW SLHFB "S" Severomorsk 01/30/09 0650
7039.0 CW SLHFB "C" Moscow 01/30/09 0650
7039.1 CW SLHFB "A" Astrakhan? 02/03/09 2050
(Actual freqs, from lists.)
While the amateur signals are interesting enough, the real fun is the utility reception at this location. It gives those of us trapped here on the US West Coast (aka The Land That Shortwave Forgot) a chance to hear some of those utilities that Europeans keep reporting on UDXF.
Here's a short log of some recent stuff I heard. Keep in mind that some of the frequencies are offset from where you'd hear them on your own equipment. Others are not (because I looked them up).
3589.7 (Indicated on WebSDR)
Unid - BPSK250 Weather obs in GG 01/30/09 0636
This unidentified station appears to dump files from various sources on a regular schedule. At 250 baud, it's pushing the limit of what the rubbery Internet timing can pass undistorted. Garbled characters are common. However, there's never been anything resembling an ID.
One file included many amateur callsigns and sets of coordinates, perhaps an APRS dump. Another one, passed frequently at hour +15, contains Deutscher Wetterdienst (German Weather Office) warnings and formatted marine safety bulletins from "NAVTEX-Hamburg."
80 meter Russian single-letter HF beacon cluster:
3593.7 CW SLHFB "D" Sevastopol 02/04/09 0431
3593.8 CW SLHFB "P" Kaliningrad 02/08/09 2142
3593.9 CW SLHFB "S" Severomorsk 02/04/09 0431
(frequencies are actual, from records)
3607.0 Unid Link-11 (idling) 01/04/09 0427
3610.0 Unid Link-11 (busy) 01/04/09 0427
(On pretty much nightly. Unknown NATO. Other Link-11 comes and goes. Frequencies are WebSDR readings.)
Other utilities abound in the band 3500-3700, which by the way is legal for their use in region 1. There are several very strange fax-like digital signals. Also, several old fashioned analog weather fax stations can be copied here, though the SDR's timing makes sync difficult.
40 meter Russian single-letter HF beacon cluster:
7038.7 CW SLHFB "D" Sevastopol 01/30/09 0650
7038.8 CW SLHFB "P" Kaliningrad 01/30/09 0659
7038.9 CW SLHFB "S" Severomorsk 01/30/09 0650
7039.0 CW SLHFB "C" Moscow 01/30/09 0650
7039.1 CW SLHFB "A" Astrakhan? 02/03/09 2050
(Actual freqs, from lists.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)