[Heathkit] 28.635

[W5HTW at att.net]

Here in central NM the signal is about an S4/S5.  Just tuned in at 0425Z 4 Jan 2005. 

Note:  The two tones alternate.    The period is not consistent.  (See below)  The tones are not "clean" here but have a slight roughness, actually a 'warble.'   For a CW tone report I'd give it a T8.  On the vertical it drops to S2.  On 80 meter dipole it climbs is steady at S7 for the most part, but I see some rhythmic dips to S6, that appear to be in a regular pattern 

Here are some monitoring times, local MST:

9:28:50 - shifts to low
9:29:54 - to high
9:30:37 - to low
9:31:37 - to high
9:32:20 - to low
9:33:21 - to high
9:34:05 - to low
  35:00 - to high
  35:50 - to low
  36:53 - high
  37:36 - low
  38:37 - high
  39:20 - low
  40:21 - high


Enough for a sample.  Period varies but is often exactly one minute.  Other times it is 55 seconds or 50 seconds.   

Location:  McIntosh, NM 8 miles north of Estancia, NM, east of the mountains, 50 miles from Albuquerque.  

Switched to listening in AM mode.  Though the carrier zero beat in CW is at 28.635, different modes give different "apparent" center frequencies.  For example, on AM, it appears to be centered at 28.638.  When I switched to FM, and tightened the squelch, it broke squelche at 28.643!  And fell off each side of that.  

Definitely a rough modulation, reminds me of a ranging system of some sort.  Good S9 on 80 meter dipole (which works on 10 meters, too, of course) on AM.  On AM, center freq "appears" to be 28.638.  On FM, center freq appears to be 28.644. That is the freq that gives best capture ratio, and works whether tone is high or low.  

Propagation conditions with QSB tell me it is not local in my house, such as a TV, VCR, computer or other gadget.  No other radio signals on ten meters anywhere I could hear, including the beacons.  Consequently this signal would appear to be coming from "above!"  Or being retransmitted in many points around the country.  Any chance it is a spur from a navigational satellite?  

Whoops, just heard a one-second break in the modulation scheme, switched to a momentary pure carrier, but so quicly I did not get a chance to examine it.  

Will monitor for a while and try to note other weird occurances.  Right now I'm hearing the low data tones, and a high steady carrier that may, if the data wasn't there, would be pure.  And now, as it switched to high tone, I am also hearing a high carrier tone that may be pure.  

Now, at just before 0500Z, it is steady in strength, no QSB, and is S9.  Even. 

Ed





--
Ed Brooks, W5HTW
http://w5htw.home.att.net/index.html
Active since June 1956 Extra since
Jan 1970