My Shortwave Logs and Trip Reports: Broad Sprectrum Noise on 40m Band

Tuesday 15 January 2008

Broad Sprectrum Noise on 40m Band

G'day Guys,

While listening to the 40m Band (~13/01/2008 1025 UTC) trying to catch VA7MLW Canadian sailing solo round the world, the band was a total wash out with this spectrum noise. I have a recording of this BLOODY annoying spectrum noise, which I was sure is OVER THE HORIZON RADAR (OTHR) or something very similar.

Heres the video recording of me performing a Bandscan from 7100khz down to 6500 khz - http://ustream.tv/recorded/K86S2mXnhNYZzaOknbgAMg or an MP3 version here: http://www.mediafire.com/?5dcdndzhh1t

I put a call out to a couple of newsgroup forums and got confirmation that it was indeed an OTHR and is believed to emanate from China (Paracel Islands). I was also provided with a link to the follow website: Region 1 Intruder
Watch. The website is full of interesting details of this and much other in-band nastiness.

If anyone else has encountered the same or similar BUZZ / spectrum noise share it with us, by leaving a comment with information on where/when you heard it and if you have a recordings of it send us the URL to the recording :)

While on the topic of OTHR's, I was given the following useful link which describes the Russian "Woodpecker" HF Radar. Also here is an interesting semi-technical description of OTHR systems. Although a fairly long read, it is nevertheless interesting and descriptive:http://pubs.drdc.gc.ca/PDFS/unc64/p527279.pdf

Regards
Mark

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ICOM R75 with DSP

This is a great radio, build in speaker lets it down, but piped through to my sound centre or headphones and sounds great for working those faint signals. Read some Reviews

Kenwood R1000

Another great radio, the sound from this radio is beautiful and warm, and can listen to weaker stations / ones suffering from fade very easy with out getting a headache. Read some Reviews

Yaesu FRG-7

A great little worker, but only for those stations that are in the clear from interfering side channels. Read some Reviews

Sangean ATS 505

It works, and is perfect for those camping trips were I am unable to hump my other radios. Read some Reviews

Degen DE1103

Wow, Wow, Wow !!! This little radio blows the Sangean ATS-505 out of the water, and I have even now not listened with the ICOM R75 or Kenwood R1000 since receiving and comparing the DE1103 against them. Yes the ICOM R75 is slightly more sensitive, however with the long wire antenna that came with the radio and the extremely low noise of the radios circuitry I was able to hear every single station that the ICOM received but just a maybe a S-Level lower. However the DE1103 handled fade and had a by far a better tone to listen to faint / fading stations.

I would highly recommend this radio to anyone, especially with the Sony AN-LP1 Active Loop Antenna, the radio is bless pulling in many stations at bed time with minimal fade which doesn't annoy the wife anymore :)

Read some Reviews.

Sony XR-5100 In Car Cassette / AM/FM/SW Radio

This radio is installed in my Pajero 4x4, and wherever I go I always have a shortwave. The only downside is that it is currently connected to the Pajeros electric antenna, its short and does ok for the strong SW stations while the car is not running. However to getting more out of this very capable radio, I attach some light weight stranded cable and run it out in any direction I can or want. I have a 5 meter version for quick hook-up while having a coffee or toilet break and a 40 meter version for longer stop overs / DXing on cold Canberra nights. With the extra length of cables attached to the car antenna (longer one needs to support on the 4x4 snorkel (raised air intake) to prevent the weight of the cable snapping the antenna of :(.

Sony CDX-GT260 / GT360 In Car CD / AM/FM/SW Radio

I originally had the Sony XR-5100 SW/AM/FM Car Radio. It worked great as long as I had the car engine stopped. A length of wire added to the car antenna was used to allow the radio to reach it full potential. A couple of CONS was that it was Tape Deck cd a CD Player and there was no AUX input.

Well the wifes radio finally died in her Suzuki ~2 months back, so we went to the local auto shop (Supercheap) and too my surprise there was the Sony CDX-GT260 SW/AM/FM radio. I thought Bugger me, looked at the price and had to look twice as it was priced AUD$136. It was a CD Player and it also had AUX input jack on the front. Turned to the wife and said, "DARLS" here a nice little radio for yer :) Well the price was perfect and I still did not beleive it till I got to the till and it rang up as AUD$136. JACKPOT!!

Installed it in her car and done a few tests with and without the ext. antenna wire and it WORKED fine. Ran in side and said the wife "I WANT ONE" she busted out laughing and we headed of to get one.

But to our shock it was the last one hence the sell out price. We finally tracked down once at another store but it was the GT360 can't remember now, and was $199, but the bloke at the store knew the other bloke and bingo said if I wanted it now he could give it to be for AUD $149. SOLD!!! Raced over and picked it up and installed it in to the Pajero. The only difference between the two models appears to be EQUALIZER modes I thinks apart from that they are identical :)

So from me and my Wifey, we can both say they and the (XR-5100) are great SW/AM and FM car radios. But remember to always keep a bit of hookup wire to get its full potential when stopped at the side of the road / camping.

SW1: 2940 - 7735 kHz

SW2: 9500 - 18135 kHz

Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race - 2006

I love tuning in to the the yacht race each year starting on Boxing Day to catch the action. 2006 was a bit quiet nothing too dramatic as it all happened on the first night two maxi's retired with mast damage and the one bit of radio traffic that I wish I had captured onto tape / mp3 was the "Ray White Koomooloo" sinking incident. Now I'm slightly paraphrasing here but here goes.

JBW is the relay yacht and it as busy dealing with co-ordinating with the Police Launcher to get a injure crewman of one of the maxi's (MAXIMUS I think).

Then the yacht Koomooloo comes on frequency and asks how long would the Police Launcher take to get to them (most have missed the initial radio traffic from Koomooloo reporting initial troubles). Anyways JBW asks Koomooloo to standby for a sec and come back with info that the the Police Launcher would take about 2 hours or so.

This is what I remember and was freaky / funny. After the radio operator of Koomooloo received the info he must have went and discussed with the captain and comes back on frequency and calm as anything says "JBW, JBW, Koomooloo, hmmmm 2 hours is insufficient......... We are taking on water and will probably only last at most 1 more hour. We would like to declare MAYDAY, MAYDAY any vessel in vicinity of LAT / LONG".

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/a,DfIBuVj0mDNRDReOA9xJ9acOzxqpS6
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/p1dMBbRZSli,2q2Iw59sqzwHeWGPXWED
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/SNTggbhSS.9oFo.ozsX2RbmVyZs1EGo5
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/6OMu8RkRAdYmvZuR2DTLlxRjxOX7Kml1
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/hvQ3.TF0Ojhuuy.6dRHp55.VBYK3cgTY
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/99m6prQ0q6ciT80OBfKsyAUyBKjIDFx4

My Shortwave Logs and Trip Reports

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Tuesday 15 January 2008

Broad Sprectrum Noise on 40m Band

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