weirdness on 7000 kHz

brandon · #1 (**permalink**) 10-11-2011, 12:55 AM

Caught this one earlier today right on 7000 LSB on the bottom edge of 40 meters. Not really sure how to explain this one other than listening to the clip.

Audio: HDSDR_20111010_133805Z_7000kHz_AF.mp3

Interesting stuff to be heard at this hour!

Token · #2 (**permalink**) 10-11-2011, 10:37 AM

I don't know if anyone has ever come up with a positive explanation for these. This happens on several frequencies across the bands, but around 7000 seems to be most used. I have just called them "Chanters" for years.

Odd how the chanting swells and builds from time to time. Sometimes it is like they plan it and all start at the same time (or roughly so, normally one station kicks it off) and other times it just seems like one person will start chanting and others will join in slowly, building to the peak and then dropping away one by one the same way.

If you listen before and after you will see there are several individual stations involved and they sometimes have conversations. In the background of some you can hear engines, so I have always kind of assumed they are on boats, probably fishermen.

I just mark it in the “odd” column in the log…

T!

nickcarr · #3 (**permalink**) 10-11-2011, 11:07 AM

I've caught random voice chat nets on this frequency before. I think I even posted it in this forum a while back. Language is usually Spanish - but no callsigns are given so it's likely just pirates.

k9rzz · #4 (**permalink**) 10-11-2011, 2:06 PM

Hams use do do that on 3898khz (?). They called it 'horse racing', to see who's loudest at a certain location. None of those guys believed in the 1.5kw power limit naturally.

majoco · #5 (**permalink**) 10-12-2011, 3:38 AM

Heard them tonight @ 0830z about S3 to 4 - sounded like someone chanting "Johnee, Johnee" about twenty times, then at last someone pops ups with "allo, Papa" then they all started talking scribble - didn't really sound Spanish unless it's some South American dialect. Then someone else called Frank joins in....what a dog pile! Now there's a Jap ham sending CQ on top of them and they all whistle!

brandon · #6 (**permalink**) 10-12-2011, 12:19 PM

Excellent info guys!

Checked again today and the activity really started to pick up after 1400z.
Lots of stations on this frequency chanting/yelling at once. Very bizarre activity !!

Here is another recording with some opchat. Chanting begins after 1 minute into the clip.
HDSDR_20111012_141600Z_7000kHz_AF.mp3

ridgescan · #7 (**permalink**) 10-12-2011, 1:20 PM

man that is too creepy you better have your equipment blessed after this

screw them evil punks

myspacebarisbroken · #8 (**permalink**) 10-12-2011, 2:23 PM

I listened to the recordings and man they are weird! Coincidentally, has anyone seen the movie "signs"? If so, do you remember the transmissions received by the baby monitor? Creepy huh?

brandon · #9 (**permalink**) 10-12-2011, 6:31 PM

Found a few videos on YouTube of this.

7000KHz Shortwave Pirates - YouTube
7MHz LSB pirates - What Are They Doing? - YouTube
Pirate party 7000kHz: the "lima pirates" - YouTube
7000kHz bizarre goings-on part 1 - YouTube
7000kHz bizarre goings-on part 2 - YouTube

Article on the Utility World blog: MT Utility World: 7000 kHz Is Getting Weird
(covers different things but might as well throw into the mix.)

Looks like many folks have reported this activity. Guess I've been living under a rock

nickcarr · #10 (**permalink**) 11-18-2011, 3:28 AM

B, your 'chanters were back again this morning.

http://home.comcast.net/~cnick6/7000lsb.wma

Started up right around 0900z ... they were pretty active. I did some net searching and one theory is that these are from Brazil.

ratboy · #11 (**permalink**) 11-19-2011, 1:57 AM

I remember hearing this a long time ago. I don't remember the freq anymore, but it had to be one of the oddest things I've ever heard on HF, and I've heard a lot of odd stuff over the last 30 years or so.

GMP · #12 (**permalink**) 11-19-2011, 6:55 AM

You can hear this same sort of stuff on 26.715 mhz all the time.

Its just south american freebanders.

zz0468 · #13 (**permalink**) 11-19-2011, 9:29 AM

They sound like a bunch of howler monkeys at the zoo. That's just bizarre.

kozak · #14 (**permalink**) 10-31-2012, 4:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickcarr

B, your 'chanters were back again this morning.

Comcast

Started up right around 0900z ... they were pretty active. I did some net searching and one theory is that these are from Brazil.

Hey Guys!... I write from Argentina. I speak Spanish, and know Brazilian language. They not speak Portuguese or Spanish... I believe that is some african dialect or language... I'm an Dx listener... Congratulations...

nickcarr · #15 (**permalink**) 11-01-2012, 12:51 PM

Thanks for the info Kozak.

brandon · #16 (**permalink**) 11-01-2012, 1:10 PM

I was told they are from Indonesia.
That matches propagation for that time of day.

hamstang · #17 (**permalink**) 11-01-2012, 1:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by k9rzz

Hams use do do that on 3898khz (?). They called it 'horse racing', to see who's loudest at a certain location. None of those guys believed in the 1.5kw power limit naturally.

Ha, that goes back to the 1980's! Some of those 3898'ers are still around on 75/80 meters. The 7000kHz chanting is interesting. I've never heard it before.

Boombox · #18 (**permalink**) 12-11-2012, 8:06 AM

I just found this old thread. Very interesting subject.

I heard these chanting guys several times on 7020 khz, and also in the lower parts of the 40 meter ham band, earlier this year. The language they're speaking is Indonesian, and they seem to be Indonesian ham pirates, many of them apparently based out of Kalimantan / Borneo. Often you'll hear them talking away, early mornings PST.

The last time I heard the chanting, one guy was coordinating the chants, and it sounded like he was getting others from different areas to chant. He'd record it, and then play it back for everyone. Very interesting stuff. Sounds a bit haunting when you factor in the effects of shortwave propagation.