[GreenKeys] Strange RTTY Signal on 29.684

[John Vendely]

The FSK signal I mentioned in my earlier reply to Geoff's posting is still 
present, 24/7, from the direction of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. 
Apparently a ground wave system, the signal is quite strong in that 
vicinity, and fairly weak 35 or so miles down the coast at my QTH.  The 
exact frequency is 29.824536 Mc, with 100 shift, 82 baud.  The signal is not 
completely random, but shows a 78 bit autocorrelation.  Of course, it's not 
baudot RTTY in the sense we normally think of, and therefore probably not of 
burning interest to most of us on this list.  But it's a specialized, 
narrow-shift, low baud rate FSK signalling system of some interest, 
especially given the paucity of true RTTY on the air these days.  I have no 
idea of its purpose, but further statistical analysis might shed some light 
on this.  It would be interesting to know if Geoff's "mystery" FSK signal 
shows the same characteristics, indicating the system might be in widespread 
use, perhaps by the military, or NASA.  Whatever the case, it's an 
interesting choice of frequency, which probably also has some relationship 
to its purpose...

73,

John K9WT


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Geoff Fors" <wb6nvh at mbay.net>
To: <greenkeys at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Friday, June 06, 2008 1:53 AM
Subject: [GreenKeys] Strange RTTY Signal on 29.684


> Out here in central California we are picking up a Baudot RTTY signal on
> 29.684 MHz which runs 24 hours a day, 7 days per week, continuously.  It
> appears to be encrypted.  It's coming in on ground wave as the signal is
> about the same strength, day or night.  I haven't taken a look at the 
> signal
> yet as far as speed, shift, etc..
>
> Anybody have a suggestion what this might be?  10 Meters is an exclusive
> authorization, not a shared band, so it shouldn't be anything commercial. 
> I
> am guessing it's some sort of military use, although how much Baudot gear
> would the military still be using these days?
>
> Geoff
> WB6NVH
>
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