Unknown Broadcast
 

Receiving an english broadcast on 3.530. AM. Top hits, female announcer.
Been listening for 30 minutes, still no ID. Time:11:32 uct. I looked through
lots of databases could not find anything. The signal is pretty good, with
slow fading. RST S7 to 9 with no pre-amplification.

Can anyone identify this station?
Thanks
--
73's
Rick

"When in doubt, mumble."

Rick wrote:

Receiving an english broadcast on 3.530. AM. Top hits, female announcer.
Been listening for 30 minutes, still no ID. Time:11:32 uct. I looked through
lots of databases could not find anything. The signal is pretty good, with
slow fading. RST S7 to 9 with no pre-amplification.

Can anyone identify this station?
Thanks
--
73's
Rick

"When in doubt, mumble."

What are you using for a receiver?

Steve
Holland, MI
Drake R7, R8 and R8B

http://www.iserv.net/~n8kdv/dxpage.htm

Rick wrote:
Receiving an english broadcast on 3.530. AM. Top hits, female announcer.
Been listening for 30 minutes, still no ID. Time:11:32 uct. I looked through
lots of databases could not find anything. The signal is pretty good, with
slow fading. RST S7 to 9 with no pre-amplification.

Can anyone identify this station?
Thanks

There shouldn't be any broadcasts on that frequency. Some countries do
violate that but none of them are English-speaking.

If you've been listening for 30 minutes and it's now 1132UTC then you
probably just missed the ID.

My bet is that you're hearing an AM broadcast station. Either a
harmonic, a spurious emission, or a spurious response of your receiver.
Check the AM broadcast band on another receiver and see if you can
find the same program. (you might not find it if it's a harmonic at the
station - interference may be burying the fundamental)

The format sounds kinda like Radio Disney. If I can judge from your
KB1KIL callsign that you're in New England... there are three Disney
stations in that region. 550 in Providence, 1260 in Boston, 1550 in
Hartford. However, none of them (nor any other Disney station) have a
harmonic on 3530. Of course it could be some other kind of spurious
signal.
--
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com

I heard it on all 3receivers using 2 differant antennas.

Drake R8, R8B and my Icom R75.


"N8KDV" wrote in message
...


Rick wrote:

Receiving an english broadcast on 3.530. AM. Top hits, female
announcer.
Been listening for 30 minutes, still no ID. Time:11:32 uct. I looked
through
lots of databases could not find anything. The signal is pretty good,
with
slow fading. RST S7 to 9 with no pre-amplification.

Can anyone identify this station?
Thanks
--
73's
Rick

"When in doubt, mumble."

What are you using for a receiver?

Steve
Holland, MI
Drake R7, R8 and R8B

http://www.iserv.net/~n8kdv/dxpage.htm

"Doug Smith W9WI" wrote in message
...
SNIP
There shouldn't be any broadcasts on that frequency. Some countries do
violate that but none of them are English-speaking.

I didn't think there was supposed to be any broadcast. I've listened on that
frequency, at that time frame on several mornings and this was the first
time I've ever heard anything.

If you've been listening for 30 minutes and it's now 1132UTC then you
probably just missed the ID.

You're probably right.

My bet is that you're hearing an AM broadcast station. Either a
harmonic, a spurious emission, or a spurious response of your receiver.
Check the AM broadcast band on another receiver and see if you can
find the same program. (you might not find it if it's a harmonic at the
station - interference may be burying the fundamental)

The format sounds kinda like Radio Disney. If I can judge from your
KB1KIL callsign that you're in New England... there are three Disney
stations in that region. 550 in Providence, 1260 in Boston, 1550 in
Hartford. However, none of them (nor any other Disney station) have a
harmonic on 3530. Of course it could be some other kind of spurious
signal.

I am familiar with those stations and no it wasn't Radio Disney.

Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com

I should of been a little more specific. The broadcast was in English, but
the music was in either Spanish or Portugese. I don't speak either so I
can't be positive. I listened to the broadcast until it faded into the
noise.

I'll listen again tomorrow to see if I can hear again and then look around
for harmonics. At first I thought it might be Australian because of the
accent.

73's
Rick

I also listened until the signal faded into the noise.


"Rick" wrote in message
...

"Doug Smith W9WI" wrote in message
...
SNIP
There shouldn't be any broadcasts on that frequency. Some countries do
violate that but none of them are English-speaking.

I didn't think there was supposed to be any broadcast. I've listened on
that
frequency, at that time frame on several mornings and this was the first
time I've ever heard anything.

If you've been listening for 30 minutes and it's now 1132UTC then you
probably just missed the ID.

You're probably right.

My bet is that you're hearing an AM broadcast station. Either a
harmonic, a spurious emission, or a spurious response of your receiver.
Check the AM broadcast band on another receiver and see if you can
find the same program. (you might not find it if it's a harmonic at the
station - interference may be burying the fundamental)

The format sounds kinda like Radio Disney. If I can judge from your
KB1KIL callsign that you're in New England... there are three Disney
stations in that region. 550 in Providence, 1260 in Boston, 1550 in
Hartford. However, none of them (nor any other Disney station) have a
harmonic on 3530. Of course it could be some other kind of spurious
signal.

I am familiar with those stations and no it wasn't Radio Disney.

Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com

I should of been a little more specific. The broadcast was in English, but
the music was in either Spanish or Portugese. I don't speak either so I
can't be positive. I listened to the broadcast until it faded into the
noise.

I'll listen again tomorrow to see if I can hear again and then look around
for harmonics. At first I thought it might be Australian because of the
accent.

73's
Rick

"Rick" wrote in
:

Receiving an english broadcast on 3.530. AM. Top hits, female
announcer.
Been listening for 30 minutes, still no ID. Time:11:32 uct. I looked
through lots of databases could not find anything. The signal is
pretty good, with slow fading. RST S7 to 9 with no pre-amplification.

Can anyone identify this station?
Thanks

Pirate?

I really don't think so, but maybe.

It was real strong, AM and sounded very professional.

I'm going to monitor this frequecy more often now.

73's
Rick

"donutbandit" wrote in message
...
"Rick" wrote in
:

Receiving an english broadcast on 3.530. AM. Top hits, female
announcer.
Been listening for 30 minutes, still no ID. Time:11:32 uct. I looked
through lots of databases could not find anything. The signal is
pretty good, with slow fading. RST S7 to 9 with no pre-amplification.

Can anyone identify this station?
Thanks

Pirate?

"Rick" wrote:
I really don't think so, but maybe.

It was real strong, AM and sounded very professional.

I'm going to monitor this frequecy more often now.

73's
Rick

Hmm. This is intriguing. Did you hear any commercials or references to towns
or cities?

BTW, where are YOU located?

Art Harris N2AH

I could be a pirate, someone using an old ham rig. There are still AM ham
transmitters out there.

The other night I heard an AM ham on 3885, which I believe is an AM ham net
frequency. I didn't have time to stick around to learn his call or anything.

Bill, K5BY
SE Texas

"WShoots1" wrote:
It could be a pirate, someone using an old ham rig. There are still AM ham
transmitters out there.

The other night I heard an AM ham on 3885, which I believe is an AM ham
net
frequency. I didn't have time to stick around to learn his call or
anything.

Oh, that's for sure. I have an old Johnson Valiant, and sometimes operate AM
around 3885. There's lots of AM activity here in the northeast.

But the 3530 frequency seems like an unlikely spot for a pirate, especially
early in the morning. The pirates usually operate in the evenings and just
outside the 40 meter band (and many are using ssb). The OP said it sounded
very professional. He had three good quality receivers so I would rule out
intermod. And the frequency isn't a harmonic of any BC freq. Possibly a
spurious output from a BC station. Or somebody re-transmitting a BC station.
In any case, it's very puzzling!

Art Harris N2AH

Art: But the 3530 frequency seems like an unlikely spot for a pirate,
especially
early in the morning.

I'll start listening for it, beginning in the morning, to see if I can hear
anything like that down here.

That Valiant was a good'n. I recall an AM club headquartered in a town on the
north side of Houston. I don't know if it is still active.

Bill, K5BY
SE Texas

It could very well have been a pirate. I really don't know, but I'll keep
listening.

That's a regular occurance on that frequency and on 3.775.
Someone I met years ago I think is the engineer for WBCQ and is a regular on
3.775 yeah am.

73's
Rick

"WShoots1" wrote in message
...
I could be a pirate, someone using an old ham rig. There are still AM ham
transmitters out there.

The other night I heard an AM ham on 3885, which I believe is an AM ham
net
frequency. I didn't have time to stick around to learn his call or
anything.

Bill, K5BY
SE Texas

No, I didn't hear any commercials. I only wish they would of given a call
or something to ID it.

I overslept this morning so I didn't get up in time to listen. Right now I
hear CW and plenty of static. :)

73's
Rick

"Arthur Harris" wrote in message
et...

"Rick" wrote:
I really don't think so, but maybe.

It was real strong, AM and sounded very professional.

I'm going to monitor this frequecy more often now.

73's
Rick

Hmm. This is intriguing. Did you hear any commercials or references to
towns
or cities?

BTW, where are YOU located?

Art Harris N2AH

It did sound very professional. I only wish I would of recorded it now,
I'm all setup for recording to. I was more focused on trying to identify the
station.

BTW to the previous poster, I'm located in the NE, Maine.

73's
Rick

"Arthur Harris" wrote in message
. ..
"WShoots1" wrote:
It could be a pirate, someone using an old ham rig. There are still AM
ham
transmitters out there.

The other night I heard an AM ham on 3885, which I believe is an AM ham
net
frequency. I didn't have time to stick around to learn his call or
anything.

Oh, that's for sure. I have an old Johnson Valiant, and sometimes operate
AM
around 3885. There's lots of AM activity here in the northeast.

But the 3530 frequency seems like an unlikely spot for a pirate,
especially
early in the morning. The pirates usually operate in the evenings and just
outside the 40 meter band (and many are using ssb). The OP said it sounded
very professional. He had three good quality receivers so I would rule out
intermod. And the frequency isn't a harmonic of any BC freq. Possibly a
spurious output from a BC station. Or somebody re-transmitting a BC
station.
In any case, it's very puzzling!

Art Harris N2AH

"Rick" wrote:
I overslept this morning so I didn't get up in time to listen. Right now
I
hear CW and plenty of static. :)

Yep, there's a CW DX contest on this weekend; that's what all the racket is.

The guy you're thinking of is Tim, WA1HLR (WA1 "Henry Yellar") who also does
a couple of shows on WBCQ in Saturday evenings.

You'll hear a lot of great sounding AM rigs between 3870 and 3890 kHz.

Art Harris N2AH

I mean 3.875, sorry..


"Rick" wrote in message
...
It could very well have been a pirate. I really don't know, but I'll keep
listening.

That's a regular occurance on that frequency and on 3.775.
Someone I met years ago I think is the engineer for WBCQ and is a regular
on
3.775 yeah am.

73's
Rick

"WShoots1" wrote in message
...
I could be a pirate, someone using an old ham rig. There are still AM
ham
transmitters out there.

The other night I heard an AM ham on 3885, which I believe is an AM ham
net
frequency. I didn't have time to stick around to learn his call or
anything.

Bill, K5BY
SE Texas

"Arthur Harris" wrote in message
"Rick" wrote:
I overslept this morning so I didn't get up in time to listen. Right
now
I
hear CW and plenty of static. :)

Yep, there's a CW DX contest on this weekend; that's what all the racket
is.

The guy you're thinking of is Tim, WA1HLR (WA1 "Henry Yellar") who also
does
a couple of shows on WBCQ in Saturday evenings.

You'll hear a lot of great sounding AM rigs between 3870 and 3890 kHz.

Art Harris N2AH

Yep, thats the one. Timtron. :)

I met him at a radio station I worked for many many years ago. He was
station engineer for that station (WPNO) and 2 sister stations (WSKW and
WTOS). He's quite the character.
Back in the old days when he lived in Skowhegan, Maine he was heard on
3.875 phone, all the way down in Australia. :) I think it was mentioned on
the CBC, but my memory isn't what it used to be so I can't be sure. :)

73's
Rick

Yeah.!

Radio Timtron International; on at 6;00 P.M Evening on 7.415
Great Music;

-hre's his picature..

http://www.wbcq.us/wbcqtheplanet_001.htm

& I think this one'a nother one of Timtron
...
http://hamgate.sunyerie.edu/~buffalo...ster_front_pai
nt_panel.gif

- Lost some serious weight workin at WBCQ..!
( Congrats !)


The guy you're thinking of is Tim, WA1HLR (WA1 "Henry Yellar") who also
does
a couple of shows on WBCQ in Saturday evenings.

You'll hear a lot of great sounding AM rigs between 3870 and 3890 kHz.

Art Harris N2AH

Yep, thats the one. Timtron. :)

I met him at a radio station I worked for many many years ago. He was
station engineer for that station (WPNO) and 2 sister stations (WSKW and
WTOS). He's quite the character.
Back in the old days when he lived in Skowhegan, Maine he was heard on
3.875 phone, all the way down in Australia. :) I think it was mentioned on
the CBC, but my memory isn't what it used to be so I can't be sure. :)

73's
Rick

11:30 UTC
I'm listening to the station again through the cw transmissions. I have it
filtered pretty steep and can hear most of the broadcast.

Well after extensive tuning around, I know what the station is, but I don't
know why I'm receiving it. It's Radio Japan. The frequency I verified it on
was 6.120 MHZ, the audio exactly matches what I'm hearing on 3.530.

The signal isn't that strong. RST S9-S10 so I'm a little puzzled why I'm
hearing it on this frequency and on all 3 of my receivers.

--
73's
Rick

"When in doubt, mumble."
"Rick" wrote in message
...
Receiving an english broadcast on 3.530. AM. Top hits, female announcer.
Been listening for 30 minutes, still no ID. Time:11:32 uct. I looked
through
lots of databases could not find anything. The signal is pretty good,
with
slow fading. RST S7 to 9 with no pre-amplification.

Can anyone identify this station?
Thanks
--
73's
Rick

"When in doubt, mumble."

"Rick" wrote:
11:30 UTC
I'm listening to the station again through the cw transmissions. I have it
filtered pretty steep and can hear most of the broadcast.

Well after extensive tuning around, I know what the station is, but I
don't
know why I'm receiving it. It's Radio Japan. The frequency I verified it
on
was 6.120 MHZ, the audio exactly matches what I'm hearing on 3.530.

The signal isn't that strong. RST S9-S10 so I'm a little puzzled why I'm
hearing it on this frequency and on all 3 of my receivers.

I believe that broadcast is relayed via Sackville, NB Canada. Since you're
up in Maine, you're pretty close to the transmitter. Could be a low power
spurious output of their tranmitter.

Art Harris N2AH

Rick wrote:

11:30 UTC
I'm listening to the station again through the cw transmissions. I have it
filtered pretty steep and can hear most of the broadcast.

Well after extensive tuning around, I know what the station is, but I don't
know why I'm receiving it. It's Radio Japan. The frequency I verified it on
was 6.120 MHZ, the audio exactly matches what I'm hearing on 3.530.

The signal isn't that strong. RST S9-S10 so I'm a little puzzled why I'm
hearing it on this frequency and on all 3 of my receivers.


Now that we know who you are hearing it is easy to figure out!

Canada relays Radio Korea on 9650 at that time, and also relays Radio Japan at
that time on 6120.

9650 - 6120 = 3530

It's coming from Sackville itself, and that happens from time to time.

Steve
Holland, MI
Drake R7, R8 and R8B

http://www.iserv.net/~n8kdv/dxpage.htm

"N8KDV" wrote:
Now that we know who you are hearing it is easy to figure out!

Canada relays Radio Korea on 9650 at that time, and also relays Radio
Japan at
that time on 6120.

9650 - 6120 = 3530

It's coming from Sackville itself, and that happens from time to time.

That's obviously what's going on, but I don't understand why he's not
hearing the Radio Korea audio as well as Radio Japan. Also unclear if the
"mixing" is taking place at Sackville or in Rick's receiver(s). Since he
said he heard it on three receivers, I suspect it IS being generated at
Sackville.

Art Harris N2AH

It wasn't as noticable today as it was the other day due to the heavy CW
on the band this morning.

I'm not sure why I'm not Radio Korea. I am hearing it on all 3 receivers.
I have a 4th one, a RS DX394. Probably should of snapped that on to see if I
could hear it on that as well.

--
73's
Rick

"When in doubt, mumble."
"Arthur Harris" wrote in message
et...
"N8KDV" wrote:
Now that we know who you are hearing it is easy to figure out!

Canada relays Radio Korea on 9650 at that time, and also relays Radio
Japan at
that time on 6120.

9650 - 6120 = 3530

It's coming from Sackville itself, and that happens from time to time.

That's obviously what's going on, but I don't understand why he's not
hearing the Radio Korea audio as well as Radio Japan. Also unclear if the
"mixing" is taking place at Sackville or in Rick's receiver(s). Since he
said he heard it on three receivers, I suspect it IS being generated at
Sackville.

Art Harris N2AH

Also unclear if the "mixing" is taking place at Sackville or in Rick's
receiver(s). Since he said he heard it on three receivers, I suspect it IS
being generated at Sackville.

It could be mixing in or around Rick's house, where there is corrosion between
two pieces of metal, especially if they are dissimilar metals. (Brass and
aluminum should never be in contact with each other.)

Now for the fun: Rick should take his most portable receiver and go around the
inside and outside of his house, maybe even down the road. Look for the
strongest signal. Be sure to check a.c. outlets and lamp sockets, breaker box,
even hinges on a mail box. Plus appliances, automobile, utility poles, ... The
list is endless.

73,
Bill, K5BY

"Rick" wrote:
It wasn't as noticable today as it was the other day due to the heavy CW
on the band this morning.

I'm not sure why I'm not Radio Korea. I am hearing it on all 3 receivers.
I have a 4th one, a RS DX394. Probably should of snapped that on to see if I
could hear it on that as well.

I heard it this morning (Saturday) at 1115z! Here on Long Island the
signal on 3530 was only about S3, but definitely the same program as
6120 (Radio Japan via Sackville). I was hearing the 6120 signal at a
little over S9, and the same for Radio Korea (via Sackville) on 9650.
Those signals would not be strong enough to generate intermod in my
receiver, so I have to believe the signal is coming from Sackville.

The only mystery to me is why I only hear the Radio Japan audio. If
the 3530 signal is generated by "mixing" of 9650 and 6120, both
broadcasts should be heard.

I wonder if Sackville is aware of this anomaly.

Art Harris N2AH

"Art Harris" wrote:

The only mystery to me is why I only hear the Radio Japan audio. If
the 3530 signal is generated by "mixing" of 9650 and 6120, both
broadcasts should be heard.

Propagation was better today (12/7/03) and I WAS able to hear BOTH Radio
Japan and Radio Korea audio on 3530 at 1120z. Radio Japan (6120) has heavier
modulation which may explain why we weren't noticing Radio Korea's audio
before. But if you listen closely, you can hear them both. The siganls on
6120 and 9650 were each close to S9 +40dB today. The 3530 signal was about
S4.

Art Harris N2AH

Arthur Harris wrote:

"Art Harris" wrote:

The only mystery to me is why I only hear the Radio Japan audio. If
the 3530 signal is generated by "mixing" of 9650 and 6120, both
broadcasts should be heard.

Propagation was better today (12/7/03) and I WAS able to hear BOTH Radio
Japan and Radio Korea audio on 3530 at 1120z. Radio Japan (6120) has heavier
modulation which may explain why we weren't noticing Radio Korea's audio
before. But if you listen closely, you can hear them both. The siganls on
6120 and 9650 were each close to S9 +40dB today. The 3530 signal was about
S4.

Art Harris N2AH

Glad you finally figured it out.