From HFUnderground

Latest revision as of 00:09, 5 August 2024

Still under construction, call this a late Beta version, almost ready for prime time

See also: emission designators page

Why is this Guide here?

The goal of this Wiki is to help people ID sounds and signals they might come across on the radio, primarily in the HF (3000 to 30000 kHz) and MW (300 to 3000 kHz) bands. Of course not all possible signals can be identified, and certainly they cannot all be presented here. So the IDs will start with the most common modes and move forward from those. As signals to be IDed are presented and hopefully identified on the HFUnderground HF Mystery Signals board they will be added to these lists, assuming they were not already here.

With the advent and proliferation of SDRs to the hobby of shortwave listening, and the often associated wideband waterfall / spectrum displays, hobbyist are now more likely to notice short duration, transient, signals. Signals are now visually presented that in the past would not have been noticed at all unless the listener just happened to be tuned to the right random frequency when the short duration signal occurred. This has had the affect of raising the probability of reception of any given signal type, regardless of duration. Further, these waterfalls and spectrum images can be used to help ID specific modes of operation, as different techniques often have very different visual signatures.

Today's online receiver nodes (from services like Globaltuners, SDR-Radio.com, and WebSDR.org) mean that more people than ever potentially have access to monitor the HF spectrum. Often people with no prior exposure to HF radio or shortwave listening first gravitate to these kinds of services, as they take no investment in equipment to start using. They then face a sometimes steep learning curve of "what am I hearing, and what are these things on the radio".

In general the use of analogue voice and manual communications modes on the HF and MW bands is on the decline, replaced with digital and data modes. The use of other than communications modes, such as ionospheric sounders and HF radars, seems to be at an all-time high. For the new listener, or for more experienced listeners without the proper tools, identifying some of these modes and signals can be a challenge.

How to submit a signal for ID?

Go to the HFUnderground HF Mystery Signals board and follow the guidelines presented there for posting. Assuming the signal is IDed there, and it is not already on the list here, it will likely be added to this list.

How to use this Identification Guide?

If you look at the tables of the guide you will see it is divided into three types of signals, "Non DATA Signals", "DATA Signals", and "Unidentified Signals". Each section can be further broken down into sub categories.

Non DATA Signals:

Non DATA Signals are modes that do not carry what is traditionally thought of as digital data. This will be analogue voice modes, traditional Morse Code transmissions, and signals along those basic lines. Radars and Ionosondes have also been included in this segment, as they are not typically DATA transmissions.

DATA Signals:

DATA Signals are pretty much everything else. If it goes through a modem or is computer generated before being transmitted to the open air it will probably be included in the DATA Signals section. This includes telemetry modes, pager/paging systems such as POCSAG and FLEX, and digital voice modes, including many encrypted modes. The DATA Signals section is loosely broken down into the type of modulation used for the data, FSK, MFSK, PSK, etc.

Various image modes, such as HFFAX, SSTV, etc, are included in the DATA Signals, even when they are not digital in nature. Despite many of these types having analogue backgrounds most are generated by computer today.

Unidentified Signals:

Unidentified Signals are signals that have not yet been identified. As they are reported or added they will be assigned an "HFU UNID" sequential 3 digit number. This number means nothing, and is just a way to track information and discussions about that signal on the HFUnderground HF Mystery Signals board.

These UNID signals may appear in more than one segment of the guide, they will be in the Unidentified Signals segment, but may also be shown under their modulation types. For example, an Unknown signal that is obviously an FSK signal may be in both the Unidentified Signals area, and the FSK area, but in both cases they will carry the same UNID number.

Basic information shown for all Entries

Mode

"Mode" is simply a generally accepted name of the technique. This may not be the only designator used for that specific technique. For example, traditional "AM" can also be described as "Double sideband with full carrier", and "A3E". In such a case these other designations may be included on the Mode Specific page. If a Mode Specific page exist for a mode you can access it by clicking on the name in the Mode column. The Mode Specific page will generally contain more detailed information than can be included in this initial chart.

Frequency Range (kHz)

"Frequency Range (kHz)" is the range of frequencies where one might find this specific mode in use. For many modes this can be a very wide range, but other modes might be very limited in range. Remember this guide is MW and HF specific and may not consider usage in other frequency ranges.

Bandwidth (kHz)

"Bandwidth (kHz)" is the normally occupied bandwidth of the signal, as might be seen on a waterfall or spectrum display. Unless you include the power point for the measurement (3 dB, 6 dB, 10 dB, 20 dB, etc) this is an approximate value only. Because of this very strong signals can appear wider than very weak signals, even if both signals are actually using the same bandwidth. The goal here is to provide something that might help identification, not to define a technical specification for the mode.

Shift (kHz)

"Shift (kHz)" is something that only applies to certain types of DATA or digital transmissions. It will be used to define the spacing for visually definable tones or data channels in a transmission.

Number of Tones

"Number of Tones" is applicable to certain types of DATA or digital transmissions. It will be used to indicate the number of visually definable tones or data channels in a transmission.

Key Features

"Key Features" will be selected features that can help identify the signal, or at least narrow down the candidate pool. Ideally it will be one or two visually distinctive features that can be seen on a waterfall or spectrum display, but these might also be auditory features.

Sources

"Sources" are the most likely source for this transmission mode, if known.

Recording

"Recording" will link to an audio recording of the mode. Further recordings, both audio and video, may be present on the Mode Specific page.

Spectrum Image

"Spectrum Image" is a 200 pixel wide expandable thumbnail image of the signal, often either the spectrum or a waterfall / histogram of some kind. Typically the full size version of this images is at least 640 x 480.

The Signals

Non DATA Signals

Communications Modes

Mode	Frequency Range (kHz)	Bandwidth (kHz)	Shift (Hz)	Number of Tones	Key Features	Sources	Recording	Spectrum Image
AM	All Frequencies in the HF Range	Typically 2.6 to 10.0 kHz, can be wider or narrower	Not Applicable	Not Applicable	Carrier present in center of signal, audio typically mirrored left and right of the carrier	World wide	AM recording link here
CW (Morse Code)	All Frequencies in the HF Range	Very narrow, potentially less than 50 Hz	Not Applicable	Not Applicable	Line or broken line on the waterfall, no sidebands, may show wider "key clicks" at the start and stop of each dot and dash	World wide	CW recording link here
LSB	All Frequencies in the HF Range	Typically 2.4 to 3.0 kHz, can be wider or narrower	Not Applicable	Not Applicable	No carrier present in Spectrum, audio typically bunched to towards the right (low audio frequency)	World wide	LSB recording link here
USB	All Frequencies in the HF Range	Typically 2.4 to 3.0 kHz, can be wider or narrower	Not Applicable	Not Applicable	No carrier present in Spectrum, audio typically bunched to towards the left (low audio frequency)	World wide	USB recording link here

Non Communications Modes

Mode	Frequency Range (kHz)	Bandwidth (kHz)	Shift (Hz)	Number of Tones	Key Features	Sources	Recording	Spectrum Image
16 x 64 Sounder (nickname, official name or designation not known)	Below 4000 to above 30000 observed	2.5 kHz	Not Applicable	Not Applicable	FMCW transmission, changes sweep rates in 16 steps, resulting in 16 different sounds per transmission, a pilot tone may precede each rate change but is not always present	Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN)	Media:16x64_sounder.mp3 16 x 64 sounder recording
29B6 radar "Kontainer"	6000 to 20000	4 to 28 kHz observed, unknown limits, width depending on specific operating conditions	Not Applicable	Not Applicable	FMOP transmission, presenting a wide signal equal to the swept (chirped) width, sweep rate creates a pulsed sound affect, easily confused with British PLUTO radar	Kovylkino, Mordovia, Russia	Media:29B6.mp3 29B6 recording, first portion wide audio, second narrow, as would be heard on many receivers
CODAR (Coastal Ocean Dynamics Applications Radar), a specialized radar used to study ocena currents and waves	4000 to 27000	16 to 240 kHz, depending on band, higher frequencies mean wider swept widths	Not Applicable	Not Applicable	FMOP or FMICW transmission, presenting a wide signal equal to the swept (chirped) width, sweep rate can create "swooshing" sounds on radio, pulsed transmission can give the sound a rough quality	World wide, hundreds of locations around the World	Media:CODAR.mp3 CODAR recording, first 40 seconds in USB, next 40 in AM, last 40 in LSB
PLUTO radar (possible offical name, PLUTO II, suggested by online documents)	8000 to 38000	3 to 40 kHz, depending on specific operating conditions	Not Applicable	Not Applicable	FMCW transmission, presenting a wide signal equal to the swept (chirped) width, sweep rate creates a pulsed sound affect, easily confused with Russian 29B6 radar	British Sovereing base of Akrotiri, Island of Cyprus	Media:PLUTO_50Hz.mp3 Media:PLUTO_25Hz.mp3 PLUTO recording link here

DATA Signals

FSK Modes

Mode	Frequency Range (kHz)	Bandwidth (kHz)	Shift (Hz)	Number of Tones	Key Features	Sources	Recording	Spectrum Image
CIS 36-50, BEE, T-600	All Frequencies in the HF Range	0.085 to 0.500 kHz (85 to 500 Hz depending on mode)	85, 125, 250, or 500, only one shift used at a time	2	Appears as two lines on waterfall, seperated by the shift, normally encrypted, at idle presents 36 Bd	Used primarily by Russian Navy, a mode of the T-600 modem	Media:CIS_36_50.mp3 CIS 36-50 recording	200px
CIS 50-50, BEE, T-600	All Frequencies in the HF Range	0.200 to 0.250 kHz (200 or 250 Hz depending on mode)	200 or 250 Hz, only one shift used at a time	2	Appears as two lines on waterfall, seperated by the shift, normally encrypted, at idle presents 50 Bd	Used primarily by Russian Navy, a mode of the T-600 modem	Media:CIS_50_50.mp3 CIS 50-50 recording
STANAG 4481 FSK	All Frequencies in the HF Range	0.85 kHz (850 Hz)	850 Hz	2	Appears as two lines on waterfall, seperated by the shift, normally encrypted	Used by NATO forces world wide	Media:S4481_FSK.mp3 4481 FSK recording

MFSK Modes

Mode	Frequency Range (kHz)	Bandwidth (kHz)	Shift (Hz)	Number of Tones	Key Features	Sources	Recording	Spectrum Image
MIL STD 181-141A ALE	All Frequencies in the HF Range	1.75 kHz (1750 Hz)	250 Hz	8	Appears as eight broken lines on waterfall, seperated by the shift, normally encrypted, rhythmic sound	Used world wide	Media:ALE_SND.mp3 MIL STD 188-141A sounding recording
JT-65 JT65	All ham bands	0.175 kHz (175 Hz)	~2.65 Hz	65	Appears as stepped lines on the waterfall, has a musical sound to it, can be confused by new listeners for a polytone numbers station like XPA	Used world wide	Media:JT65.mp3 JT65 recording

PSK Modes

Mode	Frequency Range (kHz)	Bandwidth (kHz)	Shift (Hz)	Number of Tones	Key Features	Sources	Recording	Spectrum Image
(Chinese) CHN 4+4	All Frequencies in the HF Range	2.9 kHz	300 Hz, with 450 Hz gap	8	Appears as 8 PSK tones on the waterfall, noticeable 450 Hz gap between tones 4 and 5	Used by Chinese military	Media:CHN4_4.mp3 CHN 4+4 recording
CIS12, Fire, MS5, AT3004D, AT3104D	All Frequencies in the HF Range	3.3 kHz	200 Hz (12 tone) or 120 Hz (20 tone)	12 or 20	Appears as 12 or 20 PSK tones on the waterfall, with 3300 Hz Doppler (pilot) tone	Used primarily by Russian military	Media:CIS12.mp3 CIS12 recording
PSK31	Mostly in the ham radio bands					Used world wide	Media:psk31_recording.mp3

SELCAL Modes

Image Modes

Mode	Frequency Range (kHz)	Bandwidth (kHz)	Shift (Hz)	Number of Tones	Key Features	Sources	Recording	Spectrum Image
Slow Scan TV SSTV	Mostly in the ham radio bands	1100-2300 Hz			Distinctive burst of VIS code bits at the beginning, then a rhythmic sound as the scan lines of video are sent	Used world wide	Media:Robot36C.WAV
Weather Fascimile Fax	All Frequencies in the HF Range	1500-2300 Hz			Rhythmic sound as the scan lines of video are sent twice a second	Used world wide	Media:Fax_signal.mp3
Hellschreiber Hellschreiber	Mostly in the ham radio bands				Scratchy sound as the pixels of each character are sent	Used world wide

Unidentified Signals

Mode	Frequency Range (kHz)	Bandwidth (kHz)	Shift (Hz)	Number of Tones	Key Features	Sources	Recording	Spectrum Image
HFU UNID001 Sweepers	All Frequencies in the HF Range, but primarily noticed above 10000 kHz	Sub 2 kHz to over 200 kHz	Not Applicable	Not Applicable	Various shapes, but typically presents as a sweeping, unstable, signal on a waterfall	Unknown, a strong theory is these are related to industrial processes, possibly RF Welding	Media:UNID001_Sweepers.mp3 Sweeper recording, multple examples
HFU UNID002 Pips	All Frequencies in the HF Range	Typically very narrow, as CW, but occasionally with light 3 kHz modulation	Not Applicable	Not Applicable	Appears as a periodic dit or dash on a waterfall with fixed spacing between Pips, typical lengths are 0.063 to 1.5 sec, spacing has ranged from 3.0 to 27 seconds	Unknown	Media:UNID002_Pips.mp3 Pips recording, multiple examples