Thursday, December 11, 2014

Teak Publishing Releases New Winter 2014-2015 Shortwave Guide - Available Now at Amazon

So why should you listen to shortwave radio? Quite simply shortwave radio is your window to the world.

The best source of global information continues to be shortwave radio. Throughout the world, shortwave remains the most readily available and affordable means of communication and information. It lets you listen to voices from around the world. You'll also learn about the lives and concerns of people from all walks of life, from soldiers, to farmers, to retired scholars. Shortwave radio provides nearly instantaneous coverage of news and events from around the world.

Shortwave listening, or SWLing, is the hobby of listening to shortwave radio broadcasts located on frequencies between 1700 kHz and 30 MHz, also known as HF or the High Frequencies bands.

If you live in the U.S., you can easily listen to shortwave broadcast stations from countries like North/South Korea, Iran, Australia, Cuba, China, New Zealand, Pakistan, India, Japan, England, Egypt, Tunisia, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United States and many other counties if you have a shortwave receiver, and you know when and where to listen!

That when and where to listen is covered comprehensively in the pages of a new edition of the International Shortwave Broadcast Guide.

The International Shortwave Broadcast Guide (Winter 2014-2015 edition), by Amazon bestselling author Gayle Van Horn, W4GVH, is that all important information resource you need to tap into the worldwide shortwave broadcast radio spectrum. It is a 24-hour station/frequency guide to “all” the known stations currently broadcasting on shortwave radio at time of publication. This unique shortwave resource is the “only” publication in the world that offers a by-hour schedule that includes all language services, frequencies and world target areas for each broadcast station. There are new chapters that cover basic shortwave radio listening and Who’s Who in the Shortwave Radio Spectrum. Also extensive work has been done to improve the readability of this edition on the various Kindle platforms.

The International Shortwave Broadcast Guide (Winter 2014-2015 edition) is now available for purchase worldwide from Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QU8LC6M. The price for this latest edition is still US$4.99. Since this book is being released internationally, Amazon customers in the United Kingdom, Germany, France Spain, Italy, Japan, India, Canada, Brazil, Mexico and Australia can order this electronic book (e-Book) from Amazon websites directly servicing these countries. All other countries can use the regular Amazon.com website.

This new e-publication edition is an expanded version of the English shortwave broadcast guide formerly printed in the pages of Monitoring Times magazine for over 20 years. This one of a kind e-book is now being published twice a year to correspond with station seasonal time and frequency changes.

If you enjoy listening or monitoring HF shortwave stations, and you miss the monthly English frequency listings formerly published in the late Monitoring Times magazine, and multilingual station listing in the old MTXpress electronic magazine, this valuable tool will now be your new guide to listening to the world.

Frequency updates between editions will be posted on her Shortwave Central blog at: http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/.

And, the good news is that you do not even need to own a Kindle reader to read Amazon e-book publications. You can read any Kindle book with Amazon’s free reading apps.

There are free Kindle reading apps for the Kindle Cloud Reader, Smartphones (iPhone, iTouch, Android, Windows Phone and Blackberry); computer platforms (Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8 and Mac); Tablets (iPad, Android and Windows 8), and, of course, all of the Kindle family of readers including the Kindle Fire series. A Kindle e-book allows you to buy your book once and read it anywhere. You can find additional details on these apps by checking out this link to the Amazon website at www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771.

For additional information on this and other Teak Publishing radio hobby books, monitor the company sponsored Internet blogs – The Military Monitoring Post (http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/), The Btown Monitor Post (http://monitor-post.blogspot.com/) and The Shortwave Central (http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/) for availability of additional e-books that are currently in production.

You can view the complete Teak Publishing book catalog online at http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/. Click on the Teak Publishing radio hobby e-book link at the top of the blog page. You can learn more about the author by going to her author page on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Gayle-Van-Horn/e/B0084MVQCM/.

The International Shortwave Broadcast Guide will have wide appeal to shortwave radio hobbyists, amateur radio operators, educators, foreign language students, news agencies, news buffs and many more interested in listening to a global view of news and events as they happen. 

If you are an amateur radio operator or shortwave radio enthusiasts, and want to hear what is happening outside the ham bands on that transceiver or portable shortwave radio in your shack, then this new e-book from Teak Publishing is a must in your radio reference library.

Here are a few of the public comments from radio hobbyists who purchased the first two editions of this Amazon e-book.
Five Stars By  Frank S. Excellent for the price. Glad I found this.
 
Shortwave Broadcast Guide by Kindle Customer. Since Monitoring Times is no longer in publication, this guide is required for the dedicated shortwave listener. There is information provided that I have found nowhere else. It will be a welcome addition to any listener's equipment. Gayle Van Horn has been publishing this research for many years and the followers are numerous, from beginners to professionals. The author's work is accurate, concise and thorough. If you have a shortwave radio, you need this publication as much as a set of earphones. There is none better.
Very Good Source for Shortwave Stations Broadcast Schedules by Kenneth Windyka. I've got to admit up front that I don't have a strong interest in this part of the hobby. HOWEVER, Gayle Van Horn makes it easy to determine what one can hear on the short wave bands during a particular time period (in GMT time sorted format). I also like the internet reference available, so that one can listen to programs via the internet even if its' not possible via the shortwave radio.

NJ Shortwave listener hears International Frequencies with new guide help by Stanley E Rozewski, Jr. This e-book is complete and accurate in presenting a low cost SW frequency guide and important must read topics for the new or experienced user. I liked the easy reading format, and understandable frequency guide. I will order the second edition next year.
This is my go-to-first reference by Mary C Larson. When I turn on the shortwave receiver and want to find out what's on and where to look, Van Horn's handy frequency guide is a smart place to begin. The format is not unlike the one Monitoring Times (R.I.P.) used each month. Presumably, updated ISBGs will be published twice per year, but you can check for the updates on her blog, (mt-shortwave.blogspot.com).

Good value by DrP. This is an excellent well-written book that is very affordable when compared to encyclopedic guides, e.g., the WRTH. Much the same information is included. The first part is a nice introduction to SW listening pitched to the beginner. Included is an informative section on purchasing a radio spanning low-end <$100 models up through the most advanced transceivers. The bulk of the book contains a list of world-wide SW broadcasters, organized by frequency band. This makes it ideal for browsing one band at a time, but much less so if you want to search for broadcasts from a particular country.
I like this one by Charles. I have only had a brief chance to scan through this book. From what I have seen of it I will enjoy getting in to it.

Shortwave Is Not Quite Dead By James Tedford (Bothell, WA United States). It was barely breathing as of late, but there is still a lot you can hear on shortwave radio. You need more than a little dedication, and a better-than-adequate radio to hear what remains on the HF bands, but if you have those, you will be rewarded with a lot of interesting audio programming. This book is a good guide to what is currently available over the international airwaves.

Five Stars By  Kindle Customer
Came on time. Packaged right. Looks as shown. Works as advertised.

 

Monday, December 08, 2014

A Note to European DX’ers About K1N Navassa – in English, Deutsch, Russian, Spanish, French, Greek, Italian


Interesting article by Ralph Fedor K0IR and Glenn Johnson W0GJ, for European DX’ers in exclusive to DxCoffee.

http://www.dxcoffee.com/eng/2014/12/06/a-note-to-european-dxers-about-k1n-navassa-in-english-deutsch-spanish-french-greek-italian/

The end of January will be historic and I hope to make at least one contact (like I did for Amsterdam Island) and be among the lucky to add a new one to the totals.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Father-Son Team Claim ARRL Triple Play Award

It probably doesn't happen often, but a father-son pair of amateur radio operators were both awarded the ARRL Triple Play Award within a 24 hour period of each other.

The Triple Play WAS (Worked All States) Award is available to all amateurs worldwide who must use Logbook of the World (LoTW) to confirm QSOs (contacts) with each of the 50 states on voice, CW, and digital modes.

My son Loyd Van Horn (W4LVH) and me - Larry Van Horn (N5FPW) were awarded our ARRL Triple Play awards on Monday and Tuesday of this week within 24 hours of each other. I'm sure those that logged into the LOTW website on Tuesday did a double take to see the father-son team at the top and bottom of the Triple Play Awardee list.


Both father and son agree it was a lot of fun to work toward the Triple Play Award. I would like to personally thank each and every one of the hams listed below for helping me achieve this amateur radio milestone. Without their patience on-the-air and diligence to upload to LOTW, I would probably still be scratching around the bands for contacts. Bravo Zulu to one and all and thank you.
 
US StateCWPhoneDigital
Alabama (AL) W4SHLND4QKE4UNA
Alaska (AK) KL7RAKL7RAAL9A
Arizona (AZ) KB7QN6KZK6LL
Arkansas (AR) K5PXPWB0RURAE5PW
California (CA) AK7VW6UX/PAD6WL
Colorado (CO) K0RVW0EEANA0CW
Connecticut (CT) NN1NK2DW1AN
Delaware (DE) W3PPK2EWA3QHJ
Florida (FL) K4LMK4SNAI4FR
Georgia (GA) AA4CFW6IZTN4PHT
Hawaii (HI) KH6LCKH7XKH6MB
Idaho (ID) W1AW/7W7MEMN7UVH
Illinois (IL) N2BJN2BJN2BJ
Indiana (IN) AJ9CW9IMSK9WX
Iowa (IA) W0AKKC0CFAI1P
Kansas (KS) AB0SK0UASW0BH
Kentucky (KY) KY4KYK4FTK4UOL
Louisiana (LA) KZ5DW5EAWB5TEQ
Maine (ME) K1ESEK1DGW1SSF
Maryland (MD) N3QEN3COBW3LL
Massachusetts (MA) K1BGK5ZDN1BAA
Michigan (MI) NE8JN8OCW8JWN
Minnesota (MN) W0EFK0SIXK0IR
Mississippi (MS) K5GDXW1AW/5W8DM
Missouri (MO) W1AW/0N0AZZWB8EJN
Montana (MT) W1AW/7N9RVKE1HA
Nebraska (NE) W0KTN0AIEK0IDT
Nevada (NV) W1AW/7K7XCK7SFN
New Hampshire (NH) K1ROAE1PKA2KON
New Jersey (NJ) KE2DNJ2BBK2BB
New Mexico (NM) W5MPZW1AW/5K5AM
New York (NY) NW2KKA2LIMKC2QFR
North Carolina (NC) W4DXAW4NHWJ2D
North Dakota (ND) N7IVKD4POJNT0V
Ohio (OH) N8BCW8WBBN8MNI
Oklahoma (OK) K5CMAF5QKF5S
Oregon (OR) W7OTVKK7PRW7YES
Pennsylvania (PA) K3MJWK3YTLAA3B
Rhode Island (RI) W1OPK2CW1GSH
South Carolina (SC) W4LVHW4LVHK4TGK
South Dakota (SD) W0OJYKD0SK7RE
Tennessee (TN) N4NAK3JAEAC4M
Texas (TX) K5MXGK5TDAK5PBR
Utah (UT) NY6CK7ULSAC7JW
Vermont (VT) AB1NJW1NVTW1/E74OF
Virginia (VA) K4CQK4KDJW4KRN
Washington (WA) W6AEAKW7YW7MRC
West Virginia (WV) W8WVAW8WVAKU1T
Wisconsin (WI) W9AVK9MUK9OM
Wyoming (WY) KO7XKB7CSWKO7X

You can get more info on this award on the ARRL website at http://www.arrl.org/triple-play

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Antares AJ-26 main engine failed earlier this year during Stennis testing


I find it very interesting that the engine that exploded during last night's Antares launch has had a checkered past including an explosion on one of the engine test stands back in May of this year at the NASA Stennis facility in Mississippi.

According to the story written by Chris Bergin at NASA spaceflight.com on May 22, 2014, "One of the AJ-26 engines set to launch with a future Antares rocket has failed during testing at the Stennis Space Center on Thursday. Sources claim the engine “exploded” on a Stand located in the E Complex at the famous rocket facility. The failure is currently under evaluation, although it may delay the next Antares launch that is tasked with lofting the ORB-2 Cygnus to the International Space Station (ISS)."
What makes this story even more interesting is that the Antares launch vehicle’s main engine is the Aerojet produced AJ-26 – a rebuilt version of Soviet NK-33, originally intended for the massive N-1 launch vehicle.

The tanking for the Antares was contracted to the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau from the Ukraine. Yuzhnoye has extensive knowledge in producing kerosene rocket bodies as the producer of the Zenit launch vehicle.

You can read the complete story at http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/05/antares-aj-26-engine-fails-stennis-testing/

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Urgent: It's On -- KP1 Navassa Island in January

 
Watch the Project website at http://kp1-5.com/new/index.htm for more details.
 
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has notified the KP1-5 Project that they will be the team to activate Navassa Island (KP1) in January 2015.
 
The DXpedition will be a maximum of fourteen days. The exact dates in January will be determined by USFWS mission requirements and weather windows.
Our experienced team of fifteen is complete and is ready for the challenge. The weeks ahead will be extremely busy as the team has less than 90 days before the DXpedition comes on the air.
 
January is the month of minimum bird nesting activity and this is the primary reason USFWS is asking that the operation be completed during that month. However, the weather is unpredictable in January and because Navassa is surrounded by cliffs, this may preclude a safe landing by boat.  For safety reasons and in order to maximize our time on the Island and on the air, a helicopter operation is planned. Navassa is over 100 miles (160 km) from the nearest helicopter staging point and as many as ten round trips will be required at the beginning and end of the operation. Obviously, this means that there will be a significant cost for activating this #1 ranked DXCC entity.
 
In the next few weeks, we be working with USFWS and as details firm up, we will issue periodic press releases. Check our webpage, the KP1-5 Project for more details of the operation and how you may financially support this DXpedition.
 
The KP1-5 Project team has committed to fund 50% of the total costs. We are hopeful the DX community will fund the remainder.
 
- for The KP1-5 Project,
 
Bob Allphin, K4UEE, President
Glenn Johnson, WØGJ, Vice-president
Mike Thomas, NA5U, Secretary

Update: It is almost that time of year again - CQ WW DX Contest time!

It is almost time for the CQ WW SSB DX Contest which kicks off on Saturday, October 25 at 0000 UTC and runs until Sunday, October 26 at 2359 UTC.

I fully plan to be in the contest this year looking for new countries to add to my DXCC totals. Might even work a state or two I need to finish off the ARRL Triple Play award I have been working on.

I also plan to have a presence during the CQ WW CW DX contest that starts on
Saturday, November 29 at 0000 UTC and concludes on Sunday, November 30 at 2359 UTC. I hope to finish out the countries I need for an ARRL CW DXCC award.
 
These are two of my favorite contest and are a lot of fun to participate in at any level. Several years ago I won 1st place in my category, but since I am on a country hunt, I won't be submitting a contest log for these two amateur radio contest.
 
Complete details can be found on the CQ World-Wide Contest website at http://www.cqww.com/.

Late Breaking News from the ARRL Contest Newsletter:-

CQ Communications has reconsidered its initial policy on stations operating in Crimea for the CQ World Wide contest. Logs will be accepted and counted for the country indicated by the call sign of the station. This aligns CQ policy with DXCC policy. See the CQ website for complete details.
 
On a related topic, found this that was posted to the ARRL website on 17 Oct 2014:--

CQ Will Not Accept Logs from Stations in Crimea Using Russian-Issued Call Signs

CQ has announced that it will no longer accept logs for any CQ-sponsored contest from stations in Crimea operating with Russian-issued call signs. CQ Magazine said that “after considerable deliberation,” it has decided to follow the lead of the US government and the United Nations and will consider the embattled Crimea region to be a part of Ukraine, “until such time as the political situation there is resolved.” In addition, contacts made by others with Crimean stations using Russian-Issued call signs will be removed from contestants’ logs without penalty. “No contact or multiplier credits will be given,” the CQ announcement said.

“We fully realize that our action may very well disenfranchise several Crimean contesters who use Russian prefixes instead of Ukrainian prefixes,” CQ said. “As regrettable as that may be, our action is consistent with international law, as well as with our own rules.”

CQ sponsors several major international operating events, including the CQ World Wide SSB and CW contests. The first contest to be affected by the new policy would be the CQ World Wide SSB Contest, which takes place this year over the October 25-26 weekend.
 
 

Monday, July 21, 2014

ARRL DXCC Desk Manager Bill Moore NC1L injured in accident



I was stunned this weekend to learn the news that a longtime friend Bill Moore, head of the DXCC Desk at the ARRL in Newington CT, was seriously injured in a car accident two weeks ago.




The following news is from K5FUV, Bill Kennamer. 

"DXCC Manager Bill Moore, NC1L, was seriously injured in an automobile accident about two weeks ago.  His neck was broken, leaving him paralyzed from his upper body down, with limited movement of his arms.  Recovery will be difficult and slow, and is not expected to be total.  Bill would like to hear from his friends.  He is currently in the Mount Sinai Rehab Hospital in Hartford, but cards and well wishes should be sent to 92 Reservoir Rd, Newington, CT 06111”.

From Bernie, W3UR/1 Hartford, CT

"Friday K5FUV, Bill Kennamer, and Bernie McClenny, W3UR/1 visited Bill at the rehab hospital.  We spent a few minutes with NC1L, Bill, who was extremely glad to see us.  I gave him one of the ARRL Centennial Convention coins and told him how successful the event was going.  He was very happy to hear the news and the greetings from his friends.  Bill’s sister-in-law Gina was there in the hospital and asked us to tell Bill’s friends that he would love to hear from them.  So if possible let’s all show Bill our love and concern for our dear friend by sending him our QSL with good wishes. I know Bill and the family would greatly appreciate your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time."

Bill Moore
92 Reservoir Road
Newington, CT 06111


 

Thursday, May 08, 2014

New Summer 2014 International Shortwave Broadcast Guide Now Available


“War Revives Shortwave Radio's Appeal: Communications: Many consumers, eager for news from the Persian Gulf are snapping up machines that fell out of fashion long ago.” – Los Angeles Times 1991

That LA Times headline above says it all about the appeal even today of a radio hobby that is over 80 years old – Shortwave Radio Listening.
 
So why should you listen to shortwave radio? The best source of global information continues to be shortwave radio. Throughout the world, shortwave remains the most readily available and affordable means of communication and information. It lets you listen to voices from around the world. You'll also learn about the lives and concerns of people from all walks of life, from soldiers, to farmers, to retired scholars. It provides coverage nearly instantaneous of news and events from around the world.
 
If you live in the U.S., you can easily listen to shortwave broadcast stations from countries like North/South Korea, Iran, Australia, Cuba, China, New Zealand, Pakistan, India, Japan, England, Egypt, Tunisia, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United States and many other counties if you have a good shortwave receiver, and you know when and where to listen!
 
The Summer 2014 International Shortwave Broadcast Guide by Amazon bestselling author Gayle Van Horn, W4GVH, is that all important information resource you need to tap into the worldwide shortwave broadcast radio spectrum. It is a 24-hour station/frequency guide to all the stations currently broadcasting on shortwave radio. This unique shortwave resource is the only publication that offers a by-hour schedule that includes all language services, frequencies and world target areas for each broadcast station.
 
This new e-publication edition is an expanded version of the English shortwave broadcast guide formerly printed in the pages of Monitoring Times magazine for over the last 20 years. This one of a kind electronic e-book is now being published twice a year to correspond with station seasonal time and frequency changes.
 
If you enjoy listening or monitoring HF shortwave stations, and you miss the monthly English frequency listings formerly published in the late Monitoring Times magazine, and multilingual station listing in the old MTXpress electronic magazine, this valuable tool will now be your new guide to listening to the world.
 
Here are a few of the public comments from radio hobbyists who purchased the first edition (Winter 2013-2014) of this book.
Shortwave Broadcast Guide by Kindle Customer: Since Monitoring Times is no longer in publication, this guide is required for the dedicated shortwave listener. There is information provided that I have found nowhere else. It will be a welcome addition to any listener's equipment. Gayle Van Horn has been publishing this research for many years and the followers are numerous, from beginners to professionals. The author's work is accurate, concise and thorough. If you have a shortwave radio, you need this publication as much as a set of earphones. There is none better.
Very Good Source for Shortwave Stations Broadcast Schedules by Kenneth Windyka: I've got to admit up front that I don't have a strong interest in this part of the hobby. HOWEVER, Gayle Van Horn makes it easy to determine what one can hear on the short wave bands during a particular time period (in GMT time sorted format). I also like the internet reference available, so that one can listen to programs via the internet even if its' not possible via the shortwave radio.
clip_image004[2]
NJ Shortwave listener hears International Frequencies with new guide help by Stanley E Rozewski, Jr.: This e-book is complete and accurate in presenting a low cost SW frequency guide and important must read topics for the new or experienced user. I liked the easy reading format, and understandable frequency guide. I will order the second edition next year. 
This is my go-to-first reference by Mary C Larson: When I turn on the shortwave receiver and want to find out what's on and where to look, Van Horn's handy frequency guide is a smart place to begin. The format is not unlike the one Monitoring Times (R.I.P.) used each month. Presumably, updated ISBGs will be published twice per year, but you can check for the updates on her blog, (mt-shortwave.blogspot.com).
 
Good value by DrP: This is an excellent well-written book that is very affordable when compared to encyclopedic guides, e.g., the WRTH. Much the same information is included. The first part is a nice introduction to SW listening pitched to the beginner. Included is an informative section on purchasing a radio spanning low-end <$100 models up through the most advanced transceivers. The bulk of the book contains a list of world-wide SW broadcasters, organized by frequency band. This makes it ideal for browsing one band at a time, but much less so if you want to search for broadcasts from a particular country.
I like this one by Charles: I have only had a brief chance to scan through this book. From what I have seen of it I will enjoy getting in to it.
 
Frequency updates between editions will be posted on her Shortwave Central blog at: http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/.
 
And, the good news is that you do not even need to own a Kindle reader to read Amazon e-book publications. You can read any Kindle book with Amazon’s free reading apps.
 
There are free Kindle reading apps for the Kindle Cloud Reader, Smartphones (iPhone, iTouch, Android, Windows Phone and Blackberry); computer platforms (Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8 and Mac); Tablets (iPad, Android and Windows 8), and, of course, all of the Kindle family of readers including the Kindle Fire series. A Kindle e-book allows you to buy your book once and read it anywhere. You can find additional details on these apps by checking out this link to the Amazon website at http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771.
 
The International Shortwave Broadcast Guide Summer 2014 edition is now available for purchase worldwide from Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K6YKNFM. The price for this latest edition is still US$4.99. Since this book is being released internationally, Amazon customers in the United Kingdom, Germany, France Spain, Italy, Japan, India, Canada, Brazil, Mexico and Australia can order this e-Book from Amazon websites directly servicing these countries. All other countries can use the regular Amazon.com website.
 
For additional information on this and other Teak Publishing radio hobby books, monitor the company sponsored Internet blogs – The Military Monitoring Post (http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/), The Btown Monitor Post (http://monitor-post.blogspot.com/) and The Shortwave Central (http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/) for availability of additional e-books that are currently in production.
 
You can view the complete Teak Publishing book catalog online at http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/. Click on the Teak Publishing radio hobby e-book link at the top of the blog page.
 
You can learn more about the author by going to her author page on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Gayle-Van-Horn/e/B0084MVQCM/.
 
The International Shortwave Broadcast Guide will have wide appeal to shortwave radio hobbyists, amateur radio operators, educators, foreign language students, news agencies, news buffs and many more interested in listening to a global view of news and events as they happen. 
 
If you are an amateur radio operator or shortwave radio enthusiasts, and want to hear what is happening outside the ham bands on that transceiver or portable shortwave radio in your shack, then this new e-book from Teak Publishing is a must in your radio reference library.

Friday, February 28, 2014

USCP Begins Operating on New Radio System



Blog Editor Note: Here is the latest radio info on this system courtesy of Alan Henney and the Capitol Hill Monitors.
 
US Capitol Police TRS
Project 25 Phase 1 (Encrypted), Sys ID: 582, WACN: BEE00

Frequencies: 169.5750 169.8375 170.1375 170.3750 170.5750 171.0000 171.4125 171.7875 172.3875 172.6875 172.9625 173.1625 173.4750 173.8125 MHz
Press release below courtesy of Alan Henney and the Scan-DC group.
 
The ability to communicate via radio is one of the most critical tools a law enforcement officer can have at their disposal.  We are pleased to announce that on February 26, 2014, the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) fully migrated to a new radio system—an encrypted, 14-channel, digital trunked P25 radio system.  This critical life safety tool provides our officers with significant improvements that enhance our ability to perform our law enforcement mission. 

The new system offers greater interior and exterior coverage, more capacity, improved voice quality, greater interoperability, and greater network redundancy within the system.  This modernized and upgraded radio system is future-ready.  The new radios that the USCP are using on this system are the latest technology and are designed for continued state-of-the-art upgrades.

Chief Kim C. Dine says, “the safety of our sworn and civilian personnel is of the highest priority and we would like to thank the Members of Congress for providing this state-of-the-art critical life and safety tool for our agency.  This day marked a significant milestone for the USCP.”

Successful implementation of this new radio system involved partnerships with numerous entities and the USCP would like to thank our partners whose collaboration made this milestone possible.  The men and women of the Department are especially grateful for the support provided by the Congress, Congressional leadership, the leadership of the Appropriations and Oversight Committees, as well as their professional staffs, and the Capitol Police Board.  We are particularly thankful for their support in receiving funding, assistance, and supportive oversight of this critical life safety tool and the radio modernization program as a whole.

Additionally, the Department is grateful for our partnership with the Architect of the Capitol and Naval Air Systems Command in designing, implementing and executing this complex state-of-the-art digital and encrypted radio system.  Furthermore, we are grateful for the oversight and partnership of the Government Accountability Office during this transformational effort.  Their participation assisted the Department in both the technical and program management areas.

It is estimated that the shutdown of the old analog system will occur in approximately thirty days.  Over the next thirty days, we will employ several strategies to continue the smooth transition to a digital environment and ensure employee comfort and familiarity with their equipment while adapting to a digital radio system.  During the next thirty days, the USCP will continue to employ post-migration optimization measures meant to fine-tune the system while it is in use.

The U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) is comprised of over 2,000 sworn and civilian employees. 
The USCP is the sole federal law enforcement agency in the Legislative Branch of government whose mission it is to protect the Congress, its legislative processes, Members, employees, visitors, and facilities from crime, disruption, or terrorism.  They protect and secure Congress so it can fulfill its constitutional responsibilities in a safe and open environment.






Wednesday, January 01, 2014

DSC Intercepts 8414.5 kHz - 1 Jan 2014 Btown (YADD)

Here is a list of ships I intercepted using the marine DSC messaging system on 8414.5 kHz overnight using the YADD decoder program.  All times are UTC. This was a lot of fun and Dirk Classens YADD program is pretty cool including the price "FREE!"
19 Flags monitored, 34 ships and 8 shore stations.

03:05:12 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003660003 USA Mobile Radio WLO FROM: SHIP 366576000 WRJP Container Ship R.J.PFEIFFER (United States) Area: California

03:18:19 CAT: DIS TO: COAST 002241023 ESP Malaga Radio  FROM: SHIP 248132000 9HA2192 Oil/chemical Tanker LUCKY SAILOR (Malta) Area: Mediterranean TC1: DISTRESS RELAY DATA: TIME:88:88  POSITION:9999999999  NATURE: Undesignated DISTR.MMSI: SHIP 123456789 COM: J3E TP

03:23:32 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 004773500 CHN Hong Kong Marine Rescue FROM: SHIP 636014645 A8VP6 Container Ship CMA CGM RAVEL (Liberia) Area: Japan Sea

03:49:28 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 002640570 ROU Constanta Radio  FROM: SHIP 214180204 ERBD General Cargo HELGA (Moldova) Area: Azov Sea

03:51:23 CAT: RTN TO: COAST 003660003 USA Mobile Radio WLO FROM: SHIP 248360000 9HBH6 Chemical Tanker MITROPE (Malta) Area: Caribbean Sea

03:54:30 CAT: RTN TO: COAST 003660003 USA Mobile Radio WLO FROM: SHIP 248360000 9HBH6 Chemical Tanker MITROPE (Malta) Area: Caribbean Sea FREQ: CH00830

04:20:19 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003669998 USA COMMSTA New Orleans FROM: SHIP 636011637 A8AO9 Crude Oil Tanker PETROPAVLOVSK (Liberia) Area: Caribbean Sea

04:46:00 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003660003 USA Mobile Radio WLO FROM: SHIP 219432000 QUYQ2 Oil/chemical Tanker TASING SWAN (Denamrk) Area: Caribbean Sea

04:48:01 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003669997 USA COMMSTA Miami  FROM: COAST 003669997  COMMSTA Miami DIST: 1104 Km

04:57:31 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003660003 USA Mobile Radio WLO FROM: SHIP 366576000 WRJP Container Ship R.J.PFEIFFER (United States) Area: California

05:06:25 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003660003 USA Mobile Radio WLO FROM: SHIP 366576000 WRJP Container Ship R.J.PFEIFFER (United States) Area: California

05:06:34 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003660003 USA Mobile Radio WLO FROM: SHIP 366576000 WRJP Container Ship R.J.PFEIFFER (United States) Area: California

05:08:47 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003660003 USA Mobile Radio WLO FROM: SHIP 366576000 WRJP Container Ship R.J.PFEIFFER (United States) Area: California

05:12:13 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003660003 USA Mobile Radio WLO FROM: SHIP 366576000 WRJP Container Ship R.J.PFEIFFER (United States) Area: California

05:19:22 CAT: UNK TO: SHIP 224959000 EAND ALGECIRAS SPIRIT FROM: COAST 0010011000  UNID

05:25:32 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 563648000 9V7493 ST KATHARINEN  FROM: COAST 003669998  COMMSTA New Orleans DIST: 825 Km

05:32:29 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 538004748 V7YW3 FEDERAL TAMBO  FROM: COAST 003669991  COMMSTA Boston DIST: 1385 Km

05:32:35 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003669997 USA COMMSTA Miami  FROM: SHIP 375254000 J8B4758 Reefer BALTIC MERCURY (St Vincent Grenadines) Area: Panama Canal

05:41:32 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003160023 CAN Iqaluit Radio  FROM: SHIP 316002910 VDBS Fishing ARCTIC ENDURANCE (Canada) Area: Atlantic North

05:59:47 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 245702000 PCSV APOLLOGRACH  FROM: COAST 003669991  COMMSTA Boston

06:02:51 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 245702000 PCSV APOLLOGRACH  FROM: COAST 003669991  COMMSTA Boston

06:09:04 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 245702000 PCSV APOLLOGRACH  FROM: COAST 003669991  COMMSTA Boston

06:17:27 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 002241022 ESP Coruna Radio  FROM: COAST 002241022  ESP Coruna Radio DIST: 6354 Km

06:22:43 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003669998 USA COMMSTA New Orleans FROM: SHIP 538001826 V7EL2 Crude Oil Tanker GENMAR ARGUS (Marshall Is) Area: Marcus Hook

06:29:12 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 538002221 V7HF4 GREAT EASTERN  FROM: COAST 003669991  COMMSTA Boston

06:31:21 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 538002221 V7HF4 GREAT EASTERN  FROM: COAST 003669991  COMMSTA Boston

06:45:02 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 477360200 VRAB9 ROSCO CYPRESS  FROM: COAST 003669998  COMMSTA New Orleans

06:46:27 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 477360200 VRAB9 ROSCO CYPRESS  FROM: COAST 003669998  COMMSTA New Orleans

06:46:42 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 538001826 V7EL2 GENMAR ARGUS  FROM: COAST 003669998  COMMSTA New Orleans

06:47:00 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 538002221 V7HF4 GREAT EASTERN  FROM: COAST 003669991  COMMSTA Boston

06:50:09 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 538002221 V7HF4 GREAT EASTERN  FROM: COAST 003669991  COMMSTA Boston

06:53:18 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 538001166 V7AV2 OVERSEAS ELIANE FROM: COAST 003669998  COMMSTA New Orleans

06:55:40 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 538002221 V7HF4 GREAT EASTERN  FROM: COAST 003669991  COMMSTA Boston

07:00:18 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 477360200 VRAB9 ROSCO CYPRESS  FROM: COAST 003669998  COMMSTA New Orleans

07:04:33 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 538002221 V7HF4 GREAT EASTERN  FROM: COAST 003669991  COMMSTA Boston

07:07:53 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 245702000 PCSV APOLLOGRACH  FROM: COAST 003669991  COMMSTA Boston

07:08:16 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 005030001 AUS Charleville / Wiluna Radio FROM: SHIP 477440700 VRAE5 Bulk Carrier COOK STRAIT (Hong Kong) Area: Pacific South

07:15:57 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 005120010 NZL Taupo Radio  FROM: SHIP 477440700 VRAE5 Bulk Carrier COOK STRAIT (Hong Kong) Area: Pacific South

07:16:14 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 477440700 VRAE5 COOK STRAIT  FROM: COAST 005120010  NZL Taupo Radio DIST: 13117 Km

07:22:38 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 245702000 PCSV APOLLOGRACH  FROM: COAST 003669991  COMMSTA Boston

07:28:06 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 538002221 V7HF4 GREAT EASTERN  FROM: COAST 003669991  COMMSTA Boston

07:32:55 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 245702000 PCSV APOLLOGRACH  FROM: COAST 003669991  COMMSTA Boston

07:34:11 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 538002221 V7HF4 GREAT EASTERN  FROM: COAST 003669991  COMMSTA Boston

07:38:34 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 538002221 V7HF4 GREAT EASTERN  FROM: COAST 003669991  COMMSTA Boston

07:40:23 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003669998 USA COMMSTA New Orleans FROM: SHIP 636091046 A8IW8 Crude Oil Tanker KIM JACOB (Liberia) Area: Mexico Gulf

07:40:52 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 235093324 2FQD9 DONATA SCHULTE  FROM: COAST 002711000  TUR Istanbul Radio DIST: 9139 Km

07:41:57 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 005030001 AUS Charleville / Wiluna Radio FROM: SHIP 503767000 VHCG Landing Craft TOLL OSPREY (Australia) Area: Coral Sea

07:42:09 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 235057131 MVTW4 RTM WAKMATHA  FROM: COAST 005030001  AUS Charleville / Wiluna Radio

07:46:17 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 538002221 V7HF4 GREAT EASTERN  FROM: COAST 003669991  COMMSTA Boston

07:49:02 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 006053814 ALG Annaba Radio  FROM: SHIP 357701000 3EWN3 Bulk Carrier KING WHEAT (Panama) Area: Gibraltar

07:49:45 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 538002221 V7HF4 GREAT EASTERN  FROM: COAST 003669991  COMMSTA Boston

07:50:06 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003669998 USA COMMSTA New Orleans FROM: SHIP 636091046 A8IW8 Crude Oil Tanker KIM JACOB (Liberia) Area: Mexico Gulf

07:57:44 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003660003 USA Mobile Radio WLO FROM: SHIP 311638000 C6FX7 Container Ship DOLE HONDURAS (Bahamas) Area: Pacific
North

08:05:15 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003669998 USA COMMSTA New Orleans FROM: SHIP 477926200 VRDC8 Crude Oil Tanker DA PENG WAN (Homg Kong) Area: Mexico Gulf

08:08:07 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 477898700 VRDB3 OOCL YOKOHAMA  FROM: COAST 005030001  AUS Charleville / Wiluna Radio

08:14:12 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003669990 USA CAMSPAC Pt Reyes FROM: SHIP 311000171 C6AW3 Bulk Carrier ATLANTIC SUPERIOR (Bahamas) Area: East Pacific (Baja Mexican Coast)

08:16:04 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 00366000~  UNID   FROM: SHIP 636013625 A80H2 Reefer SOUTHAMPTON STAR (Liberia) Area: Atlantic North

08:16:32 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003669997 USA COMMSTA Miami  FROM: SHIP 538001826 V7EL2 Crude Oil Tanker GENMAR ARGUS (Marshall Is) Area: Marcus Hook

08:20:54 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 002241078 ESP Madrid Radio  FROM: SHIP 245702000 PCSV General Cargo APOLLOGRACH (Netherlands) Area: St. Lawrence Gulf

08:33:52 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003669998 USA COMMSTA New Orleans FROM: SHIP 226022000 FNDQ Research/survey Vessel CGG ALIZE (France) Area: Mexico Gulf

08:46:25 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 002712000 TUR Samsun Radio  FROM: SHIP 271000874 TCPK7 Bulk Carrier INCE INEBOLU (Turkey) Area: Atlantic North

08:46:41 CAT: RTN TO: SHIP 477938700 VRKU4 ZHUANG YUAN AO  FROM: SHIP 477938700 VRKU4 Asphalt/bitumen Tanker ZHUANG YUAN AO (Hong Kong) Area: Panama Canal TC1: J3E TP POS: 09.30°N 079.44°W

08:48:47 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 308512000 C6LU4 HOOD ISLAND  FROM: SHIP 308704000 C6JS Reefer DUNCAN ISLAND (Bahamas) Area: Atlantic North TC1: J3E TP FREQ: 08295.0/08295.0KHz

08:51:25 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 247119100 IBTE POLE   FROM: COAST 005030001  AUS Charleville / Wiluna Radio

08:52:37 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 247119100 IBTE POLE   FROM: COAST 005030001  AUS Charleville / Wiluna Radio

08:57:08 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003669990 USA CAMSPAC Pt Reyes FROM: COAST 003669990  CAMSPAC Pt Reyes DIST: 3462 Km

09:08:39 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003669993 HWA CAMSPAC Honolulu FROM: COAST 003669993  HWA CAMSPAC Honolulu DIST: 7274 Km

09:09:43 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 366557000 KGTX HORIZON ANCHORAGE FROM: SHIP 366557000 KGTX Container Ship HORIZON ANCHORAGE (United States) Area: Bering Sea

09:10:55 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003669990 USA CAMSPAC Pt Reyes FROM: SHIP 366097000 WMLI General Cargo MAERSK ILLINOIS (United States) Area: California

09:11:19 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 366097000 WMLI MAERSK ILLINOIS  FROM: COAST 003669990  CAMSPAC Pt Reyes

09:11:46 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003669993 HWA CAMSPAC Honolulu FROM: COAST 003669990  CAMSPAC Pt Reyes

09:15:15 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 311000171 C6AW3 ATLANTIC SUPERIOR FROM: COAST 003669990  CAMSPAC Pt Reyes

09:49:51 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 565528000 9VBU6 CHALLENGE PEGASUS FROM: SHIP 565605000 9VBU8  Oil/chemical Tanker CHALLENGE PHOENIX (Singapore) TC1: J3E TP Area: Panama Canal

09:52:06 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 256603000 9HA2887 AIN SNAN  FROM: SHIP 229007000 9HA2984 Container Ship JEBEL ALI (Malta) Area: English Channel

09:54:06 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 636012252 A8EI4 YM WEALTH  FROM: COAST 005030001  AUS Charleville / Wiluna Radio

09:54:51 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 002510100 ISL Reykjavik Radio  FROM: SHIP 477192100 VREG3 Crude Oil Tanker SEARANGER (Hong Kong) Area: Atlantic North

10:11:03 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003669998 USA COMMSTA New Orleans FROM: SHIP 636013817 A8PQ8 Lpg Tanker KAROLINE N (Liberia) Area: Pacific North

10:27:48 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003669993 HWA CAMSPAC Honolulu FROM: SHIP 353978000 3EQO Container Ship HYUNDAI GOODWILL (Panama) Area: Pacific North TC1: J3E TP POS: 41.37°N 139.26°W

10:28:01 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 503764000 VJN4016 MERMAID COVE  FROM: COAST 005030001  AUS Charleville / Wiluna Radio

10:28:53 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 352501000 3EAM7 SEA HARMONY   FROM: COAST 005120010  NZL Taupo Radio

10:43:34 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 003660003 USA Mobile Radio WLO FROM: SHIP 576318000 YJWO2 Anchor Handling Vessel STATIA RESPONDER (Vanuatu) Area: Caribbean Sea

10:44:29 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 538003174 V7OW4 ROYAL CRYSTAL 7 FROM: COAST 005030001  AUS Charleville / Wiluna Radio

10:49:12 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 538003174 V7OW4 ROYAL CRYSTAL 7 FROM: COAST 005030001  AUS Charleville / Wiluna Radio

10:52:14 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 235069405 2BUG8 RTM TWARRA  FROM: COAST 005030001  AUS Charleville / Wiluna Radio

11:10:28 CAT: RTN TO: COAST 002570700 NOR Bodoe Radio  FROM: SHIP 477700600 VRKC7 Bulk Carrier GOLDEN BULL (Hong Kong) Area: Norwegian Sea TC1: J3E TP POS: 67.31°N 009.02°E

11:15:59 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 441974000 D8CA SILVER EXPRESS  FROM: COAST 005030001  AUS Charleville / Wiluna Radio

11:26:32 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 563162000 9V2006 CAPE STARS  FROM: COAST 005030001  AUS Charleville / Wiluna Radio

11:36:40 CAT: RTN TO: SHIP 240296000 SYMS AMAZON BRILLIANCE FROM: SHIP 636014278 A8SR3 Crude Oil Tanker ISE PRINCESS (Liberia) Area: Caribbean Sea TC1: J3E TP  POS: 12.21°N 070.09°W

11:37:13 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 304050840 V2KA9 OMEGAGAS  FROM: SHIP 247182500 IBSK Oil/chemical Tanker MARIA M (Italy) Area: Biscay Bay

11:41:46 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 220479000 OVXR2 BRO NYBORG  FROM: SHIP 247182500 IBSK Oil/chemical Tanker MARIA M (Italy) Area: Biscay Bay

11:43:15 CAT: RTN TO: SHIP 240296000 SYMS AMAZON BRILLIANCE FROM: SHIP 636014278 A8SR3 Crude Oil Tanker ISE PRINCESS (Liberia) Area: Caribbean
Sea TC1: J3E TP POS: 12.21°N 070.09°W

11:45:01 CAT: UNK TO: SHIP 228330700 FMLM CHANTACO  FROM: SHIP 247182500 IBSK Oil/chemical Tanker MARIA M (Italy) Area: Biscay Bay

11:48:12 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 236355000 ZDHS9 ESHIPS AGAMID   FROM: SHIP 247182500 IBSK Oil/chemical Tanker MARIA M (Italy) Area: Biscay Bay

11:53:37 CAT: SAF TO: COAST 005030001 AUS Charleville / Wiluna Radio FROM: SHIP 477892700 VRHL4 Bulk Carrier BULK INTEGRITY (Hong Kong) Area: Indian Ocean

11:54:00 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 477892700 VRHL4 BULK INTEGRITY  FROM: COAST 005030001  AUS Charleville / Wiluna Radio

11:56:20 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 372047000 3ELZ9 DL ASTER   FROM: COAST 005030001  AUS Charleville / Wiluna Radio

12:00:09 CAT: RTN TO: SHIP 636090529 ELZW7 HELENE RUSS   FROM: SHIP 538002349 V7IB3 Bulk Carrier CARDINAL (Marshall Is) Area: North Atlantic TC1: J3E TP POS: 29.42°N 050.35°W

12:03:10 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 311034100 C6YH8 JAWOR   FROM: COAST 005030001  AUS Charleville / Wiluna Radio

12:07:54 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 636014278 A8SR3 ISE PRINCESS  FROM: SHIP 240296000 SYMS Oil Products Tanker AMAZON BRILLIANCE (Greece) Area: Caribbean Sea

12:14:13 CAT: SAF TO: SHIP 503597000 VHME OKHA   FROM: COAST 005030001  AUS Charleville / Wiluna Radio