Shortwave frequencies for Gulf/Iraq

rec.radio.shortwave | March 22, 2003 | Matt

[Calvin Locke]

Saw this in the rec.radio.shortwave newsgroup.

From: Matt

"... As the world waits and watches Iraq, if you've got a shortwave
receiver with sideband mode (USB and LSB) you can hear certain
military communications related to the conflict including many
long-distance GHFS (Global HF System) stations including Emergency
Action Messages (EAMs) and Skyking messages which are high-priority
messages for air and ground stations.

Frequencies to monitor (in the USB mode) include:

4709, 4724, 6712, 6739, 8992, 11175, 11271, 15038 (11175 is a very
active frequency most of the time)

Shortwave broadcasts from the Middle East that you can hear with a
reasonable antenna include the following. Note that UTC (Universal
Time) is 5 hours ahead of EST. Note that because the changing
situation in the area these times and frequencies are subject to
change; of course checking the frequencies from time to time is your
best bet of hearing a broadcast.

Egypt, Radio Cairo on 9900 at 2315 UTC

Iran, Voice of the Islamic Republic, Tehran on 9022 at 1030 UTC (also
on 9835 and 11970) Iran also on 13730 and 13745 at 1330 UTC.

Iraq, Radio Baghdad on 11787 (varies slightly to 11785) at 2000 UTC.
Also check 15265, 15375, 15385, 21470 at 1100 UTC.

Israel, Kol Israel on 6280, 7475, 9435 at 0500 (also on 11605). Israel
also on 15640, 17535 and 6220 at 2000 UTC. Also check 1700 UTC on
17545. At 1900 UTC on 11605, 15615 and 17545.

Kuwait (Radio Kuwait) on 11990 kHz at 1800 UTC. Also check 15110 kHz.

Syria, Radio Damascus on 12085 (and 13610 frequently) at 0500 and 2000 UTC

Turkey, Voice of Turkey, Ankara on 11960 and 12000 at 2100 UTC; on 6020 at 0400 and 2300 UTC

United Arab Emirates Radio, Dubai on 13675, 15395 at 0020, 1330 UTC;
15395 at 0030; 0200 on 15395 and 15370;to listen to!"

[Calvin Locke]

I have the Ten-Tec RX320 as my "good" SWR. Literally a black box, with a serial connection to the PC.

There are a few commercial control programs for it, as well as about 1/2 dozen free/shareware packages - It is like
having multiple radios.

Especially nifty when used with the ILG DB.

Downside is if you have 1.) poorly shielded CRT, or 2.) PC w/o serial port. Receives up to 30Mhz. No FM etc.

Kind of miss physical controls though. However, sort the ILG by "on-air" (and "Eng") and start clicking away.
Or load Scan320 and scan the utility bands or ranges.
Or load a WeFax program and get the weather charts.

[RightWhale]

Thanks. I'll try out the old inverted Vee antenna, although reception sucks in the land of permafrost.

[Calvin Locke]

Hoped you checked out nearby Radio Shacks. A very long shot, but they were closing out their DX398 (bare ATS909)
for $100 since they moved to Grundig.

(I missed it too. Sigh. Did manage to get their ATS505 eqv. for $50.)

Not that its going to do you any immediate good, but you can request a login from www.ilgradio.com.
It takes weeks, but they provide a "quarterly" DB of SW broadcast stations, schedules, programs, station info, targets, etc.

Free to non-professionals, but you need the login.

There's also the annual Passport to World Band Radio for $20 at bookstores.

[July 4th]

Anyone tried out the shortwave PCI cards for computers?

The one problem I know of with these cards has to do with interference from the computer and surrounding equipment. Some people are lucky and have no RFI problems. I need to shut down both of my computers and my stereo receiver to get a truly clean signal on my standalone shortwave receiver.

Plus, it's sometimes cool just to take the receiver, turn everything else off in the room, and sit down and listen.

BTW, I have a Sony ICF-SW7600GR, which is by no means a Cadillac, but is very nice and has some high end features. (It's also great for AM reception - Rush, Hannity...)

[Euro-American Scum]

Bump for future reference.

[epow]

However, SW is over. I am sure that a few hanger onners will keep looking to make SW relevent again, but unless you personally experienced it, I don't think you will ever really be able to explain it to youngsters today.

You are so right. I started listening to SW on a Spartan console AM/SW set my dad bought just before WWII. I could listen to London Calling at night during the war, and it seemed mysterious, somehow romantic, and almost surreal. It was nothing less than magic to a pre-teen kid in a small town in FL. I doubt kids would understand that today with all the electronic wizardry they take for granted.

I didn't know anything about antennae, so I just hooked up a piece of extension cord wire to the antenna post and hung it out the living room window. The old Spartan had a big bandspread dial and a tuning eye to let you know when you were centered on the signal. Surpisingly, I got quite good reception from many European stations even though I knew nothing about SW propagation back then.

I tried SW listening again recently with a small Sony I picked up, but somehow it just isn't the same. My grown kids think I'm weird to try listening in on SW when you can get it live and in color on the satellite. I guess you had to be there to understand the fascination.

[dfwgator]

Brings back memories. I used to live Shortwave Radio when I was growing up. My faves were BBC World Service, Radio Australia, Radio Nederland and of course Radio Moscow and Radio Tirana when I needed a good laugh. Wish I still had my old QSL cards myself.

[dfwgator]

Shortwave listening was kinda of like fishing. There was nothing that matched the thrill of getting that rare reception. Nowadays you can hear the same stations crystal clear on the Internet, but it just isn't the same, is it?