Clandestine/Unusual Broadcasts

[W3MPS]

I have been reading up on the infamous "Woodpecker" and similar stations like UVB 576. Even though there's no deciphering them, I still find it interesting to track them down. As Mr. Spock would say, "Fascinating, Captain."

What are some good frequencies to start poking around? I am assuming I should make a list of RF spectrum segments that are typically military or government use and start there. And while I'm on the subject, where's a good spot to go pirate hunting besides the upper end of 6 MHz?

I need something to keep me entertained while I wait for a month (work scheduling) to take my exam to upgrade to general. But hey, at least I finally have a weekend off when there is an exam session.

[KC2UGV]

Wait for N8YX, in 3,2,1...

He's a master in the utility and clandestine monitoring.

[N8YX]

3470-3480 LSB.

6666.6 LSB (the so-called "devil frequency").

6670 LSB

6980-6990 LSB

13555-13565; mode varies

13970 LSB

20970 LSB

25000-26960; mode varies

More as I encounter them. The Aussies have a 4WD radio club which utilizes a number of HF frequencies for communications in the outback and I'll post those later this evening.

[WØTKX]

There is an IRC chat channel, #wunclub on the StarChat server(s) that usually has 30+ folks logged in. Utility DX freaks. Like DX spotters, a number of them post what they are hearing, as well as some inane chatter. Many times it's a voice numbers station.

A lot of "clandestine" radio has switched to digital modes. MultiPSK software handles a lot of it.

Here's what we heard last week, a woman's voice in English with a Spanish accent, USB at 10.726Mhz:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

V07 Numbers station (spotted by #wunclub user Token)
http://token_radio.home.mchsi.com/V07_Obs_Table_V1.jpg

883 883 883
1
574 71
574 71
84357 11997 35738 37229 79881 65357 07224 03974 73708 07200
51248 05777 97057 47639 14459 39847 80807 17741 09066 57576
66780 35386 97507 96440 83870 93729 03791 91376 62824 60468
06733 05417 70164 28922 04719 27957 45515 62775 07374 60954
43829 11718 59977 33761 29178 69803 48043 78665 59738 47911
69037 33366 28428 65034 85505 43924 70430 04089 70963 43831
53433 82204 66995 20212 67338 06083 18257 02749 22881 69368
18764 000 000

[KG4CGC]

An oldie but goodie.
http://forums.hamisland.net/showthread.php?5386-Favorite-Frequencies&highlight=favorite+frequencies

[W2NAP]

11.175USB

[n2ize]

3885 AM :mrgreen:

[N8YX]

3885 AM :mrgreen:

Might as well throw 14.313 out for good measure, eh?

The Aussie list:

3995

5455

6796

8022

10180

11612

14977

All USB.

[N8YX]

24705 LSB - right now.

Spanish speakers; roger beeps at the end of at least one of the participant's transmissions.

S0-S1 on the '940, but perfect copy.

[W5GA]

Sometimes, in the right conditions, you can hear strange things in the AM BC band. I was driving to OKC one day, and heard some funky CW on the way down. Turns out, it was something to do with the airport.

[KG4CGC]

Sometimes, in the right conditions, you can hear strange things in the AM BC band. I was driving to OKC one day, and heard some funky CW on the way down. Turns out, it was something to do with the airport.GM GM GM over and over on 519.

[NQ6U]

Sometimes, in the right conditions, you can hear strange things in the AM BC band. I was driving to OKC one day, and heard some funky CW on the way down. Turns out, it was something to do with the airport.

Aero beacons. Most basic of all radio navigation equipment, more or less unchanged since it was first set up in the 1930s.

[K7SGJ]

I have been reading up on the infamous "Woodpecker" and similar stations like UVB 576. Even though there's no deciphering them, I still find it interesting to track them down. As Mr. Spock would say, "Fascinating, Captain."

What are some good frequencies to start poking around? I am assuming I should make a list of RF spectrum segments that are typically military or government use and start there. And while I'm on the subject, where's a good spot to go pirate hunting besides the upper end of 6 MHz?

I need something to keep me entertained while I wait for a month (work scheduling) to take my exam to upgrade to general. But hey, at least I finally have a weekend off when there is an exam session.

THE infamous woodpecker...............


4822

[N8YX]

TOR on 26.143 as I reply to this. Idling frames, no actual QSO in progress.

Apparently located south or southwest of me, as the SW DX-SWL is picking it up the best.

[N8YX]

Not really broadcasts per se...but over the last several days I have found quite a lot of SSB activity between 24.600 and 24.800, with the occasional transmission around 25.000.

There are several FM studio links operating in the 25.800-25.990 segment; most are located in the southwest US and all have been full quieting here.

[w3bny]

Some crazy stuff on 27.555

[N8YX]

Some crazy stuff on 27.555

I've been searching for the occasional 11M digital-mode station in all usual watering holes, but nothing thus far. One wonders if there's any such activity left - and why the various regulatory entities won't set aside a dedicated sub-band for it.

[N8YX]

Currently receiving HiFer beacon "E H" - East Haven, CT - operated by K1RGO. 13.557MHz. S4-S6...pretty impressive signal level for QRPp power level.

[K7SGJ]

Although not clandestine, there is lots a crazy shit on FOX.

[N8YX]

RTTY - 170 shift - mark frequency 27.503.5 - don't have modem hooked up yet but will fix that momentarily.

ETA:

10AD707 calling CQ.

Someone tell this guy to turn his roger beep "off" when running digi-modes, please. :roll:

[N7YA]

Those airport beacons fired up my interest in CW. I remember having one of those old 'all-in-one' stereos with the turntable, 8-track and rcvr as a kid in Alaska. I would tune from one end to the other trying to pick up remote broadcasters from the native villages up north. Didnt get too many as i really didnt understand how to do that yet, but i did get a CW signal repeating DM, or something like that, over and over again. I asked my dad and he told me it was an airport beacon on the top end of the band.

That was pretty much all he knew about radio outside of cb. But it got me interested. I got an old GE World Monitor II, as well as an old Mohican from a local swapmeet and the world opened up. I was hunting Ute stations every chance i could get. I loved the coastal stations and would listen to the automated "VVV" to see how many i could get...i have my old notebooks around here somewhere. I even confirmed a few.

I miss the old coastals beacons. Once everything went digital and they shut the CW service down, the bands got a lot quieter. Bummer. Its how i learned CW, 30 years later, its the mode i use 98% of the time.

[N8YX]

Any Spanish/Portuguese speakers in da house?

6890-7000 is packed full of what appears to be clandestines/pirates at the moment. Do we have translators with HF RX capabilities on duty?

[W1GUH]

Sometimes, in the right conditions, you can hear strange things in the AM BC band. I was driving to OKC one day, and heard some funky CW on the way down. Turns out, it was something to do with the airport.

CW ID from an DF station? ADF's and VOR's all transmit a 3 character ID In Morse.

[kb2vxa]

"6890-7000 is packed full of what appears to be clandestines/pirates at the moment."

That's the most popular pirate band there is since many ham rigs can go there easily, not usually crowded you can hear them just about any time propagation permits. It used to be commercial, Polish HF telephone links were the last to leave and I remember the tail end when a friend fluent in Polish and I listened and he laughed while I wondered what he was laughing at. Then he asked why he could only hear half of the conversation, I explained they were using DSB in full duplex as was common for HF links.

[N8YX]

Commander Bunny on 6925 AM (0140 UTC) with the "MDA Telethon"...spanking monkeys as usual.

[kb2vxa]

Yeah, t'uther bunneh doesn't know that WBNY is the callsign of the FM station at Buffalo State College and stands for We're Buffalo New York. Well, a long time ago in a galaxy far away I didn't know WUMS is the FM station at Ol' Mis, We're University of Mississippi and the "owned and operated by Broadcasting Associates Inc." part is WBAI in New York. (:-O)

[N8YX]

6945 AM - whomever this happens to be, they're huge in NEOH- 30dB/S-9.

Grooving to Blondie's Rapture at the moment...

[kf0rt]

6945 AM - whomever this happens to be, they're huge in NEOH- 30dB/S-9.

Grooving to Blondie's Rapture at the moment...

S7 noise here and nothing rising above it.

[N8YX]

S7 noise here and nothing rising above it.

Antenna I'm using favors SE/NW directions. Interdasting...

ETA:

The music on this 'station' doesn't suck, either. Lot of somewhat obscure album tracks - Pink Floyd playing at the moment.

ETA 2:

Radio Ronin Shortwave.

Definitely one of the better ones I've heard.

Arlo Guthrie on at the moment. I once knew an Alice...in another time long since removed.

[N8YX]

PMR (Progressive Music Radio) 6925 USB. 10-15dB/S9 - station claims a power output of 25w PEP.

[kb2vxa]

One thing I can say about those 40M pirates is they play the best music and some hysterically funny "commercials". Trouble is many are SSB which sucks raw eggs and the few AM stations aren't much better, with some good engineering practice of the sort the ham AM gangstas use they'd have high level hy fwy yawdio... like We're an Unidentified Mysterious Station did. (;->)

"Grooving to Blondie's Rapture at the moment..."

Hmmm, too bad nobody's discovered this mashup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnhKPw2NXIw

[kf0rt]

Antenna I'm using favors SE/NW directions. Interdasting...

ETA:

The music on this 'station' doesn't suck, either. Lot of somewhat obscure album tracks - Pink Floyd playing at the moment.

ETA 2:

Radio Ronin Shortwave.

Definitely one of the better ones I've heard.

Arlo Guthrie on at the moment. I once knew an Alice...in another time long since removed.

Just a 6BTV here, but it's in reasonable shape.

[N8YX]

Just a 6BTV here, but it's in reasonable shape.

I have one of those at 35ft - it's connected to the digi-modes rig and is the only antenna which I can use for 30M. Very useful as a reference for comparing signal strengths.

The other HF amateur antennas in use are a multiband inverted vee at 50ft and a G5RV at 40ft. They're pretty directional on 40M and up. For SWBC DF work I use a pair of Alpha-Delta DX Slopers - one oriented SE and another SW. Plans are to put a couple more up and select among them at the tower via a remote switchbox.

[K7SGJ]

Just a 6BTV here, but it's in reasonable shape.


I have one of those sticks also, but ground mounted. It works quite well. The only other active antenna at the moment, is a 160M vee. On the ground is a Hygain TH2MK3 tribander rhat was given to me. I need to either get some parts for it, or, I'm looking at a MA5B 5 band mini beam.