JJC Kyodo News Agency, Japan, HF-Fax

How a newspaper looks like if faxed through shortwave? My receiver gives an answer!

12746 kHz 1200z

That's how it looks like! Kyodo News provides weather, news & sports in Japanese & English via HF-Fax. Probably it is the only HF-Fax station which provides such info.

One thing to note, the service uses 60 RPM, in contrast to 120 RPM which is more common. Here and here (hi Chris!) you can read more about HF-Fax reception instructions and jargon.

Additional info can be found in Wikipedia's entry about Radiofax.

VMW Wiluna Australia Meteo HF-Fax : New image!

18060 kHz 0943z (left), actual (right).

For your convenience I present you side-by-side my received image vs. the original one found at this page. I rotated the original so you don't have to turn your head! Luckily the image found there is the one sent this morning.

HLL2 Seoul Meteo HF-Fax

As mentioned in my previous post, I managed to log Seoul Meteo HF-Fax transmission. The chart depicted below started at 0714z on 13570 kHz. I also got a couple of other charts, but this one is the less noisy. You can identify the Korean Peninsula if you turn your head towards your left shoulder!

13570 kHz 0714z

I hope my images encourage you to try DXing these stations. My setup is really simple and you can see the results it can achieve!

CBV Valparaiso Chile Meteo HF-Fax

This evening I decided to hunt for other Fax transmissions. I got Seoul and Chile! I tuned to 8677kHz at 2308z just in time to let the station introduces itself! Lucky me!

8677 kHz 2308z

The original decoded image was slanted, but I did my magic by simple image processing! Distance from me is about 12500 km. The farthest HF-Fax image I have! That's real DX!

VMW Wiluna Australia Meteo HF-Fax

A quick VOACAP run indicated that around 1000z it is a good time to check for HF-Fax transmissions from Australia. I tuned my receiver to 18060 kHz and got four charts. I can't say I'm impressed with the quality of the reception, but at least it is possible, and my decoding software manages to recognize the beginning and end of the charts.

The best one is presented below. According to schedule, it is supposed to be "S.H. 500 hPa Prog (H+48) Valid 0000". You can find how the original chart looks like in the same web page. Unfortunately, the current chart isn't available online, only an older one.

18060 kHz 1032z

Wiluna is located at 26° 35' S, 120° 13' E, about 12000 km from me! Not a bad signal for such long path! Boston is about 8000 km, so it must be the most distant Fax image in my blog!

Mysteries can be melodic

Accidentally I stumbled upon this one. Log details: 8147 kHz AM 2214z-2215z. Known as X06, it is believed to be a Russian SELCAL system nicknamed "Mazielka".

There are hundreds of different tone combinations that can be heard. I know at least one dedicated fan of them, but anyone agrees that the tones are melodic and distinguish from all the other strange-sounding signals found in HF.

E25

E25 sent a message today in English. It firstly appeared on 07/12. Here is a sound sample. Log details:

• 1240z : Carrier.
• 1242z : Buzz, 1000Hz test tone.
• 1244z : OM calling "780" in English.
• 1248z : "Message" x3

9919 3041 3340 1435 0174 4693 2918 3261 6456 8065 1745 8742 3774 3340

• 1250z : "Rebeat" x3.
• 1252z : EOM EOT.
• 1302z : Carrier down.

Note that the 3rd and last group are the same. This seems to be common practice now.