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Vintage Amateur and Military Radio Amateur/military receivers and transmitters, morse, and any other related vintage comms equipment.

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Old 16th Nov 2017, 1:18 pm   #1
HamishBoxer
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Default Unknown 160m Transmission

A few days ago in the evening, on 160m 1925Khz to be very precise, there was a transmission that was being read both in English and another language.

There was mention of compass degrees which made me think shipping or weather.

Readability was not that great I add. Anyone any thoughts?

Thank you.
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Old 16th Nov 2017, 1:29 pm   #2
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Default Re: Unknown 160m Transmission

I think that you may have heard Italian coastguard/Marine met report and also other information for seafarers.
They often appear in "our" 160m allocation.
Have heard them regularly when QRM permits,HF SDR sites may be a fruitful hunting ground should you wish to hear more.
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Old 16th Nov 2017, 3:14 pm   #3
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Default Re: Unknown 160m Transmission

Thank you for that.
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Old 16th Nov 2017, 4:15 pm   #4
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Default Re: Unknown 160m Transmission

Years ago there were several UK coastal stations sharing the band with us, also a LORAN and a Decca navigation chain. It was a wonder sometimes how we found room for a QSO on Topband.
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Old 16th Nov 2017, 4:58 pm   #5
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Default Re: Unknown 160m Transmission

I remember Loran and "fish phone" from the 1960,s.
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Old 16th Nov 2017, 5:02 pm   #6
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Default Re: Unknown 160m Transmission

Humber radio - humber radio - humber radio!
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Old 16th Nov 2017, 6:01 pm   #7
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Default Re: Unknown 160m Transmission

Yes!
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Old 16th Nov 2017, 7:06 pm   #8
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Default Re: Unknown 160m Transmission

Hasn't been the same since the departure of the diddly-dums...
Who needed calibration scales to kHz divisions.... you instantly knew where you were - by the sound of it.

If only the present crud was down at the level of Loran and the DDs
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Old 16th Nov 2017, 9:51 pm   #9
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Default Re: Unknown 160m Transmission

Quote:
Originally Posted by rambo1152 View Post
Years ago there were several UK coastal stations sharing the band with us, also a LORAN and a Decca navigation chain.
I thought Decca was transmitted on the LF band around 100kHz? My study notes from the 70s are buried in the loft somewhere so I can't check that out.

A.
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Old 16th Nov 2017, 9:55 pm   #10
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Default Re: Unknown 160m Transmission

Just for old times sake, there wouldn't happen to be a recording of Loran's top band 'jingle bells' lurking on youtube or somewhere?

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Old 16th Nov 2017, 10:30 pm   #11
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Default Re: Unknown 160m Transmission

?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGTkaVbKNJw

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Old 16th Nov 2017, 11:25 pm   #12
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Default Re: Unknown 160m Transmission

Ref post 9

There was LF LORAN,operating in the Khz frequencies,known as LORAN-C
Now navigated some way off original topic I think.
I remember RAF SAR Sea King navigation fit still retaining Decca Navigator which was turned off but also being fitted for GPS/Satnav in 1990'S.
Last encountered in cabin of a Girl friend's Dad's sea going yacht, tried cadging it but he held tightly onto it in case the system be turned back on.
Italian CG transmissions heard around 16.00 hrs today on 160m.
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Old 16th Nov 2017, 11:51 pm   #13
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Default Re: Unknown 160m Transmission

Quote:
Originally Posted by VT FUSE View Post
There was LF LORAN,operating in the Khz frequencies,known as LORAN-C
100kHz, same as the recently-ceased E-LORAN. And Chayka in Russia. It might well come back, as network dismantling, at least Stateside, has ceased.

Didn't LORAN-A (Skywave LORAN) work around 1.9MHz? There was a LORAN-A station up on the east coast of Scotland at Cruden Bay.
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Old 17th Nov 2017, 12:37 am   #14
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Default Re: Unknown 160m Transmission

It seems there was a Decca system that worked on 1.6 megs, but we were not taught that as it probably didnt feature in the DTp masters and mates syllabus. High accuracy position fixing for stuff like oil rig positioning etc, I guess before the advent of High Accuracy GPS for civilian use.
I can remember taking part in some seismic surveying around a rig in the North Sea whereby a portable decca system that worked via what I think was a microwave link to the rig to get a precise fix relative to the rig position. I'm sure it was explained to me as being a phase difference system like Decca. Certainly a small dish was installed as part of the kit and on the bridge was a VDU that was very like a video game whereby the ship was represented on the screen and had to keep it in a precise location while the boffins let off air charges over the side. Great fun especially for a junior officer like me, getting to play with the "Poscon" Joystick control that wasn't used very often. Sorry very off topic.

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Old 17th Nov 2017, 2:12 am   #15
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Default Re: Unknown 160m Transmission

Perhaps Syledis?

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Old 17th Nov 2017, 8:59 am   #16
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Default Re: Unknown 160m Transmission

Quote:
Just for old times sake, there wouldn't happen to be a recording of Loran's top band 'jingle bells' lurking on youtube or somewhere?
Here is a part of a 1960's recording of an AM QSO with the "jingle bells".
I have removed names and callsigns.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NH_...ew?usp=sharing


John
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Old 17th Nov 2017, 10:03 am   #17
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Default Re: Unknown 160m Transmission

Ah! Thanks, that brings it back!

Topband just doesn't seem the same without it, and QSOs are also a bit thin on the ground.

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Old 18th Nov 2017, 8:30 am   #18
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Default Re: Unknown 160m Transmission

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon_G4MDC View Post
Hasn't been the same since the departure of the diddly-dums...
Who needed calibration scales to kHz divisions.... you instantly knew where you were - by the sound of it.

If only the present crud was down at the level of Loran and the DDs
Hi Jon,

Or the "Jingle Bells" as it was also known. Actually it was a number of HIFIX radio-navigation chains centred around 1900kHz. They were mainly used for offshore oil work and by RN survey ships. If you'd like to recapture the old sound, try:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGTkaVbKNJw&t=2s

73

Roger (ex-HIFIX tech, 1969-74)

Last edited by G3VKM_Roger; 18th Nov 2017 at 8:40 am. Reason: sp
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Old 18th Nov 2017, 8:37 am   #19
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Default Re: Unknown 160m Transmission

Quote:
Originally Posted by Radio Wrangler View Post
Perhaps Syledis?
SYLEDIS is long-confined to the dustbin, thank goodness for 70cm band operations! It caused untold grief to amateur activities on that band but in the end the QRM it caused to the MOULD systems was it's downfall in the UK.

73,

Roger (ex-SYLEDIS tech 1980 to mid 90s when GPS came in and saved the day).
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Old 18th Nov 2017, 9:07 am   #20
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Default Re: Unknown 160m Transmission

Quote:
Originally Posted by russell_w_b View Post
There was a LORAN-A station up on the east coast of Scotland at Cruden Bay.
There was also a Loran (Type A, I think) station located at RAF Garthness near to Sumburgh airport in the Shetland Islands. After I left Decca Navigator in '74 I moved to a company who were making an updated version of HIFIX called HydroTrac. I was sent to Shetland, Fair isle and Ducansby Head to select likely beacon sites and Garthness was an ideal spot. It was on care and maintainence at that time and a call to RAF Saxavord (spelling?) got us inside the Loran station with a local caretaker. It was chock full of gear I've long forgotten but I did recall a rack full of AR-88 receivers!

I believe the Loran station was scrapped and the site used for oil-workers accomodation. We chose Sumburgh Head, Fair Isle and Duncasby lighthouses for our chain, they were subject to bad WX outages but the chain ran for a number of years until differential GPS took over. I think the last Top Band system to go was Racal HyperFix and ATUs for that system still turn up, there was one in a recent VMARS auction, IIRC.

73

Roger
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