36 MHz frequency hopping

[mancow]

Any ideas what this could be?

36 Mhz freq hopping video by mancow_photos | Photobucket

It seems to run forever and varys in signal strength at times. It's not artifacts from my wireless router, I unplugged it. It's not IF leakage from other receivers. I turned those off as well. It is strong enough to register S3 pulses at times on my FT-897. It is constrained to that frequency range only and truly does appear to be random.

The antenna is a DPD Productions log periodic on the roof about 20ft above ground level. I live about 40 miles SW of Kansas City and the antenna points toward KC. I can't imagine what system would use a signal like this or what type of equipment would generate that unintentionally. I haven't yet tried going mobile to see if I can track down the source.

[blantonl]

Fm sincgars ?

[prcguy]

SINCGARS would be the most common VHF lo band hopping in the US or possibly the Harris Quick Look but the transmission lasts about 24 seconds, which would not be typical for a military transmission.
prcguy

[rfradioconsult]

Some utility costumer meters operate in frequency hopping mode, these include gas and electrical service meters, I had heard my local utility was using remote meter reading so I looked closely at my gas meter and it had an FCC number, when I looked it up it led me to the manufactures site.

[mancow]

I initially thought it was possibly sincgars too Lindsay but it never seems to stop. Maybe it's a utility data link as suggested by rfradioconsult. I meant to put it in the FT-857 this evening while out but the hangover from last night got the best of me and I totally forgot.

[Thunderknight]

Isn't 36-37 MHz reserved for Federal gov't use? I just checked Part 90 and both the public safety pool and business/industrial pool skip over 36-37 MHz...

[mancow]

True, I hadn't thought about that. Maybe it's some spurious emissions from something in the neighborhood then.