2009 Armed Forces Day (Pt. 2: SECDEF Message)

PART II. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE MESSAGE TEST VIA DIGITAL MODES.

The Secretary of Defense message will be transmitted via digital modes including RTTY, PACTOR, AMTOR, PSK-31, MFSK and MT63 from the stations listed below, including frequencies, mode, and date/time in Zulu (UTC). All frequencies are listed for center of intelligence. Offset as appropriate for your TNC. Sound cards modes will use standard factory settings (Note: Not all stations may necessarily operate on all the frequencies listed, depending on propagation and available equipment.)

Army Stations
STATION: AAZ (HQ Army MARS and Western Area Gateway, Fort Huachuca, AZ)
Frequency Mode Broadcast Date/Time
6988.0 kHz RTTY 10 May/0110Z
PACTOR FEC 10 May/0130Z
MT63 10 May/0220Z
PSK-31 10 May/0250Z
14402.0 kHz RTTY 10 May/0110Z
PACTOR FEC 10 May/0130Z
MT63 10 May/0220Z
PSK-31 10 May0250Z

STATION: WAR (Pentagon MARS Station, Washington, DC )
Frequency Mode Broadcast Date/Time
6988.0 kHz Olivia 09 May/1700Z and 2300Z
MT63 09 May/1715Z and 2315Z
14440.0 kHz PACTOR FEC 09 MAY/1730Z
RTTY 09 MAY/1745Z
4020.9 kHz PACTOR FEC 09 MAY/2330Z
RTTY 09 May/2345Z

STATION: AAV
Frequency Mode Broadcast Date/Time
3243.5 kHz MT63 10May/0030Z
7358.5 kHz RTTY 10 May/0100Z

Air Force Stations
STATION: AIR-2 (Scott Air Force Base)
Frequency Mode Broadcast Date/Time
7831.1 kHz RTTY 09 May/1930Z
MT63 09 May/2030Z
MFSK 09 May/2100Z

14877.1 kHz RTTY 09 May/2130Z
MT63 09 May/2230Z
MFSK 09 May/2300Z

Navy/Marine Corps Stations
STATION: NAV (HQ NAVMARCORMARS RADIO STATION, WILLIAMSBURG, VA)
FREQUENCY MODE BROADCAST DATE/TIME
7346.5 KHZ RTTY 75 BAUD 09 MAY/2340Z
AMTOR FEC 10 MAY/0010Z
MT63 10 MAY/0040Z
14480.0 KHZ RTTY 75 BAUD 09 MAY/2340Z
AMTOR FEC 10 MAY/0010Z
MT63 10 MAY/0040Z

STATION: NAV3 (NAVMARCORMARS RADIO STATION, CORPUS CHRISTI, TX)
FREQUENCY MODE BROADCAST DATE/TIME
7393.0 KHZ RTTY 09 MAY/2340Z
AMTOR FEC 10 MAY/0010Z
MT63 10 MAY/0040Z
13975.5 KHZ RTTY 09 MAY/2340Z
AMTOR FEC 10 MAY/0010Z
MT63 10 MAY/0040Z

STATION: NAV4 (NAVMARCORMARS RADIO STATION, GREAT LAKES, IL)
FREQUENCY MODE BROADCAST DATE/TIME
7375.0 KHZ RTTY 10 MAY/0240Z
AMTOR FEC 10 MAY/0310Z
MT63 10 MAY/0340Z
14468.5 KHZ RTTY 10 MAY/0240Z
AMTOR FEC 10 MAY/0310Z
MT63 10 MAY/0340Z

STATION: NBL (NAVMARCORMARS RADIO STATION, GROTON, CT)
FREQUENCY MODE BROADCAST DATE/TIME
7370.0 KHZ RTTY 09 MAY/2340Z
PACTOR FEC 10 MAY/0010Z
AMTOR FEC 10 MAY/0040Z
14393.0 KHZ RTTY 09 MAY/2340Z
PACTOR FEC 10 MAY/0010Z
AMTOR FEC 10 MAY/0040Z

STATION: NPL (NAVMARCORMARS RADIO STATION, SAN DIEGO, CA)
FREQUENCY MODE BROADCAST DATE/TIME
7350.0 KHZ RTTY 10 MAY/0240Z
PACTOR FEC 10 MAY/0310Z
AMTOR FEC 10 MAY/0340Z
14465.0 KHZ RTTY 10 MAY/0240Z
PACTOR FEC 10 MAY/0310Z
AMTOR FEC 10 MAY/0340Z

STATION: NUW (NAVMARCORMARS RADIO STATION, NAS WHIDBEY ISLAND, WA)
FREQUENCY MODE BROADCAST DATE/TIME
7380.0 KHZ RTTY 10 MAY/0240Z
PACTOR FEC 10 MAY/0310Z
AMTOR FEC 10 MAY/0340Z
13530.0 KHZ RTTY 10 MAY/0240Z
PACTOR FEC 10 MAY/0310Z
AMTOR FEC 10 MAY/0340Z

SUBMISSION OF SECRETARY OF DEFENSE TEST MESSAGE ENTRIES.
Transcripts of the RTTY, PACTOR, AMTOR, PSK-31, MFSK and MT63 receiving test should be submitted "as received". No attempt should be made to correct possible transmission errors. Provide time, frequency and call sign of the military station copied, including name, call sign, and address (including ZIP code) of individual submitting the entry. Ensure this information is placed on the paper containing the test message. Each year a large number of acceptable entries are received with insufficient information, or necessary information was not attached to the transcriptions and was separated, thereby precluding issuance of a certificate. Entries must be sent to the appropriate military address as follows:

a. Stations copying Secretary of Defense message transmitted from AAZ/WAR/AAV send entries to:

Armed Forces Day Celebration
Commander NETCOM/9th ASC
Armed Forces Day Celebration
Attn: NETC-OPE-MA (MARS) (31)
Fort Huachuca, AZ 85613-5000

b STATIONS COPYING SECRETARY OF DEFENSE MESSAGE TRANSMITTED FROM
NAV, NAV-3, NAV-4, NBL, NPL OR NUW SEND ENTRIES TO:
ARMED FORCES DAY CELEBRATION
CHIEF, NAVY-MARINE CORPS MARS
CHEATHAM ANNEX BLDG 117
108 SANDA AVE
WILLIAMSBURG, VA 23185-5830

c. Stations copying Secretary of Defense message transmitted from AIR-2 send entries to:

Armed Forces Day Celebration
AFCA / Chief, AF MARS
203W Losey St
Scott AFB, IL 62225

2009 Armed Forces Day (Pt. 1: Crossband Tests)

This one usually brings out some good military/ MARS stations. They do it the week before so people can go to Dayton.

------

ANNUAL ARMED FORCES DAY CROSSBAND MILITARY/AMATEUR RADIO COMMUNICATIONS TEST (09 MAY 2009)

The Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard are co-sponsoring the annual military/amateur radio communications tests in celebration of the 59th Anniversary of Armed Forces Day (AFD). Although the actual Armed Forces Day is celebrated on Saturday, May 16, 2009, the AFD Military/Amateur Crossband Communications Test will be conducted 09 May 2009 to prevent conflict with the Dayton Hamvention (15-17 May 2009), which is the same weekend as the actual Armed Forces Day.

The annual celebration features traditional military to amateur cross band communications SSB voice tests and copying the Secretary of Defense message via digital modes. These tests give Amateur Radio operators and Short Wave Listeners (SWL) an opportunity to demonstrate their individual technical skills, and to receive recognition from the Secretary of Defense and/or the appropriate military radio station for their proven expertise. QSL cards will be provided to those stations making contact with the military stations. Special commemorative certificates will be awarded to anyone who receives and copies the digital Armed Forces Day message from the Secretary of Defense.

MILITARY-TO-AMATEUR CROSS BAND SSB & CW TEST CONTACTS.
Military-to-Amateur cross band operations will take place on the dates/times in ZULU (UTC), and frequencies listed below for each station. Voice contacts will include operations in single sideband voice (SSB). Some stations may not operate the entire period, depending on propagation and manning. Participating military stations will transmit on selected Military MARS frequencies and listen for amateur radio stations in the Amateur bands indicated below. The military station operator will announce the specific amateur band frequency being monitored. Duration of each voice contact should be limited to 1-2 minutes. The following stations will be transmitting on MARS frequencies listed below which are provided as "Window/Dial Frequency" in kHz. Some stations will use CW to provide the opportunity to check in by Morse Code.


Army Stations
STATION: AAZ (09 May 1400Z - 10 May 0300Z)
Frequency Emission Amateur Band
4038.9 kHz LSB 80M
6913.0 kHz LSB 40M
14.402.0 kHz USB 20M
13996.0 kHz USB 20M
18211.0 kHz USB 17M
7577.0 kHz CW 40M
13507.0kHz CW 20M
7639.5 kHz RTTY 40M
13512.5 kHz MT-63 20M
Location: Fort Huachuca, AZ
Address:
Commander NETCOM/9th ASC
ATTN: NETCOM-OPE-M (MARS) (31)
2133 Cushing Street
Ft. Huachuca, AZ 85616-7070
POC: Mr. Dewayne Smith
DSN: 821-7324
Commercial: (520) 533-7324



STATION: AAC (09 May 1300Z - 10 May 0100Z)
Frequency Emission Amateur Band
3348.5 kHz LSB 80M
7363.0 LSB 40M
9180.5 MT63 USB 30M
13910.5 kHz USB 20M
Location: Lexington, KY
Address:
HQ 1st BDE, 100th DIV (IT) MARS Station
Barrow Army Reserve Training Center
1051 Russell Cave Pike
Lexington, KY 40505
POC: Barry Jackson
Commercial: (859) 227-0137

STATION: ABH (09 May 1600Z - 10 May 2300Z)
Frequency Emission Amateur Band
3195 kHz LSB 80M
3360 kHz LSB 80M
4440 kHz LSB 80M
4466 kHz LSB 80M
7360 kHz LSB 40M
7720 kHz LSB 40M
8040 kHz LSB 40M
8094.5 kHz LSB 40M
14483.5 kHz USB 20M
14489.5 kHz USB 20M
17443.0 kHz USB 17M
17592.5 kHz USB 17M
20978.0 kHz USB 15M
20559.0 kHz USB 15M
Location: Schofield Barracks, HI
Commander, 396th Signal Company
30th Signal Battalion, 96857
POC: WO1 William Pemberton
Commercial: (808) 655-3387

STATION: ALM (09 May 1600Z - 10 May 2300Z)
Frequency Emission Amateur Band
13741.5 kHz USB 20M
4003.0kHz LSB 80M
7317.0 kHz LSB 40M
Location: Fort Wainwright
Commander, 507 the Sig Co, 99703
POC: CW4 Roderick Mitchell
507th Signal Company
Commercial: (907-353-0082

STATION: WAR (09 May 1200Z - 2400Z)
Frequency Emission Amateur Band
4020.9 kHz LSB/CW 80M
7504.0 kHz LSB/CW 40M
13512.5 kHz USB/CW 20M
20518.5 kHz USB/CW 15M
Location: Pentagon, Arlington VA
Address:
Pentagon ARC
PO Box 2322
Arlington VA 22202
POC CAPT Rick Low, USN
Station telephone:
Commercial: (703) 693-8423 DSN 223-8423


STATION: WUG-231 (09 May 1300Z - 10 May 0200Z)
Frequency Emission Amateur Band
4032.9 kHz LSB 80M
7.360.0 kHz LSB 40M
6.826.0 kHz LSB/CW 40M
14486.0 kHz USB 20M
14663.5 kHz USB/CW 20M
20973.5 kHz USB/CW 15M
Location: Memphis, TN
Address:
USACE Memphis District Office
ATTN: Jim Pogue
Public Affairs Office Room B-202
167 N. Main St.
Memphis, TN 38103-1894
POC: Mr. Jim Pogue
Commercial: (901) 544-4109


STATION: AAV (09 May 1300Z - 2000Z)
Frequency Emission Amateur Band
4038.9 kHz LSB 80M
7360.0 kHz LSB 40M
13963.5 kHz USB 20M
FORT MONMOUTH NJ
POC WILLIAM FITZSIMMONS
DIRECTOR REGION 2
N2LMU@JUNO.COM

Air Force Station
STATION: AIR (09 May 1200Z - 2400Z)
Frequency Emission Amateur Band
4517.1 kHz USB 80M
6996.1 kHz USB 40M
13985.1 kHz USB 20M
20737.6 kHz USB 15M
ROBERT WILLIAM STROH, A1C, SCORB, USAF
GLOBAL SYSTEM RADIO OPERATOR
89 CS/ 89 ASG
ANDREWS AFB, MD
DSN: 858-3109
COMM: 301-981-3109



STATION: AIR-2 (09 MAY 1200Z TO 2400Z)
Frequency Emission Amateur Band
4590.1 KHZ USB 80M
7540.1 KHZ USB 40M
13993.1 KHZ USB 20M
POC: Mr. AL EIERMANN
ADDRESS: AFCA / AF MARS
203W LOSEY ST
SCOTT AFB, IL 62225
COMMERCIAL: (618) 229-5963

Navy/Marine Corps Stations
STATION: NAV (09 MAY 1200Z - 09 MAY 2330Z)
FREQUENCY EMISSION AMATEUR BAND
4010.0 KHZ LSB 80M
7348.0 KHZ LSB 40M
14478.5 KHZ USB 20M
20994.0 KHZ USB 15M
ADDRESS: HQ NAVMARCORMARS RADIO STATION NAV CHEATHAM ANNEX BLDG. 117
108 SANDA AVE
WILLIAMSBURG, VA 23185-5830
POC: BO LINDFORS
COMMERCIAL: (757) 887-4494 DSN: 953-4494

STATION: NAV3 (09 MAY 1200Z - 10 MAY 0400Z)
FREQUENCY EMISSION AMATEUR BAND
4014.0 KHZ LSB 80M
7394.5 KHZ LSB 40M
13974.0 KHZ USB 20M
20997.0 KHZ USB 15M
ADDRESS: NAVMARCORMARS RADIO STATION NAV3
9035 OCEAN DR SUITE 3A
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX 78419-5234
POC: ITSC (SW) BROWN
COMMERCIAL: (361) 961-5002 DSN: 861-5002

STATION: NAV4 (09 MAY 1200Z - 10 MAY 0400Z)
FREQUENCY EMISSION AMATEUR BAND
4011.5 KHZ LSB/MT63 80M
7376.5 KHZ LSB 40M
14467.0 KHZ USB 20M
21758.5 KHZ USB 15M
ADDRESS: NAVMARCORMARS RADIO STATION NAV4
615 PREBLE AVE
CAMP BARRY, BLDG. 153
GREAT LAKES, IL 60088-2850
POC: ITC (SW/AW) STEPHEN ANDERSON
COMMERCIAL: (847) 688-3787 DSN: 792-3787

STATION: NBL (09 MAY 1200Z - 10 MAY 0400Z)
FREQUENCY EMISSION AMATEUR BAND
4041.5 KHZ LSB 80M
7371.5 KHZ LSB 40M
14391.5 KHZ USB 20M
20623.5 KHZ USB 15M
ADDRESS: NAVMARCORMARS RADIO STATION
4 LANTERN LANE
CHELMSFORD MA 01824-1316
POC: ROBERT VETH, DIRECTOR REGION ONE
COMMERCIAL: (978) 256-5264

STATION: NPL (09 MAY 1500Z - 10 MAY 0400Z)
FREQUENCY EMISSION AMATEUR BAND
4003.0 KHZ LSB 80M
7351.5 KHZ LSB 40M
14463.5 KHZ USB 20M
20936.0 KHZ USB 15M
ADDRESS: NAVMARCORMARS RADIO STATION
937 NORTH HARBOR DRIVE
SAN DIEGO, CA 92132-5100
POC: ITC (SW) TIGHE
COMMERCIAL: (619) 532-1490 DSN: 522-1490

STATION: NUW (09 MAY 1500Z - 10 MAY 0400Z)
FREQUENCY EMISSION AMATEUR BAND
4044.0 KHZ LSB 80M
7381.5 KHZ LSB 40M
13528.5 KHZ USB 20M
20952.5 KHZ USB 15M
ADDRESS: NAVMARCORMARS RADIO STATION
260 W. PIONEER FSC BLDG.
NAS WHIDBEY ISLAND, WA 98277
POC: MR. DIGGER O'DELL
COMMERCIAL: (360) 675-2823 DSN: 820-8038

Tentative May 11 Launch for STS-125

After the flight readiness review, NASA has voted unanimously to give the Space Shuttle a go for launch on May 11. This is the STS-125 mission, to service the Hubble Space Telescope for the last time. This should extend Hubble's service life long enough for its replacement to be completed.

Interestingly, the shuttle cannot reach the International Space Station from Hubble's orbit, so another complete shuttle stack has been moved to the other NASA pad in case an on-orbit rescue becomes necessary. There are great videos and stills around the Internet showing both pads occupied for the last time in the shuttle program.

NASA will conduct a post-flight readiness review press conference today (Thursday) at 5 PM Eastern Daylight Time (2100 UTC).

National Public Health Radio Network Activates

Sporadic US East Coast ALE activity is being reported on the US Federal interagency National Public Health Radio Network (NPHRN). So far nothing has been heard in the West.

Participants include Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), possibly US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA), and many state and local public health departments.

Frequencies are 4442.0, 4757.0 (possible), 4780.0 (possible), 8023.0, 9414.5, 10202.0, 12164.0, and 13488.0 kHz USB.

QRP Update

Here are some updates to the information in the latest Utility World column dealing with amateur weak-signal modes.


QRSS Beacons:

10140.000 WA5DJJ DM62PH WA5DJJ DM62PH
10140.055 KC7VHS KC7VHS KC7VHS
10140.078 5DV NM 5DV NM 5DV NM [faded]

(Channel frequencies. All low speed Morse, heard in California. 10140.0 is FSK with a 5-Hz shift with a 3-second long dit. This gives a speed of 1 WPM. The rest are CW. All are best copied through use of spectrum displays like ARGO.)


WSJT:

14076 +301 Hz JT65B 10 March UTC

013200 CQ KL7OO CN88
013300 KL7OO WY5R DM95
014400 JA3CAY KL7OO -16 1 0


WSPR:

Activity on 80, 40, 30, and 20 meter bands. Typical:

10138.7 +187-263 Hz WSPR 10 March UTC

2048 -17 1.2 10.140195 0 K5XL EM12 33
2052 -21 1.5 10.140261 0 KL7OA BP51 33
2058 -24 1.7 10.140221 0 K1JT FN20 37
2122 -24 2.2 10.140187 0 W1XP FN42 37

Other runs here have produced loggings of stations in Japan and other DX. Some were barely audible in the noise.


OK0EU Propagation Net, Czech Republic:

3594.492 kHz Vackov (JO60EF)
3594.496 kHz Dlouhá Louka (JO60TP)
3594.500 kHz Panská Ves (JO70GM)
3594.504 kHz Průhonice (JN79GX)
3594.508 kHz Kašperské Hory (JN69SD)

7038.500 kHz Panská Ves (JO70GM)

All stations are 1-watt continuous beacons. On 80 meters, the close spacing creates a 5-tone cluster that shifts continuously due to fading. Changes in this cluster over time can track infrasonic phenomena in the ionosphere. Heard via SDR and verified from web site.


Amateur CW beacons:

3577.0 IZ3DVW/BEACON JN55VF 1 watt
7039.6 IZ3DVW/BEACON, yoopy tone & ID
(Heard via webSDR)


PHFER beacons:

PHFER is what the HF Beacon Society calls them, and since they place most of them, that's what we'll use. I'll have to find out what it stands for. It's probably a modification of HiFer, a different HF beacon type.

The new (and very low power) "47 Dasher" is now on Pike's Peak, and intermittently transmitting near 7997.9 kHz.

"Echo" is now on 10236.6, 24/7 from Florida.

The following beacons were heard here in late March:

2097.38 "A" every 9 seconds
3449.83 "OK" Oklahoma 300mw
4079.64 "TMPnn" CA Temperature beacon
4096.00 6 dits, one dah, Virginia
5484.00 "SD" San Diego, higher power now, blasts into here

Some SW Broadcasters Still In 40 Meters

It would appear that the new rules which move broadcasting to above 7300 kHz are being ignored in China. Asian listeners are hearing multiple broadcast programs, often on the same channel, pretty much as before.

7100-7200 Now Amateur

At the end of March, the long awaited radio regulation change became final on the spectrum between 7100 and 7200 kHz in ITU Regions 1 and 3.

This is the 40 meter amateur band. Amateurs are now primary in this allocation. International broadcast stations should have all moved out, though it's likely a few stragglers remain. However, now they are intruders, not valid authorized users.

In exchange, the spectrum above this band, which goes to 7300 in the Western Hemisphere, is now primarily broadcasting. Canadian time station CHU changed frequency at the beginning of this year as a result of broadcast interference to this formerly fixed-service primary allocation. The new frequency is 7850 kHz R3E (reduced-carrier upper sideband).

New PLT Product Brings HF Doom A Step Closer

Let's forget the tech speak, and the engineering talk of decibels and signal levels.

Here's what is happening, in plain English:

What we are facing is the design and high-powered marketing of a whole large family of new products which cannot operate normally without ENDING SHORT WAVE RADIO, FOREVER.

Period.

It's no more technical, or esoteric than that. NO MORE SHORT WAVE. EVER. The entire HF band, 2 to 29 megahertz, JAMMED by the most highly distributed system of wideband HF noise generators EVER INVENTED. If WE do not act proactively, NOW, these will be in every building in the industrialized world.

Is that simple enough?

The latest such invention being heavily marketed, amid glowing praise in magazines, sends audio through power lines using HF carriers at a high enough power to jam the entire spectrum in a radius of hundreds or thousands of feet depending on conditions.

This particular product was tested by someone on the UKQRM list and was found to have NO NOTCHES! Amateur radio frequencies are NOT PROTECTED! This matches the experience in Portugal, where products are distributed without these notches.

Got that? No more utility. No more ham. No more use of marine USB while dockside. NO MORE SHORT WAVE RADIO, ANYWHERE IN THE INDUSTRIALIZED WORLD, EVER AGAIN.

I don't know why I bother with this cause. The apathy is complete, and the regulatory indifference is shocking. Unless a movement starts, right now, involving people who traditionally distrust political movements, it will be over. The regulatory agencies will say, well, that's the breaks. Sorry about that.

The people of this Earth will lose the most accessible and democratic (small d) communication medium ever invented. This will have a tragic effect on all history.

Now... is that clear enough?

STS-119 Is On Orbit

Do check out the pictures of the launch. It was right at twilight and absolutely gorgeous.

STS-119 On Time for 2343 UTC Launch

The Discovery countdown continues. Crew is in the vehicle and last close-outs are in progress.

For the first time I can ever remember, there is a 0% chance that weather will violate launch constraints.

STS-119 Count Continues

Discovery is still on target for a Sunday launch at 7:43 PM EDT (2343 UTC). The Rotating Service Structure was rolled back at 0030 Saturday UTC, and tanking begins in about 10 hours.

Check for range and Booster Recovery Vessel activity on the usual frequencies. At night, the best ones are around 5 MHz.

ISS Crew Back In Station

The space debris has passed without incident, and the crew has left the Soyuz and gone back to normal operations.

Space Station on Debris Watch

The crew of the ISS has put the station on auto and evacuated to a Soyuz spacecraft docked to the station. This is after space debris from a spent satellite kick motor drifted into the danger box.

The closest approach is at 1639 UTC, in other words right about now. The crew should be re-entering the station shortly.

Just In: LORAN-C Is Dead in the USA!

In a major policy reversal required by economic belt-tightening in this year's US government budget, the US Coast Guard has announced that the United States LORAN-C navigation system will shut down at a time to be determined.

It appears that LORAN was specifically defunded in the budget, which refers to it as "outdated."

Better hope GPS keeps working.

Here's the terse release at NAVCEN:

The Operating Status of LORAN-C

LORAN-C provides coverage for maritime navigation in U.S. coastal areas. It provides navigation, location, and timing services for both civil and military air, land and marine users. LORAN-C is approved as an en route supplemental air navigation system for both Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) and Visual Flight Rule (VFR) operations. The LORAN-C system serves the 48 continental states, their coastal areas, and parts of Alaska.

On February 26, 2009, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) publicly announced the President's Fiscal Year 2010 Budget. In the section for the Department of Homeland Security, the budget "supports the termination of outdated systems such as the terrestrial-based, long-range radionavigation (LOrAN-C) operated by the U.S. Coast Guard resulting in an offset of $36 million in 2010 and $190 million over five years." For more information on the proposed FY2010 Budget, visit the OMB website under President's Budget.

The Coast Guard will continue to operate the current Loran C system through the end of FY2009 and is preparing detailed plans for implementing the FY2010 Budget.

STS-119 Now No Earlier Than Sunday

Following the meeting mentioned in the last post, the STS-119 launch to the space station has been postponed until this Sunday at the earliest.

A Sunday launch would be at 7:43 PM EDT, with the usual launch window of around 7 minutes to achieve proper orbit to reach the ISS. However, this remains contingent on exactly how much work will be required to fix the problem with the gaseous hydrogen vent line.

Another meeting will take place tomorrow to assess how well troubleshooting is going, then a firmer decision will be made.

STS-119 Scrubs 10 Minutes After My Last Post

Launch count has recycled one day. New launch target is 8:54 PM EDT Thursday, but this is contingent on a meeting of the mission directors that is taking place right about now.

Scrub was caused by a leak in a gaseous hydrogen line leading to the flare where the hazardous gas is burned off.

Sorry I'm the last to post this. I went to lunch, and when I got back the shuttle had not gone to launch. (Sorry about that too.)

Revised MT NASA Guide Now Available

Larry Van Horn has just announced an update of the Monitoring Times guide to monitoring NASA.

It's at the MT Web site. Download is free to all.

The STS-119 countdown is still on time for a 9:20 PM EDT launch. Fuel loading should be complete right around now. Weather still shows only a 5% chance of violating constraints.

Shuttle Still Counting for Wednesday Night Launch

STS-119 is targeted to launch at 9:20 PM Wednesday evening local time, or 0120 Thursday UTC. The flight is going to the International Space Station to add the last solar panel. Launch window is therefore only a few minutes.

NASA TV has begun coverage. Booster Recovery Vessels and range operations will begin soon, and they will be audible on HF. Cape Radio has been heard testing on all frequencies. Specific loggings have been made on 6550, 10780, 11548, 13212, and 14937 kHz USB. There are usually a few other low frequencies that light up closer to launch. Keep watching this and other blogs for hits.

Also go to http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle for latest NASA info.

WSPR@Home

I've been running WSPR fed by my own radio instead of the WebSDR. Guess what: it's active in the USA too! Here are some hits:

10138.6 2 mar
0504 -22 0.8 10.140175 1 W3HH EL89 33
0510 -16 0.7 10.140190 0 AA0DW DN70 37
0514 -11 5.9 10.140186 -1 WT5N EL09 37
0526 -16 6.1 10.140151 -1 WT5N EL09 37
0544 -22 0.8 10.140134 0 AA0DW DN70 37

7038.6 2 mar
0606 -15 1.8 7.040069 0 K0FT EM17 37
0608 -21 0.9 7.040077 0 KC2QII FN20 40
0616 -11 1.5 7.040069 0 K0FT EM17 37
0620 -19 0.9 7.040078 0 KC2QII FN20 40
0626 -19 1.0 7.040078 0 KC2QII FN20 40
0628 -12 0.6 7.040070 0 K0FT EM17 37

10138.7 2 mar
0634 -16 0.7 10.140151 0 AA0DW DN70 37
0636 -23 0.6 10.140122 1 WD8INF EM79 37
0638 -25 0.6 10.140138 0 W3HH EL89 33

For those interested in propagation spotting, I'm in DM04.

All signals are deep in the noise. Typical transmitter powers are around one watt, or lower. In fact, the program does not work as well on very strong signals. No wonder they call it whispering.

30 meters was completely dead otherwise. Maybe we've found a way to communicate on HF in the post-sunspot, pre-HomePlug era.

Here's a list of suggested WSPR frequencies, all USB. Park on one, make sure your computer clock is in perfect sync, and check back every even minute to see what your computer has found for you.

Band Dial freq (MHz) Tx freq (MHz)
160m 1.836600 1.838000 - 1.838200
80m 3.592600 3.594000 - 3.594200
60m 5.287200 5.288600 - 5.288800
40m 7.038600 7.040000 - 7.040200
30m 10.138700 10.140100 - 10.140300
20m 14.095600 14.097000 - 14.097200
17m 18.104600 18.106000 - 18.106200
15m 21.094600 21.096000 - 21.096200
12m 24.924600 24.926000 - 24.926200
10m 28.124600 28.126000 - 28.126200
6m 50.293000 50.294400 - 50.294600
2m 144.488500 144.489900 - 144.490100

(I've also seen 10138.6. It really doesn't seem to make a difference for casual utility receiving.)

Links:
WSPRnet
http://wsprnet.org/drupal/
Where to get the program
http://www.physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/
And how to use it
http://www.frenning.dk/OZ1PIF_HOMEPAGE/Whisper_Guide.html

The Great WebSDR Tour - Part 4 (40m)

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!