# Coast stations on 12mHz cw today.



## MikeGDH (May 10, 2014)

Been listening on the 12mHz marine band past couple of (our time) afternoons & have heard the following.

12843 kHz HLO 'QSX 12mHz K'
12856 kHz XSG 'Wx AS' ....should be AS barred, can't do it on my PC!
12916 kHz HLF 'QSX 12mHz K'
12923 kHz HLW2 'QSX 12mHz K'
12935 kHz HLG 'QSX 12mHz K'
13011 kHz AQP4/5/6 'VVV VVV VVV' 

HLO at 0330z.
XSG from 0330z
HLF at 2345z.
HLW2 at 2345z
HLG at 2345z.
AQP at 0330z....but not every day.

I'm in Far North of NZ North Island, at southern end of 90-mile beach.
Condx generally pretty lousy, but all perfectly readable.
Just in case anyone else is interested!

I assume the Korean stations all belong to various fishing companies there....haven't heard any traffic to or from any of them as yet.

XSG's Wx could be synops.

Mike


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## Finbar O'Connor (Sep 26, 2008)

Hello Mike,

I have just taken a tune around those frequencies and hear
just one of them at present ..... 1753 utc......

CQ de HLG with a rather weak , fluttery signal. The
receiver used here being an Icom R75 and a 120 metre
Beverage antenna, very close to salt water.

Kind regards
Finbar EJM retired EI0CF


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## Finbar O'Connor (Sep 26, 2008)

Hello Mike,

Here is an update to my logging of HLG on 12.935 mhz.

Just before 1800 utc, HLG broke off from the CQ and
went into VVV VVV de HLG HLG HLG TFC LIST

Then at 1900 they started their traffic list. What with the
rapid QSB and flutter I only partly copied the following, however
it does confirm that he is sending a traffic list......here goes with
my scribbled efforts.....

CQ de HLG

DTAHP NTACTP HLDF HLLG HLRJ HLLJ CKYH CKYF
CU LCU CLHU CLHF CHII CMR TSMO DIO CMYU CMOU DOH ZMYX XMSQ MSQ MWW MXF 6NFC SNFC EJ 3U
DE HLG HLF CQ de HLF CQ de HLG HLG QSX awsumhz k

That's how I copied it, under trying conditions......no second
guessing as to what the missing bits are. Not sure is each
callsign was repeated twice, sort of looks like that.

Having left the receiver on frequency, to type my first reply to
you Mike, I was surprised to hear HLG break off his CQ and
commence sending VVV's. I looked up at the radio room clock
here and noticed it was just coming up to the hour. Then 
rewarded by hearing his traffic list broadcast.

Amazing to still hear HF transmissions of marine radio at this
late remove from 31st December 1999 and the supposed
close down of conventional marine radio.

Kind regards


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## MikeGDH (May 10, 2014)

FB Finbar! I must do some more listening....most of the time listening on 'our' old QRGs is like a nighttime stroll in a graveyard though!
I have, on occasion, heard other Chinese stations, apart from XSG.
All the best.
Mike


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

Some strange stuff on HF these days. I quite often use SDR sites and that waterfall spectral display allows you to jump onto signals far apart. I've noticed lots of strange transmissions. 

Sudden bursts of what sound to me like modems. A few seconds, and gone. Voices that just repeat numbers and groups, no ident, then gone. And signals that look distinctly woodpeckerish to me that sweep across swathes of frequencies.

HF is getting interesting again. (Smoke)


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## MikeGDH (May 10, 2014)

BobClay said:


> Some strange stuff on HF these days. I quite often use SDR sites and that waterfall spectral display allows you to jump onto signals far apart. I've noticed lots of strange transmissions.
> 
> Sudden bursts of what sound to me like modems. A few seconds, and gone. Voices that just repeat numbers and groups, no ident, then gone. And signals that look distinctly woodpeckerish to me that sweep across swathes of frequencies.
> 
> HF is getting interesting again. (Smoke)


Yep, you're not wrong there Bob.....if only we could decipher what they're sending in the case of the 'number stations' (which at one time were reputed to be of/for/by the Israeli mossad agents).
Several woodpecker-type OTHRs to be heard here....believe there's one in Aussie + one in Cyprus, goodness (badness??) only knows how many others there are. Newer ones seem to have faster PRF rates than the old-time 'Russian Woodpecker'.
I listen (not simultaneously) on 3 x TS930s, an Elecraft K2 and KX3 and an Icom 7410 all to a 130m long-wire oriented N-S. Apart from the dreaded plasma-TVs this location is fairly quiet, underground power lines & all our street lights are LED - the latter being much quieter than the sodium-vapour jobs which they replaced a few years ago!!
BTW, Bob, back in the 60s we lived, for a few months, in Edge***be (near Rame), nice in winter but too busy in summer (even in those days!!).
Cheers....Mike (also known as zl1mh).


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

XSG sending WX 12856. QSA3 QRK4.

My QTH Northern VK.


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

Seems I'm going to have to rig an aerial my back garden if this keeps up. :sweat: and check out and run up an ISA slot computer for the Winradio Card.

I truly thought I'd finished with all this stuff, but some of these signals are definitely worth a look. (?HUH)


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## Larry Bennett (Aug 28, 2005)

Looking at the above sent me scurrying to my ALRS database to check Chinese Coast Stations still working w/t. The following are still active:

DALIAN/XSZ (MF/HF)
GUANGZHOU/XSQ (MF/HF)
QINGDAO/XST (MF)
SHANGHAI/XSG (MF/HF)

Also Seoul Radio as already discussed - for the Korean Deep Sea fishing fleet. They operate some impressive directional Log Periodic antennas too...

Also some w/t activity in Indonesia:

JAKARTA/PKX on 8542 and 12970.5 kHz.

And in Malaysia:

PENANG/9MG ON 522.5 KHz 

There are other stations in Russia who operate on HF w/t and interestingly enough Constanta/YQI in Romania who broadcast traffic lists on 446.5 kHz every even hour at H+00.

CW is not completely dead yet.

Larry +


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

So do Chinese ships still carry a sparky ? ..


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

BobClay said:


> So do Chinese ships still carry a sparky ? ..


They must....


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

I was thinking perhaps they don't require a dedicated Radio man. They could just train up someone else on Morse only, or perhaps even use a machine based Morse receiver if the transmission is machine sent. Not sure if that would work on HF but I bet someone somewhere has tried it.


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

Labour is still cheap in China...


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## johnvvc (Feb 8, 2008)

*Morse on HF*

Some more information about the South Korean stations...

https://www.trafficlist.net/category/news/page/5/

The particular posting is dated January 31st 2017., about half way down the page. Lots of general stuff on there in the various pages, navigate pages via the 'newer posts' and 'older posts' links at the bottom of each page...

See also:-

http://dxhoekje.skynetblogs.be/arch...an-coast-station-hlg-seoul-radio-8627053.html

HLG on 12 Mc/s appears here in the UK ~11am and is copiable virtually all day. Apparently he runs up to 15 Kw into log periodic antennas so no wonder !


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## johnvvc (Feb 8, 2008)

BobClay said:


> I was thinking perhaps they don't require a dedicated Radio man. They could just train up someone else on Morse only, or perhaps even use a machine based Morse receiver if the transmission is machine sent. Not sure if that would work on HF but I bet someone somewhere has tried it.


Bob - if you have either an Android mobile or an Android tablet there are lots of morse decoding/training apps available in the Google app store, free of charge. I've used 'Morse Code Reader'. Download & install and hold the phone/tablet near the receiver's lousdpeaker and it decodes the morse and brings it up on screen....but I'm sure you know that already...

https://play.google.com/store/search?q=morse code&c=apps&hl=en

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.jfedor.morsecode&hl=en

I've used lots of software-based decoders over a period of time and they're ok when condx are good and the morse is good - preferably machine generated otherwise what you have between your ears is infinately better !!! We're still one jump ahead - at least for now !


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

Yeah I thought that. HF can be a bit harsh on signals. Bouncing around the sky as it does. :-}


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## Finbar O'Connor (Sep 26, 2008)

Took a listen on 12 mhz right now and it seems devoid of
signals.

Perhaps later on this evening.

Using a Perseus receiver SDR, the waterfall display is
terrific for seeing signals, across the band.

Regards
Finbar EJM retired EI0CF


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

Some queer looking signals on 12 Mhz tonight from:

http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

Don't forget we are near the bottom of the cycle...high HF is pretty ordinary..


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

What worries me is anyone listening to the HF spectrum anymore in terms of intelligence ? I've plodded across this area for a few nights and there is no doubt in my mind there are 'woodpeckerish' signals doing a systematic sweep of HF continuously. Very easy to see on a waterfall spectrum display. Also lots of other 'suspicious' signals that should be examined closely.

Now the HF spectrum was pretty much kicked into touch during the 90's as the move toward Internet and Mobile Phone interception was perceived as the way to go. No argument there. But HF is basically up for grabs as it stands, and it worries me that low tech comms might be getting in under the radar so to speak. 

Is anybody in the community actually examining HF ? I certainly hope so.


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## Naytikos (Oct 20, 2008)

Bob: If I answered your question I would have to kill you…….


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

Maybe I should just abandon HF and go down the pub ...(Pint)

I even found myself looking at second hand spectrum analysers on Ebay ..... how sad is that ?

Maybe I'll take up bird watching ... (?HUH)


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

It would be have been a lot easier with a spectral display. I have to admit these waterfall spectral displays would have made the job a lot more efficient from when I was doing this stuff as they give you that time dimension which was lacking in a standard spectrum analyser.

Ain't technology wonderful?


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## andysk (Jun 16, 2005)

BobClay said:


> What worries me is anyone listening to the HF spectrum anymore in terms of intelligence ? I've plodded across this area for a few nights and there is no doubt in my mind there are 'woodpeckerish' signals doing a systematic sweep of HF continuously. Very easy to see on a waterfall spectrum display. Also lots of other 'suspicious' signals that should be examined closely.
> 
> Now the HF spectrum was pretty much kicked into touch during the 90's as the move toward Internet and Mobile Phone interception was perceived as the way to go. No argument there. But HF is basically up for grabs as it stands, and it worries me that low tech comms might be getting in under the radar so to speak.
> 
> Is anybody in the community actually examining HF ? I certainly hope so.


Back in the late 1980's I worked on some American HF kit called Chirpsounder which identified real time propagation conditions from a fixed to a mobile point. An FM signal swept from 2-30Mhz, Rx in synchronism with the Tx which displayed the propagation conditions, and interference from other transmissions.

The pub is a good idea, though I do have a pint in front of me here at home !

Cheers

Andy

HF is not dead yet, and background broadcast point


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## Worldspan (Jan 2, 2012)

Thanks, Bob Clay, for that link to the Dutch 'waterfall' receiver. Goodness ... I've never seen anything like that before! (Showing my age and lack of recent experience here.) Is this waterfall function something that's available via the continuous coverage receivers made by ICOM and the like? How long has it been around? 
W


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

Well I think they're fairly common now. 

When I first saw this I was astounded I can't deny. Some years ago in one job I had I used what we would call straight forward spectrum analysers that ran from a few KHz right up through 22 Ghz but these were completely separate from the receiver and phenomenally expensive.

When I first saw the waterfall version with its time dimension I was quite gobsmacked. From the particular point of view of scanning and interception what a tool that is !

A long way on from the old R50M receiver ..


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## Worldspan (Jan 2, 2012)

Well, as I said before I'm totally blown away by these waterfall displays. And just now I found a weblink to loads of receivers all over the world. The link, courtesy of the RSGB, is:
http://websdr.org
See how you get on.
W


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