Forty-seventh edition of the N&O column / Spooks newsletter

(Date: Mon, 01 Apr 2002 18:19:51 +0200)

Other modes

XP / XPH

The expected morning sked for April is 808 :

0600 UTC	10893 kHz
0620 UTC	12093 kHz
0640 UTC	13893 kHz

The expected evening sked for April is 321 :

2000 UTC	13375 kHz
2020 UTC	12207 kHz
2040 UTC	11155 kHz

Two other transmissions outside the normal time slots were noted at 9 March at 1230 UTC on 21862 kHz, and at 1250 UTC on 20432 kHz.

Another schedule, with lower tones, was copied by Paul on 7 March:

2100 UTC	9140 kHz
2120 UTC	7610 kHz
2140 UTC	6840 kHz

M42

It's a bit slow on the FAPSI reporting front. Only one log this month. Lars copied them on 14871 kHz where he heard a RTTY message on link 80038 after the Mazielka selcal at 1443 UTC. The transmission ended with some ops chat.

Has anyone heard any FAPSI activity from Cuba since the Russians pulled out?

XT2 / XWP / XSW

XT2
The mysterious second pip and 3-tone marker were not reported in March. I wonder where they are now.
XWP
Still going strong on all frequencies as mentioned in last month's column.
XSW
The "Squeaky Wheel" channel marker is daily audible on 3828 kHz.

See also Newsletter 48 for more about XT and XT2.
See also Newsletter 48 for more about XSW.
See also Newsletter 74 for more about XWP.

HAARP

The message that HAARP would be active reached me via Trond and the actual logs came from Tom Sevart.

HAARP, the High frequency Active Auroral Research Program, located at Gakona in Alaska, were performing their spring 2002 VLF injection campaign, during the period March 15th - March 28th. The transmissions were heard on 3.2 and 5.8 MHz.

The transmissions on 3.2 MHz consisted of 12.5 Hz on/off keying 50 % duty cycle. On 3.2 and 5.8 MHz chirp transmissions were announced and further sinusoidal modulation with the following frequencies; 1225 Hz, 1875 Hz, 2125 Hz, 2375 Hz, 3365 Hz.

Tom reports "I'm hearing the HAARP signal tonight (17 March). At 0826 I heard a steady AM carrier on 3200 with a tone. This was later replaced by quick dashes of the carrier on 3200. At 0837, the signal moved to 5800 and consisted of an AM carrier with various tones. Can't wait to get a QSL for this."

Let us know if you get one, Tom!