Fishnet beacon

From HFUnderground

Not to be confused with fishnet stockings

Fishnet beacons, also known as Drift Nets, Fishing Buoy Transmitters, Radiobuoys, Radio Buoys, Radio-Buoys, and Fishnet Buoys are low power transmitters which periodically send CW identifiers followed by a carrier. The average repetition rate is about 4 minutes. They are battery powered and use fairly small and inefficient antenna, however they can be heard for hundreds or even thousands of miles. Fishnet beacons are can be found between 1.6 and 4 MHz, and are most often found in and above the 160-meter amateur radio band (1800-2000 kHz or 1.8-2 MHz) They are typically used by fishermen to locate nets, hence the name.

There are reports of similar beacons operating in the 26-30 MHz fixed mobile service range (including inside the 11 meter CB band and 10-meter amateur band). They follow a very similar format, transmitting a varying-number of characters ID with low power. Similar ocean-based telemetry systems use frequencies in the 26 MHz to 30 MHz range, including Marine Instruments Radio Buoys (authorized for 26145 kHz, 26150 kHz, 26155 kHz, 26160 kHz, 26165 kHz, 26170 kHz and 26175 kHz) and Datawell Waverider telemetry buoys (authorized for 29710 kHz, 29730 kHz, 29750 kHz, 29770 kHz and 29790 kHz per FCC waivers). Outside of the United States similar systems use various frequencies in the 1.6 to 4 MHz band and the 25.5 MHz to 35.5 MHz band. These transmitters often use offset frequencies (in other words, they ignore the 5 kHz or 10 kHz steps usually used in the 11 meter CB band and nearby frequencies).

Many fishnet buoys have been monitored in the 26.5 MHz to 27.5 MHz range, with the lower part being more popular. An excellent list of 26 MHz (26.5 MHz - 27.5 MHz) driftnet radio beacons and recordings of their CW Morse Code IDs can be found here - credit to N2SLN. https://www.qsl.net/n2sln/driftnetbeacons.html

Typical transmit power is in the 3 to 10 watt range.

List of fishnet beacons

Frequency (kHz)	Callsign
1715	CB8
1720	92S115
1722	93W113
1730	CF3
1730	IC514
1750	PR30
1752	IC518
1753	RZ6
1753	4LJS
1753	4PDU
1761	KW109
1764	4LJP
1772	4PEC
1776	4OWO
1782	VP2
1787	97W107
1792	SG5
1795	CF9
1802	PK1
1812	VH7
1813	EY9
1839	4BOB
1856	DA2
1856	4MSZ
1881	4BNZ
1883	5AJW
1884	CK1
1894	4OUS
1894	4LKO
1894	4LID
1912	DS89
1918	IO82
1942	IC526
1942	PS3
1948	4QJA
1953	QU7
1962	4IGW
1962	RZ6
1970	4PFK
1972	AB8
1977	4CMV
1982	HU5E
1988	JE1
1989	AY7
1993	4OMZ
1998	4DQX
2003	4JSP
2019	4HVX
2020	BM3
2041	4CEF

See also

• Radio beacon