Are you hearing strange transmissions on the ham bands? IARU Monitoring
System Reports Increased Russian Military Traffic on Ham Bands The September
edition of the IARU Region 1 Monitoring System (IARUMS) newsletter has
reported that Russian Military traffic in the Amateur Radio 7 and 14 MHz
bands increased during August. At least some of these intruders were likely
to be audible in other parts of the world. Monitors in Europe reported a
Russian over-the-horizon (OTH) radar in Gorodezh on 14.108 MHz, causing
strong interference daily and often exhibiting splatter. In addition the
Russian Navy was reported active frequently on 14.192.0 MHz using FM CW.
Other monitoring stations in Germany reported numerous Chinese OTH radars in
other bands, including on 75 meters. Veteran IARUMS Region 1 intruder
watcher Wolf Hadel, DK2OM. Region 1 IARUMS Coordinator and veteran monitor
Wolf Hadel, DK2OM, recently told the Rusk County Amateur Radio Club in East
Texas that some of the worst offenders are OTH facilities in Russia and
Iran. The signals can result in broad swaths of noise in the 20 meter band,
he said. During his VoIP talk, Hadel pointed out that recruiting volunteer
monitors with the "right equipment" is difficult, and he encouraged club
members to join the hunt for ham band intruders. According to Region 1
monitors, intruding signals said to be coming from Spanish fishing vessels
have now been reported on all amateur bands -- shared and exclusive. A
beacon, reported to be in Kazakhstan, has been transmitting "V" on 7027.5
kHz continuously. Apparent North Korean diplomatic traffic from the DPRK
embassy in Moscow has been heard on 14.109.5 MHz. Mario Taeubel, DG0JBJ,
observed 31 OTH radars on 20 meters, 28 OTH radars on 15 meters, and 11 OTH
radars on 10 meters during August. In addition, a Chinese OTH radar has
often appeared on 80 meters in IARU Region 3. Monitors in Europe also have
monitored transmissions between taxi drivers and dispatchers on Amateur
Radio frequencies, primarily on 10 meters. The ARRL recently forwarded
reports from IARU Region 2 and Hawaii to R2 Monitoring System Coordinator
Jorge Del Valle, TG9ADV. These included so-called drift net beacons on 10
meters (28.281 and 28.226 MHz), as well as digital, radar, and phone
intruders heard on 20 meters in Hawaii. Authorized by the IARU
Administrative Council, IARU Monitoring System volunteers work under the
guidance of the IARU International Monitoring System Coordinator and
regional coordinators. The IARU Monitoring System operations are coordinated
under the Monitoring System Committee.       

 

 

Dr. Ronald E. Milliman

Retired Professor of Marketing