CW on Channel 64A every 30 minutes

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mrwilson706

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CW repeating on 156.2250 marine CH64A every 30 minutes. I live 200+ miles from the coast but fairly close to the Savannah River. The only ships that can navigate this far up the river would be rather small. I started scanning the marine band after reading about hunters illegally using it. Needless to say, I was surprised to hear CW. I guess this a navigational aid or something? I don't know Morse code and have no way to record it (that I'm aware of) to decode the message.


uniden bcd396xt with RS telescoping antenna

156.2250 @132utc 08122011
156.2250 @202utc 08122011
 

scannerboy01

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I'm surprised that there would be CW activity on the marine band. It could be possible that someone is transmitting out of their designated band. The only use for Morse code that is used primarily now is for amateur radio purposes. Since the marine bands are on VHF, you can pretty much only receive transmission with line of sight. You could be hearing transmissions from far away using atmospheric conditions so that signals could reach you, but that is very rare since VHF frequencies almost never travel long distances using atmospheric conditions. If it is hunters, I don't of many hunters that use CW to communicate in the wilderness. Perhaps, you could use a camera to record the audio and post it here or if you know an amateur radio operator who knows Morse code, have them listen to your scanner and see if they can identify the transmissions.
 

n5ims

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Sounds more like a repeater ID since it's every 30 mins (you didn't say if it was long or short burst of CW).

These below have active FCC licenses on 156.225 in the state of Georgia:
WQNC354 - TALBOT COUNTY E M S has a licensed repeater on 156.225 (ULS License - Public Safety Pool, Conventional License - WQNC354 - TALBOT COUNTY E M S or Talbot County, Georgia (GA) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference)
WQBY621 - TERRELL, COUNTY OF has a licensed repeater on 156.225 (ULS License - Public Safety Pool, Conventional License - WQBY621 - TERRELL, COUNTY OF or Terrell County, Georgia (GA) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference)
WNMF687 - JONES, COUNTY OF has a licensed repeater on 156.225 (ULS License - Public Safety Pool, Conventional License - WNMF687 - JONES, COUNTY OF)
WNAC426 - WHITFIELD, COUNTY OF has a licensed repeater on 156.225 (ULS License - Public Safety Pool, Conventional License - WNAC426 - WHITFIELD, COUNTY OF or Whitfield County, Georgia (GA) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference)

Now all of these repeaters may not be active, but the licenses for them are still valid (fyi station class FB2 is for a repeater).
 

n5ims

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What you have listed are only public safety repeaters. I didn't know that public safety used Morse code to identify their repeaters.

Most repeaters are automatically identified using a CW ID. This prevents issues where dispatch fails to transmit their ID at the right time or needing to ID with each transmission (the rules indicate they can do either). Most often the CW ID is sent out without any PL tones so system users may not hear it.
 

scannerboy01

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I'm guessing that the radio ID transmission is a US rule only because in Canada, I've never heard an ID on a repeater except the amateur radio repeater.
 

mrwilson706

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The CW burst is very short, about 5-7 seconds. I'll see what my options are to decode/capture and try to post here. We have a lot of weird comms around here, our neighbors to the south are of the federal flavor. Thanks for all the replies!
 

ecps92

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156.2250 is a Public Safety Allocation in the USofA
The FCC shows 7 Licenses for Georgia.

Remember, there are two sets of VHF Marine channels.
USA and International, there was a 3rd but it never got off [splinters]

64 and 64A are not listed as valid by the USCG

64 is a valid International Channel those click here



CW repeating on 156.2250 marine CH64A every 30 minutes. I live 200+ miles from the coast but fairly close to the Savannah River. The only ships that can navigate this far up the river would be rather small. I started scanning the marine band after reading about hunters illegally using it. Needless to say, I was surprised to hear CW. I guess this a navigational aid or something? I don't know Morse code and have no way to record it (that I'm aware of) to decode the message.


uniden bcd396xt with RS telescoping antenna

156.2250 @132utc 08122011
156.2250 @202utc 08122011
 
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ecps92

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Many PS Agencies [and Business Band] in the USofA use a CW ID [sends periodically] to identify the Repeaters/License. Many users won't hear it, if they run PL/DPL/NAC as it is typically sent CSQ/No PL

What you have listed are only public safety repeaters. I didn't know that public safety used Morse code to identify their repeaters.
 

SCPD

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If you're in the CSRA of Georgia that frequency was once assigned to Gold Cross E.M.S. It's currently assigned to Columbia County, Georgia E.M.A. If your scanner has the capability do decode PL tones a tone of 85.4hz will confirm it for you.
 

radioman2001

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In areas of the country where there is no navigatable waters, some marine channels have been reassigned to P.S. (Virginia is one) or in some cases where the owners of the marine operators have gotten permission from the FCC to use these frequencies inland for land operations. In NYC I had some that were the old CH-24 to 26 and 86 and 88 for land repeaters,and I could use the splinters between also. That system was shut down years ago. So as marine users cannot use the splinters, the owners of marine operator channels can. They even can go wide band if the had a reason to. 200 mi on VHF is not that far, you could be picking up anywhere.

Upon further investigation 156.225 in not a U.S. marine channel but a Highway Maintainence channel. I believe what you are hearing is the one of the licensee's listed above who have asked for an extension to complete.
 
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SCPD

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mrwilson706... trust me on this. If you live in the CSRA part of Georgia, near the Savannah River, that frequency is not assigned for any maritime use. 156.225mhz, PL tone 85.4hz, belongs to Columbia County Emergency Management Agency. This frequency is really active anytime they have an emergency excercise.
 
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