Unusual signals on 40m

[VK3HJ]

There is a group of Indonesian hams on 7055 every night. They use amateur callsigns and chat in Bahasa Indonesia.

Below that, any phone activity is not amateur. I hear Indonesians there every night. There could well be other areas involved, as the grey line travels west.

I too, have used far more power than necessary when calling DX on CW when these intruders are present.

It was suggested to me that a quantity of Codan transceivers found their way to the islands, where the locals use them to chat to friends in other kampongs.

[VK3FZ]

there very busy on 7045 right now strong 13:30utc

[VK2AOH]

Early this morning, about 1827/1831Z very strong on 7.020. Slow drawn out repeditive SSB. Don't know what language. Luckily the DL4 I was working had a strong signal and narrow filters helped a lot.

[ZL3MF]

Ok here is a recording from last night 28/01/16 around midnight, signals where not that strong, note the chanting on 7Mhz and big group on 7.055 would also be interested in what that signal on 6.9840Mhz is.
the "woodpecker" very strong just below 7Mhz too...





Sorry for the poor audio will try to record some better stuff tonight.

Cheers Mike

ZL3MF

[ZL3MF]

There is a whole heap of them singing and chanting on 7.0000 LSB right now...very strange

[VK2MUS]

I checked out global tuners - tuned in from Broome, South Italy and Spain - did not pick up any unusual signals on 7.00 and 7.05 Picked up some undetermined signals/interference on 7.00 using my radio - I would hazard a guess that the signals/interference is coming from Indonesia and surrounding area. I would also have a guess that the interference is from some type of digital signal which on a bad night and depending on what mode it is can come across as chanting
John

[ZL3MF]

I checked out global tuners - tuned in from Broome, South Italy and Spain - did not pick up any unusual signals on 7.00 and 7.05 Picked up some undetermined signals/interference on 7.00 using my radio - I would hazard a guess that the signals/interference is coming from Indonesia and surrounding area. I would also have a guess that the interference is from some type of digital signal which on a bad night and depending on what mode it is can come across as chanting
John

Hi John, the chanting is definitly from human voices not a digital signal. Last night for an example there where a whole heap of them trying to out sing each other, the whole richual does have possible religious overtones. The frequencies that seem to be used the most are 7.00,7.01, 7.015, 7.02, 7.025, 7.035, 7.04, 7.045, 7.055 there are both male and female voices.
These transmissions don't seem to care about the ham radio CW on the same frequency!!
Have also heard them do a long chant then pause and give out a series of letters and numbers in phonetics a bit like the "numbers stations" that where ripe during the cold war...

Mike
ZL3MF

[VK2AOH]

Same this morning on 7.022, voices chanting as I was working some dx. Seems to be some sort of group singing or chanting. What they are would not know.

[VK4WDM]

There is nothing wrong with having a religious service etc on air. It was, and probably still is, common among missionary groups in PNG, but using their own network frequency, not the ham bands.

It is easy to become paranoid in today's world, but is this activity a security concern? The "numbers" being given out are probably telling the group which song or chant is next but they could be a coded message to a certain group or individual. Should it be reported to the relevant Australian and/or NZ agency who have the knowledge and technology to investigate? I am not sure how one would do that, but I am sure that there are those amongst us who will know the appropriate POC.

Whatever the origin or purpose of this activity, it is going to be more of a nuisance as the use of 40m grows with the decline in the sun spot cycle. Has anyone reported it to WIA or NZART intruder watch so that a formal complain can be set in motion? We may think that there is no point in doing so but there have been successful actions to remove ham band intruders in the past. We will never know until we try.

73

Wayne VK4WDM

[VK2MUS]

It is easy to become paranoid in today's world, but is this activity a security concern?

this is a true concern as we are on the edge of a very active region - it is not far fetched to consider the use of radio as a means of communication by terrorists in today's world. The place to report such activities is not ACMA but The National Security Hotline 1800123400
John

[ZL3MF]

Can here them on this...same chanting and singing...
http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/

set to 7.000Mhz LSB

Mike ZL3MF

[VK4WDM]

I would strongly suggest that there be no detailed discussion of possible security aspects on the logger but if those hearing the sigs do have a concern they report it.

73

Wayne VK4WDM

[VK4TJ]

Top marks to those that correctly identified the language as Bahasa (Indonesian). It has been going on for years. It is partly nonlicenced "inter-island radio", and partly licenced amateurs. The shouting game (called "Lollo", apparently) is mostly licenced amateurs. An umpire listens, and awards points to the signals he hears the loudest. Yes, that is what passes for entertainment in YB-land.

The rigs are conventional Amateur transceivers from the big 4 (We have to include Alinco, as the least expensive full-featured HF rig out there).

They have formed a part of my intruder watch reports for the last 10 years or so, with no discernible reduction in numbers. A few interesting developments of late, however: The new top dog of intruder watch region 3 (that's us) is Titon, YB3PET. It wouldn't hurt to let him know what you are hearing: titondutono@gmail.com

The President of Indonesia is a ham: Joko, YD2JKW. I'm sure the more enterprising amongst you can come up with an email address for him, too

Cheers
John VK4TJ

[VK2AVR]

The shouting game (called "Lollo", apparently) is mostly licenced amateurs. An umpire listens, and awards points to the signals he hears the loudest. Yes, that is what passes for entertainment in YB-land.

Our version just more complicated and takes longer: you shout at people in 100 different countries, hopefully they shout back, and then you tell the umpire (who wasn't listening during the shouting) that you shouted at 100 people and they all shouted back. Then you get your DXCC.

[ZL3MF]

Top marks to those that correctly identified the language as Bahasa (Indonesian). It has been going on for years. It is partly nonlicenced "inter-island radio", and partly licenced amateurs. The shouting game (called "Lollo", apparently) is mostly licenced amateurs. An umpire listens, and awards points to the signals he hears the loudest. Yes, that is what passes for entertainment in YB-land.

The rigs are conventional Amateur transceivers from the big 4 (We have to include Alinco, as the least expensive full-featured HF rig out there).

They have formed a part of my intruder watch reports for the last 10 years or so, with no discernible reduction in numbers. A few interesting developments of late, however: The new top dog of intruder watch region 3 (that's us) is Titon, YB3PET. It wouldn't hurt to let him know what you are hearing: titondutono@gmail.com

The President of Indonesia is a ham: Joko, YD2JKW. I'm sure the more enterprising amongst you can come up with an email address for him, too

Cheers
John VK4TJ

Hi John thank you for the information and updates very interesting indeed
Just a couple of observations, if some of these operators are licenced operators why would they be using the CW portion of the band? Also one of the main frequencies they use is 7Mhz which you could argue is outside the 40m spectrum. I have also noted there are no credible callsigns.
Have also noticed numinous times the singing and chanting goes on for some time then suddenly goes quiet...then one station comes on and gives random numbers and letters in phonetic (don't seem to have any relevance to callsigns etc) what is that all about??
I believe there is more to it...not sure what but the whole thing does not sit right with me...could stand to be corrected

Cheers
Mike ZL3MF

[VK3KCX]

The shouting game (called "Lollo", apparently) An umpire listens, and awards points to the signals he hears the loudest.

This phenomena is not unique to our near Northern neighbors, a very similar game is played by primitive people in the USA. You can hear it every day on 27.025 AM whenever the band is open.

[VK3KCX]

My best guess is that is an on air "Who has best memorized the quran" competition.

In lslamic lands, being able to recite the entire quran from memory is a big deal and it bestows a lot of status the one who is able to do it.
It is a bit like a TV game show but over the radio where the host or umpire selects the Sura and verse number and the contestants try to outdo each other in a display of islamic piety with lengthy recital.

The recital is songlike as this is a memory aid - just think about how many songs that you know every word of.

- David

[VK2MUS]

My best guess is that is an on air "Who has best memorized the quran" competition.

In lslamic lands, being able to recite the entire quran from memory is a big deal and it bestows a lot of status the one who is able to do it.
It is a bit like a TV game show but over the radio where the host or umpire selects the Sura and verse number and the contestants try to outdo each other in a display of islamic piety with lengthy recital.

The recital is songlike as this is a memory aid - just think about how many songs that you know every word of.

- David

sounds just like it has been described - heard this many times during my time in Bahrain coming from the school and the teaching sessions at the mosque
John

[ZL3MF]

Just slightly off topic if you go to this: University of Twente, Enschede, NL
http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/
and select 5,10 or 15Mhz WWV frequencies you may hear something quiet odd (due to propergation you don't hear it all the time) There is music like swan lake etc followed by a string of beeps then a womans voice gives out a string of letters and numbers followed by a quick burst of DATA then back to another song, to me this sounds like a classic "numbers station"
Some days it compleley over rides WWV-

Can not hear this station from my home QTH...

Mike ZL3MF

[VK4WDM]

Hi Mike

I would be very careful about reporting this one. You might have a visit from a couple of big guys in dark glasses, trilby hats and trench coats, or if you are very lucky, a young lady in dark glasses, miniskirt and heels, who will persuade you to mind your own business lest you be carted off to 4Z4 land or worse

73

Wayne VK4WDM