[Spooks] Sam Signal Strength

[Zack Widup]

On Sun, 13 Feb 2005, Mark Taylor wrote:

> 
> Here's my observations about Sam in the past 24
hours:
> 
> Frequency        3700          4300           6500
        10500
> Time
> 2/12/05  0230     S4            S2             S5 
          None
>          0842     S4            None          
None          None
>          1535     None          None          
None           S4
>          2300     None          None           S1
(Under      S3
>                                                 
hams)
> 2/13/05  0240     S5             S2           
None          None
>          1310     S3             S3           
None          None
>          1430     None          None           S5 
           S3
> 

Very interesting.  I haven't kept detailed records
but generally Sam is about S3 to S5 during the day on
6500 and S7 to S9 on 10500.  Then about 1 to 2 hours
after sunset all frequencies are around S5.  Then
10500 disappears and 37-- and 4300 get stronger and
remain so over night.  Around sunrise the higher
frequencies become audible again and then the lower
two frequencies drop out.

I'm using a TS-850SAT transceiver and two antennas -
a 30 meter dipole and 
a full-wave 40 meter vertical loop, both with main
lobes east-west.

> 
> As to the speculation about Sam's purpose: I don't
broadcast, so I didn't
> realize that DSB transmitters are rare.
> 
> I am however old enough to have a young adult son
who has truly impressive
> knowledge of an arcane subject (unfortunately not
radio) and a good sense of
> humor.  Looking at Mike and his friends, I still
wonder about someone(s)
> with really good radio knowledge (somewhat arcane)
and a good sense of
> humor.  A stellar prank would be to do a broadcast
that: 1) Jumps
> frequencies (to use computer control knowledge) 2)
uses an artificial wave
> form that looks like a data burst (to throw folks
off), 3) DSB (because it
> is unusual), 4) loop a cartoon character (because
it's funny), 5) runs
> automatically from a remote location (to not get
caught), and 6) appeals to
> a small but enthusiastic group of people (so you
get noticed and stay
 anonymous at the same time). WWB frequencies might
have been taking it too
> far (that's interfering and might get the person
caught by the FCC), so he /
> she / they went back to other frequencies.
> 
> Doing something funny that is basically harmless,
anonymous and noticeable
> while being very clever are the hallmarks of a
prank in my book.  A
> successful prank also means you don't get caught. 
Sam's timing has also
> appeared when college students may not have a lot
to do.  On my scale of
> pranks it would rank a "10" on a 1 - 10 scale - if
a prank.  I also doubt "a
> drunk ham", but still wonder about a smart and
underemployed person(s) with
> impressive radio and computer knowledge.  Could be
some government plot, but
> I'm still not convinced.  Of course, all
speculation on my part.
> 
> Mark T.
> 

That's pretty good speculation.  The only thing is
that the FCC MIGHT decide to come down on you if you
keep at it enough.  That's a pretty big risk. Other
pirate stations limit their transmissions to fairly
short lengths and some move arund so as not to be
located. Sam has ben going non-stop for several days
now.

I agree it's pretty harmless.  Whoever is doing it
picked a frequency in the 75 meter band that is
relatively empty most of the time. The other 
frequencies are pertty much unoccupied. Last night I
did hear E10 on 6498 close by.  I don't know who the
two people chattering in Spanish on 10500 
were who heard Sam one evening.  They may have been
"freebanders" too. They did seem to be laughing about
it.

Zack



	
		
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