Unusual Transmission Picked Heard on HF

[CharlesDom]

Late Saturday night (4/11/09) into early Sunday morning I couldn't sleep so I decided to kill some time by seeing what I could pick up on my Eton 1 shortwave radio. So around 0200 local Pacific time I tuned into 8.725 and heard conversations between two people that sounded like German. Not 100% sure but I did pick up on a few German words that I am familiar with.

It kind of sounded like a radio phone operator because I heard a few long beeps then someone would pickup and say hello. Again, this is all in German. I listened for a little while but couldn't understand anything. So I start scanning again and tune into 8.806 and hear the same type of conversations as above.

The signals came in pretty strong so I'm guessing propagation was very favorable that early morning.

At the time I didn't think to record any of it but maybe next time or if I pick it up again I might record a little of it and upload for your listening.

Anyone else pick up this type of transmission before, have any of idea of what I was listening to?

I know there's the MARS phone patch but I don't think this was it.

[WB2UZR]

Those are marine radiotelephone channels.


MarComms - 8 MHz Duplex Channels


Scott/WB2UZR

[CharlesDom]

Thanks WB2UZR. I didn't know those were there; and I thought I knew everything. I guess it was a ship just off the coast.

[ka3jjz]

Charles - there are many segments on HF that are more or less reserved for various services (that's not to say you won't hear other things in these segments - fishing fleets, using illegally modified ham gear, can turn up virtually anywhere, for example). The Klingenfuss guides used to have a detailed chart of these segments, I don't know of anywhere online that has this (anyone? Could be useful for newcomers). There are segments for the Aeronautical off routes, marine (as you have found) and several others. As you wander, you're quite likely to get into these segments.

A small point - when you post a log like this, please try to use UTC (Universal time) rather than your local time. It's a de facto standard on virtually any other HF related list you can find. This can be had from WWV (2.5, 5, 10, 15 mhz) and several other stations, and UTC clocks are quite inexpensive.Nonetheless, an interesting log. 73 Mike

[nickcarr]

You didn't say exactly where you were located, but here in the Pac NW we don't hear much German. Also, the propogation at 0200 on 8mhz isn't very good either, so it would have to be relatively local.

Likely some shipping vessel on a marine channel.


-Nick,
Seattle, WA

[nexus]

I'm hearing a weather recording on 8806.0 USB over here. Sounds much like NOAA weather radio you'd hear on 162mhz.

[ka3jjz]

That's marine channel 830 per the list Scott just posted 73 Mike

[WB2UZR]

Originally Posted by CharlesDom

Thanks WB2UZR. I didn't know those were there; and I thought I knew everything. I guess it was a ship just off the coast.

More than likely, although could be anywhere. I haven't done much listening there lately, but used to monitor those freqs quite a bit. Scan thru the other freqs in that list on 4/8/12 mhz etc, can be interesting listening.

Scott/WB2UZR

[WB2UZR]

MF & HF Channel Information - USCG Navigation Center

[brandon]

I hear similar transmissions quite a bit on the 6 MHz marine bands. Most of them are in Russian and appear to be phone patches between the sailor and their wife/kids. When I first got into HF monitoring in the late 90s I remember listening to the AT&T High Seas Marine Operator. There was a lot of activity but has since gone away due to satellite phones.

[CharlesDom]

I'm located just a little East of Los Angeles, CA so that's why I was probably able to pick this up.

Scanning through the other frequencies in this range, I was able to pick up the same type of transmisions again last night. This time it was in Russion.

Thanks for the tips from everyone else.

-Charles-

Originally Posted by nickcarr

You didn't say exactly where you were located, but here in the Pac NW we don't hear much German. Also, the propogation at 0200 on 8mhz isn't very good either, so it would have to be relatively local.

Likely some shipping vessel on a marine channel.


-Nick,
Seattle, WA