{"id":57967,"date":"2023-10-11T10:31:43","date_gmt":"2023-10-11T14:31:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=57967"},"modified":"2023-10-11T10:31:43","modified_gmt":"2023-10-11T14:31:43","slug":"the-weirdest-shortwave-tuning-technique","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2023\/10\/the-weirdest-shortwave-tuning-technique\/","title":{"rendered":"The weirdest shortwave tuning technique"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM<\/strong><\/p>\n

You never know what you will encounter while simply \u201ctuning around\u201d on the HF frequencies. Just a few days ago around 2 pm local time, I happened upon the Maritime Mobile Service Network. Net control was being swapped from one ham to another, and it soon became clear that the hams running the net were smooth, articulate, and friendly to those checking into the net. The frequency was 14.300 USB.<\/p>\n

According to the Maritime Mobile Service Network\u2019s website:<\/p>\n

Our primary purpose now is that of handling legal third party traffic from maritime mobiles, both pleasure, and commercial and overseas-deployed military personnel. We also help missionaries in foreign countries, and volunteer net control stations from throughout North America and the Caribbean maintain the network. Furthermore, these stations are assisted by relay stations to ensure total coverage of the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean & Caribbean Seas, and the eastern Pacific Ocean. The network, in particular, has been formally recognized for its work with emergency traffic by the Dept. of Homeland Security, the United States Coast Guard, and the National Weather Service, to mention a few.<\/em><\/p>\n

The network acts as a weather beacon for ships during periods of severe weather and regularly repeats high seas and tropical weather warnings and bulletins from the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center.<\/p>\n

The Maritime Mobile Service Net is operational every day from 12:00pm until 9:00pm Eastern Standard Time, and from 12:00pm until 10:00pm Eastern Daylight Time, on the 20-meter *Global Emergency Center Of Activity frequency of 14.300 MHz as outlined by the International Radio Union.<\/p>\n

* At the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 1 meeting in 2005, it was decided that certain frequencies on certain amateur bands would be designated as “Global Emergency Center Of Activity” (GECOA) frequencies. The purpose of establishing the GECOA frequencies was to designate a place for passing emergency traffic on amateur frequencies, should the need arise. Over the next few years, Regions 2 and 3 followed suit in making the following frequencies world-wide GECOA frequencies. Those frequencies are: 21.360 MHz, 18.160 MHz, 14.300 MHz, 7.240 MHz, 7.060 MHz, 3.985 MHz, and 3.750 MHz. These and other frequencies, with their band plans, can also be viewed at www.iaru-r2.org\/band-plan<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You can find out more about the MMSN here: https:\/\/mmsn.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Wow, I thought, this is definitely a net that I would like to listen to from time to time. Since MMSN operates from noon until 10 pm, I decided that night to see if I could hear it in bed on my CCrane Skywave SSB with its relatively small telescoping antenna. I extended the whip antenna skyward, clamped on the headphones, and listened to 14.300 USB. Nothing at first . . . but then I could hear some faint modulation in the background. Then, on a whim, I picked up the Skywave and started to wiggle it around, moving the whip in different orientations, in the hope of improving the signal.<\/p>\n

To my surprise, it worked. I could hear the signal improve in some orientations of the whip and get worse in other directions. After a bit of experimentation, I got a positive ID on the Maritime Mobile Service Network with the whip at a 45 degree angle to vertical and pointed toward the North. Any other orientation yielded poorer results.<\/p>\n

Now, here\u2019s the thing: in years that I have been involved in messing about with radios \u2013 including the years I wrote for Passport To World Band Radio, QST, Popular Communications and Monitoring Times — never once did see or read anyone suggesting that picking up your portable shortwave and pointing the whip in different directions and orientations might improve the signal . . . not once.<\/p>\n

Back in March, Thomas did a survey and found that 36.8 percent of SWLing readers used portables radios as their \u201cdaily drivers.\u201d So, while it might look weird and might draw some stares if you are in a public place, try picking up your portable and pointing the whip at different angles and orientations to see if it improves a difficult to copy signal.<\/p>\n

Based on my experimentation on both ham and shortwave broadcast signals, you might just be pleasantly surprised.<\/p>\n

And if you already knew about this, or if you try it and it works, I would love to hear about it in the comments below.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM You never know what you will encounter while simply \u201ctuning around\u201d on the HF frequencies. Just a few days ago around 2 pm local time, I happened upon the Maritime Mobile Service Network. Net control was being swapped from one ham to another, and it soon became clear that the hams […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":114,"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":[3],"tags":[9323,4010,10353],"class_list":["post-57967","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-jock-elliott-kb2gom","tag-maritime-mobile","tag-maritime-mobile-service-network"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-f4X","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":54134,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/09\/teaching-an-old-dog-old-tricks\/","url_meta":{"origin":57967,"position":0},"title":"Teaching an old dog old tricks","author":"Jock Elliott","date":"September 24, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM It was Don Moore\u2019s excellent article -- An Introduction to DXing the MF Marine Bands -- that inspired me. If you haven\u2019t read it, do so now; it\u2019s terrific. But be warned: my guess is that it will inspire you too. Bottom line, ever since I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Guest Posts"","block_context":{"text":"Guest Posts","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/guest-posts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Icom-706-001-001-1024x398.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Icom-706-001-001-1024x398.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Icom-706-001-001-1024x398.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":52755,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/05\/guest-postyou-might-be-a-radio-nerd-if\/","url_meta":{"origin":57967,"position":1},"title":"Guest Post: You might be a radio nerd if…","author":"Thomas","date":"May 22, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to\u00a0SWLing Post\u00a0contributor,\u00a0Jock Elliott, who shares the following guest post: How can you tell if you are a radio nerd? By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM Jeff Foxworthy made a name for himself with his comedy routine, \u201cYou Might Be a Redneck.\u201d That phrase \u2013 you might be a redneck \u2013\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Funny"","block_context":{"text":"Funny","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/funny\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Sangean-ATS-909X2-Tecsun-H-501x-Panasonic-RF-B65-alt-e1617917505167.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Sangean-ATS-909X2-Tecsun-H-501x-Panasonic-RF-B65-alt-e1617917505167.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Sangean-ATS-909X2-Tecsun-H-501x-Panasonic-RF-B65-alt-e1617917505167.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Sangean-ATS-909X2-Tecsun-H-501x-Panasonic-RF-B65-alt-e1617917505167.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Sangean-ATS-909X2-Tecsun-H-501x-Panasonic-RF-B65-alt-e1617917505167.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":54951,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/12\/why-scan\/","url_meta":{"origin":57967,"position":2},"title":"Why scan?","author":"Jock Elliott","date":"December 11, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM A while back, Thomas, SWLing\u2019s Maximum Leader, told me the scope of the SWLing Post is \u201cshortwave listening first, then all things radio.\u201d As a fan of \u201call things radio,\u201d when conditions on the shortwave and HF ham bands are awful, frequently I will turn on\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\/2022\/12\/2-true-IQ-and-trade-trunktracker-x-base-mobile-scanner-SDS200-scanners-uniden_697x320.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/2-true-IQ-and-trade-trunktracker-x-base-mobile-scanner-SDS200-scanners-uniden_697x320.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/2-true-IQ-and-trade-trunktracker-x-base-mobile-scanner-SDS200-scanners-uniden_697x320.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":16752,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/maritime-emergency-ham-radio-recording\/","url_meta":{"origin":57967,"position":3},"title":"Maritime emergency ham radio recording","author":"Thomas","date":"January 18, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"An SWLing Post reader recently sent me the following YouTube video--a recording\u00a0Hanz (W1JSB) made on the 20 meter ham band several years ago.\u00a0Here's his description from YouTube: Several years ago I was tuning around the 20 meter amateur radio band and heard this lively, engaging, and impressive exchange on the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"maritime-exchange","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/maritime-exchange.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/maritime-exchange.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/maritime-exchange.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":52117,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/03\/guest-post-keeping-an-ear-on-the-us-coast-guard\/","url_meta":{"origin":57967,"position":4},"title":"Guest Post: Keeping an ear on the US Coast Guard","author":"Thomas","date":"March 9, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to\u00a0SWLing Post\u00a0contributor,\u00a0Jock Elliott, who shares the following guest post: Keeping an ear on the US Coast Guard By Jock Elliott KB2GOM Wandering the vast expanses of YouTube, I encountered an episode of \u201cCoast Guard Alaska\u201d on DangerTV\u2019s Protecting Our Waters\/Coast Guard Rescue Series playlist.\u00a0One episode led to another,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Guest Posts"","block_context":{"text":"Guest Posts","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/guest-posts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Mellon717_1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Mellon717_1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Mellon717_1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":60206,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/07\/weird-question-from-the-old-retrocrank\/","url_meta":{"origin":57967,"position":5},"title":"Weird question . . . from the old retrocrank","author":"Jock Elliott","date":"July 11, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Like some others of my age (roughly) who have posted here, I vastly prefer radios that do NOT mute between tuning steps . . . that provide smooth, continuous tuning. So, does anyone know of any true, new, currently in production, radios with an analog receiver? Could be AM, FM,\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\/2014\/04\/GrundigG31.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/GrundigG31.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/GrundigG31.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/GrundigG31.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57967","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\/114"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57967"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57967\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":57977,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57967\/revisions\/57977"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57967"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57967"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57967"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}