non-nws transmissions on NWR frequency

[Jeremy Miller]

Hey folks,

I was just scanning through the nwr channels to see what channels besides the one that covers my area comes in. After a few seconds it stopped on 162.4500. I heard man talking in the background with what sounded like someone breathing into a mic or whispering at the same time the person in the background is having what seems to be a coversation.

I waited a few minutes, then called my local nws office, which is binghamton. I informed them of the non-nws traffic on the frequency. The only frquency that covers my area clearly is 162.5000.

Has anyone heard of this happening?. The person that answered the phone said it may be someone bleeding over
onto 162.4500. My question is, how could this happen, when this frequency is strictly gov't noaa frequency?.

Thanks

Jeremy

 

[John Farley]

I don't know how it happens, but I have encountered it several times, most recently on June 1 north of Peoria, IL. I don't remember which AHR station or frequency I was listening to, however.

 

[Van DeWald]

It could just be that the override button was pressed at the NWS office and they didn't realize it. On the weather radio console, we can use what is called "Backup Live" mode. When doing so, if we press the "Enable" button, we're now live. I'm guessing they were doing some testing, or getting ready for the weekly test, and accidentally hit the Enable button without realizing it.

 

[Jeremy Miller]

I thought of that, but I'm to far away from all the transmitters that are on 162.4500. I only recieve 162.5000 crystal clear and is the primary station for my county. When it was happening it was coming in pretty good. I checked and it was back to just static.

Thanks van, much appreciate the input.
Would what you suggested could of happened, still
work if I'm no where near a .4500 transmitter?.

Jer

 

[cdcollura]

HAM Radio Mods CAN Tx NOAA!

Good day all,

I modified my Icon T81a Quad HT to be able to transmit on the FRS (those little family radios) frequencies (around 460 MHz or so, forget exactly). This is easily done by removing two small diodes on the main PCB and plans to do this with many radios are all over the internet.

Now, this not only opened up TX on FRS, but nearly every channel across the FM bands for 6m, 2m, 70cm, and 1.2 GHz, in addition to the factory set HAM frequencies.

NOAA weather radio is right past the 2m HAM band by about 16-18 Mhz or so. My (modified) HT Quad can indeed transmit on NOAA, as well as the Business VHF bands too (the 150's MHz).

Ofcourse, I would not dare purposly key up over NOAA as it is a SERIOUS FCC violation to do so. But I am sure if some punk got a hold of my HT radio and got that idea, he or she would key it at 5 watts and say who knows what!

Maybe the people doing this have such a transmitter?

Or maybe as mentioned earlier it is just the override enable left on at the WSO.

My two bits,

 

[rdale]

It could also be a harmonic of another frequency and the transmitter is close.

 

[Doug Lee]

If you want to locate the offenders, contact your local ham radio club and see if they have someone who engages in ARDF (Amateur Radio Direction Finding), also known as foxhunting or hidden transmitter hunting. This is an activity were someone hides an automated transmitter, or someone hides out with a transceiver, and the hunters try to find the transmitter by tracking signal strength.

The hunters often use dirctional antennas, such as beams or loops, and some use tracking devices that use the Doppler effect. However, you can hunt without special equipment. Hold your receiver about chest level during a tranmission and slowly turn in a circle. When your body blocks the signal, you are facing away from the transmitter. You might want to mark on a map your postion and the bearing towards the transmitter. Move to another location several miles away and take another bearing. The transmitter will be close to the spot where the two bearings cross. Taking additional bearings will help narrow down the location, as long as the transmitter is not moving.
When you get close, the signal will be strong enough to seem like it's coming from everywhere. I that case, you can remove the antenna, or start tuning to adjacent frequencies. If you locate the transmitter, be careful about approaching the offender. It is best to just locate the transmitter and report it to authorities.

Also, listen to what is said during the transmissions. Sometimes the conversation will give additional clues.

 

[beaudodson]

The news had a lady, from Illinois, on the radio, yesterday, that was picking up the Satellite Feed from NASA - showing the astronauts doing their space walk - this was on her baby monitor!
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/281536/woman_watches_nasa_mission_on_baby.html

 

[rdale]

Not quite - her neighbor was watching NASA TV, and has a wireless video transmission unit (that lets you watch the video from one TV in multiple rooms.) Fortunately it was NASA he watched and not those kinky channels ;>

 

[Damon Poole]

Non NWS Transmissions on NWR

Occasionally, a radio remote crew will bleed over, especially if they use a 170 Mhz wireless microphone. I had that happen once while I was in college. After about an hour of trying to listen to NWR, and having it blocked out by the remote crew, I called the commercial station and found out it was a shoe sale remote about 1/2 mile away from me. Fortunately, they were finished within a few minutes of my call.