UNID HF-Fax station: Must be Tashkent!

I did a search to some old HF-Fax images, received back in 2001-2002 where the Sun was more kind to us offering more sunspots! I found some similar images, of better quality, which resemble the ones I've posted earlier. The service's logo is visible, and I think it reads "UZHYMET". So it must be Uzbekistan. I'll show you my older images later, and ask you if I'm right. Here is a link to the Weather Service web page. Still I haven't found more info about fax transmissions...

First, I believe a transmission was on air commencing earlier than ~1359z, but it was under heavy QRN. A series of images followed, with slightly different timing than the previous days.

4067 kHz, 01/02/2007 1422z

4067 kHz, 01/02/2007 1448z

4067 kHz, 01/02/2007 1601z

4067 kHz, 01/02/2007 1631z

4067 kHz, 01/02/2007 1701z

4067 kHz, 01/02/2007 1731z

There was also a transmission at 1801z, but I was listening to G11 of course!

Here are the old pictures. Definitely then the conditions were better, despite being received in a more noisy location and with Sangean's 7 meter random wire antenna!

15/09/2001 1440z

04/10/2001 1439z

15/09/2001 1501z

22/12/2001 1519z

I have uploaded them full-sized so you can read the labels more easily! Unfortunately no frequency details available. I was novice then and underestimated the value of a good logbook! But it is obvious that the conditions were much better back in 2001.

UNID HF-Fax station: Tashkent?

Yesterday I decided to look again for that UNID Fax station on 4067 kHz, and got 4 complete transmissions and a partial one. Again the problem is the spacing: 1000 Hz instead of 800 Hz, and also some faults during the beginning of the broadcast.

4067 kHz, 30/01/2007 1451z Partial image.

This one probably started at 1430z. Well it still seems Russian to me :-)

4067 kHz, 30/01/2007 1601z

4067 kHz, 30/01/2007 1709z

You see, my environment is not QRN-free! That zig-zag lines are caused by QRN.

4067 kHz, 30/01/2007 1801z

Use the times given as a guide to hunt for this one! Unfortunately the images are not clear and I can't read the boxes. If anyone is familiar with Tashkent fax service, is kindly requested to post a comment saying so.

Murmansk, Russia Meteo HF-Fax

An unusual HF-Fax station logged today with success. It is supposed to be Murmansk Radio. Rfax info is partially outdated.

8444 kHz, 1330z

This station must be decoded with the receiver in LSB mode. My Sangean was tuned on 8446 kHz LSB. The transmission was wider than 800 Hz, and I didn't noticed the series of tones that triggers the decoder. So another difficult station, not because its distance!

I logged this station yesterday at 1456z and 2007z, so keep an ear(!) at 1440z and 2000z (or something like that!) on 8444 kHz!

UNID HF-Fax station

Unidentified HF-Fax station logged on 4067 kHz today on 1631z, 1701z, 1731z, 1801z:

It seems Russian to me :-)

Moscow, Russia HF-Fax

Moscow HF-Fax service seems to be active, but on different frequencies rfax initially mentions. In the end of the entry about Moscow Fax, the latest (May 2006) edition of rfax mentions:

(Update 3/2002) - Frequencies reported as 4318, 5108, 6890(night), 10611 and 13886 (night)
(Update 3/2002) - All broadcasts reported as 120/576 or 120/288 mode. 60 or 90 rpm is no longer used.

From my observations, the station is active on 10611 kHz and 13886 kHz (there is always an idling (?) digi station interfering) in the mornings, and 4318 kHz and/or 10611 kHz in the evenings. Here are some sample images from yesterday, logged on 10611 kHz:

10611 kHz, 18/01/2007 1401z

10611 kHz, 18/01/2007 1423z

10611 kHz, 18/01/2007 1446z

Cape Navel today and... yesterday

The ionosphere is disturbed again, but reception on 18238 kHz today at around (!) 1530z was the best I ever had! The transmission started early at 1523z, and was a "blurred" Surface Analysis chart.

18238 kHz, 1523z 12:00 Surface Analysis

But yesterday... a series of false starts:

• 1538z: Transmission of a "blurred" Surface Analysis starts.
• 1549z: Stops! Starts again!
• 1552z: Starts again! Ends!
• 1553z: New trial: Header only!
• 1555z: New attempt, this one finishes normally at 1616z!

NMG New Orleans on higher frequency

I managed to log New Orleans on its highest frequency, 17146 kHz this afternoon. Here are three pictures:

17146 kHz, 1335z HIGH WIND/WAVES

17146 kHz 1350z 72 HR WAVE PERIOD/SWELL DIRECTION

17146 kHz, 1400z GOES IR TROPICAL SATELLITE IMAGE

ZSJ Cape Naval again

18 MHz was quieter this morning, but instead of a typical weather chart, I got this one:

18238 kHz, 1033z

Yes, It's only that. I have rotated the image. Also, some image editing magic to correct my decoder's fault of missing sync and adding the final part of the transmission. If you compare the header with my previous images, it's obvious that conditions were better. Cape Naval notoriously continues to transmit early or late, even only the header for a couple of times before transmitting a chart. At least some moments later got some charts:

18238 kHz, 1102z

18238 kHz, 1124z

Conditions stayed good in the afternoon; a "blurred" chart this time:

18238 kHz, 1532z

I like this station because it's so unpredictable. I can't wait sunspot number rise and have even better signals on 18 MHz! I like higher frequencies; they give cleaner and steadier HF-Fax images!

New Orleans HF-Fax schedule

The "Request for comments/Broadcast Schedule" chart from New Orleans HF-Fax service, as of 05/01:

12790 kHz, 2025z NMG New Orleans, Request for comments/Broadcast Schedule.

All-in-one plus QSL info! I hope the address is still valid!

Ice

I'll present you some HF-Fax images regarding ice & icebergs, which I received yesterday (Friday 05/01) from Hamburg HF-Fax service, and Boston. Here is the one I like most:

9110 kHz, 1810z, NMF Boston, Ice Chart.

I like the "CQ" in the beginning and the comment "The 2007 ice season has not opened"! DXers overlook the powerhouses but they can also send interesting charts like the following, instead of "surface analysis" and charts full of isobar lines!

7880 kHz, 2100z, DDK3 Hamburg/Pinneberg, Ice Conditions Chart Northwest Atlantic. (image rotated 180°)

7880 kHz, 2115z, DDK3 Hamburg/Pinneberg, Ice Conditions Chart West Baltic Sea.

By overlooking the "common" ones (Northwood & Hamburg) I have never logged the above chart, which is also beautiful!

Some more HF-Fax images from Cape Naval

I rolled a new "matching transformer" since I have more noise these days and I thought my old one may failed. The new one uses a ferrite toroid from a busted PC motherboard. It seems that the noise wasn't coming from there, something else is happening. At least the new transformer seems to work better on higher frequencies (preliminary result of course!) So here are some more charts from Cape Naval. And you'll see what I mean with "blurred" charts.

18238 kHz, 0730z, 12:00 SURFACE PROGNOSES (PREVIOUS DAY'S RUN)

So this is how a "blurred" one looks like.

18238 kHz, 0803z, ANTARCTIC ICE LIMITS

Note the "UNCLASSIFIED" notice. (Last word in the text box)

18238 kHz, 1029z, 06:00 SURFACE ANALYSIS

Also a blurred one.

18238 kHz, 1100z, 00:00 SURFACE PROGNOSES

Today they were almost exact regarding start time. But still, if the signal is not strong at your location, it's difficult to catch the start, since the phasing sequence is brief (where is Kyodo, with the nice long tuning session?)

New Charts from Cape Naval

11 minutes late! They started at 0741z on 18238 kHz in a hurry! I was ready to tune my receiver to something else, when I heard them rushing to start the transmission! At least there is a 1600 Hz tone idling before the transmission. I still have weak signals so the combination of all these make this station very tricky to catch!

Another thing I forgot to mention: Some charts transmitted blurred, i.e. with lower resolution, like resampling an image to fewer pixels. I don't know if this is intentional, the result is unreadable though.

18238 kHz, 0741z

18238 kHz, 1102z

Now this one started 2 minutes earlier!

ZSJ Cape Naval, South Africa HF-Fax

A decent chart appeared on my screen this morning, along with a partial RTTY transmission. So far the best frequency for me is 18238 kHz, but I have to operate on batteries to reduce QRN from my PC. Unfortunately there is noise on some frequencies caused from my computer. In the case of Cape Naval transmission, the signal is very weak and I have to run on batteries.

18238 kHz, 0756z

Station's schedule can be found on the South African Weather Service web page.

Two very important things to keep in mind if you decide to hunt this one:

1. They don't start exactly on time, sometimes 8 minutes earlier or 4 minutes late.
2. The preamble (tuning) sequence is very, very brief, so your decoder might not catch it.

RTTY transmission excerpt:

A EXTENSPOM OF WINDS BY QUADRANTS (KM):
30 KT NE: 150 SE: 250 SO: 200 NO: 150
50 KT NE: 04)2 SE: 040 SO: 40 NOWJ
A FIRST CLOSED ISO(PRESSURE AVEAGOCDIAM): 1008 HPA /400 KM A
VERTICALPXENSION OF CYCLONE CIRCULATION: DEEP

B FORECASTS:
12H: 2007/01/83 14 UTC: 11.0S/47.6E, MINDOTVKT, OVERLAND.
24P: 2007
84 0/75:: 21.6S/47.0EN MAX WIND=030KT, OVERLAND.
36H: 2) 01/04 18 UTCTI WWMTS/46.:MAX WIND=020KT, DISSIPATING.
48H: 2007/01/05 06 UTC: 23.4S/46.7E, MAX WIND=020KT, DISSIPATINGBOTHER INFORMATI
ONS:
CLOVIS IS MAKING LADFALL NORTH OF N
ASRCF
IT SHOULD RAPIDLY WEAKEN OC LAND AND DIZOGANIZE DURING OPE
NEXT WWR TO 48 HOATXHREPTISITUATION AT 030600 C
HIGH 1026 HVAH33F8W HIGHEUR HPA 37S49ELFOTI HPE 57S15W LOW 1010 HPA 4S DE LMW
994 HPA 57S3
S
LOW 1008 PA 22S40E SEVERE TROP
STORM(CLOVIS
OIT HPA 20.5S /
48.7E

1/ COLD FRONT:'67?2-8EEKW 45S19W 50S10W 55SUPLW
2. COLD FRONT: 35S15E UFWS28/3)45S38E 50STFTTS43E 58S38E

AREA FORECAST
ASCENSION (06S/15S 00E/20W)
BSE PHLQQ TO 20.
VIS : GOOD.

ANGOLA CKPYS.19=': 00E/ COAST)
WIND : O SW 05 TO 10 BUT SE 10 TO 25 .8, 5'3 23'5.
VCDN : GOOD.
ST HELENA (15XEPS, 00E/20W)
WIND C SE TO E 10 TO 20
VIS : GOOD.

TRADES (15S/30S, 00E/WEST COAST)
WIND : S TO CE 10 TO 20.
VIS : GOOD.
SEA STATE: 3.0ZWITH SW SWELL.

TRISTAN (30S/'(/(),001)26
WIND :8VARIABLPHK TO 10 IN THE EXTREME NORTH, OTHERWISE NW
20 TO 30 BECOMING SW 15 TO 20 IN THE
H-WEST
TOMORROW MORNING.
VIS N IGCOR IN RAIN AND SHOWERS IN THE SOUTH.
SEA STATE: 3.5 TO 4.5M I THE SUTHBN SW SWELL.

CAPE WEST (30S/40/''0+/20E)
WIND :6859 '3,059 20 IN THE NORTH, OTHERWISE NW 20 9
TO 30.
VIS TOD BUH POOR IN RAIN AND SHOWERS IN THE SOUTOPV
SELATE: 2.5 TO 3.5MNVNHHHE SOUTH-WEST, SW SWELLRBZUI EAST (32.5S/40S,28EBBPE)


WIND : E TO NE QT T
IGIN THE EXTREME NORTH, OTHERWISE NW
I H959 2''= '2 15 TO 2',45'023'5)74.
VIS NPGOOD BUT POOR IN RAIN IN THE EXTCHCBT.
SEU JR ZMT TO 3.0M IC GDNEAST, WITH SW ELL.

The decoding is not error-free due to low signal strength.

Other frequencies? Well, I haven't confirmed any other frequencies. I guess 7508 kHz is valid since I have a trace of a Fax transmission yesterday at 2245z.

Conditions are still disturbed and the frequency (18238 kHz) asks for more sunspots and quiet ionosphere! Hope this will happen soon!

ZKLF Wellington, New Zealand: Ultimate HF-Fax DX is DONE!

Bring me Honolulu!

Santa brought me a nice present for Xmas on my screen. I proudly present you...

13551 kHz, 1330z 1200 SW PACIFIC MSL PROG H+48

There are no doubts anymore. 17400 km! 17400 km! ...17400 km! 5kW transmitter! A portable radio! Antenna made out of junk!

Here comes another!

5807 kHz, 1400z 1200 SW PACIFIC MSL PROG H+72

And another!

9460 kHz 1415z 1200 SW PACIFIC MSL PROG H+72

This one suffered from BC QRM. 600 Hz above was the carrier of a broadcast station interfering.

...Again the same one transmitted on different frequency...

13551 kHz, 1430z 1200 SW PACIFIC MSL PROG H+72

The next transmission (1445z) was on 3247 kHz, too low for me. OK you can't have everything!

A different chart:

5807 kHz, 1500z 1200 TASMAN - NEW ZEALAND MSL ANAL(YSIS)

(parenthesis added to avoid any misunderstandings. This is a DX blog and nothing more!)

The same chart as above, on the QRMed higher frequency:

9460 kHz, 1515z 1200 TASMAN - NEW ZEALAND MSL ANAL(YSIS)

That's all for now. I hope you're impressed, and not bored! Again, the schedule can be found here.

I'll have to run a VOACAP run for Honolulu. I assume it must be more difficult, not because of distance, but because of the frequencies they use.

The Ultimate HF-Fax DXing

This is the ultimate DX goal for any HF-Fax DXer (well, for those located near my QTH!)

13551 kHz 1434z Wellington, New Zealand. Distance: 17400 km

I decided to give a try and that's what I got! It must be the most distant HF-Fax station from my QTH. Distance-speaking, it is further than Honolulu, but maybe easier, propagation-wise. It is noisy, but it is definitely a fax transmission! The schedule can be found here. It is more detailed than the one found in rfax PDF. The service uses a single transmitter which changes frequency cyclically, as time passes.

OXT Skamlebæk, Denmark Meteo HF-Fax

For a couple of days I was looking for a noiseless reception from Denmark, to present you a decent chart. My major problem is noise for this "nearby" station. The schedule can be found in the Danish Meteorological Institute website, except from the well known rfax PDF publication. The station transmits a CW ID prior the Fax transmission, lasting for 2 minutes. The ID is "CQ DE OXT". Running my notebook on batteries reduces noises a little bit on higher frequencies.

17510 kHz, 1335z

NMG New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A. Meteo HF-Fax

STANDBY FOR NMG FAX

A 10000 km path opened late this evening from my QTH to the coast of Louisiana, offering the above image (8504 kHz 0000z). While not promising, the next ones are good:

8504 kHz 0115z

And here is the original, from NOAA's National Weather Service:

Not bad for 10000 km travel! And the next one:

8504 kHz, 0125z

Again, the original:

The funny thing is that on the lower frequency, 4318 kHz, Moscow Fax and New Orleans Fax, coexist! Right now (0152z) Moscow is dominant but you can see the black vertical line of New Orlean's transmission! On the other hand, on 8504 kHz things are getting more noisy, (and my eyes more sleepy!) Oh well, I'll wait a little bit to finish receiving this chart and then to my bed!

8504 kHz 0150z

Stay tuned for more Fax & Numbers! Good night!