Monitoring many HF frequenices.

[RedPenguin]

I was just wondering, what is the best way to monitor shortwave frequencies. I have a Sony 7600GR and I noticed it doesn't really scan like a radio scanner would. So when you want to monitor a place with like 2-10+ frequencies, when it seems like you really only gotta be on one station at all. Or am I missing something about monitoring HF?

 

[ka3jjz]

It depends somewhat on what you are scanning for. If you are looking for ALE activity, the free PC-ALE software has a built in 'scanning' routine for numerous receivers. However, generally speaking, scanning on HF is rather impractical due to the noise factor. Unlike scanning, a simple noise burst would normally stop a scan - and that's not likely to be what you are looking for. In addition, the amount of noise can vary from band to band, even under the quietest of conditions. On occasion, it's possible to do a scan within a band, but you would have to be fairly quick on the draw to stop it if something showed up that you wanted to hear. I've done this many times with my RX320.

A complete understanding of band conditions and propagation will limit somewhat what you need to scan, but patience - at least in the utilities game - is the word here.

73s Mike

 

[jim202]

While we are on the subject of HF, is there any scanner out there that will do HF as well
as the normal FM frequencies up through the 800 trunking channels?

Would also like it to be able to decode CTCSS tones and do P25 as well. Kind of a long
shot, but figured I would ask.

Jim

 

[RedPenguin]

Hmmm

Well, I do know that the Uniden BR330T, can access 0.1MHZ-30MHZ AM but it just can't do SSB. This kinda makes it worthless for utility monitoring, I would assume.

 

[RedPenguin]

Hmmm

Now if I wanted to monitor a network say COTHEN, would I just pick a frequency and hope I hear stuff, since like you said, it's hard to actually do a scan?

 

[ka3jjz]

Jim202, no such animal exists - yet. I wouldn't doubt that someone is working on it, assuming the manufacturer were to believe a market would exist for it. I wouldn't hold my breath.

Personally if someone were to combine the Yaesu VX5R or 6R with a BCD396....

Red, if I were scanning for COTHEN, I'd use a good desktop or PC based receiver and the PC-ALE software that I mentioned earlier. 'Sit and wait works', but is all too often unproductive. There's only a few known channels for COTHEN, and depending on the time of day, you can almost certainly eliminate some of them, which would cut down the frequencies you'd need to check somewhat. I would join up with the UDXF and COTHEN Yahoo groups, and survey which frequencies have had the most activity in a given time period - say a month. Those would be the frequencies I would check.

Research! 73s Mike

 

[brandon]

Basicallly I monitor a set of 100 good freqs. I keep them sorted by type so they are all grouped together. Also try monitor freqs depending on the time of day... at night 8 MHz and below, during the day 8 MHz and above. Of course this can vary and it's not unusual to hear higher bands open at night when conditions are good. I find the evenings are the best time to monitor stuff to the east (Europe/Atlantic), and early morning for stuff to the west (Asia/Pacific)

For the COTHEN I scan listening for the ALE bursts. Usually when you hear several of them voice comms will follow.

 

[DaveNF2G]

Nobody is going to build one radio that does everything. It would take too much of a bite out of the market for lesser units.

 

[k9rzz]

Rule #1 - It's impossible to have too many radios.

John K9RZZ

 

[trainman111]

The only radio that I can think of that could do it would be the Icom PCR-1000. It's computer controlled, but it can do it. 10 kHz-1300 MHz in AM/FM/SSB/CW. I wouldn't mind getting my hands on one of them...

 

[jpryor]

The only radio that I can think of that could do it would be the Icom PCR-1000. It's computer controlled, but it can do it. 10 kHz-1300 MHz in AM/FM/SSB/CW. I wouldn't mind getting my hands on one of them...

The Icom PCR-1000 works pretty well for scanning HF frequencies. With the TalkPCR software, you can set the squelch differently for every programmed memory channel. That helps substantially for the different levels of noise that may be present from frequency to frequency and band to band. I suspect the newer 1500/2500 models would also do the same.

 

[gcgrotz]

If you've got $13,000 laying around, the new Kenwood receiver will do all of that, including P25. It doesn't trunk track though. You'd think for 13k they could throw that in....

 

[VernM]

The way to scan the HF bands is sorta like fishing. You set yourself down comfortable like, put on the ear phones, take deep breaths, perhaps have a Toddy at your side, and you sloooowwwwllly turn the dial. It does wonders for finding surprises, excitement, adventures, unusual callssigns, unusual accents, and wonders for your body too, if you let it.

That's how us old timers listened in on tow boats dropping crew memebers on a sandbar, arranging for the wife to be there with the car to get 'em, how we heard aircraft at the point of no return with an engine going fowl and decisions to be made, State Department staffers talking way out of turn when they thought they were on a secure channel, a wife radio-phoning her husband out fishing to tell him the house had been broken into and they broke into a safe he had she didn't know he had. Like that.

See what ya missed?

 

[kb2vxa]

Hi Red and all,

Hams involved with certain digital HF communications use frequency specific scanning solutions but such is impractical for searching the bands. We do it the way we and SWLs have been doing it for years, just turn the knob and listen.

"...we heard aircraft at the point of no return with an engine going fowl..."

All's well that ends well when a bum engine turns into a bird and you land safely. (;->)

 

[zz0468]

The way to scan the HF bands is sorta like fishing. You set yourself down comfortable like, put on the ear phones, take deep breaths, perhaps have a Toddy at your side, and you sloooowwwwllly turn the dial.

Yes!! That's the way it was meant to be done, preferably with a receiver heavy enough to require that you bend at the knees when you lift it. The BC-342 is there for nostalgia. The Mackay comes on when it's time for SERIOUS listening. It can take one full evening and two glasses of Merlot to make one pass across the spectrum. Good times...