Welcome to the Btown Monitoring Post, the official blog site of the Teak Publishing Co. in western North Carolina. This where we post current news items, radio related bulletins, and reference material that will be of interest to a wide variety of radio monitors. Copyright © 2006-2021 by Teak Publishing, who is solely responsible for the content on this blog. All rights reserved and redistribution these pages in any format without prior permission is prohibited. Links to stories are permitted.
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- Home
- Teak Publishing Amateur Radio Digital Voice Resource List
- The Spectrum Monitor Index 2014-2018
- Civilian Air Cargo/Airline and Select Military Call Signs
- Russian Aviation HF Long Distance Frequencies
- VHF ACARS / HFDL (aka 'HF ACARS) 12 March 2021 Update
- U.S. Coast Guard/Navy HF Fax Station Schedules - U...
- Civilian Aero/Military HF Frequency List - Update 9 January 2023
Monday, September 20, 2021
US Coast Guard HF SITOR Weather Schedule
US Coast Guard HF Voice Weather Schedule
National Weather Service Marine Products via U.S. Coast Guard HF VoiceSource: https://www.weather.gov/marine/uscg_broadcasts
All times in UTC, frequencies in kHz and mode is USB
Thursday, June 17, 2021
Chinese Manned Space Station/Shezhou S-Band downlinks
From the Twitter feed of Scott Chapman (@Scott23182):
Chinese Space Station module #1 'Tianhe' has several great S-Band downlinks. Newly docked manned capsule 'Shenzhou-12': "Hold my beer"! (Thanks @df2mz for Shenzhou freqs)
Friday, April 23, 2021
Global Radio Guide Summer 2021 Promotional Video
Promotional Video produced by Teak Publishing Marketing Director Loyd Van Horn W4LVH
Website: https://www.dxcentralonline.com/
Twitter: @DXCentral https://twitter.com/DXCentral
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVKn6FsYIsNjDorND2MJ2MA
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dxcentral
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dxcentralonline
16th Edition of the Global Radio Guide (Summer 2021) Now Available
Sometimes in life, what is old becomes new again. Familiar names and voices we long have placed into the recesses of our minds, suddenly spring back to the forefront.
It can be that way with radio as well. What we sometimes consider to be antique transmissions of a bygone era can re-emerge in a digital world, as if time had merely paused. They ensnare the attention of both those who were around for the glory days, as well as those hearing these signals for the first time.
Such is the case with the recently resurfaced “Russian Woodpecker.” The Cold War-era stalwart that once placed its distinct signal across large swaths of the HF band is once again being heard amongst the crackles of static on shortwave radios and SDRs around the world.
For those who want to be part of the action, Gayle Van Horn’s 16th Edition of her Amazon bestselling Global Radio Guide (Summer 2021) has all the details you need to catch up with our vintage friend.
“My first thought was, ‘I have heard this signal before,’” writes Teak Publishing co-founder and editor of the Global Radio Guide (GRG), Larry Van Horn, in his in-depth look into the return of Russia’s famous Over-The-Horizon-Radar (OTHR) transmissions. “It did not take long for me to connect what I was hearing to the past and realize I was hearing a form of the old Russian Woodpecker again.”
Included in Van Horn’s article is everything you need to become a grizzled “woodpecker” expert: a historical review of Russia’s OTHR system, information on where in the world – and on the HF band – the newest version of the Woodpecker is being heard, links to audio samples so you know what to listen for, maps of transmitting locations, and more.
Russia radars are not the only focus of this completely updated edition of the GRG, though. Worldwide, tensions are continuing to escalate and – in another case of what is old becoming new – people around the world are once again turning to shortwave radio to place themselves on the front lines.
With the help of the GRG, you can tune in to shortwave broadcast stations from hotspots such as China, Cuba, India, Iran, North/South Korea, Taiwan, and many other counties. If you have a shortwave radio receiver, SDR, or Internet connection, pair it with this unique radio resource to know when and where to listen to the world.
This newest edition of the GRG carries on the tradition of those before it with an in-depth, 24-hour station/frequency guide with schedules for selected AM band, longwave, and shortwave radio stations. This unique resource is the only radio publication that lists by-hour schedules that include all language services, frequencies, and world target areas for over 500 stations worldwide.
The GRG includes listings of DX radio programs and Internet website addresses for many of the stations in the book. There are also entries for time and frequency stations as well as some of the more “intriguing” transmissions one can find on the shortwave radio bands.
Larry Van Horn has also updated his now-famous SDR Buyer’s Guide, a must-have compendium that helps you navigate through the revolutionary world of software-defined radios (SDRs), the digital frontier of the radio hobby.
Continuing with the theme of this 16th edition of the GRG: Gayle takes a stroll into the seemingly not too distant past, into the role that radio played during the Falkland Island War, even as new government leaders within Argentina jockey for position to reclaim sovereignty over the islands.
Spectrum Monitor magazine editor, Ken Reitz, dives into the rise and fall of Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) on shortwave radio. Reitz gives a rundown on where you can still find DRM signals on the shortwave bands, even if you do not have a DRM-capable radio in your home.
Fred Waterer, also of Spectrum Monitor, checks in with a feature on one of the great pastimes of shortwave radio – traveling the world without leaving home. This is an especially poignant topic of discussion given the current travel restrictions found in most of the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Waterer gives us a detailed RF-itinerary for circumnavigating the globe via broadcasters on shortwave radio. While many of the station names may be different than they once were, Waterer proves that there is still plenty of diversity and culture to be found on the bands.
Whether you monitor shortwave radio broadcasts, amateur radio operators, or aeronautical, maritime, government, or military communications in the HF radio spectrum, this book has the frequencies to help you to hear it all. Teak Publishing’s Global Radio Guide "brings the world to you."
You can find this edition of the Global Radio Guide, along with all of our titles currently available for purchase, on the Teak Publishing Web site at www.teakpublishing.com. For a limited time, all previous editions of the Global Radio Guide will also be available at a reduced price. Details will be available at www.teakpublishing.com.
The 16th edition of the Global Radio Guide e-Book (electronic book only, no print edition available) is available worldwide from Amazon and their various international websites at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0938DDK5L
The price for this latest edition is US$8.99. 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. Customers in all other countries can use the regular Amazon.com website to purchase this e-Book.
You can read any Kindle e-Book with Amazon’s ‘free’ reading apps on literally any electronic media platform. You do not have to own a Kindle reader from Amazon to read this e-book. There are Kindle apps available for iOS, Android, Mac, and PC platforms. 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.
Sunday, April 04, 2021
A Classic Article During the height of the Cold War Numbers Era
I have some interesting memories of this article and how it came about. Nothing I will discuss publicly but shortly after it was published, US-based 5-digit English numbers broadcast left the airwaves.
You can read what I wrote by downloading a free copy in pdf at https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Monitoring-TImes/1990s/Monitoring-Times-1994-10.pdf
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| Monitoring Times Oct 1994 |
Monday, February 01, 2021
Teak Publishing Releases The Milcom Files: The Spectrum Monitor Volume 3 (2020)
Recent world events continue to draw many radio listeners into their radio shacks to tune in on the action using their shortwave radios. software-defined radios, and programmable VHF/UHF scanners. In many cases monitoring the HF/VHF/UHF radio spectrum offers the radio hobbyist an opportunity to hear what is really going on behind the scenes without the filters imposed by news media outlets.
This e-book incorporates the fourth year of his TSM Milcom columns written from January 2020 to December 2020. This fourth book in the series has more than 39.100 plus words, and 206 pages of frequencies, call signs, military base profiles, foreign military HF/VHF/UHF frequencies, airshow, and flight demonstration teams’ frequencies, detailed aeronautical frequency scans, beginner tips, and monitoring hints and tricks plus a lot more.
You can find this edition of The Milcom Archives, along with all our titles currently available for purchase, on the Teak Publishing Web site at www.teakpublishing.com.
The Milcom Files: The Spectrum Monitor Volume 3 (2020) e-Book (electronic book only, no print edition available) is available worldwide from Amazon and their various international websites at https://www.amazon.com/Milcom-Files-Spectrum-Monitor-ebook/dp/B08VF5PMTD/
The price for this latest edition is 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. Customers in all other countries can use the regular Amazon.com website to purchase this e-Book.
You can read any Kindle e-Book with Amazon’s ‘free’ reading apps on literally any electronic media platform. You do not have to own a Kindle reader from Amazon to read this e-book. There are Kindle apps available for iOS, Android, Mac, and PC platforms. You can find additional details on these apps by checking out this link to the Amazon website at https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/fd/kcp.
Monday, January 25, 2021
Update on the Status of RadFxSat-2 / Fox-1E
From AMSAT HQ WASHINGTON, DC
DATE January 24, 2021
RadFxSat-2 was launched Sunday, January 17, on Virgin Orbit LauncherOne launch vehicle. Reports from the launch provider stated that telemetry confirmed that the deploy commands had been sent and that all of the doors opened successfully, resulting in payload orbits that were all within the ICD limits.
Nominally, we expected to see “First (digital) Veronica” from the RadFxSat-2 telemetry beacon commencing 54 minutes after our deployment from the launch vehicle. That did not occur as expected.
For each of our launches, we follow a number of steps documented in the “In Orbit Checklist” (IOC) spreadsheet. Confirmation of launch and deployment are the first steps and then, confirmation of beacon reception. All other steps follow that but there are steps in case of anomaly, beginning with the detection of the beacon.
As always, from the moment we are deployed we look for signs of the beacon through the ears of amateur radio operators and other means, SatNOGS and webSDR to name a few. The antenna deployment and full start of the IHU to bring up the beacon can occur anywhere around the globe. AMSAT greatly appreciates the ongoing and reliable help we receive from you and it is by far the best satellite ground network even beyond that of many commercial players, for LEO orbits.
Command coverage is limited to the United States for various reasons including regulatory requirements, so the opportunity to exercise the steps of the IOC occurs a few times per day as the orbit passes over us.
With no sign of the beacon after a few orbits offering good footprints for reception, we proceeded with the contingency steps to verify the presence of or activate the beacon. This past week our Engineering and Operations Team members have been at work literally 20 hours per day exercising all of the contingencies outlined in the IOC steps. These steps have grown and matured with each launch of a Fox-1 program CubeSat and are tailored to the specific satellite. RadFxSat-2, while she may seem to be much the same as the others with the exception of the transponder vs. FM radio, does present a number of variations to be included in the IOC. As the results of those steps were exhausted with no beacon detected, we added meetings and increased emails including all of our engineers to discuss possible causes by any of the systems and to develop further steps.
From those we drew new steps of command sequences that might overcome whatever anomaly existed and make the beacon heard. As the week drew on, we continued brainstorming and steps to activate other functions that would provide proof of life. We continue to do so today and for whatever time until we exhaust all possibilities that we are able to draw from the expertise and satellite experience of our Engineering Team and Operations Team drawing from the design of RadFxSat-2 and lessons learned in the Fox-1 program as well as any from missions prior to AMSAT’s first CubeSats.
AMSAT still needs your help as always, to help detect any sign of activity from RadFxSat-2. This includes ability to listen for local oscillators or transponder driver output in the case of a failed PA.
I personally ask that those of you who are and have been interested in the entire process of bringing a new amateur radio satellite to orbit and through end of life to continue to contribute your curiosity and enthusiasm in exploring from your own station, to pursue the possibilities of a successful RadFxSat-2 mission along with us. I have received reports and queries from some of you, and I greatly appreciate your contributions. You are in fact volunteers in the AMSAT Engineering Team through your contribution.
If you are interested, I ask that you do due diligence in your procedure if you think you have identified a signal by re-creating (if possible) and verifying to yourself that what you have is credible, as we do, before contacting us. That “standard” procedure is what adds value by making the information actionable rather than placing the onus of determining if it is even real upon us, because we are of course quite busy with that already. Please email your findings to foxtelem@amsat.us and allow us a day or two to acknowledge and/or reply.
While we tend to talk about our involvement with RadFxSat-2 above all, a real effect reaches outside our mutual desire for amateur radio satellite fun. RadFxSat-2 is sponsored by Vanderbilt University as part of our long partnership going back to Fox-1A. RadFxSat-2’s mission belongs to Vanderbilt University as part of their RadFX series of missions seeking to verify and explore radiation effects on COTS components. Their mission coincides well with AMSAT’s desire to fly lower cost satellite missions using COTS components, in the unfriendly radiation environment of Earth orbit and beyond. Vanderbilt also sponsored the CSLI for RadFxSat (one) in our Fox-1B spacecraft back in 2012. Their proposal was selected by NASA, flown on the ELaNa XIV mission in November of 2017.
RadFxSat’s mission was very successful in the information provided through the combined telemetry-gathering of all of those who pursue our missions through FoxTelem. Vanderbilt University published their results giving praise to AMSAT and our Fox-1 CubeSats. The experiments we host are built by students and Vanderbilt shares the experiences with the educational community in their area. That is a success for AMSAT as well in our goal to provide STEM and other educational contributions.
While the RadFxSat-2 mission is problematic at this time, we will pursue every possibility to make her work for the amateur community and for our partner. I certainly hope to continue our partnership with Vanderbilt, the mutual benefit is a wonderful and fun undertaking that adds to the value of our satellites.
[ANS thanks Jerry Buxton, N0JY, AMSAT Vice President – Engineering, for the above information]
Saturday, January 02, 2021
10 Dec 2020 was a MW LA Night in Btown
Thursday, December 31, 2020
Wednesday, December 23, 2020
Saturday, December 12, 2020
15th Edition of the Global Radio Guide (Winter 2020-21) Now Available
Rise and set. Day and night. For many, that is the most observation that is required of the sun.
For radio hobbyists, however, our celestial neighbor holds a larger influence on our daily lives, requiring much closer examination. The role it plays in our hobby can be that of a great awakener or a great destroyer.
Now, as we stand on the first steps of Solar Cycle 25, which is already positioning itself to be one of the most talked about solar cycles among radio hobbyists in decades, there is a renewed energy in the hobby for all things HF. Many are venturing out, some for the first time, into the vastness of radio bands that once again crackle with life.
For this journey, you will need an experienced and knowledgeable guide. Gayle Van Horn, as she has for the past 30 years, has stepped up to answer that call.
Teak Publishing is proud to announce the 15th Edition of the Amazon bestselling e-book, the Global Radio Guide (Winter 2020-21), by Gayle Van Horn, W4GVH.
“This publication will have wide appeal to amateur radio operators, shortwave radio hobbyists, news agencies, news buffs, educators, foreign language students, expatriates, or anyone interested in listening to a global view of world news and major events as they happen,” says Larry Van Horn, co-founder of Teak Publishing and editor of the Global Radio Guide (GRG)
With the help of the GRG, you can tune in shortwave broadcast stations from hotspots such as China, Cuba, India, Iran, North/South Korea, Taiwan, and many other counties. If you have a shortwave radio receiver, SDR or Internet connection, pair it with this unique radio resource to know when and where to listen to the world.
This newest edition of the GRG carries on the tradition of those before it with an in-depth, 24-hour station/frequency guide with schedules for selected AM band, longwave, and shortwave radio stations. This unique resource is the only radio publication that lists by-hour schedules that include all language services, frequencies, and world target areas for over 500 stations worldwide.
The GRG includes listings of DX radio programs and Internet website addresses for many of the stations in the book. There are also entries for time and frequency stations as well as some of the more “intriguing” transmissions one can find on the shortwave radio bands.
Gayle has also updated her now famous SDR Buyer’s Guide, a must-have compendium that helps you navigate through revolutionary world of software-defined radios (SDRs), the digital frontier of the radio hobby.
New in this 15th edition of the GRG, Gayle dives into how and where to hear exotic shortwave stations transmitting in the world’s tropical radio bands. Located in the lower portion of the HF spectrum, these stations serve as a window into the culture and daily lives of countries not served by large international broadcast stations. Even in an increasingly connected and digital world, for many of the citizens in these countries, these radio stations serve as the only source of news and information they have at their disposal.
Spectrum Monitor magazine editor, Ken Reitz checks in with a primer on where you can hear global radio and television media broadcasters via satellite.
Fred Waterer, also of Spectrum Monitor, checks in with a feature on listening to music from around the globe on shortwave. There is a nostalgic look back at radio in 1922 by our friends at AWR Wavescan. Teak Publishing's Larry Van Horn will give the reader an exclusive tour of frequencies and radio services below 530 kHz in Radio's Basement Bands.
Whether you monitor shortwave radio broadcasts, amateur radio operators, or aeronautical, maritime, government, or military communications in the HF radio spectrum, this book has the frequencies to help you to hear it all. Teak Publishing’s Global Radio Guide "brings the world to you."
You can find this edition of the Global Radio Guide, along with all of our titles currently available for purchase, on the Teak Publishing Web site at www.teakpublishing.com
The 15th edition of the Global Radio Guide e-Book (electronic book only, no print edition available) is available worldwide from Amazon and their various international websites at
https://www.amazon.com//dp/B08PHX81Z1/
The price for this latest edition is US$8.99. 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. Customers in all other countries can use the regular Amazon.com website to purchase this e-Book.
You can read any Kindle e-Book with Amazon’s ‘free’ reading apps on literally any electronic media platform. You do not have to own a Kindle reader from Amazon to read this e-book. There are Kindle apps available for iOS, Android, Mac and PC platforms. You can find additional details on these apps by checking out this link to the Amazon website at https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/fd/kcp.
Friday, November 27, 2020
Btown MW Logs 11/18-11/25/2020
Thursday, November 26, 2020
Coast Guard Proposes to Discontinue HF Voice Watchkeeping
The US Coast Guard has invited comments by January 21, 2021, on a proposal to discontinue HF voice watchkeeping. The proposal appeared on November 20 in the Federal Register. The USCG proposes to cease monitoring 4125, 6215, 8291, and 12,290 kHz, in the contiguous US and Hawaii, due to a lack of activity.
“We believe this change would have a low impact on the maritime public, as commercial satellite radios and Digital Selective Calling (DSC) marine-SSB HF radios have become more prevalent onboard vessels,” the Coast Guard said. “However, we would like your comments on how you would be affected if we terminated monitoring HF voice-only distress frequencies within the contiguous US and Hawaii, particularly if you use HF, but do not currently have a commercial satellite radio or an HF DSC-capable radio aboard your vessel.”
The Coast Guard said it would continue to monitor HF DSC distress alerting for all existing regions and voice distress and hailing from Kodiak, Alaska, and Guam. The Maritime Mobile Service Net (MMSN) on 14.300 MHz remains available to less-equipped mariners who need assistance in emergencies.
SOURCE:ARRL
Sunday, November 22, 2020
Unid 1050 kHz and Religious Program Station List
1050 kHz 11/18 at 1756 EST: End of "Grace to You" 1/2 hour religious prgm, then Pastor George Cook of New Jerusalem House of Prayer in West Chicago, on various Christian beliefs. This was followed by a low modulation YL talking about powering stn down at sunset. During a very brief quiet period heard a CHUM-AM ID (finally got them after all these years) then heard the start of the Radio Bible Study program. My best guess is WROS-AM The Rose out of Jacksonville, but I can't completely eliminate KJBN-AM Little Rock.
Friday, November 20, 2020
Btown AM Logs 11/18/2020
I turned the W6LVP to the WSW-ENE and had a great run of new catches on a Top of the Hour (TOH) IQ run. Twelve new stations for my Brasstown logs and various relogs including 4 oldie but goodies. Also running the Airspy HF+Discovery and snagged some logs using a new prototype Airspy Hi-Z amp for the YouLoop. Doing some testing of it for the SDR buyers guide in the new Teak Publishing Global Radio Guide coming out next month.
560 KWTO MO, Springfield - 11/18 1758 In what appeared to be a local ad block with a YL anncr giving callsign only IDs between local ads then at TOH ID for 93.3 and AM 560 KWTO then f/out to the news (?). First time I have heard this station since our days when we were stationed at NAS Dallas back in early 1980s. (LVH-NC)
570 WIDS KY, Russell Springs - 11/18 1800 Hrd an ID for WIOK-FM then WIDS TOH ID for Russell Springs and Jamestown by OM anncr. Not bad for 500 watts. New #1048 (LVH-NC)
580 WILL IL, Urbana - 11/18 1756 NPR All Things Considered, guest talking about ancestor sharecroppers, then sponsors list, f/fown and mixing with WIBW for dualing TOH IDs. Then back to All Things Considered. New #1049 (LVH-NC)
580 WIBW KS, Topeka - 11/18 1759 Mixing with WILL for dualing TOH IDs. Made audio recording of Will/WIBW. New #1050 (LVH-NC)
590 CJCL ON, Toronto - 11/18 1756 Local ad block for Toronto biz. McDonald's ad mentioned Canadian eggs for their Egg McMuffin, TOH Full ID including slogan, big surprise, never hrd B4. New # 1051 (LVH-NC)
590 WCAB NC, Rutherfordton - 11/18 1800 Could hear WCAB u/CJCL during quiet period w/call sign only ID at 228 watts. (LVH-NC)
600 WREC TN, Memphis - 11/18 Ben Ferguson talk show gave local studio #535-9732 (tie up on Goggle search w/WREC) WREC ID at TOH. Last time heard here in Btown 10/14/1994. (LVH-NC)
640 WOI IA, Ames - 11/18 1800 Station ID right after WBIN Atlanta ID then NPR's All Things Considered. WCRV/WBIN/WOI battling on the frequency. Another station not heard since 1990s in New Orleans. New #1052. (LVH-NC)
690 KGGF KS, Coffeyville - 11/18 1756 Local ad then program promo by host of Openline 0830-1100 on the Mighty 690 KGGF ID, Sean Hannity Show FoxNew promo. Relog from 1/2020. (LVH-NC)
770 KAAM TX, Garland - 11/18 1756 What sounded like a religious program then instrumental music to OM w/K Double A M call sign ID. New #1054. (LVH-NC)
800 WHOS AL, Decatur - 11/18 1759 In the 800 mess TOH ID for WBHP Huntsville, WHOS Decatur, and at least one more stn sig in mud, "an iHeart station" then fade out to mess. New #1055. (LVH-NC)
1500 WLQV MI, Detroit - 11/18 1801 Promo for advertising on the station then full TOH ID for AM/FM stations - Faith Talk Detroit 92.7 & 1500. New #1043 (LVH-NC)
1520 WPAY OH, Rossford - 11/18 1802 CCR music then nice TOH Full ID for AM/FM 92.1 (not 93.1 per NRC Log). I heard that the K-Love classics network closed down on 11/2/2020 but it doesn't appear so based on their online presence. New #1044 (LVH-NC)
1610 CHHA ON, Toronto - 11/18 1801 SS music, slogan ID // Online feed, o/u CHRN. (LVH-NC)
1620 WTAW TX, College Station - 11/18 1758 Ad for a local jeweler then TOH ID // Online feed u/WNRP. First time heard since 2006. (LVH-NC)
1640 WSJP WI, Sussex - 11/18 1759 Religious program, TOH ID (full) including Relevant Radio slogan ID. New #1046 (LVH-NC)
1660 KWOD KS, Kansas City - 11/18 Local ad block including one for Preferred Asphalt and Concrete in Grandview, f/down to other ads callsign only heard then gone. New #1046 (LVH-NC)
1700 KKLF TX, Richardson - 11/18 1802 Mex Tejano music slogan ID just under dominate KBGG. New #1047 (LVH-NC)
Equipment: SDRPlay RSPdx, W6LVP Mag Amp Loop (WSW-ENE), Airspy HF+Discovery, YouLoop with an Airspy Hi-Z amp prototype. (LVH-NC) Larry Van Horn (N5FPW), Brasstown, NC
Monday, October 26, 2020
Btown Longwave Logs - 24 and 25 October 2020
Tuesday, August 18, 2020
Blog Logs
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| Example of monitoring via Airspy HF Discovery |
| ORTM Mali signal on 9635 kHz |













