When decoding utility signals I use either RadioRaft or HamComm. Both programs run from DOS. Radioraft is interesting because it decodes any number of utility signals automatically.
With HamComm you have to select with the keyboard the correct baud rate, etc. but it does have all the facilities for doing this and more.
The interface is connected from the audio-out of your radio and fed to either port one or port two on the the PC. Once this is done you select from the software which port you're connected to then you're ready to go.
The interface is the same as used for decoding Slow-Scan TV (SSTV). There are interesting utility signals scattered all over the short-wave spectrum and the table below shows a few frequencies worth listening out for.
Utility Stations - Frequencies in KHz USB
Station | Frequency | Baud
| Mode
| Hamburg Met.
| 4582.0
| 50r
| rtty
| Rome Met.
| 11452.0
| 50n
| rtty
| French Naval
| 16950.0
| 75r
| rtty
| Italian Naval
| 2813.8
| 75r
| rtty
| European Volmet
| 7783.0
| 75r
| rtty
| Scheveningen
| 8428.4
| 75r
| rtty
| Portugese Naval
| 12822.2
| 75r
| rtty
| Dutch Naval
| 8437.8
| 75r
| rtty
| Moscow News
| 3780.8
| 75r
| rtty
| Italian Medical
| 17105.0
| -
| cw
| Ostend Radio
| 516.8
| -
| sitor
| Riga Radio
| 8430.6
| -
| sitor
| Moscow News
| 13020.8
| -
| sitor
| |
---|
Amateur RTTY Bandplan Frequencies in KHz From |
To
| 1838
| 1842
| 3580
| 3620
| 7035
| 7045
| 10140
| 10150
| 14070
| 14099
| 14101
| 14112
| 18100
| 18109
| 21080
| 21120
| 24920
| 24929
| 28050
| 28150
| |
---|
We may be in the days of 'everything digital' but there are still thousands of utility signals waiting to be decoded on the HF bands. And you don't need a multi-squillion dollar setup to decode 'em. My RTTY decoding setup consist of the following...
Best Regards... Pete
http://www.keirle.fsnet.co.uk