June 2023
SuperDARN radar transmissions on 20 meters
On April 13, 2023, Pekka, OH2BLU, the SRAL (Finland) IARU Monitoring System Coordinator, reported at 1119 UTC the reception of transmissions sent by a SuperDARN radar (SuperDARN: Super Dual Auroral Radar Network) on the 20 meters band, specifically on 14200 kHz CF: short bursts using an approximate bandwidth of about 4.5 kHz. In the following days, several IARUMS Region 1 volunteers also reported such transmissions.
These transmissions could also be observed during May 2023 on other frequencies in the 20-meter band too, due to the frequency hopping method that this radar often uses.
Several members of the IARUMS R1 team worked actively in the identification of these transmissions, providing screenshots, audio recordings, IQ recordings and triangulations performed by TDoA through the KiwiSDR network.
The IARUMS R1 coordinator, Gaspar, EA6AMM, contacted a SuperDARN network’s representative, who is also a North American licensed radio amateur operator, to inform him of the reception of the transmissions in the 20 meters band and to provide him with all the data collected about these transmissions.
The SuperDARN Network representative actively cooperated with the IARU Monitoring System Region 1 in order to identify the signals, performing extensive research on all transmissions sent by all SuperDARN Network radars around the world.
On June 2023, after his research, he confirmed that the transmissions were indeed coming from a recently activated radar of the Network that was in the testing phase. He also conveyed the apologies of the entire SuperDARN community for those transmissions and communicated to his colleagues the ITU RR on the frequencies of the 20 m amateur radio band, which we provided to him, so that these transmissions would not be sent again in this frequency range in the future.
The IARU monitoring System Region 1 wishes to thank this SuperDARN Network representative for his cooperation and help, and appreciates the resolution of this case.
January 2022
Clandestine radio station stops transmissions
In December 2021 and January 2022, a clandestine radio station appeared on 3500 and 7000 kHz. The broadcasts were unusually in USB and could be heard throughout Europe. The radio program in Italian and English was directed against government COVID measures.
The IARUMS DARC Coordinator, Daniel Möller, DL3RTL, informed that the radio direction service unit of DARC Intruder Monitoring had been able to determine the approximate location of these transmissions, whereupon the DARC Intruder Monitoring cooperated with the German PTT (BNetzA) to have them stopped. The BNetzA was then able to work with their Italian colleagues to obtain measures that led to the stop of these transmissions.
September 2013
Portuguese Maritime Police and Communications Regulator ANACOM hit again illegal Radio Operators in Algarve Region, Southern Portugal.
On September 7, 2013, OM Paulo, CT2IWW, published the following news in “Intruder Alert”, the Reflector of IARU MONITORING SYSTEM Intruder Watch of Region 1:
“According to the daily newspaper “Diário de Noticias”, Portugal’s Maritime Police — actually a branch of the Portuguese Navy — and Portuguese communications’ Regulator ANACOM hit, on the third and fourth of this month, the country’s soythernmost district’s coast, Algarve, with a sweeping operation that resulted in confiscating radio equipment and charging heavy fines to ten unnamed operators.
Besides having the equipment confiscated, the operators face fines that can reach 1250 € or close to 1650 US-$. The news story details that the fiscalization was made on 28 vessels on sea and inland waterways, and 29 land based stations.
Furthermore, the authorities said that the operation was the consequence of Complaints of Interference to legal radio systems, including the Amateur Radio Service, Aeronautical Band, Maritime Service, and commercial radio systems.”
Paulo’s comment: “It’s the second time this year that the Regulator and the Maritime Police of Portugal visit Algarve. Even though I can’t confirm this, word is that the fines are indeed heavy in most cases. ll try to talk to some friends down in Algarve to see if they know what amateur radio frequencies were involved.”
24 May 2013
Weatherfax on 14001.9 kHz – quick solution.
DK2OM detected a weatherfax on 14001.9 kHz (center QRG) on May 23rd at 2100 utc and later. Parameters: Drumspeed 120 rpm, IOC 576, shift 800 Hz. Location: US Coast Guard Boston, Massachusetts. Wolf informed Jack Seitner – AA3GZ – by E‑Mail, and Jack phoned the Coast Guard. Result: The transmission QRG was corrected at once. Many thanks dear Jack – a quick success for Amateur Radio in the Regions 1 and 2! — US Coast Guard: http://www.cpc.ncep.nooa.gov
January 2012
DK2OM, Wolf, Coordinator IARUMS Region 1 reports:
Harmful interference by All India Radio on 7 MHz disabled.
On Dec. 1st 2011 HB9CET and DK2OM found white noise disturbations on 7000 – 7040 kHz.
Further analysis showed, that the noise was transmitted from 6960 – 7040 and also on 7820 kHz every evening. Calculation by DK2OM: 7820 kHz – 7000 kHz = 820 kHz.
The center of the spurious emissisons was expected on the center QRG 7410 kHz. The German PTT and DK2OM took more measurements and bearings. Indeed, All India Radio on 7410 kHz caused these terrible emissions. The German PTT (BNetzA) and the Swiss PTT (BAKOM) sent official complaints to the Indian authority. VU2GMN assisted by a personal complaint. Many thanks to DJ9KR, PA2GRU, HB9CET for observations.
On January 13th 2012 the transmitter (close to New Delhi) was repaired, and our band was free again!
July 2011
DK2OM, Wolf, Coordinator IARUMS Region 1 reports:
24 MHz disturbed by an Italian Coastal Radar.
In July 2011 DK2OM found a Codar like coastal radar on 24920 – 25080 kHz with 2 sweeps/sec under Sporadic‑E conditions. His observations were confirmed by the British Ofcom and the German BNetzA. All bearings showed Venice in Northern Italy. After complaints of the British PTT Ofcom and the German PTT BNetzA the system finally disappeared on Aug. 12th 2011. Many thanks to all involved PTTs and especially to DJ9KR, G4BOH and 9A5W for assistance!
6 April — 16 May 2011
Ulrich Bihlmayer, DJ9KR, Vice Coordinator of IARUMS Region, 1 reports:
The “Voice of Turkey” on 10110 kHz and 14210 kHz with two Intermodulation Products. Big signals with S9+35db.
The participating stations of IARU MONITORING SYSTEM in Region 1 are closely linked by Internet. DARC Monitoring is playing a key role as Wolf Hadel, DK2OM, is the coordinator of the system, and Ulrich Bihlmayer, DJ9KR, is the vice coordinator.
On 6 April Wolf Hadel, DK2OM, found a strong BC station on 10110 kHz. The transmitter was carrying a program in Turkish language. Two days later Gerhard Schweidler, OE3GSA, see picture below, from OeVSV reported another strong BC on 14210 kHz also in Turkish language to me. It was also carrying a program in Turkish language. Here is his short report: “April 8th 2011 – 1730 UTC – 14210 kHz AM, QTF abt. 120 degrees, S9+35dB male voice, live report of a soccer game, Turkish voice”
I checked the frequencies. The jingles of the BCs told me, that the “Voice of Turkey” was broadcasting on two amateur radio frequencies. I immediately informed the German telecommunications authorities “Federal Network Agency” (Bundesnetzagentur) and, by means of Internet, the intruder watches of IARU Regions 1, 2, and 3.
I realized that on both frequencies besides the very loud program in Turkish voice there was audible a second program very faintly in the background: On 10110 kHz a program in English voice, and on 14210 kHz a program in German voice. So I was sure that both frequencies were not fundamentals or harmonics, but intermodulation products (IMs).
I looked for the same program in Turkish language lower and higher than 10100 kHz and quickly found “Voice of Turkey” on 9460 kHz with S9+50dB. By means of this frequency I was able to find out the other frequencies which had led to the two IMs:
9785 kHz x 2 – 9460 kHz = 10110 kHz
11835 kHz x 2 – 9460 kHz = 14210 kHz
The “knitting pattern” of the Intermodulation:
The program in Turkish language was already in course on 9460 kHz. When 9785 kHz (English voice) was switched on, 10110 kHz was “generated”. When 11835 kHz (German language) was switched on, 14210 kHz was “generated”.
When the interference had already lasted longer than one month, I sent letters by post and email to the Turkish Radio Television Corporation in Ankara and also to the Turkish amateur radio club. I never got an answer from the “Voice of Turkey”. From the President of the Turkish Amateur Radio Society, OM Aziz Sasa TA1E, I received an email by 26 May. He asked me, if the interference was still lasting on. In the evening of 26 May I checked both frequencies, and, oh wonder, 10110 kHz and 14210 kHz were without interference!
Of course I do not exactly know who finally helped to QSY the Voice of Turkey off our ham bands.
My sincere thanks go to Gerhard Schweidler, OE3GSA, and Alex Wagner, OE3DMA, from OeVSV bandwatch, to Wolf Hadel, DK2OM, “my” vice coordinator of DARC-MS. Also I want to thank Engineer Edmund Grim of Federal Network Agency at Konstanz, Germany and his office. Thanks also to everybody who has helped in this case.
31 October — November 2010
Ulrich Bihlmayer, DJ9KR, Vice Coordinator of IARUMS Region, 1 reports:
“Voice of Russia” on 7179 kHz with an Inter-Modulation Product. Problem of “Knitting Pattern” quickly solved
During the night hours of October 31st 2010 I first heard a BC station in Russian language on 7179 kHz. I also heard a Divine Service with prayers and church bells.
This BC has been transmitting every night in November 2010 from 21000 – 2300 UTC. I contacted Wolf Bueschel DF5SX. Wolf is a licensed radio amateur and an enthusiastic BCL. He knows all frequencies and has good connections to the headquarters of BC stations. Wolf wrote to me:
“Hello from Stuttgart,
we have already had the same problem with the frequency 7009 kHz in summer this year with a Russian inter-modulation product from a tx-er located Krasnodar-Armavir Tbilisskya, Caucasus Mountain.
The formula this time is: 6090 kHz + 1089 kHz = 7179 kHz
6090 kHz – 1089 kHz = 5001 kHz
On 5001 kHz you should also hear the program of 6090 kHz, and, in addition, on 5940, 6120, and 7340 kHz.
Transmitting sked 6090 kHz
2100 – 2300 UTC Krasnodar-Armavir, px in Spanish voice 2200 – 2300 UTC Krasnodar-Armavir, px in Portuguese voice Transmitting sked 1089 kHz
1600 – 2100 UTC Voice of Russia, Russian World Service
2100 – 2200 UTC Yevangelskiye Chteniya (Russian Orthodox Divine Service)
2200 – 2300 UTC Russian px (Sudruhetvo, Russian Commonwealth) – regards, Wolfgang”
I quickly checked the frequencies: On 5001 kHz the IM is even louder to hear than on 7179 kHz. So I was sure that 1099 and 6090 kHz were the two “culprits”, and I then informed the German telecoms. authorities
“Bundesnetzagentur”. They will send an International Complaint to Moscow. Let‘s keep our fingers crossed that this works!
My sincere thanks go to Wolf Bueschel DF5SX and to “Bundesnetzagentur” in Konstanz for their excellent work.
August 2010
Ulrich Bihlmayer, DJ9KR, Vice Coordinator of
IARUMS Region 1 reports:
Uganda Broadcasting Corporation “UBC” still on 7195 kHz
In the range 7100 – 7200 kHz there is still a lot of activity by Broadcast Stations: Mid August on 7195 kHz I heard programs in Vernacular languages unknown to me, and also in English. The time was 1700 to 2100 UTC. The programs were different to the HOA (“Horn-of-Africa”) music usually transmitted by Radio Ethiopia and “Radio The Voice of The Broad Masses of Eritrea” VOBME which are sometimes using 7195 kHz. There was Western pop music. Very often “Uganda” was mentioned, and the fix taken by German telecoms. BNetzA pointed to this very country. The station was “Uganda Broadcasting Corporation” UBC, Radio Uganda, transmitting in the exclusive Amateur Radio band of 40 metres.
So I immediately sent an email and a fax to the Uganda Telecoms. Authorities and to the Headquarters of UBC. The IARU Monitoring System has a very efficient “Alarm System” called “Intruder Alert”. So I informed all Intruder Watch organizations world wide. The Uganda radio amateurs do not have an Intruder Watch, but the neighbouring country Kenya has a very active coordinator. It is OM Ted Alleyne, 5Z4NU, in Nairobi.
Ted, 5Z4NU, on August 25th 2010, wrote to me: “Hello all, this intruder, Radio Uganda, has been reported to the Uganda authority and action has been promised. Details will follow when available. Bill Musoke, 5x1JM, of Kampala has put in a formal complaint and reports: “Today I had a very useful meeting with the Frequency Manager who made me write a formal complaint and he promised to follow it up with the Field Monitoring Unit. He will also review the articles in the ITU manual that deal with the said band width. I am sending him e‑mail to request him to give me a formal response which I will share with you. 73, Ted 5Z4NU, Nairobi “
The activity of UBC has been monitored world wide also by various BCL enthusiasts:
On 21 August I received an e‑mail from BCL David Sharp, NSW, Australia:
“7195 Radio Uganda at 1914 UTC, English, presumed with news or similar(alternating stories between a man and a woman). Fair at best with poor modulation. Much weaker than 4976v kHz. August 20th. David Sharp-NSW- Aus, dxld Aug 23rd )”
Mauno Ritola, famous BCL from Finland, wrote to me on August 25th 2010:
“Dear Uli and Ted, as I tried to explain earlier, 7195 kHz was the respective daytime frequency for 4976 kHz, which is used mornings and evenings. I think the fq switch is done manually and simply forgotten sometimes and the 7195 kHz remains in use in the evening. This has happened throughout the decades, but not heard widely b4 7195 kHz became a radio amateur frequency. Maybe Bill or you, Ted, can check if they are still on 7195 kHz, or would they really use 4976 now also daytime? But maybe they move to over 7200 kHz? Ore more probably they sooner or later lose a crucial component in the tx and can‘t get a spare part and everybody can stop worrying about another third world domestic transmitter on either SW QRG…, Mauno, No ham call “
E‑mail from Peter Jost HB9CET, USKA Intruder Watch, August 26th 2010
“Hi all, this afternoon and at night time until 2200 UTC the QRG was clear in HB9. 73 Peter – HB9CET, USKA Radio Monitoring, Member of IARU Monitoring System “
Wolf Bueschel DF5SX comments:
“Since Saturday August 21st in the evening Uganda QSYd to the 60-mB. Maybe this is already the reaction of the complaint from Kenya to use v4976 at least during the evening hours. I would not dare to undervalue this.”
Felicitations and greetings from Chuck Skolaut K0BOG:
“Let me along with the US amateurs join Uli and others in thanking your for your work in reporting this to the proper authorities and for their prompt action. All this aids in making 40 meters more enjoyable for all, keep up the good work,
73 Chuck Skolaut K0BOG, Field and Regulatory Correspondent ARRL”.
Don’t halloo till you’re out of the wood!
When I had just finished this article for the homepage of IARU-MS I go the following news from Ted, 5Z4NU:
“Hello all, Broadcast intruder which seems to be Radio Uganda again heard on 7195 kHz at 0915 UTC on Friday 27th August. 73, Ted 5Z4NU”
And there was another e‑mail from Ted 5Z4NU a bit later the same day. Ted wrote: “Hello Uli, Bill 5X1JM is talking to the Uganda Communications Commission and says that they are cooperative about the QRM on 7195 kHz. They have even asked him to do the monitoring for them. It may take a little time, but I think his approach will be effective. I will keep you in touch anyway. 73 Ted”
2010
Radio Kuwait on 7150 kHz and 7190 kHz in the Exclusive 40 m Band quickly stopped
On April 13th I stumbled over a loud station with S9+30dB-signal on 7190 kHz transmitting in Arabic language. The identification was easy, it was Radio Kuwait. The same day I found another “new” station on 7150 kHz which was also Radio Kuwait. I quickly informed the German Telecoms. Authorities Bundesnetzagentur (Federal Net Agency) BnetzA about the interference. They pin-pointed the stations and sent International Complaints to the Kuwait telecommunications authorities.
Also I sent a FAX and an email to the Embassy of Kuwait in Berlin (no answer so far…) and emails to Radio Kuwait and to the Ministry of Telecoms. in Kuwait.
The most important fact is, that the IARU MONITORING SYSTEM Intruder Watch has a coordinator in Kuwait, OM Faisal Al-Ajmi, 9K2RR. He immediately rang up Radio Kuwait.
Faisal is the IARUMS Coordinator of KARS.
By means of Internet I alerted all Intruder Watches also to listen on 7150 und 7190 kHz and to report to their telecommunications authorities. Many did!
The Internet is a very important tool for the Monitoring System to alarm all participant Intruder Watches with “Intruderalarm”: Just with one mouse click the IARU MS Coordinator Wolf Hadel DK2OM or his Coordinator Ulrich Bihlmayer DJ9KR can reach all Intruder Watches and contributors to initiate an action. Very helpful!
Our big thanks go to Faisal 9K2RR, to German Federal Net Agency “Bundesnetzagentur” and to the other coordinators of various Intruder Watches in Region 1 who informed their telecommunication authorities for their quick action!
We must saveguard our valuable frequencies – or we will lose them!
State: April 20th 2010
Good News from Radio Kuwait: 7150 and 7190 kHz Both Free!
05/12/2010
The IARU Region 1 Monitoring System is ever vigilant in monitoring the amateur bands for intruders. It is ably led by Coordinators Wolf Hadel, DK2OM, and Uli Bihlmayer, DJ9KR. To aid in their work they initiated an online reporting system via
intruderalert@iaru-r1.org last year.
On April 12th, Bihlmayer first observed a shortwave station on 7150 kHz and 7190 kHz and alerted the monitoring group to listen and send reports to their appropriate authorities. Through combined efforts, he identified the station as Radio Kuwait. Once the station was identified, Bihlmayer immediately informed the German Federal Net Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) to monitor the QRG and to send an official complaint to KWT. Also he sent a fax and an e‑mail to the Embassy of KWT in Berlin and e‑mails to Radio Kuwait and to the Ministry of Telecoms in Kuwait.
Bihlmayer invited all participating IARU Intruder Watches to inform their telecom authorities and ask them to send observations to KWT. One very important asset is that the IARU Region 1 Monitoring System has a coordinator in the State of Kuwait, Faisal Al-Ajmi, 9K2RR. He contacted Radio Kuwait and informed them of the many amateurs asking them to cease transmissions inside our bands.
On April 19th, Al-Ajmi sent word that he was very pleased to inform everyone that the General Manager of Engineering of Kuwait Radio had informed him that transmissions on both 7150 and 7190 kHz had been suspended. Al-Ajmi went on to say that this is another battle won against intruders to the 40 meter amateur band. As usual, the Region 1 Monitoring System will keep monitoring the band for any other complaints.
Amateurs in all three IARU regions expressed their thanks and congratulations to the IARU Region 1 Monitoring System for their prompt and excellent work in helping to maintain the integrity of our bands worldwide. Bihlmayer credited the online reporting capabilities as a tremendous aid in their efforts.
Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG, ARRL
Monitoring System/Intruder Watch Coordinator
January 2010
Ulrich Bihlmayer, DJ9KR
Vice Coordinator IARUMS Region 1 reports:
Source of BC-IM on 14000,0 kHz revealed:
It is “Kashi Radio” from Xinjiang Province, PR China
In the beginning of January 2010 between 13.00 and 14.00 UTC Wolf Hadel, DK2OM, heard a broadcast station on 14000,0 kHz. The beam heading was direction east for the maximum of reception. Wolf contacted OM Wolf Büschel, DF5SX. He is a licensed radio amateur and a dedicated BC listener with a lot of experience. He owns the latest broadcast schedules and frequencies of BC SW transmitters. On January 20th 2010 Wolf Büschel wrote Wolf Hadel:
“The BC signal is probably an Inter Modulation Product of two BC transmitters of “Kashi Radio” from Xinjiang Province, PR China.
Here is the sked:
13710 1300 – 1400 27SE KAS 500 308 French CHN CRI RTC
13855 1300 – 1400 27 – 29 KAS 500 308 Chinese CHN CRI RTC
Vy 73 de:- Wolfgang Büschel, DF5SX”
If you hit in Google-Earth: 39 21 34,07 N 75 45 20,85 E you can see the tx-er site of Radio Kashi.
Wolf Hadel immediately informed the German Federal Net Agency in Konstanz, and I checked the frequencies 14000, 13710, and 13855 kHz in the afternoon of January 22nd 2010. I realized that the program on 14000,0 kHz carried the programs of 13710 kHz (French) and 13855 kHz (Chinese). Immediately I rang up the German Federal Net Agency to invite them to listen on the above frequencies.
Already in the afternoon I received an email from German Federal Net Agency telling me that Wolf Büschel‘s theory was 100 % correct. The officer at Federal Net Agency informed me that an International Complaint will be sent to the Chinese telecommunications authorities.
Our thanks go to Wolf Büschel DF5SX for his information an help and also to the Federal Net Agency for their excellent investigations and quick help.
December 2009
LaTrobe’s TIGER Ionospheric Radar from Bruny Island, Tasmania was causing Interference to the 30-m-Band. A combined action of IARU-MS Regions 1 and 3 stops the rattling and bubbling TIGER Radar from Tasmania, Australia.
Peter Young VK3MV, Coordinator of IARU Monitoring Region 3 in his monthly October bulletin reports harmful interference in the 30-m-Band (range 10100 – 10150 kHz) by the rattling and bubbling pulses of the TIGER Radar. TIGER (Tasmanian International Geospace Environment Radar) is a part of the international network of 10 similar HF-Radars also called “Super-DARN” (Super Dual Auroral Network).
TIGER explores the impact of solar disturbances on Earth by monitoring the location of aurora and related phenomena occurring in the ionosphere – 100 to 300 km above the Earth.
It consists of two radars, one in Tasmania and one in New Zealand, with beams that intersect and explore an area half the size of Australia. The radars direct HF radio signals via the ionosphere towards Antarctica and detect weak echoes from structures in the ionosphere. These echoes are used to form images of the ionospheric structures and measure their speed and direction of motion.
Each radar has 16 horizontally polarised log-periodics and a second array of four additional log- periodics of the same type at some distance behind. Each antenna has it’s own transmitter with a power of 600 Watts. This is a total power of 9,600 kW.
On a real time data display on internet you are able to read the transmission frequency of the different TIGER radars. You can also see a picture with the “fan” in different colours showing the structures of the ionosphere. Please hit www.tiger.latrobe.edu.au/
By attentive watching I soon found out that Unwin‑1 and Unwin‑2 were/are always transmitting higher than 10150 kHz trying to avoid the Amateur Radio spectrum. However Bruny-Radar during the December days most of the time was using 10100 – 10150 kHz hopping up and down in this spectrum with some 20 frequency changes per minute.
Here at my QTH in southern Germany I have never heard the radar, however my fellow radio hams in Region 3 have been suffering from very harmful interference caused by Bruny-Radar in Tasmania, Australia.
In a “combined action” amateur radio stations of Region 3 and German Bandwacht Glenn VK4DU, Peter VK3MV, Brett VR2BG and Arasu VU2UR in the time of December 23rd to 29th wrote reports of harmful interference to the Scientific Team of LaTrobe University Victoria, Professor John Devlin and Dr. Roman Makarevich. In addition I have sent a complaint to the telecoms. authorities of Australia, ACMA. No problem with fast Internet!
On December 29th 2009 Glenn VK4DU received an email from Professor Devlin:
“Dear Glenn,
Thanks for your email, sorry for the problems. It seems we have an error in our programming of the restricted frequency database that must have crept in recently. We have (or thought we had) programmed the radar not to transmit in this band, however downloading and reading the restricted frequency table we have on the radar, we only disallow the range 9995 to 10100. Sorry for the problem we will correct as soon as possible. Until then we will shut down the radar. It is currently 10 pm and I am unable to do this from home. Our research officer can do it from home, but eh university is closed till the new year and he is on leave at the moment, and probably won’t receive this email immediately. I will go into the university tomorrow morning and shut it down then.
Again, sorry for the problem, John“.
When I looked into the homepage of LaTrobe on 29 December Bruny Radar was still transmitting between 10100 and 10150 kHz. On 30 December the Bruny display was empty, the radar was shut down. Since 31 December Bruny radar is again online; however all frequencies displayed are higher than 10150 kHz.
Our thanks go to Glenn VK4DU, Peter VK3MV, Brett VR2BG, and Arasu VU2UR for their emails to LaTrobe University, Victoria. Without their intervention – and without the various emails and faxes of DARC-MS Intruder Watch – “TAZZY” TIGER Radar would still rattle and bubble in the 30-m-Band.
December 9th 2019
Source of BC-Signal on 7105 kHz detected:
It is an Intermodulation Product of RTV Tunisia.
Broadcast Listeners Wolf DF5SX and Tarek SU1TZ give Important Information to IARU MONITORING SYSTEM.
Already on July 5th 2009 I detected a broadcast station on 7105 kHz in the evening hours: The transmission time is from 1857 – 2108 UTC, and the BC is carrying a program in Arabic. The signal is not too strong, about S 5 to 7 with my dipole antenna, and a bit difficult to read bcos of the radio amateurs also active on this frequency. The BC is still on in December 9th.
I informed the German telecoms. authorities “BnetzA”. They took bearings of the BC which pointed to North Africa, direction Libya – Tunisia. Also I made some .wav-recordings of the program in Arabic language and sent them to Wolf DF5SX and to Hani OD5TE.
On December 8th I received an email from Wolf DF5SX. He had passed my sound recording to the Egyptian radio amateur and experienced BCL Tarek Zeidan. Tarek pointed out that he had clearly identified the audio as coming from RTV Tunisia, transmitter site Sfax. The BC on 7105 kHz being an intermodulation product of two RTV Tunisia transmitters:
7225 kHz 1800 – 2210 UTC, Location Sfax
7345 kHz 2000 – 0010 UTC, Location Sfax
The knitting pattern for 7105 kHz is: (7225 x 2) – 7345 kHz = 7105 kHz.
On December 9th I have checked the 3 frequencies involved. Tarek is right: The program on 7105 kHz is audible on 7225 and 7345 kHz. This proves: 7105 is an IM3 product of the two transmitters.
I have already informed Mr. Edmund Grim of Bundesnetzagentur in Konstanz. This office will send an International Complaint to the Tunisian telecoms. authorities. Let us hope that this complaint works – and that the technicians and engineers of RTV Tunisia are able to fix the problem with their faulty transmitters.
If you want to see the transmitter site with the masts of RTV Sfax just hit on Google-Earth: 34 49 20,37 N / 10 51 08,21 E
You can see two masts, and when looking carefully, you can even see dozens of radials pointing to the foundations of the masts.
My thanks go to Wolf Bueschel DF5SX, Tarek Zeidan SU1TZ, Hani Raad OD5TE and to the German telecoms. authorities Konstanz, Mr. Edmund Grim for their excellent work.
When do you contribute to the IARU MONITORING SYSTEM Intruder Watch? We must safeguard our valuable frequency spectrum – or we will lose it!
Ulrich Bihlmayer DJ9KR Coordinator of DARC-MS Vice Coordinator of IARU MONITORING SYSTEM Region 1
November 2009
Wolf Bueschel DF5SX, Contributor of IARUMS Region 1, initiates a Successful Action:
BC-Station “Slovak Radio” has left 7200 kHz after protests of IARU MONITORING Intruder Watch. Has made QSY to 6080 kHz.
On June 28th 2009 I got an email from German Bandwatch Contributor Wolfgang Bueschel DF5SX. He informed me about the broadcasting schedule of Slovak Radio during Period B09: On this sked were indicated transmissions on 7200 kHz from 02.30 to 03.00 UTC in Spanish language directed to South America.
During the next nights I put my alarm clock to 02.30 UTC to wake me up. And really, during the time indicated, I could clearly hear the program of Slovak Radio in Spanish language with the station announcement and jingle.
Then I sent a fax and an email to the headquarters of Slovak Radio asking them for a frequency change. Also I sent an email to the Slovak Amateur Radio Association “SARA”, asking them to intervene with the broadcast station und the Slovak telecommunications authorities. Finally I informed the German authorities Bundesnetzagentur (= “Federal Net Agency”) about the intruder.
Here you find my mail to Slovak Radio:
Dear Sir or Madam,
At the World Radio Conference at Geneva 2003 it was agreed that the section 7100 – 7200 kHz will be exclusive to the Amateur Radio Service starting 29 March 2009. However your transmission schedule for Period B09 indicates a frequency allocation on the frequency 7200 kHz:
- 02.30 – 03.00 UTC directed to S. America, carrying a program in Spanish language.
Meanwhile our system has monitored the frequency 7200 kHz and clearly identified your radio station “Slovak Radio” with the program in Spanish language ending with the well known jingle of “Slovak Radio”.
Will you, please, respect the ITU laws and refrain from transmitting on 7200 kHz, exclusive to the Amateur Radio Service world wide, and look for a frequency outside the exclusive Amateur Radio spectrum, e. g. higher than 7205 kHz.
The licensed Radio Amateurs of the World have he right to use their frequency spectrum without the interference of “Slovak Radio”.
Thank you very much for your cooperation and all the best for your radio station. I should like to read your answer soon on my computer screen.
Yours very truly, Ulrich Bihlmayer DJ9KR, IARU MONITORING SYSTEM Intruder Watch Region 1 of ITU / IARU.
Email: bandwacht@darc.de URL: www.iaru-r1.org ”
We have never received an answer from Slovak Radio. However on November 5th 2009 we got the answer from Roman Kudlac, President of “Slovak Amateur Radio Association” “SARA”:
Dear Ulrich, I have meanwhile contacted the Slovak Telecommunications Authorities in Bratislava and asked them to get in touch with Slovak Radio to stop the interference on 7200 kHz. Regards, Roman Kudlac, OM3EI, Slovak Amateur Radio Association.
When I was looking on 7200 kHz for Slovak Radio mid November, this BC had gone. The “corrected” broadcasting schedule of Slovak Radio now tells a “new” frequency for the Spanish language program from 02.30 – 03.00 UTC. The new frequency is 6080 kHz, with a parallel transmission on 9440 kHz.
My big thanks go to:
- Wolf Bueschel DF5SX for alarming DARC Bandwatch
- BnetzA German Telecoms. Konstanz, Mr. Edmund Grim, for monitoring 7200 kHz
- OM Roman Kudlac OM3EI for sending a “Report of Harmful Interference” to the Slovak Telecommunications Authorities in Bratislava
Altogether these persons have helped to have Slovak Radio shifted off 7200 kHz. Mni Tnx!
Ulrich Bihlmayer DJ9KR Coordinator of DARC-MS Vice Coordinator of IARU MONITORING SYSTEM Region 1.
October 26th 2009
BC “Trans World Radio” on 7170 kHz has QSY’d to 7315 kHz after a Request by Ulrich Bihlmayer, DJ9KR.
Ulrich Bihlmayer, DJ9KR, Vice Coordinator of IARUMS Region 1 initiates and reports a Successful Action.
On October 26th 2009 I received an email from dedicated German media specialist Dr. Hansjoerg Biener ( www.biener-media.de ). It said:
In his schedule Trans World Radio announces tx-ions on 7170 kHz daily from 1500 – 1600 UTC for the transmitting period B09 from 25 October 2009 onwards. The location of the transmitter is Wertachtal, Germany.
I quickly wrote an email to the headquarters of TWR-Europe in Austria, asking for a frequency change. Here is my email:
“Dear Sir or Madame, At the World Radio Conference at Geneva 2003 it was agreed that the section 7100 – 7200 kHz will be exclusive to the Amateur Radio Service starting 29 March 2009. However your transmission schedule for Period B09, updated 14 October 2009, indicates 3 frequency allocations on the frequency 7170 kHz:
- 1500 – 1530 UTC on Mondays – language Belorussian
- 1500 – 1600 UTC Tuesday to Sunday – language Russian
- 1530 – 1600 UTC on Mondays – language Russian
Will you please respect the ITU laws and refrain from transmitting on 7170 kHz, exclusive to the Amateur Radio Service world wide, and look for a frequency outside the exclusive Amateur Radio spectrum, e. g. higher than 7205 kHz.
The licensed Radio Amateurs of the World have the right to use their frequency spectrum without the interference of Trans World Radio emanating from Wertachtal on German soil.
Thank you very much for your cooperation and all the best for your radio station Trans World Radio. I should like to read your answer soon on my computer screen.
Yours very truly, Ulrich Bihlmayer DJ9KR,
IARU MONITORING SYSTEM Intruder Watch Region 1 of ITU / IARU
Email: bandwacht@darc.de URL: www.iaru-r1.org”
On November 2nd 2009 I received the answer of Mr. Ruedi Baertschi of TRW-Europe:
“Dear Mr. Bihlmayer,
I am sorry for the inconveniences which was created obviously. We changed the frequency to 7315 kHz.
With kind regards,
Ruedi Baertschi, Director General Department TWR-Europe
( www.twr.org )”
Reported by: Ulrich Bihlmayer DJ9KR
October 26th 2009
Ulrich Bihlmayer, DJ9KR, Vice Coordinator of IARUMS Region 1 initiates and reports a Successful Action.
Media Broadcast “Gospel for Asia” promises to leave 7200 kHz.
On October 26th 2009 I received an email from dedicated German media specialist Dr. Hansjoerg Biener ( www.biener-media.de ). It said:
MEDIA BROADCAST GmbH Cologne (formerly T‑Systems DTK), B09 operational DTK winter schedule, period (25÷10÷2008 – 28/03/2010).
7200 kHz 2330 – 0030 UTC 41,43,49 ISSOUDUN 250 kW GFA days:1234567
By means of internet I quickly found out the email address of Media Broadcast in Cologne, Germany, and sent a “Report of Harmful Interference” asking to stop transmissions immediately and to look for a QRG higher than 7205 kHz.
On October 26th 2009 I received the answer from a Mr. Walter Brodowsky, it said:
“Dear Mr. Bihlmayer,
We regret that there were possible interferences in the amateur band below 7200 kHz by the usage of frequency 7200 kHz by a customer of MEDIA NETWORK from Issoudun, France.
We are sorry to say that we can not change the frequency 7200 kHz quickly. However, just after receipt of your complaint, we have contacted our customer. To inform the listeners our customer needs some time. So we had to wait for his answer.
Starting from 2 November 2009 the program will be transmitted parallel to 7200 kHz also on 7240 kHz. After 09 November 2009 at 0030 UTC the transmissions will end on 7200 kHz and will be only transmitted on 7240 kHz.
The last transmissions on 7200 kHz will be on 8 November 2009 from 2330 – 0030 UTC.
Due to the circumstances mentioned a quicker frequency change was not possible. We hope that our reaction has solved the problem to your contentment.”
Yours truly,
Walter Brodowsky, MEDIA BROADCAST, TDF-Group Shortwave Project Leader, Cologne
September 18th 2009
Wolf Hadel, DK2OM, Coordinator of IARUMS Region 1 reports
Intrusion on 40 m quickly stopped:
HMNB Clyde (Faslane) in Scotland on 7101.7 kHz.
On September 18th 2009 Wolf Hadel found a strong F1B-signal on 7101.7 kHz, transmitting in Baudot. The ident was “MGJ” This ident belongs to the Royal Navy in Faslane, Scotland, UK. Wolf quickly informed the German Telecoms. Authorities Bundesnetzagentur BnetzA about the interference.
Her Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Clyde (Faslane) is one of three UK operating bases for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Devonport and HMNB Portsmouth). It is the service’s headquarters in Scotland and is best known as the home of the United Kingdom’s Trident-armed nuclear submarine force.
HMNB Clyde lies on the eastern shore of Gare Loch in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, to the north of the Firth of Clyde and 25 miles west of the city of Glasgow. Faslane is also a Defence Equipment and Support site, operated in dual site organisation with Great Harbour, Greenock, by Babcock Marine. HMNB Clyde is home to the United Kingdom’s strategic nuclear deterrent. It has been in use since 1964. Commander is Commodore Chris Hockley
In turn the German authorities BnetzA quickly informed the interference to the British telecoms. authorities OFCOM, and, after 20 minutes, the interference was finished.
Our big thanks go to BnetzA and OFCOM for their quick action!
February 18th 2019
DK2OM, Wolf Hadel Coordinator IARUMS Region 1 reports:
US Weather Fax “NIK” on 14001,900 kHz again there in September, had gone
after a complaint by Wolf DK2OM
Jack and Chuck have done a good job!
Earlier DARC-MS had reported a weather fax transmission on 14001.900 kHz:
On February 18th 2009 and the following days DK2OM had found a weather fax transmission at 1730. The parameters were: 120 rpm and IOC 576. Location: Boston, Mass., USA, transmitted by the US Coast Guard. Ident: NIK.
Wolf Hadel had informed AA3GZ, Jack, and had sent him screen shots of the fax. Jack had alerted the US authorities at once. On February 22nd the system did not occur any more.
After some months of silence “Good Old NIK” showed up again with the same characteristics as in February : On September 18th at 1900 UTC onwards and during the following evenings “NIK” was active again depicting a weather chart of the Atlantic Ocean between East Coast USA, Northern Africa and Europe.
Same procedure as in February: Jack and Chuck are doing their job.
Again Wolf informed Jack Seitner AA3GZ and Chuck Skolaut K0BOG (Field and Regulatory Correspondent of ARRL). Jack and Chuck did their job, ringing up the US Coast Guard. After September 23rd “good old NIK” had gone.
Thank you, dear Jack and Chuck, for your help! It is good to have reliable friends!
June 24th 2009
Wolf Hadel, DK2OM, Coordinator of IARUMS Region 1, reports:
French Over-The-Horizon Radar “NOSTRADAMUS” in the CW Range of 20 Metres quickly stopped.
On June 24th 2009 Wolf Hadel stumbled over rattling pulses of unknown origine in the lower part of the 20-m-Band. He quickly informed the German Telecoms. Authorities Bundesnetzagentur BnetzA about the interference. They pin-pointed the offender location west of Paris near the city of Chartres.
Uli Bihlmayer DJ9KR, by means of Internet, quickly found out that the French society ONERA near Chartres is running an Over-The-Horizon Radar on the ex-NATO Airport of Dreux-Senonchon. Dreux-Senonchon is located near Chartres. The radar is a set of 288 bi- cone antenna elements distributed over the arms of a three-branch star, with a buried infrastructure to shelter the transmissions and reception electronics. Pse hit www.onera.fr/
If you look into GOOGLE-Earth you can find the 3 branched-star west of the runway homing the antennas. On the GOOGLE screen shot Uli has marked the branches with small white squares.
The German authorities BnetzA quickly informed the relevant French authorities, and, after a few days, the interference had gone.
Our big thanks to BnetzA and the French PTT for their quick action!
February 18th 2009
DK2OM, Wolf Hadel Coordinator IARUMS Region 1 reports
Weatherfax on 14001.900 kHz stopped
On February 18th 2009 and the following days DK2OM found a weatherfax transmission on 14001.900 kHz at 1730 utc. The parameters: 120 rpm and IOC 576. Location: Boston, USA. Transmitted by the US Coast Guard. Ident: NIK.
DK2OM informed AA3GZ (Jack) and sent him his screenshots. Jack informed the US authorities at once. On February 22nd the system did not appear again. We suppose that the transmission frequency has probably been mistuned.
April 1st 2008
Ulrich Bihlmayer, DJ9KR
Vice Coordinator IARUMS Region 1 reports:
Alfa-515, Mike-1093 and a “Man Over Board”
– A Net of UNIFIL Task Force on 14055 kHz -
On April 1st, 2008 Wolf Hadel DK2OM on 14055 kHz SSB-USB stumbled over an unknown net in English voice. The station “Charlie-One” was calling “Echo-Eight” making a radio sked. The call was very short and was only lasting some 15 seconds. On April 19th the station “Mike-1093” was heard calling “Charlie-One”. During the next days Wolf and I sometimes tuned in the frequency 14055 kHz; but only on May 9th traffic could be heard on this exclusive Amateur Radio frequency.
UNIFIL Task Force is controlling the access to the Lebanese harbours.
During the month of June the activity of the net was increasing, and the traffic was lasting longer. By attentive listening to the traffic we wanted to find the persons or organisation behind the traffic. When beaming the direction of the net the antenna was pointing to Middle East. Usually the net was exchanging the names, positions and directions of ships on the way to Lebanese harbours like Beirut, Sidon, or Tripoli. The expression “Lebanese Navy” often could be heard. Some operators had an accent like Italians or Germans have, the accent of the others was somehow like people of the Middle East have it. Also we were so lucky to “collect” a big number of call signs e.g. A‑515, C‑1, E‑4, E‑6, E‑8, E‑17, MIO, MIO‑3, M‑1093, N‑1, and S‑1. On July 31 a male voice with “German” accent clearly was calling “Charlie-One, Charlie-One, this is Alfa-515, Alfa-515 – Radio Check – over”. But the station Charlie-One did not respond to the call of Alfa-515. Was Alfa-515 a German ship?
Regarding the traffic Wolf and I concluded that he operators belonged to the Task Force of United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL). This Task Force, together with the Lebanese Navy, is controlling the access to the Lebanese harbours to stop smuggling of arms and weapons. The members come from various nations e.g. Germany, France, Turkey. On August 11 I sent an email and a fax to the Press and Information Center of the German Forces “Bundeswehr” at Schwielowsee near Berlin. Also I sent a Report of Intrusion to the German Telecommunications Authorities “Bundesnetzagentur” in Konstanz.
The German Luxury Ship “Wappen von Hamburg” with a Mayday “Man Over Board”.
On August 8 there was very heavy traffic on 14055 kHz: The German luxury ship Wappen von Hamburg, located off the southern coast of Lebanon, had a Mayday Call “Man Over Board” and had asked the UNIFIL Task Forces for help. I clearly could hear the call of the operator “This is Wappen von Hamburg with a Man Over Board”. Earlier a ship of the UNIFIL forces had reported drifting an “Unknown Object” in the water. I informed the German authorities about the case and asked them to take the bearings.
I have never learned what has happened with the “Man Over Board”. Or was it a tipsy lady who had fallen over board?
A frequency error is totally impossible.
Also during the next days there was heavy UNIFIL traffic on 14055 kHz. Therefore I alerted the President of “Radio Amateurs of Lebanon” (RAL) OM Hani Raad OD5TE and the Coordinator of RAL Bandwatch OM Rizkallah (“Riri”) Azraq OD5RI to intervene with the Lebanese Authorities. Hani and Riri could hear the Lebanese Navy Headquarter’s station Charlie-One, located in the harbour of Beirut, with an S 9 + 60 dB signal. Hani immediately rang up the HQ and complained about the interference. However the answer was short and precise: “A frequency error is totally impossible!”
By longer “studies” of the pictures on the Homepage of German Navy I also found the “calls” “M‑1093” and “A‑515” in big letters on the hull of two vessels of German Navy: The calls belonged to the vessels “Auerbach” (M1093) and “Main” (A515). Both vessels belong to the German contingent of UNIFIL.
On August 14th I received the reply of the Coordinator of the Press and Information Center of the German Forces:
“Dear Mr Bihlmayer, meanwhile we have found out that the facts which you have described are possibly correct. However we are not the competent. But we have informed the (international) relevant authorities and hope that the traffic soon will cease. Again thank you for your friendly mail telling us a probably faulty usage of frequencies.
Kind regards, HJ Dresbach, Einsatzkommande der Bundeswehr, Henning- von-Tresckow-Kaserne, Werderscher Damm 21 – 29, 14548 Schwielowsee OT Geltow.”
You can never trust… French Frigate ACONIT and French Vessel GÖKSU calling on 14055 kHz.
Wolf and I kept on listening on 14055 kHz. And, believe it or not, again and again we could hear UNIFIL or Lebanese Navy traffic. On September 4th and 10th we could hear the French frigate “Aconit”, and on September 13th the Turkish vessel “Göksu”. Last report for “activity” on 14055 kHz in SSB-USB was September 15th, when MIO and Charlie-One had a radio contact.
On September 16th I received an email from Hani OD5TE. It read:
“Dear Uli, The Lebanese TRA (Telecom Regulatory Authority) have contacted the Navy Headquarters on the 16th of September. On the 18th of September the Navy HQ confirmed that they stopped using this frequency as of the 18th of September 2008 at 12:00 hrs. Please keep us updated if any traffic is appearing on the frequency. Best 73 de Hani, OD5TE”.
Be prepared!
Wolf Hadel DK2OM and I want to thank all persons who have helped the IARU MONITORING SYSTEM Intruder Watch in this case:
RAL President Hani Raad OD5TE, RAL Intruder Watch Coordinator Rizkallah Azraq OD5RI, Lt. Colonel Dresbach and Fregattenkapitän Vogler-Wander from the Center of the German Forces in Schwielowsee. Thank you for your activities and help!
Ulrich Bihlmayer, DJ9KR
July 14th 2008
Harmful Interference by Meteo Beacon of French Ultra Light Planes on Swiss 2‑m-Repeater quickly stopped.
On July 14th 2008 the Swiss radio amateur HB9DTX, OP Yves Oesch, reported harmful interference to the Swiss (USKA) Intruder Watch.
Swiss amateurs soon found out, that a group of French pilots of Ultra Light Planes had installed a meteorological beacon on the exclusive amateur radio frequency 145,000 MHz: Every 15 minutes there was a bulletin with meteorological data concerning the region of Agy Plane. Agy Plane is situated 20 km south of the Swiss city Geneva on French territory in Haute Savoy Department. These transmissions were causing harmful interference to the Swiss repeater HB9MM (location “Les Pléiades” near Vevey) whose input frequency is 145,000 MHz.
A direct letter to the Secretary of the Ultra Light Club “Agy Plane”, to OFCOM and to the Swiss coordinator of USKA Intruder Watch HB9CET by HB9TOB, OM Olivier Maillard soon led to a free frequency 145,000 MHz.
“We have fixed the problem of the beacon and have returned to the correct frequency. With all our excuses for the trouble
yours,
written by Uli Bihlmayer, DJ9KR
December — November 2005
A quick Success of DARC Bandwatch:
A Communications net of Pakistani UN Peacekeeping Forces in Liberia has left 21415 kHz after a Complaint by FAX and Email.
If you carefully monitor the exclusive 15 m- Amateur Radio Band (21000 – 21450 kHz) you will often meet non-amateur radio stations in this section: Since quite some time there is a net of the Foreign Ministry of Sudan in PACTOR‑1 and SSB on 21000 kHz. The crews of fish trawlers from Argentina are chatting on 21102 and 21111 in SSB. You will also regularly meet fishermen from Morocco on 21222 and their Spanish colleagues on 21230 and 21420 daily. But you just have to listen! *)
During the second half of November and the first half of December 2005 several times I found traffic in a language unknown to me on 21415,2 kHz in SSB-LSB. Sometimes there were three persons chatting and exchanging phone patches. Sometimes figures were spelled in English language, e. g. when a telephone number was indicated.
Where did the voices come, and which language was it? By rotating my 3‑element beam antenna I quickly realized that the louder station was in the south of my QTH. The much weaker station seemed to be in my east. For some days I had been listening to their traffic without interfering them. On December 5 the conditions were very good. The station from the South was S9 with me. So I decided to call the operator in English language asking him for his call sign and location. The operator came back in English, too, and told me that his call sign was “One-Five”, and that he was in contact with London and Lahore. Also he pointed out that this frequency was his. He added that his name was Mr Hafoor, and that he was a member of the Pakistani UN Contingent of the Peacekeeping Forces in Monrovia, Liberia. When I asked him to leave the frequency immediately, bcos this was an exclusive amateur radio frequency, he kept on calling “One-Five-over” and “Zero-Nine-over” for more than fifteen minutes.
Thanks to Internet and GOOGLE search engine I quickly loaded the homepage of the Pakistani UN Forces in Liberia. There I found the telephone number and the fax-address of the UNMIL Headquarters in New York. The head of the Contingent was a Major General Muhammad Tahir. Even his picture was on the Homepage! To him I sent a distinct but friendly complaint asking the General to contact his Signal Officers to leave the frequency 21415 kHz because it was allocated to the Amateur Radio Service exclusively. Also I added a list of all Amateur Radio Frequency bands.
Two days later I got two replies from the Pakistani UNMIL. They read:
From: “UNMIL SEC2 COMD” unmilsec2comd@un.org 07/12/2005 19:45:35
“Dear Sir,
For your information please. I would just like to add that radio set IC 751 A is the voice link with Base in Pakistan and was recently being reconfigured due to certain technical problems. The staff would, however, ensure that no overlap with frequency band (21.000 – 21.450 MHz) occurs in the future.
M. Farrukh Rashid / Brig Gen Comd Sec 2 PAKCON
Extn 7516, Cell 06 – 471922”.
From : UNMIL SECTOR 2SEC COMM OFFICER 12/08/2005 12:16 AM
To: bandwacht@darc.de
Cc: Muhammad Tahir@UNLB, UNMIL SEC2 Subject: UNMIL Website Query
“Dear Sir,
- The matter has been investigated at our and the HF frequency 21.415 MHZ is not being used by an HF radio net of Pakistani Contingent in Liberia. However, there could be an unintentional ingress into the frequency band (21.000 – 21.450 MHZ) while undertaking test operation of radio set IC 751 A which were conducted approximately during the same time period. We would also like to acknowledge that dedication of the frequency band was not to our knowledge. Necessary steps have been initiated to avoid recurrence in future.
- Any unintentional inconvenience caused is sincerely regretted.
BEST REGARDS
MAJOR KHALID HASAN BUTT SEC COMM OFFICER TUBMANBURG (LIBERIA) CELL#231 – 4‑72008″.
Then I wrote a letter of thanks to UNMIL. Also I wished the Generals Muhammad Tahir, Farrukh Rashid and Major Hasan Butt good luck for their peacekeeping activities in Liberia and a happy new year 2006.
BTW: The net on 21415 kHz was not heard since. Another success of German Bandwatch!
Are you a contributor to your national Intruder Watch?
Ulrich Bihlmayer, DJ9KR — Co-ordinator of DARC MONITORING SYSTEM — Intruder Watch and PTT Liaison Officer — Vice Co-ordinator of IARU MONITORING SYSTEM Region 1.
Fighting the Chinese Government “Firedragon”- Music Jammer AND “Sound of Hope” Broadcasting (SOH), Taiwan (SOH’s transmissions are the trigger of the jamming).
Mr Yue Chen from Sound of Hope Broadcasting shows a stubborn attitude!
The first QSL card of the Net Control Station DL0IW of DARC Monitoring, it was designed some 30 years ago, shows St. George on horseback fighting the dragon. In Christian mythology the dragon is the sign of the evil. Do you remember Siegfried, the Teutonic hero also fighting the dragon?
In these days another dragon, a Chinese language music jammer dubbed “Firedragon”, has been terrorizing the Radio Amateurs of the whole world. Earlier in December 2005 the Chinese National Radio Station “CNR” was heard with daily transmissions in the 17-m-Band. The purpose also was to jam the airwaves. But which BC-station was the target? Please read the report below!
Chinese Jammers not only on Amateur Radio Frequencies: A Chronology
December 2005 – July 2006: „Chinese National Radio CNR“ is jamming the 17-m-Band
Since the beginning of December 2005, there is a Broadcast Station on 18080 and / or 18160 kHz. It
is transmitting a program in Chinese language also with Chinese music from 0600 to 1600 UTC. Members of the German DARC MONITORING SYSTEM Intruder Watch (Bandwatch) listen on the possible fundamental frequency. However there is no Chinese language program neither on 9040 nor 9080 kHz.
Also parallel transmissions with the same program in Chinese language found on 7155, 17525, 17550, 17580, 17605, 17615, 17650, 17715 und 17880 kHz do not seem to be the cause of an intermodulation product. The broadcast station is the „Chinese National Radio Domestic Service (CNR)” and is in fact transmitting in the 17-m-band. Ulrich Bihlmayer DJ9KR informs the German telecom authorities „Bundesnetzagentur“, the Office of Telecommunications (OFTA) in Hong Kong, as well as IARU Region 3 Coordinator Manohar Lingaraj VU2UR and the People’s Republic of China Embassy in Berlin to the situation. The 17-m-band is a worldwide exclusive Amateur Radio allocation and no BC band!
July 1st and 2nd 2006:
The situations worsens: „Chinese National Radio CNR“ transmits also in the 20-m-Band
On 1 and 2 July 2006 the program of CNR can be heard on various frequencies in the 20-m-band of the radio Amateurs, on14230, 14305, 14310, und 14350 kHz. After 2 July the transmissions cease.
August 5th 2006:
A Firedragon music jammer occupies 14260 kHz and stays there for 12 days
On 5 August a mysterious Chinese music program shows up on 14260 kHz. It is a so called
„Firedragon jammer“.
A Firedragon jammer transmits music, usually quite overmodulated, to jam another “hostile” BC station on the same frequency. Everybody knows that the Government of PR of China does not like the Republic of China on Taiwan Island. Their transmitter is the clandestine station “Sound of Hope” (SOH). So it is supposed that the Firedragon jams SOH. SOH is barely audible during the listening breaks of the Firedragon on 14260 kHz.
Already during the first days of the Firejammer on 14260 kHz I inform the German telecom “Bundesnetzagentur” (BnetzA).
BnetzA, together with other shortwave tracking stations abroad, pinpoint the Firedragon on the island of Hainan. Hainan Island is located in the Gulf of Tonkin and is a part of the PR of China.
There is a loud outcry in Germany. Many German radio amateurs report the Firedrake jammer to the Monitoring System.of Deutscher Amateur-Radio-Club (German Amateur Radio Club).
A “Music Marathon”: Does the Firedrake apply for the Guinness Book of Records?
The program of the Firedrake is always the same during 55 minutes: It is overmodulated Chinese music with flutes, drums, rattles and gongs. At the top of the hour the music would drop out for five minutes apparently for a monitor check if the station to jam is still there, then the same tape starts five minutes later for the next “round” of 55 minutes. There is no spoken word, and there is no ID of the station. Of course the Firedragon jammer is heard everywhere in the world. Experienced DX-ers and BCLs send valuable reports to the Monitoring System Intruder Watch in Germany and the USA:
August 5th to 7th 2006: International Echo on the Firedragon Jammer
- Guess the Chinese are back at it again. Some signal on 14260. Monitoring Report of K1IED, Larry, K1ED, Connecticut, USA.
-A big signal here on 14260 from 1430 UTC. No announcements, just Chinese music. John Sgrulletta, Mahopac, NY, USA.
-Hello All, in Nairobi I could only hear a very weak signal on 14260. Will go on trying. Ted, 5Z4NU, Nairobi, Kenia.
-I say again: BY would stop jamming if BV stopped SoH broadcasting. Brett, VR2BG, Hong Kong.
-These broadcasts, however, are Domestic Service relays with China National Radio (CNR) programme 1 and 2 (= CNR‑1, CNR‑2 etc). Victor, 4S7VK, Sri Lanka.
-BC station on 14260 sends Chinese mx coming very strong here from the North S 9 + 20 dB. KP4SQ, Puerto Rico.
The Chinese music jam returned to 14260 kHz on August 6 at 24 hours operation. S. Aoki, Japan via NDXC-HQ Controller S. Hasegawa.
August 14th 2006: There are two programs at the same time on ONE frequency!
Today both 17330 and 14260 had clearly audible signals during the 1300 to 1305 monitoring break of the jammers. The programs were different, female talk on 17330 and male talk on 14260. 17330 as usual was a little low in frequency, while 14260 was precise. The jammers seemed to be manually switched as they returned on both frequencies, but not until some seconds after 1305 UTC.
(Olle Alm, Schweden, wwdxc BC-DX, August 14th 2006).
August 14th, 2006: Answer of Clandestine — BC „Sound of Hope”, Taipei, TWN.
SOH Contact contact@soundofhope.Re.: Harmful Interference on Amateur Radio frequencies by Sound of Hope.
“Dear Mr. Bihlmayer,
Thank you for your letter. We will look into the matter as soon as possible and get back to you with the finding. Re.: Harmful Interference on Amateur Radio frequencies by Sound of Hope
Best,
Yue Chen
Listener Service Department”.
August 17th 2006 – The Firedragon changes from 14260 kHz to 14050 kHz.
The Firedragon-Jammer often changes frequency from 14260 kHz to 14050 kHz. It is also audible at various times parallel on 7130, 10130, 11520, 11590, 11605, 13830, 17330, 17550, 17560, 18080,
18160, and 21660. Most possibly on all these frequencies are BC stations like the BBC, Voice of America, Deutsche Welle, Sound of Hope (TWN), etc.
„I was listening on 14050 // 17330 kHz from 1155 UTC to 1230 UTC after I received mail from Uli, DJ9KR. The RS on 14050 was 5 9 + 40 dB // 17330 kHz RS 5 9 + 30 dB on my IC-765 + 6 element. +++ 1155 UTC – 1230 UTC, August 17 transmitting station, same BC program both 14050 // 17330 kHz. Looks like the jammer moved frequency from 14260 kHz down to 14050 kHz.”
(Paul, BV4FH, Hong Kong, August 17th 2006).
„14050 – yesterday, August 18. The Chinese music came again at 1630 UTC, now SIO 454.”
(Erik Koie-Denmark, dxld, August 19th 2006).
This offender is active day and night all day, every day and causing very harmful interference to the Amateur Radio Service,“ Bihlmayer informed ARRL Monitoring System / Intruder Watch Liaison Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG, and IARU Region 2 Monitoring System Coordinator Bill Zellers, WA4FKI, on August 15th. In an August 17th update, however, Bihlmayer said the mx jammer now has moved to 14050. .
According to Bihlmayer, German telecom authority Bundesnetzagentur pinpointed the tx’ location as Hainan Island in the Gulf of Tonkin. Hainan Island also was the apparent source of an over-the- horizon radar signal heard on 75 meters in Region 3, Bihlmayer said.”
(Chuck Skolaut K0BOG, via John Norfolk-USA, dxld 18 August 2006).
“Just a quick not to let you know I can hear the Chinese Music Jammer on 14050 kHz here in Montreal, Canada, at 1345 UTC with an excellent signal. I’ m amazed at how strong they come in here. Quick note to let you know the Chinese mx Jammer signed off at 1400 UTC.”
(Gilles Letourneau-Canada, dxld 18 August).
August 20th 2006: 10…, 14…, and 18… MHz Amateur Bands are jammed.
Since August 20th the Firedragon has been jamming without interruption either on 18160 kHz, 14050 kHz, 14260 kHz, or 10135 kHz. This means it violates 3 different Amateur Radio bands.
The Firedragon jammer jams more than 25 Frequencies beside the ham bands!
However the Firedragon does not only jam ham frequencies: There must be a monitoring office somewhere in the PR of China “scanning” the short wave spectrum day and night for “hostile” programmes to be jammed.
On August 22, 2006 Ulrich Bihlmayer DJ9KR, the Vice Coordinator of IARU MONITORING SYSTEM Intruder Watch and Coordinator of (German) DARC Monitoring System Intruder Watch has heard the same Chinese music program — that with the flutes, drums, rattles and gongs – parallel to 14050 kHz or 14260 kHz. Between 1020 UTC and 2020 UTC the Firedragon was jamming the frequencies 7185, 9355, 9455, 9530, 9680, 9780, 9905, 9930, 10135, 11520, 11550, 1100, 11765, 11785, 11925, 13625, 13715, 13725, 13830, 15510, 17330, 17555, 17560, 17685, 21660.
August 22nd 2006:
Reply from the Office of the Telecommunications, Hong Kong, (CHN) to Ulrich Bihlmayer:
Y L Fong ylfong@ofta.gov.hk
Dear Mr. Bihlmayer,
Thank you for your emails dated 12 August and 19 August in which you indicated that the source of radio interference is located at Hainan Island.
I would like to inform you that Hainan Island is a province located in the Mainland China, which is beyond our jurisdiction. The Radio Regulatory Department, Ministry of Information Industry (MII) of the People’s Republic of China is the administration responsible for investigating and clearing radio interference in Mainland China. In response to your request, we have forwarded your letters to them on 22 August 2006 for their follow up actions.
Should you wish to check on the progress of their follow up actions, you may write direct to:
Radio Regulatory Department, Ministry of Information Industry, 80 Beilishi Road,
Beijing 100037
People‘s Republic of China
Best regards,
Y L Fong, Support Services Subsection, Office of the Telecommunications, Hong Kong”
September 5th 2006
Mr Yue Chen from the Listeners Department of Sound of Hope, Taiwan, reveals the reasons for the invasion of Sound of Hope into Amateur Radio Frequencies – and those of the Jamming by Stations of the Government of Peoples’ Republic of China.
A stubborn attitude, Mr. Chen!
From: Sound of Hope, Listener’s Department, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
September 5th 2006
To All Amateur Radio Community Members
Cc: International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Geneva, Switzerland
Dear Mr Bihlmayer,
Recently, the Sound of Hope Radio Network (SOH) has received inquiries about SOH programs which have triggered the People Republic of China’s strong invasion into the amateur radio frequencies, which causes great distress in the communities. We have investigated the issue and hereby give our finding and positioning on this issue:
SOH is a non-profit Chinese radio network dedicated to bring most updated, truthful and independent news to people of mainland China. The media censorship in China has caused great suffering and social injustice to Chinese people, especially those who are disadvantaged, deprived and persecuted. Our program was greatly received by Chinese listeners and we have received many appreciations four our helping people speak out, get heard and get informed.
SOH Radio Network mainly uses short wave broadcast to reach to listeners in mainland China. However there are many supporters of SOH or people caring about China who try to send SOH radio programs into China through various ways, including amateur radio frequencies, because they found our program is a great tool in revealing the truth. What you asked about is such a case.
SOH has consistently provided coverage on various human right issues in Chine, e.g. the loss of land to corrupted officials, the persecution of Christians and the most outstanding current issue – the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. The persecution of Falun Gong is a 7‑year long government driven campaign that has ruined the lives of tens of millions of people in China. Innocent people were kicked out of schools or work units, thrown into labour camps and mental hospitals, and even tortured to death.
SOH’s coverage helps expose one of the darkest areas of the Chinese Communist Regime and deters the persecution and killings that is happening in China. Many Chinese people have learned the truth via SOH broadcast. The current jamming of SOH short wave broadcast, as well as the severe jamming of amateur radio frequencies, completely come from the Communist Party’s fear for truth being revealed. They are using a nation’s resource to seal off any possibility of truth delivery, and as they do that, the least they care about is the rights of amateur radio community. Through our investigation, we learned that the transmissions of SOH programs through amateur radio frequencies comes from areas around China and they each only target a local area of China with very low power, only for the intended recipients and would interfere with nobody else. Meanwhile, their purpose is always clear: Help spread uncensored information to Chinese people so that more people’s lives could be saved.
We hereby encourage international amateur radio community to read about the related news coverage so tht you are well informed about what is exactly happening inside China. We believe that the international societies including the amateur radio community members should openly urge Chinese Government to stop this outrageous act of radio jamming and reports to International Telecommunication Union about such act and urge them to take measures, too. (…) We need to address the root cause of the issue, by condemning Chinese Government and demanding it to stop such outrageous jamming. — continued next page!
We thank you for providing your feedback to SOH. We ask the community which is made up of freedom-loving people, to care about the situation in China and come up with ways to make sure free information to go unstopped in China, and we welcome ideas and thoughts from you.
Yue Chen, Listener’s Service Department, Sound of Hope Network, Taipei, Republic of China.” contact@soundofhope.org
The Jammer would stop if Sound of Hope stopped broadcasting on Amateur Radio Bands! Why are SOH making excuses for something that should not have happened? Please react! Send your email with your complaint to Mr. Yue Chen of “Sound Of Hope”, Taiwan: contact@soundofhope.org
URLs to Hit:
Homepage of ARRL, USA: www.arrl.org/news/stories/2006/08/17/2/?nc=1
www.arrl.org/news/stories/2006/09/07/101/?nc=1
Homepage of Worldwide DX Club: www.wwdxc.de/topnews.htm
Homepage of DARC-MS Intruder Watch www.iarums-r1.org
Latest Developments in September 2006:
September 2nd + 3rd 2006: SOH and jammer found on 14400 kHz (no ham band!) September 4th – 7th 2006: SOH and jammer found on 14050 kHz again. September 7 – 12, 2006: SOH and jammer found on 14600 kHz (no ham band).
Author of this article: Ulrich Bihlmayer, DJ9KR, Coordinator of DARC – MS Germany and Vice Coordinator of IARU MONITORING SYSTEM Intruder Watch for Region 1.
written by Uli Bihlmayer (DJ9KR)
Short Performance of “Voice of Turkey” on 21140 kHz.
The good contacts of the German DARC-MONITORING SYSTEM Intruder Watch with the German telecoms. authorities “Bundesnetzagentur” (BnetzA) and Chief Engineers and Technicians of the HFBC Frequency Management of Turkish Radio-Television Corporation had quick results in removing the “Voice of Turkey” off 21140 kHz. Here is the full story:
On October 23rd 2006 and the following days Wolf Hadel DK2OM and I found a BC station on 21140 kHz in the 15-m-band. The program lasted only one hour from 09.30 to 10.30 UTC. The signal strength maximum was S8 with a 3‑element beam antenna “Fritzel FB-33”, and the signal was coming from south-east direction. The program language was Romanian. Sometimes Wolf and I could hear a second BC program “under” the Romanian voice. Which BC station was it, and how did the signal on 21140 kHz build up? Was the BC station transmitting on groundwave, or was it a harmonic or spurious radiation? As there were two different programs audible at the same time the signal possibly was an intermodulation product.
First I listened on 10570, “half” of the frequency of the intruding BC. No signal heard! A 3rd harmonic was impossible, because you can’t divide 21140 kHz by “3”. So I went looking for the same program lower or higher in frequency around 21140 kHz. And on 9560 kHz I found the fundamental with a signal of S 9 + 20 dB! At full hour I waited patiently for the station announcement: At 10.00 UTC the announcer came with the ID in 10 languages, included English: “This is the Voice of Turkey” (VOT).
Later Google search engine was a big help to me: Soon I found the transmitting schedule of VOT when hitting www.trt.net.tr/voiceofturkey/high.htm. I looked for transmissions which were at the same time from the same transmitter site as 9560 kHz, which was indicated as Cakirlar. There were only two frequencies active: 11955 kHz (08.00 – 17.00) and 15350 kHz (08.00 – 15.00).
The result matched for the frequency 15350 kHz:
15350 kHz x 2 minus 9560 kHz = 21140 kHz.
On October 25th I informed the German telecoms. “BNetzA” and “Voice of Turkey”. BNetzA Konstanz is the official “input bureau” of German Bandwatch, and cooperation is excellent. Also, with the HFBC Management Bureau of Turkish Radio-Television, there is a good partnership because earlier we had solved problems with their tx-er. So I sent my complaint to Mr Sedef Somaltin and Mr Kiymet Erdal by fax and email. Already the next day I received their answer by email:
“ October 26th 2006 Dear Mr Bihlmayer,
I contacted with the responsible people in TX in Emirler. The two transmissions, namely 15350 kHz (Turkish between 07 – 14 UTC) and 9560 kHz Romanian between 0930 and 1030 UTC) are transmitted from Emirler Site.
They could not locate the problem yet, however from today 26 October on they will change the transmitters of both of these programs. Could you please monitor and inform us it the problem is solved or not? Thank you for your cooperation
in advance. Sincerely,
Sedef Somaltin, Chief Engineer HFBC Frequency Management Turkish Radio-Television Corporation – TRT “
Already on October 27th the interference on 21140 kHz had ceased, and I thanked my “partners” at Voice of Turkey for the quick action.
In his last letter Mr Erdal wrote me:
“ October 30th 2006 Dear Mr Bihlmayer,
Thank you for your monitoring reports. We have contacted the colleagues from the transmitters, they have checked and made some adjustments on the TX with the transmissions on 15350 kHz. They have informed us now that the output of the TX is o.k. Could you please monitor again and inform us about the results?
Thank you very much in advance. Best regards,
Kiymet ERDAL
HFBC Frequency Management International Technical Relations Turkish Radio-Television Corporation – TRT http://www.trt.net.tr/wwwtrt/frekanstsr.aspx ”
Very often I am asked: Can you show positive “results” of IARU MONITORING SYSTEM Intruder Watch of Region 1? Of course I can: Here is one!
But…
- There must be someone to monitor the frequencies regularly with patience
- There must be someone who understands foreign languages
- There must be someone who knows the “right people” at the “right place”
- There must be someone to write a “Report of Infringement” and send it off
When do you join your national Intruder Watch?
Reported November 7th 2006 by Ulrich Bihlmayer DJ9KR / DL0IW, Coordinator of DARC MONITORING SYSTEM Intruder Watch (“Bandwatch”)
and Vice Coordinator of IARU Region 1 MONITORING SYSTEM Intruder Watch.
written by Uli Bihlmayer (DJ9KR) , published by Wolf Hadel (DK2OM).