Mysterious 269.750 broadcast audio

blaze · #1 (**permalink**) 10-20-2012, 2:41 PM

On right now, via the Pacific TACSAT UFO4 (at 177.1W) downlink on 269.750, is distorted audio from what sounds to be an Asian language broadcast station. It appears to be wideband FM (wider than the transponder passband, hence the distortion). It's definitely going through the satellite; the transponder output energy shown on a spectrum display concentrates around the signal peaks.

The uplink frequency for this channel is 310.750, which is not, as far as I know, a terrestrial broadcast frequency anywhere in the world, nor is it the audio carrier of any standard cable TV channel. I doubt it's a pirate, since it's wideband, but you never know. In any case, it's a bit of a mystery.

The downlink should be receivable in the Pacific region and in the Western US. An audio clip, for whatever it's worth, can be found at http://www.crypto.com/private/269750-20121020.mp3 .

ecollins11 · #2 (**permalink**) 10-20-2012, 3:18 PM

I am in Ada Oklahoma I am hearing it better on 269.751250 but it is english right now .. Think it might the CATV an now it is not there.

blaze · #3 (**permalink**) 10-20-2012, 3:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecollins11

I am in Ada Oklahoma I am hearing it better on 269.751250 but it is english right now .. Think it might the CATV an now it is not there.

Interesting; the audio I was getting was actually centered around 269.7475, and was definitely going through the transponder. Do you have a bearing by any chance?

The downlink range is used for domestic cable, so if you have analog service in your area it can be difficult to distinguish local leakage from actual downlink signals.

Thanks

ecollins11 · #4 (**permalink**) 10-20-2012, 4:14 PM

The local catv stll have the basic analog cable channels an their was a chef boyrdee commerical an a car commerical I have no way of getting a bearing If I had a hand held scanner I woud might be able to locate where the cabe is leaking it very well could be a cable leak ...

brandon · #5 (**permalink**) 10-23-2012, 6:49 PM

Interesting! I've been picking this up for a while and had always assumed it was local RFI. We have Asian neighbors located in the same direction my PAC antenna points, so I figured it was coming from their TV or something. I also have the same thing around 253.750.

blaze · #6 (**permalink**) 10-23-2012, 7:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brandon

Interesting! I've been picking this up for a while and had always assumed it was local RFI. We have Asian neighbors located in the same direction my PAC antenna points, so I figured it was coming from their TV or something. I also have the same thing around 253.750.

Ditto here on 253.750. So that's two of these mystery signals! (I hadn't mentioned that one earlier because I only noticed it esterday and have only checked it from a single location out here so far. 269.750 is receivable, with same bearing as the satellite, from three different locations in the Bay Area, so I already had pretty high confidence that it was actually coming through the bird.).