{"id":53768,"date":"2022-08-22T08:39:37","date_gmt":"2022-08-22T12:39:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=53768"},"modified":"2022-08-22T08:40:16","modified_gmt":"2022-08-22T12:40:16","slug":"can-you-help-rob-identify-two-mystery-signals-on-the-20-meter-band","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/08\/can-you-help-rob-identify-two-mystery-signals-on-the-20-meter-band\/","title":{"rendered":"Can you help Rob identify two mystery signals on the 20 meter band?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>I received the following message from my buddy Rob (NC0B) who is trying to identify a couple of signals on the 20 meter band. Rob kindly gave me permission to post his email here on the SWLing Post<\/em> with the idea that someone may be able to help him solve this:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The following is a description of two odd digital signals observed on 20 meters with transmission modes I do not understand. They may not amateur transmissions, but I have no way to decode them. They stick out like a sore thumb on 20m in the Extra portion of the phone band. The time of day on August 20th was between 11:50 AM and 12:00 PM MDT.<\/p>\n

Two weeks ago I was in QSO on 14,170 kHz and occasionally there was the same 10 kHz wide digital signal but centered on 14,171 kHz. It sounded like the old Russian jammers buzz saw modulation. Those signals from decades ago were much wider, and or course we didn\u2019t have high resolution spectrum scopes back then. Today the same transmissions occurred several times, and more than once a minute for about 5 seconds each. In total the transmissions may have occurred on and off for about 10 minutes.<\/p>\n

Then after a few 10 kHz transmissions a different signal came on the air a few times with what looked like a digital modulated carrier plus digital sidebands on each side of the middle signal.<\/p>\n

Look at the attached JPG file and I\u2019ll try to make sense out of it:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The waterfall image lasts about 50 seconds on the Icom IC-7610 set on slow. There are two different signals to differentiate in this image. The signal I observed two weeks ago and today is 10 kHz wide and today spans from 14,178 to 14,188. It shows up in green on the band scope, and just under it in blue on the water fall for about 3 seconds of the approximate 5 second transmission. You can also see at the bottom of the waterfall the previous transmission that has about 4 seconds worth saved on the waterfall running off the bottom. The horizontal span of the scope was set to 5 kHz per division.<\/p>\n

Once the 10 kHz wide signal started, I went to Dual Watch so I could listen for KL7QOW on 14,170 kHz for a sked, and hear the buzzing signal on 14,183 kHz in SSB mode. That frequency placed the carrier position of the SSB 2.8 kHz bandwidth in the center of the 10 kHz wide signal.<\/p>\n

Soon after I started observing the relatively flat spectrum of the 10 kHz signal, a new digital signal appeared about 3 kHz lower in frequency. At first it had a much stronger center modulated carrier about 2 kHz wide and then two symmetrical digital signals on each side within about a 6 kHz total bandwidth. I wasn\u2019t able to capture the best picture of the 2nd signal as it appeared to be tuning up. The amplitude difference between the central signal and the separate sidebands initially was about 15 dB. Vertical divisions are 10 dB.<\/p>\n

On the waterfall you can see the second type of signal is centered on about 14,180 kHz. The modulation depth of the outer pairs of signals were not constant, possibly due to selective facing. QSB was quite significant at this time at least to Alaska. You can see there was a short break of a few seconds in the 6 kHz wide signal. Every time I have seen the 10 kHz wide signal its amplitude across the transmission bandwidth has been fairly constant, always of short duration, and repeating several times within 10 minutes before terminating.<\/p>\n

Does anyone have any idea what either of these transmissions are? I have heard of email digipeaters, but I would not think their bandwidth would be this wide.<\/p>\n

Rob, NC0B<\/p>\n

SWLing Post<\/em> community: Please comment<\/a> if you can help Rob ID these signals!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I received the following message from my buddy Rob (NC0B) who is trying to identify a couple of signals on the 20 meter band. Rob kindly gave me permission to post his email here on the SWLing Post with the idea that someone may be able to help him solve this: The following is a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[6647,3,43],"tags":[5448,6844,34],"class_list":["post-53768","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hd-radio","category-news","category-shortwave-radio","tag-mystery-signals","tag-rob-sherwood","tag-shortwave"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-dZe","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":49157,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/06\/can-you-id-this-ham-radio-digital-signal-for-rob\/","url_meta":{"origin":53768,"position":0},"title":"Can you ID this ham radio digital signal for Rob?","author":"Thomas","date":"June 8, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Rob, who writes: I have a question about the digital signals I received today during what must have been an E skip opening to the southwest. Can you identify by the bandwidth the wide signal in one screen capture vs. the normal FT8 signals\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Wide-Digital-Signal-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Wide-Digital-Signal-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Wide-Digital-Signal-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Wide-Digital-Signal-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Wide-Digital-Signal-1.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":44058,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/06\/can-you-help-bruce-identify-this-buzzing-noise-from-the-31-meter-band\/","url_meta":{"origin":53768,"position":1},"title":"Can you help Bruce identify this buzzing noise from the 31 meter band?","author":"Thomas","date":"June 28, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bruce Atchison, who writes: I'm hearing an intermittent buzzing noise on 9820kHz each evening at around 4:00 UTC. What could it be? Sorry the quality isn't as good as I'd like, but here's a recording: Thank you for sharing this recording, Bruce.\u00a0 My hope\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Digitech-AR-1780-keypad-closeup-radio-dial-e1515698199697.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Digitech-AR-1780-keypad-closeup-radio-dial-e1515698199697.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Digitech-AR-1780-keypad-closeup-radio-dial-e1515698199697.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Digitech-AR-1780-keypad-closeup-radio-dial-e1515698199697.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":58339,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2023\/12\/patrizio-seeks-information-about-mystery-signals-hes-discovering-across-the-hf-bands\/","url_meta":{"origin":53768,"position":2},"title":"Patrizio seeks information about mystery signals he’s discovering across the HF bands","author":"Thomas","date":"December 4, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Patrizio Cardelli, who has discovered some interesting signals on the HF bands and is seeking information about them. A little background: Patrizio asked me about these signals a few weeks ago and based on a quick glance at the spectrum and waterfall images I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Digital Modes"","block_context":{"text":"Digital Modes","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/digital-modes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Spectrum-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Spectrum-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Spectrum-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Spectrum-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":49701,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/07\/five-beeps-can-you-identify-carlos-mystery-signal\/","url_meta":{"origin":53768,"position":3},"title":"Five Beeps: Can you identify Carlos’ mystery signal?","author":"Thomas","date":"July 25, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Carlos Latuff, who writes from Brazil: [Please check out this] audio sample of a signal I heard today (July 20, 2021) around 07h17 UTC on (at least) 4 different frequencies, simultaneously: - 16166 kHz - 16716 kHz - 16747 kHz - 16839 kHz Always\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/XHDATA-d-808-keypad-closeup-radio-dial-e1515698257533.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/XHDATA-d-808-keypad-closeup-radio-dial-e1515698257533.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/XHDATA-d-808-keypad-closeup-radio-dial-e1515698257533.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/XHDATA-d-808-keypad-closeup-radio-dial-e1515698257533.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":21739,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/10\/tecsun-pl-680-beats-expectations\/","url_meta":{"origin":53768,"position":4},"title":"Tecsun PL-680 Beats Expectations","author":"Rob Wagner","date":"October 11, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 I have been procrastinating over investing in another portable shortwave radio to replace my ageing (but still going strong) Sangean ATS909. Also known in the U.S. as the rebadged Radio Shack DX\u2013398, the Sangean has been a most reliable rig for in-the-field DXpeditions. My unit is one of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "New Products"","block_context":{"text":"New Products","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/new-products\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/tecsun-pl680.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/tecsun-pl680.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/tecsun-pl680.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":50171,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/09\/help-carlos-id-this-mystery-digital-signal\/","url_meta":{"origin":53768,"position":5},"title":"Help Carlos ID this mystery digital signal","author":"Thomas","date":"September 8, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Carlos Latuff, who shares the following: I bought a small analog radio and I've been listening with it. On September 4, around 17h48 UTC, I heard a strange signal on the band of 13 kHz, since it's not a digital dial, I don't know\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Carlos-Latuff-Mystery-Signal-Analog-Radio-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Carlos-Latuff-Mystery-Signal-Analog-Radio-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Carlos-Latuff-Mystery-Signal-Analog-Radio-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Carlos-Latuff-Mystery-Signal-Analog-Radio-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Carlos-Latuff-Mystery-Signal-Analog-Radio-1.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53768","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53768"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53768\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53768"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53768"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53768"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}