"Welcome to the Hobby - Start Here"

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This page was created to help those who are interested in the hobby of radio monitoring and want to learn more. In addition to resources in this Wiki, there is also a special forum for beginners on the HF Underground Message Board.
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This page was created to help those who are interested in the hobby of HF radio monitoring and want to learn more. In addition to resources in this Wiki, there is also a special forum for beginners on the HF Underground Message Board where you can ask questions in a friendly environment.
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     ''('''Propagation tip''': night time favors lower frequencies, day time favors higher ones)''
     ''('''Propagation tip''': night time favors lower frequencies, day time favors higher ones)''
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    ''('''Term tip''': 1000 kHz = 1 MHz, so, 14670 kHz = 14.670 MHz)''
 
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Time stations - 24/7 broadcast of accurate time:
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'''Time stations''' - 24/7 broadcast of accurate time:
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    [https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/radio-stations/wwv WWV] [https://tf.nist.gov/stations/wwvh.htm WWVH](US) - 2500 kHz, 5000 kHz, 10000 kHz, 15000 kHz, 20000 kHz (WWV only), 25000 kHz (WWV only)
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[https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/radio-stations/wwv WWV] [https://tf.nist.gov/stations/wwvh.htm WWVH](US) - 2500 kHz, 5000 kHz, 10000 kHz, 15000 kHz, 20000 kHz (WWV only), 25000 kHz (WWV only)
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    [https://nrc.canada.ca/en/certifications-evaluations-standards/canadas-official-time/nrc-shortwave-station-broadcasts-chu CHU] (Canada) - 3330 kHz, 7850 kHz, 14670 kHz
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[https://nrc.canada.ca/en/certifications-evaluations-standards/canadas-official-time/nrc-shortwave-station-broadcasts-chu CHU] (Canada) - 3330 kHz, 7850 kHz, 14670 kHz
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These time stations are often used by more experienced hobbyists to help quickly check propagation in North America and to check to see if their receivers and antennas are functioning properly.
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'''Shortwave Broadcasters'''
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'''Amateur (Ham) Radio'''
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== Moderately easy to hear ==
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[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numbers_station Numbers (Spy) Stations] - While more prevalent in the past there are still some stations that are still operating. These stations are used by governments to send coded information to their assets on the ground. You won't be able to decode any of the message but they are nonetheless interesting. A group called Priyom operates a website that makes it easier to hear these stations. The website has a schedule of expected transmission and a link that will automatically take you to an online receiver that has a good chance of receiving it.

Revision as of 13:00, 30 June 2020

This page was created to help those who are interested in the hobby of HF radio monitoring and want to learn more. In addition to resources in this Wiki, there is also a special forum for beginners on the HF Underground Message Board where you can ask questions in a friendly environment.


Contents

What Can I Hear?

Easy to hear

   (Propagation tip: night time favors lower frequencies, day time favors higher ones)

Time stations - 24/7 broadcast of accurate time:

WWV WWVH(US) - 2500 kHz, 5000 kHz, 10000 kHz, 15000 kHz, 20000 kHz (WWV only), 25000 kHz (WWV only)

CHU (Canada) - 3330 kHz, 7850 kHz, 14670 kHz


These time stations are often used by more experienced hobbyists to help quickly check propagation in North America and to check to see if their receivers and antennas are functioning properly.


Shortwave Broadcasters



Amateur (Ham) Radio


Moderately easy to hear

Numbers (Spy) Stations - While more prevalent in the past there are still some stations that are still operating. These stations are used by governments to send coded information to their assets on the ground. You won't be able to decode any of the message but they are nonetheless interesting. A group called Priyom operates a website that makes it easier to hear these stations. The website has a schedule of expected transmission and a link that will automatically take you to an online receiver that has a good chance of receiving it.


Where to Listen Online

A quick place to start is to use the links supplied on this page to go directly to an online receiver tuned to the correct frequency. This is only intended to be an aid and not a guaranteed method of hearing any particular station. Remember that not all stations are on the air 24/7 and propagation will effect whether or not you can receive them.


Learning Resources

  • Propagation, Time of Day, and Location

Propagation is the study of how signals can get from the transmitter to the receiver and can vary according to the sun, the Earth's atmosphere, frequency, time of day, and your location. All of this adds to the enjoyment and excitement of radio monitoring. At times a very strong reliable station will become weak and a rare weak station can become strong enough to hear. With practice you can use propagation tools to help you predict the best time to hear a station.

   HF Radio Propagation and Sunspots



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