Feb. 25, 2009
Candrea Thomas
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov
Katherine Trinidad
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
katherine.trinidad@nasa.gov
Kyle Herring
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
kyle.j.herring@nasa.gov
RELEASE: 09-042
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAM COMPLETES NEW PLAN FOR NEXT LAUNCH
WASHINGTON -- NASA's Space Shuttle Program has established a plan that could support shuttle Discovery's launch to the International Space Station, tentatively targeted for March 12. An exact target launch date will be determined as work progresses with the shuttle's three gaseous hydrogen flow control valves.
At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians have started removing Discovery's three valves, two of which will undergo detailed inspection. Approximately 4,000 images of each valve will be reviewed for evidence of cracks. Valves that have flown fewer times will be installed in Discovery. Engineering teams also will complete analysis and testing to understand the consequences if a valve piece were to break off and strike pressurization lines between the shuttle and external fuel tank. Hardware modifications may be made to the pressurization lines to add extra protection in the unlikely event debris is released.
NASA and contractor teams have been working to identify what caused damage to a flow control valve on shuttle Endeavour during its November 2008 flight. Part of the main propulsion system, the valves channel gaseous hydrogen from the main engines to the external tank. After a thorough review of shuttle Discovery's readiness for flight on Feb. 20, NASA managers decided more understanding of the valve work was required before launching Discovery.
The Space Shuttle Program will hold a meeting March 4 to review new data and assess ongoing work. Managers then will determine whether to move forward with a flight readiness review March 6.
If Discovery's tentative launch date holds, there will be no effect on the next two shuttle launches: STS-125 to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and STS-127 to the International Space Station.
For STS-119 crew and mission information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
For information about the space station, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station
-end-
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
More on HFDL
1. James Gilbert in Florida reports that he has the new PC-HFDL version 2.042 working fine under Vista and on a Winradio virtual sound card. Others report similar success with the program and Vista.
2. The new Panama HFDL station is being copied widely working aircraft on 10063 and 17901 kHz. It fills a gap in Central America. James has it in FL on 17 MHz, and so do I in CA. Along with squitters, I have recently logged new aircraft N317UP, N446UP (both UPS), LX-RCV (Cargolux), N17122, N33132 (both Continental), HP-1521, HP-1534CMP (both Copa), and XA-MXQ (Mexicana).
2. The new Panama HFDL station is being copied widely working aircraft on 10063 and 17901 kHz. It fills a gap in Central America. James has it in FL on 17 MHz, and so do I in CA. Along with squitters, I have recently logged new aircraft N317UP, N446UP (both UPS), LX-RCV (Cargolux), N17122, N33132 (both Continental), HP-1521, HP-1534CMP (both Copa), and XA-MXQ (Mexicana).
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
WNE: New US Commercial Medium-Frequency Station
The historic old medium-frequency maritime band continues to be repopulated with new commercial stations seeking to keep this heritage alive. This information comes from Richard Dillman at KSM/KPH/K6KPH:
Another new US coast station has been granted a license for operation in the MF maritime mobile band.
OM Steve Russell of Stoneham, MA has been granted the very fitting call WNE for his station with authorization for 5000W on 500kc and 472kc in the name of the New England Historical Radio Society, Inc. Steve will be building the station "from the ground up", as he puts it. Erection of the antenna will have to await until temperatures rise a bit but the base for it has already been installed.
WNE joins two other recently licensed stations, KDR (Bellevue, WA on 500kc and 482kc) and WFT (Palmetto, FL on 500kc and 486kc), as part of the re-population of the MF maritime mobile band with commercially licensed stations.
"We have a lot of work to do and any input, suggestions, questions or donations will be greatly appreciated to make this happen" says Steve. We at the MRHS applaud the effort Steve has made to obtain his license and his willingness to take on the job of building a new commercial coast station. His efforts and those of Joseph Venable of WFT and James Dalke of KDR are major steps toward keeping commercial Morse alive in this most historic portion of the radio spectrum.
VY 73,
RD
PC-HFDL Version 2.042 Now Available
The new HFDL system table got me interested, so I decided to install the new version of Charles Brain's commercial PC-HFDL program. It's been out for a couple of weeks now. While Charles' old web site is still gone forever, a stub page at his old link will give you a link to the new version, which is PC-HFDL 2.042.
The big news is that PC-HFDL now works under Vista. Most people are probably aware that Vista made large changes in the way the operating system handles the sound card. The code now handles these. I haven't tried it on a Vista machine, but those who have say it works just fine.
It still works fine under XP, though there are a couple of new quirks and weirdnesses that replace the old quirks and weirdnesses with regard to setting up the channels and spectrum display. Since my system is a bit different than most, there's no point in my describing my own strangeness, since your strangeness might vary.
Also, I am told that the program still works better with some sound cards than others. It does great with my old external USB Sound Blaster, and in fact the rate of successful decodes is up noticeably on weak signals. (At this point in the solar non-cycle, that of course is most of them.)
Charles has added the pcfhdl.dat file that we talked about in the previous post to this blog. This means that the program is up to date with system table number 34 (22 hex) right out of the box. You still have to change the entry in pchfdl.txt from Annapolis to Albrook AB in Panama, though. BTW, I have heard this ground station and aircraft exchanging data on 10063 kHz, so it is definitely live.
Given the many variables, I'd back up the files in the PC-HFDL subfolders before doing the update. While you probably won't need to uninstall everything and start over with 2.031, we are dealing with computers here. Nothing is too strange.
The big news is that PC-HFDL now works under Vista. Most people are probably aware that Vista made large changes in the way the operating system handles the sound card. The code now handles these. I haven't tried it on a Vista machine, but those who have say it works just fine.
It still works fine under XP, though there are a couple of new quirks and weirdnesses that replace the old quirks and weirdnesses with regard to setting up the channels and spectrum display. Since my system is a bit different than most, there's no point in my describing my own strangeness, since your strangeness might vary.
Also, I am told that the program still works better with some sound cards than others. It does great with my old external USB Sound Blaster, and in fact the rate of successful decodes is up noticeably on weak signals. (At this point in the solar non-cycle, that of course is most of them.)
Charles has added the pcfhdl.dat file that we talked about in the previous post to this blog. This means that the program is up to date with system table number 34 (22 hex) right out of the box. You still have to change the entry in pchfdl.txt from Annapolis to Albrook AB in Panama, though. BTW, I have heard this ground station and aircraft exchanging data on 10063 kHz, so it is definitely live.
Given the many variables, I'd back up the files in the PC-HFDL subfolders before doing the update. While you probably won't need to uninstall everything and start over with 2.031, we are dealing with computers here. Nothing is too strange.
Monday, February 09, 2009
More On New HFDL System Table #34 (0x0022)
Users of PC-HFDL probably know that when ARINC changes the System Table of frequencies used for this huge system, the mismatch is picked up by the program. You see this when it reverts to using numbers instead of frequencies in kHz. Checking the "System Table" box to open the window won't help, because the program still doesn't have the new information.
PC-HFDL does have the ability to update itself, but you have to be lucky. What happens is that the mismatch is also picked up by the "real" HFDL system, which sends aircraft the new table until everyone has it. Those who are listening at the right time, or the real hard core fans who run PC-HFDL 24/7 are already in business.
Everyone else has to update it by hand. Here's what you do:
1. Find the directory containing PC-HFDL. There should be a subfolder called configs (all lower case). This contains, at a minimum, three files auto-generated by PC-HFDL the first time it runs. These are:
pchfdl.ini (don't worry about this one);
pchfdl.dat (contains a lot of weird text and binary stuff that is apparently a capture of the system table from the air; this is how the program updates itself);
pchfdl.txt (a list of ground stations, with unused slots and 0 padded with UNKNOWN).
2. Ordinarily, only pchfdl.dat would need to be changed. However, this time there's a new ground station. This one replaces the long-gone Annapolis station in slot number 11. It's at or near the old Albrook Air Base near Panama City, which was once used by the US until the canal was given back. Therefore the HFDL community has decided to call it ALBROOK in PC-HFDL.
Therefore, two files must be changed.
3. Back up pchfdl.dat and pchfdl.txt somewhere else, so you have untouched copies if you need to revert.
4. Make sure PC-HFDL is not running, or none of the subsequent steps will work.
5. Download the new pchfdl.dat from somewhere. I got my copy from the excellent HFDL group on Yahoo. This is a great group populated by the real heavy duty HFDL monitors, and it is highly recommended. If you don't want to join, a copy of the file is on the Utility World site. It's the same one in use here, though for various reasons I can't guarantee it will be right for everyone.
6. Go to the PC-HFDL config folder and rename the existing pchfdl.dat. Copy in the new one. Make sure the file doesn't get changed in any way, for it indeed IS a binary and must be treated as such. Most problems in this step come from the file getting changed somehow.
7. Now it's time to fix the ground station list. This is easy. Rename pchfdl.txt and open it an any plain text editor like Notepad. Don't use a formatting editor like MS-WORD that adds stuff, unless you know how to save straight text from the program. Find the line containing ANNAPOLIS - MARYLAND and change it to ALBROOK - PANAMA.
When you're done, the text in the file should look like this:
Save as pchfdl.txt and exit.
8. Fire up PC-HFDL, find some squitters to decode, and you should be back in business.
I have working copies of pchfdl.dat and pchfdl.txt for public download on the Utility World web site. You're welcome to them, though of course I must again note that they have no guarantees due to the jungle that is Windows. They were good files whey I put them up there, but that's where my knowledge of them stops.
I also have version34.txt, which is just a straight capture of the contents of the window that comes up when you check the System Table box. It's a good way to get the new table in its entirety. However, it's not needed for the operation of PC-HFDL.
Have a good flight!
PC-HFDL does have the ability to update itself, but you have to be lucky. What happens is that the mismatch is also picked up by the "real" HFDL system, which sends aircraft the new table until everyone has it. Those who are listening at the right time, or the real hard core fans who run PC-HFDL 24/7 are already in business.
Everyone else has to update it by hand. Here's what you do:
1. Find the directory containing PC-HFDL. There should be a subfolder called configs (all lower case). This contains, at a minimum, three files auto-generated by PC-HFDL the first time it runs. These are:
pchfdl.ini (don't worry about this one);
pchfdl.dat (contains a lot of weird text and binary stuff that is apparently a capture of the system table from the air; this is how the program updates itself);
pchfdl.txt (a list of ground stations, with unused slots and 0 padded with UNKNOWN).
2. Ordinarily, only pchfdl.dat would need to be changed. However, this time there's a new ground station. This one replaces the long-gone Annapolis station in slot number 11. It's at or near the old Albrook Air Base near Panama City, which was once used by the US until the canal was given back. Therefore the HFDL community has decided to call it ALBROOK in PC-HFDL.
Therefore, two files must be changed.
3. Back up pchfdl.dat and pchfdl.txt somewhere else, so you have untouched copies if you need to revert.
4. Make sure PC-HFDL is not running, or none of the subsequent steps will work.
5. Download the new pchfdl.dat from somewhere. I got my copy from the excellent HFDL group on Yahoo. This is a great group populated by the real heavy duty HFDL monitors, and it is highly recommended. If you don't want to join, a copy of the file is on the Utility World site. It's the same one in use here, though for various reasons I can't guarantee it will be right for everyone.
6. Go to the PC-HFDL config folder and rename the existing pchfdl.dat. Copy in the new one. Make sure the file doesn't get changed in any way, for it indeed IS a binary and must be treated as such. Most problems in this step come from the file getting changed somehow.
7. Now it's time to fix the ground station list. This is easy. Rename pchfdl.txt and open it an any plain text editor like Notepad. Don't use a formatting editor like MS-WORD that adds stuff, unless you know how to save straight text from the program. Find the line containing ANNAPOLIS - MARYLAND and change it to ALBROOK - PANAMA.
When you're done, the text in the file should look like this:
UNKNOWN
SAN FRANCISCO - CALIFORNIA
MOLOKAI - HAWAII
REYKJAVIK - ICELAND
RIVERHEAD - NEW YORK
AUCKLAND - NEW ZEALAND
HAT YAI - THAILAND
SHANNON - IRELAND
JOHANNESBURG - SOUTH AFRICA
BARROW - ALASKA
UNKNOWN
ALBROOK - PANAMA
ANCHORAGE - ALASKA
SANTA CRUZ - BOLIVIA
KRASNOYARSK - RUSSIA
AL MUHARRAQ - BAHRAIN
AGANA - GUAM
CANARIAS - SPAIN
Save as pchfdl.txt and exit.
8. Fire up PC-HFDL, find some squitters to decode, and you should be back in business.
I have working copies of pchfdl.dat and pchfdl.txt for public download on the Utility World web site. You're welcome to them, though of course I must again note that they have no guarantees due to the jungle that is Windows. They were good files whey I put them up there, but that's where my knowledge of them stops.
I also have version34.txt, which is just a straight capture of the contents of the window that comes up when you check the System Table box. It's a good way to get the new table in its entirety. However, it's not needed for the operation of PC-HFDL.
Have a good flight!
New HFDL System Table 34 (0x22) Is Out
Never fails... you disappear for a few days to eliminate a backlog of projects, and all hell breaks loose.
This time it's a new system table for ARINC's global HFDL system. It has apparently added an altogether new ground station in the open slot 11, and changed quite a few things. More when I get it up and running here.
This time it's a new system table for ARINC's global HFDL system. It has apparently added an altogether new ground station in the open slot 11, and changed quite a few things. More when I get it up and running here.
WebSDR PSK250 Station Identified
We have a positive ID on the station mentioned just below. It's the one that transmits long weather bulletins apparently from Hamburg NAVTEX and Deutcher Wetterdienst. I'd been trying to figure that one out for a week.
A Google search for PSK250 (the mode used, a hot-rod 250-baud variant of psk31) plus a few other things turned up the wiki for PSKmail, yet another HF e-mail system. This one is in use worldwide, though I've never heard it here in The Land That Shortwave Forgot.
Be that as it may, the wiki turned up a list of PSKmail servers. A likely candidate seemed to be DK4XI-8, a DK4XI mail node using a center frequency of 3588.0 kHz. The station is listed as German. The frequency would seem right, in view of the various offsets we're dealing with here. It's listed as not beaconing, but note the identifier that was also copied at the end of the elephant picture a couple of posts down.
Sure enough, I subsequently copied a CQ DE DK4XI-8 preamble before a scheduled weather broadcast at 2116 UTC today (February 9, 2009). Isn't that always the way, that you see an identifier right after you spend a whole morning hunting things down? Anyway, it's confirmed.
BTW, the killer signal right above it on 3588.5 is DA5UWG. It's another PSK250 automated PSKmail server.
A Google search for PSK250 (the mode used, a hot-rod 250-baud variant of psk31) plus a few other things turned up the wiki for PSKmail, yet another HF e-mail system. This one is in use worldwide, though I've never heard it here in The Land That Shortwave Forgot.
Be that as it may, the wiki turned up a list of PSKmail servers. A likely candidate seemed to be DK4XI-8, a DK4XI mail node using a center frequency of 3588.0 kHz. The station is listed as German. The frequency would seem right, in view of the various offsets we're dealing with here. It's listed as not beaconing, but note the identifier that was also copied at the end of the elephant picture a couple of posts down.
Sure enough, I subsequently copied a CQ DE DK4XI-8 preamble before a scheduled weather broadcast at 2116 UTC today (February 9, 2009). Isn't that always the way, that you see an identifier right after you spend a whole morning hunting things down? Anyway, it's confirmed.
BTW, the killer signal right above it on 3588.5 is DA5UWG. It's another PSK250 automated PSKmail server.
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.)
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Check Out February Milcom Column in MT
I don't usually use this blog to plug stuff in the magazine, since technically the whole thing is supposed to get you interested in MT. In my own (somewhat biased) opinion, MT is the best radio magazine out there, and if you aren't getting it, you are missing a lot.
With that disclaimer out of the way, I have to report that Larry Van Horn's Milcom column in the February 2009 MT is a real winner. It contains information that's been going back and forth in e-mail for months concerning possible major changes to US Coast Guard radio communication. There's also some good data on the meanings of new military callsigns being heard on the bands.
Check it out!
With that disclaimer out of the way, I have to report that Larry Van Horn's Milcom column in the February 2009 MT is a real winner. It contains information that's been going back and forth in e-mail for months concerning possible major changes to US Coast Guard radio communication. There's also some good data on the meanings of new military callsigns being heard on the bands.
Check it out!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
80 Meter Waterfall Pictures
Users of a web radio receiver in Europe have been reporting an unknown net or nets with waterfall pictures and seldom if ever a callsign ID. This uses frequencies around 3585 to 3595 in the 80 meter amateur band. The players are unknown, though a couple of e-mail addresses displayed are on Ukranian and German servers. Some players are almost certainly from the former Soviet Union.
Waterfall pictures are images that appear right on the spectrum tuning display given by most digital radio decoding programs. They've been around a while. They are created by scanning a graphic file into pulsed or amplitude-modulated audio tones corresponding to lines of pixels in the file. Some ham programs do this, as does a fun little shareware program called Audiopaint.
First I heard of the 80-meter activity was from a posting to the UDXF mailing list by Robert, KB7AQD. This particular station was creating large numbers right on the waterfall spectrum display. These corresponded to dB below full power, and as the power was lowered the numbers became fainter.
Today, the 25th of January, I ran across one station on approximately 3588 kHz USB. It was sending a graphic "CQ test" call, like this:
The e-mail address is actually for gmail.com. The bottom got cut off due to tuning.
Here's another one, sent at 1940 UTC today. It's a cute lil' doggie:
And here's an elephant, sent at 1945:
The blob on the spectrogram after the picture is a burst of BPSK125. It is an identifier, but probably not one for the same station. It decodes to:
DK4XI-8:72 Pskmail v.0.7.24 - 19:45:19
DK4XI is a German ham active on packet and APRS modes. It strongly appears that this identifier is for an automatic transmitter associated with a European PSK e-mail network not related to the 80 meter waterfall pictures.
Another picture, that I didn't get a spectrum of, contains the web address www.funkbasis.de. This goes to a CB/ham forum in Germany.
????????????
Waterfall pictures are images that appear right on the spectrum tuning display given by most digital radio decoding programs. They've been around a while. They are created by scanning a graphic file into pulsed or amplitude-modulated audio tones corresponding to lines of pixels in the file. Some ham programs do this, as does a fun little shareware program called Audiopaint.
First I heard of the 80-meter activity was from a posting to the UDXF mailing list by Robert, KB7AQD. This particular station was creating large numbers right on the waterfall spectrum display. These corresponded to dB below full power, and as the power was lowered the numbers became fainter.
Today, the 25th of January, I ran across one station on approximately 3588 kHz USB. It was sending a graphic "CQ test" call, like this:
The e-mail address is actually for gmail.com. The bottom got cut off due to tuning.
Here's another one, sent at 1940 UTC today. It's a cute lil' doggie:
And here's an elephant, sent at 1945:
The blob on the spectrogram after the picture is a burst of BPSK125. It is an identifier, but probably not one for the same station. It decodes to:
DK4XI-8:72 Pskmail v.0.7.24 - 19:45:19
DK4XI is a German ham active on packet and APRS modes. It strongly appears that this identifier is for an automatic transmitter associated with a European PSK e-mail network not related to the 80 meter waterfall pictures.
Another picture, that I didn't get a spectrum of, contains the web address www.funkbasis.de. This goes to a CB/ham forum in Germany.
????????????
Friday, January 23, 2009
Google Earth Pt. Reyes Tour Ends
What you want to do now is zoom Google Earth out to a high altitude. 50 miles should do it. This puts you in space, and you qualify for astronaut wings, but that's not relevant here.
Get Point Reyes in the middle of the screen so you can see it all. Notice the large line etched in the ground in such a manner as to separate the point from the land to its east. This line starts down south around Bolinas and Stinson Beach at 37 degrees 54 minutes 23 seconds North Latitude by 122 40 33 West Longitude. It heads out to sea on the north end of Tomales Bay, at about 38 degrees 14 minutes 46 seconds North by 122 59 01 West.
This is California's notorious San Andreas Fault. Point Reyes National Seashore is on a plate tectonic boundary, and the motion on this long strike-slip fault will eventually break it away from the rest of California, creating an island. Tomales Bay is where this has already happened.
While of course this is a geologic process requiring millions of years, about 20 feet of this motion happened all at once on a stretch from here clear to Cape Mendocino. This event is better known as the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906.
Now go part way up Tomales Bay to a spot on its east shore:
38° 8'39.22"N 122°52'40.99"W
This puts you in a rather picturesque shoreside complex with one big old building and several smaller cottages. This is the Marshall receiving station originally built by Marconi after the earthquake destroyed the original KPH in the Palace Hotel down in San Francisco.
As with other Marconi Hotels in the world, the Marconi company created a very attractive and comfortable, not to mention highly self-sufficient complex where the staff lived. This was necessary, given the remote locations of the stations. To the left of the main hotel with its veranda, were cottages for the station manager and chief engineer.
Various white objects in the large clearings to the north and east suggest possible former antenna locations. Some equipment remains on exhibit at the site, and I believe there may still be landlines in existence enabling remote operation of KPH from there.
When Marconi Wireless left the United States not altogether voluntarily after World War I, the subsequent Radio Corporation of America (RCA) owned the property. KPH did not move until after World War II. RCA eventually sold to a series of other owners, including the Synanon program. It was ultimately confiscated by the IRS, and then abandoned. Now it is park service property. It is being restored, and made available as a conference center.
The transmitters were in the old "power house" at the Bolinas facility, which we've already looked at.
Marshall is the VERY small town to the north, on the little inlet and former marina type thing called Marconi Cove. I believe it's all ranch land now. There's really not much in the way of habitation at all.
The Maritime Radio Historical Society has sought to do remote KPH operations from Marshall.
Get Point Reyes in the middle of the screen so you can see it all. Notice the large line etched in the ground in such a manner as to separate the point from the land to its east. This line starts down south around Bolinas and Stinson Beach at 37 degrees 54 minutes 23 seconds North Latitude by 122 40 33 West Longitude. It heads out to sea on the north end of Tomales Bay, at about 38 degrees 14 minutes 46 seconds North by 122 59 01 West.
This is California's notorious San Andreas Fault. Point Reyes National Seashore is on a plate tectonic boundary, and the motion on this long strike-slip fault will eventually break it away from the rest of California, creating an island. Tomales Bay is where this has already happened.
While of course this is a geologic process requiring millions of years, about 20 feet of this motion happened all at once on a stretch from here clear to Cape Mendocino. This event is better known as the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906.
Now go part way up Tomales Bay to a spot on its east shore:
38° 8'39.22"N 122°52'40.99"W
This puts you in a rather picturesque shoreside complex with one big old building and several smaller cottages. This is the Marshall receiving station originally built by Marconi after the earthquake destroyed the original KPH in the Palace Hotel down in San Francisco.
As with other Marconi Hotels in the world, the Marconi company created a very attractive and comfortable, not to mention highly self-sufficient complex where the staff lived. This was necessary, given the remote locations of the stations. To the left of the main hotel with its veranda, were cottages for the station manager and chief engineer.
Various white objects in the large clearings to the north and east suggest possible former antenna locations. Some equipment remains on exhibit at the site, and I believe there may still be landlines in existence enabling remote operation of KPH from there.
When Marconi Wireless left the United States not altogether voluntarily after World War I, the subsequent Radio Corporation of America (RCA) owned the property. KPH did not move until after World War II. RCA eventually sold to a series of other owners, including the Synanon program. It was ultimately confiscated by the IRS, and then abandoned. Now it is park service property. It is being restored, and made available as a conference center.
The transmitters were in the old "power house" at the Bolinas facility, which we've already looked at.
Marshall is the VERY small town to the north, on the little inlet and former marina type thing called Marconi Cove. I believe it's all ranch land now. There's really not much in the way of habitation at all.
The Maritime Radio Historical Society has sought to do remote KPH operations from Marshall.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
More Point Reyes Google Earth Coordinates
As promised, here's part two of our Google Earth tour of Point Reyes, CA:
38° 6'6.95"N 122°56'12.98"W
These will put you just north of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, and south of the bunkerlike headquarters and receiving facility for NMC. This is the US Coast Guard Communications Master Station, Pacific. Pictures of CAMSPAC can be found on the Internet. It's a relatively new and very impressive facility. Note the large tower and rotary antenna just to the building's north.
The large treeline north from that shows one edge of the fenced off antenna farm. Two right angle bends in the fence take you south and then east until you're back near where you started. The lighting isn't very good, but close examination of the area thus bounded will show a number of shadows that are obviously structures holding up wire antennas.
"But wait," you ask, "It sure looks like there are antennas south of the fence."
You are right. These are for:
38° 5'44.22"N 122°56'51.28"W
These put you bang on top of KPH's historic old receiver building. This is a neat old structure put up by RCA to serve originally as the point-to-point receive site for much of the Pacific Rim. This was a prestige operation (and a very lucrative one), and the building has a lot of details visible in ground photos that are again all over the Internet. Note the tree-lined access road going northwest from Sir Francis Drake.
KPH moved here after World War II. Between the two stations, RCA put up a LOT of antennas here, some of which are sort of visible on Google Earth. This farm goes clear northeast to the NMC fence line mentioned before. There's another access road, some undistinguishable structures, and an interesting trail leading almost due west to what sure looks like a tower base with a large ground radial system.
There are other buildings and antennas in this area. These were formerly used by KMI, San Francisco (Inverness) Radio. This was the big AT&T High Seas station that could be heard 24/7 running commercial ship-to-shore phone calls from cruise ships to the landline phone network. Along with WOO, New York (Ocean Gate) Radio, and WOM, Miami Radio, these fed into High Seas Operator positions in Pennsylvania where the calls were completed. All gone.
This entire area is also part of Point Reyes National Seashore. Here too, the Maritime Radio Historical Society seeks to preserve the radio heritage of skilled operators at sea, and the consummate professionals who served them ashore as operators, technicians, and workers.
38° 6'6.95"N 122°56'12.98"W
These will put you just north of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, and south of the bunkerlike headquarters and receiving facility for NMC. This is the US Coast Guard Communications Master Station, Pacific. Pictures of CAMSPAC can be found on the Internet. It's a relatively new and very impressive facility. Note the large tower and rotary antenna just to the building's north.
The large treeline north from that shows one edge of the fenced off antenna farm. Two right angle bends in the fence take you south and then east until you're back near where you started. The lighting isn't very good, but close examination of the area thus bounded will show a number of shadows that are obviously structures holding up wire antennas.
"But wait," you ask, "It sure looks like there are antennas south of the fence."
You are right. These are for:
38° 5'44.22"N 122°56'51.28"W
These put you bang on top of KPH's historic old receiver building. This is a neat old structure put up by RCA to serve originally as the point-to-point receive site for much of the Pacific Rim. This was a prestige operation (and a very lucrative one), and the building has a lot of details visible in ground photos that are again all over the Internet. Note the tree-lined access road going northwest from Sir Francis Drake.
KPH moved here after World War II. Between the two stations, RCA put up a LOT of antennas here, some of which are sort of visible on Google Earth. This farm goes clear northeast to the NMC fence line mentioned before. There's another access road, some undistinguishable structures, and an interesting trail leading almost due west to what sure looks like a tower base with a large ground radial system.
There are other buildings and antennas in this area. These were formerly used by KMI, San Francisco (Inverness) Radio. This was the big AT&T High Seas station that could be heard 24/7 running commercial ship-to-shore phone calls from cruise ships to the landline phone network. Along with WOO, New York (Ocean Gate) Radio, and WOM, Miami Radio, these fed into High Seas Operator positions in Pennsylvania where the calls were completed. All gone.
This entire area is also part of Point Reyes National Seashore. Here too, the Maritime Radio Historical Society seeks to preserve the radio heritage of skilled operators at sea, and the consummate professionals who served them ashore as operators, technicians, and workers.
Use of BPL Declines in US
ARRL:
BPL (Broadband Over Power Lines) refers to the use of HF frequencies for broadband transmission of Internet packets over power company lines. The system has not been successful in the US market for a number of reasons, but the FCC for political reasons continues to push its use. IBM recently announced that it will work with power companies to implement BPL in rural areas beyond the reach of DSL and cable.
BPL is not the same as the home powerline networking system that is causing such a severe problem in Europe and South America. The use of these latter devices, more typically known as PLC (Power Line Communications) or PLT (Power Line Telecommunication), continues to increase rapidly.
According to the FCC figures, the category "Power Line and Other" dropped from 5420 lines in June 2007 to just 5274 six months later [out of 121.2 million Internet connections -Hugh]. It is not known how many of these are "Power Line" and how many are "Other."
"Despite the enormous and unwarranted hype given to BPL by the FCC under Chairmen Powell and Martin, the message from the marketplace is clear: BPL is going nowhere as a means of delivering broadband connectivity to consumers," observed ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ. "Still, the FCC has unfinished business with respect to BPL. It has been nine months since the federal Court of Appeals ordered the Commission to correct the errors it committed in adopting rules that inadequately protect licensed radio services from BPL interference, yet the FCC has made no effort to comply.
BPL (Broadband Over Power Lines) refers to the use of HF frequencies for broadband transmission of Internet packets over power company lines. The system has not been successful in the US market for a number of reasons, but the FCC for political reasons continues to push its use. IBM recently announced that it will work with power companies to implement BPL in rural areas beyond the reach of DSL and cable.
BPL is not the same as the home powerline networking system that is causing such a severe problem in Europe and South America. The use of these latter devices, more typically known as PLC (Power Line Communications) or PLT (Power Line Telecommunication), continues to increase rapidly.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
PLT Buzz Reaches Geek Sites
Thanks to the efforts of the UKQRM group, the disastrous effect of powerline communication devices on HF radio is becoming publicized where it matters. This is in the computer professional press, which reaches the people who make the purchase decisions.
An informative story, which is about as technically correct as writing about the radio hobby ever gets, appears on The Register site:
This was also excerpted on ISPReview, another UK IT site.
Both embed this latest YouTube video, ominously (and accurately) entitled, Power Line Signalling: The Death of H.F. Radio.
Other links:
UK citizens' petition to save shortwave
UK interference report database
UKQRM web site
Also check out the UKQRM video page for a comprehensive look at what is going on in the UK (and starting to happen in the USA!).
---------
Added 1/25/08
The discussions on geek sites have led to hostile comments to the effect that short wave radio is obsolete, and should be abolished anyway. Apparently, we have done a poor job of informing the public of the consequences of eliminating the only long-distance communications system that does not depend on wires and/or links controlled and maintained by third parties.
Some people have even made remarks to the effect that they will stop using their PLC adapters when their cold dead hands are pried from them.
It would appear that we have something of a fight on our hands.
Bring 'em on.
An informative story, which is about as technically correct as writing about the radio hobby ever gets, appears on The Register site:
'Interfering' BT Vision attracts campaigner glares
Ham radio enthusiasts call up trading standards
By Bill Ray
Posted in Telecoms, 15th January 2009 11:33 GMT
Campaigners complaining about interference generated by BT's Vision product have financed independent tests to show that the kit BT is pushing fails to conform to the appropriate EU standards, prompting a complaint to trading standards officers.
Shortwave radio users have been complaining for a while about interference generated by networking over mains wiring, with BT taking the majority of the flak, but until now the protestors have been complaining to Ofcom on the basis of illegal broadcasting. By demonstrating that retailers are selling kit that fails to meet EU standards the protestors could prevent its sale, not to mention the possibility of fines for those manufacturing or importing the kit.
...
This was also excerpted on ISPReview, another UK IT site.
Both embed this latest YouTube video, ominously (and accurately) entitled, Power Line Signalling: The Death of H.F. Radio.
Other links:
UK citizens' petition to save shortwave
UK interference report database
UKQRM web site
Also check out the UKQRM video page for a comprehensive look at what is going on in the UK (and starting to happen in the USA!).
---------
Added 1/25/08
The discussions on geek sites have led to hostile comments to the effect that short wave radio is obsolete, and should be abolished anyway. Apparently, we have done a poor job of informing the public of the consequences of eliminating the only long-distance communications system that does not depend on wires and/or links controlled and maintained by third parties.
Some people have even made remarks to the effect that they will stop using their PLC adapters when their cold dead hands are pried from them.
It would appear that we have something of a fight on our hands.
Bring 'em on.
Monday, January 05, 2009
Will There Be A Cycle 24?
Your guess is as good as mine. Both of our guesses are as good as those of the most high powered astrophysicists, solar-terrestrial experts, and everyone else out there.
In short... we're in new territory here.
One good thing is that I found a low-noise discussion forum where they discuss space weather and radio propagation instead of "global warming" and government policy.
Right here:
http://solarcycle24com.proboards106.com/index.cgi?board=general
In short... we're in new territory here.
One good thing is that I found a low-noise discussion forum where they discuss space weather and radio propagation instead of "global warming" and government policy.
Right here:
http://solarcycle24com.proboards106.com/index.cgi?board=general
Is Solar-Terrestrial Activity the Lowest Ever?
Well, maybe not. However, one important index is showing the lowest long term averages since that data series began in the 20th century.
Ap, the planetary "A" index derived from measurements of geomagnetic activity, continues to show historically low smoothed averages. Examination of data shows that this phenomenon began in 2005, and continues up to the most recent measurements permitted by the design of the average.
Ap, of course, does not directly measure solar activity. However, it is a reliable indicator of magnetic activity caused solely by energetic events on the sun.
Scientists are divided on the prospect of a low or nonexistent Cycle 24. There is also an ongoing debate as to whether such a misfire would mark the start of a major extended solar lull (a "Dalton Minimum"), causing an extended spell of cold climate (a "Little Ice Age").
Just about everything readily available online is more about politics than science. This is because the solar lull has become a major reason for contention between advocates of different government policies with regard to "global warming." The result is that it's hard to find anything addressing prospects for radio propagation.
And so we wait and see, while band conditions remain dreadful. Maybe there will be a Cycle 24 strong enough to create the improved HF propagation that we've become used to, and maybe there won't. Meanwhile, the weak signals are further disrupted by a huge increase in noise from popular consumer electronics.
Not all of the depressions this year are economic. It does appear as if HF DXing has fallen on hard times.
Ap, the planetary "A" index derived from measurements of geomagnetic activity, continues to show historically low smoothed averages. Examination of data shows that this phenomenon began in 2005, and continues up to the most recent measurements permitted by the design of the average.
Ap, of course, does not directly measure solar activity. However, it is a reliable indicator of magnetic activity caused solely by energetic events on the sun.
Scientists are divided on the prospect of a low or nonexistent Cycle 24. There is also an ongoing debate as to whether such a misfire would mark the start of a major extended solar lull (a "Dalton Minimum"), causing an extended spell of cold climate (a "Little Ice Age").
Just about everything readily available online is more about politics than science. This is because the solar lull has become a major reason for contention between advocates of different government policies with regard to "global warming." The result is that it's hard to find anything addressing prospects for radio propagation.
And so we wait and see, while band conditions remain dreadful. Maybe there will be a Cycle 24 strong enough to create the improved HF propagation that we've become used to, and maybe there won't. Meanwhile, the weak signals are further disrupted by a huge increase in noise from popular consumer electronics.
Not all of the depressions this year are economic. It does appear as if HF DXing has fallen on hard times.
Saturday, January 03, 2009
New Google Earth Coordinates for Pt. Reyes, CA
Google Earth appears to have greatly improved its images of the Bolinas area. This is on Point Reyes, north of San Francisco, and is home to some truly historic old antenna farms. Visibility of antenna hardware used to be practically nonexistent, but now you can make out quite a bit.
We begin our tour at 37°54'52.32"N by 122°43'30.26"W. These coordinates put you right alongside the venerable RCA transmitting facility used by proud old KPH for commercial maritime communications. Much of this building was shared by RCA's real money making operation. This was KET, the West Coast hub for many point-to-point fixed-station links that connected up the entire Pacific Rim in the days before satellites. In the past few years, the facility has also been used by KSM, a new Maritime Radio Historical Society station with a commercial license on traditional coast station frequencies.
This building was added onto, and both halves are clearly visible. At least on my monitor, if you look real hard you can make out the many open-feed wires coming out of this building to the two long wooden structures to the northwest and southeast that show as white lines. From there you can easily trace the H structures that still carry largely intact balanced feeders to the two major parts of one of the world's great antenna farms.
At either end, right angle marks on the ground suggest the presence of large rhombics, once used by the point-to-point station. Closer in, a small service road leads southwest to a square building right on the cliffside by the ocean. This is the original "Power House," that held the Marconi company spark transmitters and subsequent RF alternators.
The massive antenna structure for these is mostly gone, but several of the concrete bases for the 300 foot support towers remain. One of these is just northeast of the building, looking like a white donut. Shadows make it possible to spot many poles that hold up wire antennas of various types. Several of these are still in use by the Maritime Radio Historical Society.
The land is now part of the Point Reyes National Seashore, and some of the main transmitting building is now used for offices of "Commonwealth." They at least used to operate a small 12-MHz sea surface research radar near the old Marconi building. It does not interfere with maritime frequencies.
Now go almost due north a bit, to coordinates 37°55'32.46"N by 122°43'52.57"W. These put you dead on top of the transmitter building used by NMC, the US Coast Guard Communications Area Master Station Pacific (CAMSPAC Point Reyes).
It's hard to miss the fairly new log periodic just due south, and various other circles, masts, and square fences make it easy to see the positions of various HF antennas. This farm is actually right next to KPH, separated by a low fence which shows up as a line running southwest to northeast all the way back up to the street (Mesa Road).
More on Point Reyes later.
We begin our tour at 37°54'52.32"N by 122°43'30.26"W. These coordinates put you right alongside the venerable RCA transmitting facility used by proud old KPH for commercial maritime communications. Much of this building was shared by RCA's real money making operation. This was KET, the West Coast hub for many point-to-point fixed-station links that connected up the entire Pacific Rim in the days before satellites. In the past few years, the facility has also been used by KSM, a new Maritime Radio Historical Society station with a commercial license on traditional coast station frequencies.
This building was added onto, and both halves are clearly visible. At least on my monitor, if you look real hard you can make out the many open-feed wires coming out of this building to the two long wooden structures to the northwest and southeast that show as white lines. From there you can easily trace the H structures that still carry largely intact balanced feeders to the two major parts of one of the world's great antenna farms.
At either end, right angle marks on the ground suggest the presence of large rhombics, once used by the point-to-point station. Closer in, a small service road leads southwest to a square building right on the cliffside by the ocean. This is the original "Power House," that held the Marconi company spark transmitters and subsequent RF alternators.
The massive antenna structure for these is mostly gone, but several of the concrete bases for the 300 foot support towers remain. One of these is just northeast of the building, looking like a white donut. Shadows make it possible to spot many poles that hold up wire antennas of various types. Several of these are still in use by the Maritime Radio Historical Society.
The land is now part of the Point Reyes National Seashore, and some of the main transmitting building is now used for offices of "Commonwealth." They at least used to operate a small 12-MHz sea surface research radar near the old Marconi building. It does not interfere with maritime frequencies.
Now go almost due north a bit, to coordinates 37°55'32.46"N by 122°43'52.57"W. These put you dead on top of the transmitter building used by NMC, the US Coast Guard Communications Area Master Station Pacific (CAMSPAC Point Reyes).
It's hard to miss the fairly new log periodic just due south, and various other circles, masts, and square fences make it easy to see the positions of various HF antennas. This farm is actually right next to KPH, separated by a low fence which shows up as a line running southwest to northeast all the way back up to the street (Mesa Road).
More on Point Reyes later.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Some More Israeli Intelligence Freqs
E10 being reported on:
2743 ULX
3415 ART
5230 ULX
6270 ULX
6986 ART
Happy new year!
2743 ULX
3415 ART
5230 ULX
6270 ULX
6986 ART
Happy new year!
Monday, December 29, 2008
"Numbers" Activity Increases In Gaza Crisis
The Israeli phonetic alphabet station (E10) became much more active soon after the air strikes began in Gaza. Also more time slots have messages, and new messages come out more frequently.
E10 can start on the hour, half-hour, or sometimes even 15 minutes after the hour. Most schedules come between 1800 and 2300 UTC.
Recently logged E10 frequencies:
3150 PCD
3270 ULX
4270 PCD + 2 abnormal PCD strings
4560 YHF
4880 ULX
5435 ART
6840 EZI + 1 abnormal EZI string
In addition, 4270 and 4880 are frequently jammed.
4XZ, the Israeli Navy CW station that broadcasts weather and coded "numbers" like traffic is being heard on 2680 and 4331 around 1700 UTC.
E10 can start on the hour, half-hour, or sometimes even 15 minutes after the hour. Most schedules come between 1800 and 2300 UTC.
Recently logged E10 frequencies:
3150 PCD
3270 ULX
4270 PCD + 2 abnormal PCD strings
4560 YHF
4880 ULX
5435 ART
6840 EZI + 1 abnormal EZI string
In addition, 4270 and 4880 are frequently jammed.
4XZ, the Israeli Navy CW station that broadcasts weather and coded "numbers" like traffic is being heard on 2680 and 4331 around 1700 UTC.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Mini "Night of Nights" on New Year's Eve
For the last several years, the Maritime Radio Historical Society amateur radio station K6KPH has participated in the annual ARRL Straight Key Night. This is an informal CW activity that runs from New Year's Eve into New Year's Day (US time). The only rule is that participants use a plain simple old straight telegraph key like the one they probably used to learn code. There are no scores or awards, but you can nominate good fists you hear on the air for honorable mentions. It's harder than it sounds!
For 2008-2009, the MRHS activity has been expanded into what is almost a mini Night of Nights (the Morse Code observance in July where several old stations send CW for around 6 hours). KSM (the MRHS commercial CW station at the KPH site) will be active on CW, RTTY, and Sitor-B (FEC mode). KLB, a ShipCom commercial station in Washington state, will also participate.
This activity gives a good chance to hear mediumwave transmissions under optimal winter-night conditions. In general, propagation should be quite a bit different from July.
All operation commences with the start of Straight Key Night, at 0000 UTC 1 January 2009 (after the Leap Second!). Here are the frequencies(kHz):
KLB
CW: 488 500
K6KPH QSX for CW calls from hams
3550
7050 (Vintage RCA transmitter)
14050
Don't forget that straight key.
KSM
CW: 426 500
4350.5 (Vintage RCA tx)
6474.0 (ditto) 8438.3
12993 (vintage Press Wireless tx)
16914
Teleprinting: 8433 12631
Baudot is 170/45
Sitor is 170/100 mode B (FEC)
K6KPH/KSM QSL to
Ms. Denice Stoops
QSL Mistress, MRHS
PO Box 381
Bolinas, California 94926
USA
MRHS mailing list:
Radiomarine-subscribe at yahoogroups.com
For 2008-2009, the MRHS activity has been expanded into what is almost a mini Night of Nights (the Morse Code observance in July where several old stations send CW for around 6 hours). KSM (the MRHS commercial CW station at the KPH site) will be active on CW, RTTY, and Sitor-B (FEC mode). KLB, a ShipCom commercial station in Washington state, will also participate.
This activity gives a good chance to hear mediumwave transmissions under optimal winter-night conditions. In general, propagation should be quite a bit different from July.
All operation commences with the start of Straight Key Night, at 0000 UTC 1 January 2009 (after the Leap Second!). Here are the frequencies(kHz):
KLB
CW: 488 500
K6KPH QSX for CW calls from hams
3550
7050 (Vintage RCA transmitter)
14050
Don't forget that straight key.
KSM
CW: 426 500
4350.5 (Vintage RCA tx)
6474.0 (ditto) 8438.3
12993 (vintage Press Wireless tx)
16914
Teleprinting: 8433 12631
Baudot is 170/45
Sitor is 170/100 mode B (FEC)
K6KPH/KSM QSL to
Ms. Denice Stoops
QSL Mistress, MRHS
PO Box 381
Bolinas, California 94926
USA
MRHS mailing list:
Radiomarine-subscribe at yahoogroups.com
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