1720-1800 khz?

[kilokat7]

Earlier tonight I picked up Valentia Radio from Ireland on 1752 khz USB. It came on at 0236 and off right away at 0237 UTC. Signal was very weak at a distance of 3,240 miles. As I was listening for V.R., I heard a drift net beacon on 1753 khz, IDing as "4PNQ". ID was given in CW three times in a row, then a three minute silent period, then repeated 3x, etc. I've read about these beacons but I don't ever remember hearing one before. I found another one on 1748 khz but it was too weak to fully ID (saw it popup on the waterfall display). I'm also getting a strong data signal on 1735-1736 khz that's present every night.

I'm curious what everyone else is hearing in this range? Back in the 80s, I remember hearing cordless phones operating near or in this range!

 

[k9rzz]

What do I hear in that range?

"Snap Crackle Pop!"

Great catch. That does it ... I'm stringing wires tomorrow.

Yes, I remember the cordless phones down there too. Also remember when the AM BC band stopped at 1600 !

 

[ridgescan]

I hear nothing but a way from MW to 160 meters when I'm tuning boy you really have yourself a fine antenna there kat. You're logging stuff in no mans land and longwave that nobody else can touch so far-you oughta be proud of your shack

 

[K9WG]

What do I hear in that range?

"Snap Crackle Pop!"

Great catch. That does it ... I'm stringing wires tomorrow.

Yes, I remember the cordless phones down there too. Also remember when the AM BC band stopped at 1600 !

And they also had little triangles for CONELRAD stations.

 

[charlielinn]

??? HAD ????!! The AM BCB receivers I use ( well, some of 'em ) still do! Conelrad.
"tune your radio to 640....or ... 1240......"
Big 'ol coil of wire antenna loop on the back panel..and ! external antenna lug!
AC hum included , no extra charge.

 

[K9WG]

Ah, yes, back when men where men and radio receivers where space heaters.....

 

[kb2vxa]

"AC hum included , no extra charge."

Yeah, and if the line cord was plugged in backward (no polarized plugs when they were made) and you touched the chassis or any metal connected to it you'd FEEL the AC hum! That reminds me of an old Don Imus bit when he was on WNBC as Reverend Billi Sol Hargus.

Put your hand on the radio. PUT YOUR HAND ON THE RADIO! Do you feel the power? DO YOU FEEL THE POWAH? That's the power of the Lord my friends, that's the powah of the LAWD!!! Now put you other hand on the water pipe. Do you feel the power? DO YOU FEEL THE POWAH? Now THAT'S the powah of CON EDISON!!!!.... <zzzZZZAAAP>

Turn Your Radio On

Come and listen in to a radio station
Where the mighty hosts of heaven sing
Turn Your Radio On, Turn Your Radio On
If you want to hear the songs of Zion
Coming from the land of endless spring
Get in touch with God, Turn Your Radio On.

Turn Your Radio On, Turn Your Radio On
And listen to the music in the air
Turn Your Radio On, heaven's glory share
Turn the lights down low
And listen to the Master's radio
Get in touch with God, Turn Your Radio On.

Brother, listen in to the gloryland chorus
Listen to the glad hosannas roll
Turn Your Radio On, Turn Your Radio On
Get a little taste of joy awaiting
Get a little heaven in your soul
Get in touch with God, Turn Your Radio On.

Listen to the songs of the fathers and the mothers
And the many friends gone before
Turn Your Radio On, Turn Your Radio On
Some eternal morning we shall meet them
Over on the hallelujah shore
Get in touch with God, Turn Your Radio On.

 

[kilokat7]

I hear nothing but a way from MW to 160 meters when I'm tuning boy you really have yourself a fine antenna there kat. You're logging stuff in no mans land and longwave that nobody else can touch so far-you oughta be proud of your shack

Well I can't be the only one hearing this oddball stuff but thanks for the compliment anyway. I guess the wire is doing its job (now buried under the snow).

Here's a good list of European maritime stations that are scattered throughout this range, I may try for more:

Coastguard Broadcasts Times

 

[k9rzz]

That range gives me an S9 noise level, so I think I'm gonna have to find the offending power pole and call the power company. Hopefully then I'll have a shot at some of that stuff since I don't live too far west of you.

 

[kilokat7]

That range gives me an S9 noise level, so I think I'm gonna have to find the offending power pole and call the power company. Hopefully then I'll have a shot at some of that stuff since I don't live too far west of you.

Bummer! Can you null the noise out with a phaser? Conditions were favorable again tonight, in fact the best so far this whole week for hearing Ireland on 1752 khz between 0233-0240 UTC. I had a good copy on them tonight and could actually understand most of the one minute long navigational warning. Blink and you miss them, so have your recorder running!

More probing around this band tonight revealed another mystery signal, this time on 1713 khz USB at 0216 UTC. I couldn't understand the foreign language, or even tell what language it was since the signal was very weak. The only thing I can find listed on 1713 is Vardo Radio, Norway but the time doesn't match their broadcast schedule, and this really seems like a stretch after seeing where Vardo is on the map. More research to be done on this one...

 

[kilokat7]

I'm liking this bizarro band more and more. Add another one to the list:

1743 khz USB @ 0417 UTC male w/ British accent giving gale force warnings, no ID heard but this must be Stornoway, UK. Off at 0418 UTC. Weak but intelligible above S3 noise floor.

 

[lanbergld]

Those are good catches. Only once did I get some kind of morse beacon in that band, I believe it was around 1780 kHz. But it didn't stay with me long enough to ID it.

I don't get any of this hellacious noise that others are talking about in that band. (I think I did way back when I was a kid & didn't have a clue what I was doing. I am downtown in a city too). I use a 100 uH RF choke to preselect for that wavelength -- actually covers 1200 to 3300 kHz, cost = $0.07 -- and just that alone filters out junk. Gives outstanding reception on 160 meters using an indoor wire.

But anyways thanks for the post. Its gets me interested in tuning 1700 kHz tonight.


Larry Lanberg

 

[charlielinn]

1700-all the way through 160 MTRS is buried in noise here..but I did try "going out in the field" away from AC lines and had a little "action" between 1700and 1800. gonna try and string a long very long wire
and see what's in those carriers. Anyone here out west hearin' anything??
PS Kb2vxa I worked WHK Cleveland 1978 -'79 AM drive took over for Imus ( afternoons) when he went back to NY.
Actually have most of the "Reverand Hargus" bits on open reel.."Say Amen and Hallaluja!!"
.."I don't care if it rains or freezes"etc.....Boy, was that great radio or what???!!! We had a blast...couldn't do it now..people appreciated a good "belly laugh then, but it would "offennnnnd"
people now! It's really a shame.

 

[N1BHH]

At a past residence I had a random wire, about 500 to 600 feet long just draped over lower tree branches, just about 7 or 8 feet above ground. It did quite wonderful for listening to a good chunk of the HF spectrum and was exceptional for listening to MW broadcasters in particular listening to the day timers as they shut down at sunset. It was also useful in the ham bands as it was a low noise receiving wire. Not living there now but will be putting up something similar in the not too distant future just a bit higher, maybe 20-25 feet.

 

[kilokat7]

Here's a mini-log of fishnet beacons I've been hearing between 1720 & 1800 khz. The 1725 khz beacon probably isn't fishing related as it doesn't match the patterns of the rest, it's still a mystery. "?" means the signal was too weak to copy the full ID. These are all very faint signals that would be difficult to discover without the SDR's waterfall display - see screenshots below. These beacons are thought to run about 4 to 10 watts output, locations unknown.

[u]Khz	CD ID	Time		Date		Notes                                     [/u]
1723	4KPU	0014 UTC	12/31/10	DAID, repeats 3x on 3 minute intervals 																						
1725	N??	0525 UTC	12/28/10	No DAID, carrier on 1725 khz, CW ID visible on 1724 & 1726 khz																																							
1748	?	0334 UTC	12/17/10	DAID, repeats 3x on 3 minute intervals 																																								
1753	4PNQ	0250 UTC	12/17/10	DAID, repeats 3x on 3 minute intervals																					
1754	KW02?	0327 UTC	12/21/10	DAID, repeats 3x on 3 minute intervals																				
1756	4OGK	0036 UTC	12/31/10	DAID, repeats 3x on 3 minute intervals																					
1784	4??J	0227 UTC	12/29/10	DAID, repeats 3x on 3 minute intervals																																							
1787	4QEE	0442 UTC	12/19/10	DAID, repeats 3x on 3 minute intervals																					
1792	4OXI	0228 UTC	12/29/10	DAID, repeats 3x on 3 minute intervals																																								
1795	?JE?	0228 UTC	12/29/10	DAID, repeats 3x on 3 minute intervals																					
1796	?	1230 UTC	12/29/10	DAID, repeats 3x on 3 minute intervals																					
1799	4?	0229 UTC	12/29/10	DAID, repeats 3x on 3 minute intervals