russian woodpecker ham radio

Sometimes this would shift to 20 or even 40hz, but mostly it was at 10. The satellite system provides immediate, direct and highly secure warnings, whereas any radar-based system is subject to jamming, and the effectiveness of OTH systems is also subject to atmospheric conditions. If you tuned into this movie hoping to learn something about the infamous Russian Woodpecker of the 1980's, you are in for a huge disappointment. While the 'Brain Scorcher' from S.T.A.L.K.E.R. The first experimental system, Duga, was built outside Mykolaiv in Ukraine, successfully detecting rocket launches from Baikonur Cosmodrome at 2,500 kilometres (1,600 mi). The radar system was given the code 5Н32-West by the Soviets, and was set up in two closed towns, Liubech-1 held the two transmitters and Chernobyl-2 the receivers. (By Necator – the English language Wikipedia (log), Public Domain). They'd move around the band the jammers would follow them. In the highly used 10 Hz mode, where the four frequencies were transmitted every 100 ms, the duration of each distinct frequency’s transmission window was 7 ms, thus resulting in a 27 ms continuous broadcast followed by 72 ms of silence, all adding up to 100 ms. : Clear Sky in the fictional city of Limansk-13. Enter your email below, and we'll send you another email. Geographically, Ukranian, perhaps. If you are a HAM operator or a RADAR expert, please share your thoughts on this subject with our audience by registering on Planet Analog and commenting below. The Duga at Chernobyl was the focus of the 2015 documentary film, The Russian Woodpecker, by Chad Gracia. This entry was posted in Ham Radio, News, Nostalgia, Photos, Radio History, Shortwave Radio, Travel and tagged Duga-2 Photos, Photos, Russian Woodpecker, Russian Woodpecker Photos, Stephen Cooper, The Russian Woodpecker on May 15, 2019 by Thomas. They appeared without warning, sounding like a sharp, repetitive tapping noise at 10 Hz repetition rate,[1] which led to it being nicknamed by shortwave listeners the Russian Woodpecker. What was annoying about the Russian Woodpecker was how much RF spectrum it took up, and my radio didn't have a “noise blanker” which might have helped. The unclaimed signal was a source for much speculation, giving rise to theories such as Soviet mind control and weather control experiments. Home Forums > Discussion Forums > Ham Radio Discussions > Looking for Russian Woodpecker experts Discussion in ' Ham Radio Discussions ' started by WB9VPG , Mar 23, 2017 . Two operational Duga radars were deployed, one near Chernobyl and Chernihiv in the Ukrainian SSR (present-day Ukraine), the other in eastern Siberia. Transmission power on some woodpecker transmitters was estimated to be as high as 10 MW equivalent isotropically radiated power. None of these systems had the capability to provide early warning of a launch, within seconds or minutes of a launch, which would give the defences time to study the attack and plan a response. The new Duga-1 systems used a transmitter and receiver separated by about 60 kilometres (37 mi).[4]. Someone decided (or heard) that it was pulse radar and decided the obvious way to overcome it was to transmit back at it with a similar pulse rate. Beam it out, Russkis Chernobyl, after the explosion The Russian Woodpecker was a Soviet signal that could be heard on the shortwave radio bands worldwide between July 1976 and December 1989 – the latter date marking the collapse of the communist regime in the Soviet Union. At the time, the Soviet early-warning satellitenetwork was not well developed. At the time, the Soviet early-warning satellite network was not well developed. I didn't really look much further into it. We've sent you an email with instructions to create a new password. Duga is able to track launches from the Far East and from submarines in the Pacific Ocean, as the missiles fly towards Novaya Zemlya in the Arctic Ocean. A couple months ago I head what sounded a lot like the audio clips I have heard of the infamous signal on 40m band late at night. A Duga radar is featured in the 2017 game Player Unknown's Battlegrounds in a map which portrays a fictional Russian Military base. The original Duga was supplanted by a pair of installations: western, Duga-1, and eastern, Duga-2. Amateur radio operators in the United States dubbed it the Russian Woodpecker for the maddening, regular taps it emitted. | News links, New and Noteworthy Categories on Thomasnet.com for October 2020 » Open News Window. It sounded like a sharp, repetitive tapping noise, at 10 Hz, giving rise to the “Woodpecker” name. HF/ShortWave/HAM Radio Interference by id780 February 22, 2010. from YouTube Website . The bro… On June 18, 1977, the US government OFFICIALLY became covert partners with the Soviets in these operations by sending them sophisticated scientific material and equipment for further research and development. [citation needed] A second installation was built near Komsomolsk-on-Amur, in Bolshya Kartel and Lian, but did not become active for some time. I was not a ham back then, but was an occasional SWL – shortwave listener. During the 1970s and 80s Russia deployed their Over-the-Horizon Radar (OTHR) which ultimately became known as the “Russian Woodpecker” to HAM Radio enthusiasts worldwide. The signal became such a nuisance that some receivers used on amateur radio and television, began including 'Woodpecker Blankers' in their circuit designs, such as the Datong Model SRB2 Auto Woodpecker Blanker, in an effort to filter out the interference.[2]. Radio hams do battle with 'Russian Woodpecker' By Dave Finley Herald Staff Writer. To build the largest and most complete Amateur Radio community site on the Internet - a "portal" that hams think of as the first place to go for information, to exchange ideas, and be part of what’s happening with ham radio on the Internet. If you are wondering what Amateur Radio is about, it's basically a two way radio service where... jump to content. We know about as much about it now as we did back then. Soviet, yes. The 'Woodpecker' was a strong, fast repeating signal / racket that often wiped out amateur communications on 20m here in North America ... maybe other parts of the world as well. The Russian Woodpecker Not an avian at all, the Russian Woodpecker was the vast, faceless and distant enemy of most of the users of shortwave radio in the Western World for eight or nine years, beginning in 1976. Your password has been successfully updated. Text and photos, OTH-Radar "Chornobyl - 2" and Center of space-communication, "Circle" is an auxiliary system for OTH-Radar "Chornobyl - 2", The Top Secret Military Base Hidden in Chernobyl’s Irradiated Forest, Obsidian Urbex Photography | Photos taken in 2016, Comparison with other radioactivity releases, Chernobyl Recovery and Development Programme, State Institution for Radiation Monitoring and Radiation Safety, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Duga_radar&oldid=996960978, Science and technology in the Soviet Union, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from February 2016, All articles needing additional references, Articles containing Russian-language text, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from March 2020, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2020, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2010, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from February 2016, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. The interference was accordingly dubbed the Russian Woodpecker, as amateur radio enthusiasts quickly triangulated the source to an area in what was then the USSR (in the modern day this is in the “three-corners” region where Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia meet). The 'Russian woodpecker' appears in Justin Scott's novel The Shipkiller. Going to the 2019 Hamvention? Any idea where the 'ham radio' nomenclature came from? In the “dynamic” mode (Dynamic information, is position, course, speed, heading, ROT, etc. It is also 99% in Russian language with English sub titles. The Duga radar is heavily featured in the virtual reality game Proze: Enlightenment, a suspense/puzzle game with the theory that the radar is being used by mind controlling experiments during the 1950-60s. In any event, amateur radio operators didn't know “ham” was derogatory, and started using it themselves. At this month’s meeting, Keith Snyder (KI6BDR) will give a virtual presentation on the Russian Woodpecker Over the Horizon Radar – A Real Blast from the Past. Even from the earliest reports it was suspected that the signals were tests of an over-the-horizon radar, and this remained the most popular hypothesis during the Cold War. In its sequel Cold War, Duga is used as the location for a possible final mission. To combat this interference, amateur radio operators attempted to jam the signal by transmitting synchronized unmodulated continuous wave signals at the same pulse rate as the offending signal. The repetitive frequency hops caused disruptions to legitimate broadcasts like oceanic commercial aviation communications, amateur radio operations, and utility transmissions. The system operated from July 1976 to December 1989. WOODY WOODPECKER. It was pretty simple really: turn up the speed on your keyer until it sounded like the same pulse rate and transmit back. The signal was typically broadcast for 10, 16 and 20 times per second and then followed by a 72 ms silent period. In the early days with spark-gap transmitters, an amateur's radio signal could blanket the whole band — similar to the Russian Woodpecker. Confusion due to small differences in the reports being made from various military sources led to the site being alternately located near Kiev, Minsk, Chernobyl, … "Russian Woodpecker" At some point in 1976, a new and powerful radio signal was detected simultaneously worldwide, and quickly dubbed 'the Woodpecker' by amateur radio operators. You must Sign in or Enter your email below, and we'll send you another email. We've sent an email with instructions to create a new password. It sounded like a sharp, repetitive tapping noise, at 10 Hz, giving rise to the "Woodpecker" name. Russian Woodpecker Starting in 1976 a new and powerful radio signal was detected worldwide, and quickly dubbed the Woodpecker by amateur radio operators. Folks were going about their electronic business in … [7][page needed]. It was so bad that even Radio … It's simply “ham radio” or “amateur radio.”. As early as 1963, or before, radio amateurs were calling this "the Russian Woodpecker"[citation needed]. The original Duga-1 site lies within the 30 kilometres (19 mi) Zone of Alienation around the Chernobyl power plant. Darth mate , all this has been floting around on the net for years "Russian woodpecker" is / was a "numbers station" aint just the ussr have them theres loads and quite a few are still going usa ,mi5 , mi6 ,french ,polish etc no one really knows . This huge radar complex was restored in 2002 after a fire seriously damaged it. A backplane axel reflector of small wires is seen left of center, most clearly at the bottom of the image. Russian radar - Over the horizon radar (ABM-2 or 'DUGA-3' OTHR). [according to whom?] An over-the-horizon radar sited in the USSR would help solve this problem, and work on such a system for this associated role started in the late 1960s. Beyond its rusted bars is a collection of radio … THE RUSSIAN WOODPECKER. : Shadow of Chernobyl was inspired by theories that Duga-1 was used for mind control, it does not take the form of the real array. Please check your email and click on the link to verify your email address. I didn't really look much further into it. WVARA’s monthly meeting will be on Wednesday, November 11, at 7pm via Zoom. If covered all of ham radio bands and well beyond. The "Woodpecker" Tuning aid Most modern Amateur Radio operators, are well used to modern "no tune" transistorised rigs, but have problems when faced with the intricacies of tuning a … I do indeed remember hearing the Woodpecker and some of the talk about it. The Russian Woodpecker was a notorious Soviet signal that could be heard on the shortwave radio bands worldwide between July 1976 and December 1989. Ever hear of the 'Woodpecker Hunters Club'. If you tuned into this movie hoping to learn something about the infamous Russian Woodpecker of the 1980's, you are in for a huge disappointment. Duga-2, the eastern system, is located near Komsomolsk-on-Amur in Khabarovsk Krai, with the receiver at 50°23′07.98″N 137°19′41.87″E / 50.3855500°N 137.3282972°E / 50.3855500; 137.3282972, some 30 kilometres (19 mi) southeast of the city, and the transmitter at 50°53′34.66″N 136°50′12.38″E / 50.8929611°N 136.8367722°E / 50.8929611; 136.8367722, 45 kilometres (28 mi) north of the city. Amateurs with yagis eventually determined that the signals (yes there was more than one it seemed) were coming from the USSR. Sometimes, the buzzer signal is interrupted and a voice transmission in Russian takes place. Folks were going about their electronic business in North America one day (July 4, 1976. Little is known about the power levels or Russian designation but it was probably a forerunner of the Duga radar systems. It was abandoned after the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl on April 26th 1986, and remains only as a technological relic of the cold war Soviet Union. It was also speculated at that time, at least among radio amateurs, that this was an over-the-horizon radar. The Russian Woodpecker was a notorious Soviet signal that could be heard on the shortwave radio bands worldwide between July 1976 and December 1989. Please confirm the information below before signing in. {* #signInForm *} eHam.net provides recognition and enjoyment to the people who use, contribute, and build the site. The NATO Reporting Name for the Duga-1 is often quoted as STEEL YARD. ?”, then they'd start again and the self-annointed jammers would start. If covered all of ham radio bands and well beyond. Thread Status: Not open for further replies. The pulses transmitted by the woodpecker had a wide bandwidth, typically 40 kHz. Perhaps the most well-known mysterious radio transmission is an enigmatic and very persistent broadcast from Russia that has come to be known as station UVB-76. Even prior to 1976, a similar 'woodpecker' interference is remembered by radio … eHam.net provides recognition and enjoyment to the people who use, contribute, and build the site. Having obtained my ham radio license in the 1980's I was well familiar with the Woodpecker. The short wave listeners, therefore, nicknamed it as the Russian Woodpecker. At some point in 1976, a new and powerful radio signal was detected simultaneously worldwide, and quickly dubbed 'the Woodpecker' by amateur radio operators. The novel has been translated into French (with the title La Zone), and was published by French publishing house Arthaud (Groupe Flammarion). {* optShare *}, Created {| existing_createdDate |} at {| existing_siteName |}, {| connect_button |} This RADAR’s pulses were hopping between four broadcast time windows at four distinct frequencies: 16450, 16490, 16570 and 16390 kHz—one for each window. When their signal was coming in, SWLing was just about useless. [14], A Duga radar is featured in the 2019 early access video game Chernobylite, a science-fiction survival horror experience, mixing free exploration with challenging combat, unique crafting, and non-linear storytelling. I can't count how many ham radio contacts that blasted system wiped out back then... Dave W7UUU. In the middle of a Russian swampland, not far from the city of St Petersburg, is a rectangular iron gate. Its some sort of backscatter/tropo radar from what I remember of the show. Electronic warfare is usually associated with a shooting war. These signals even made interference on 27 MHz CB radios in the late 60's and early 70's sometimes completely blocking even local communications in Portugal for example, leading to the supposition of several Megawatts of RF power transmission. However some sources also use the term STEEL WORK (or STEEL WORKS). At one time there was speculation that several transmitters were in use.[5]. But not always. If a group of ham radio fans in, say, Spain started calling the "West Austin Antenna Farm" in Texas the "Massachusetts Porcupine", that would not be sufficient reason for … AKA Woody Woodpecker. The Russian Woodpecker was a notorious Soviet radio signal that could be sporadically heard on the shortwave radio bands worldwide between July 1976 and December 1989. The earliest found open source mention of a NATO Reporting Name for this system, a reference publication in print while the system was still active, unambiguously uses the term STEEL WORK. [8] This sequence is usable for a 100 μs chirped pulse amplification system, giving a resolution of 15 km (10 mi) (the distance light travels in 50 μs). Please contact a WVARA board member for Zoom Information. Learn how your comment data is processed. This page was last edited on 29 December 2020, at 10:59. Great article, but the name of our hobby is not “HAM” or “HAM radio.” It's not an acronym for anything. The array itself appears in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. NATO military intelligence referred to it by the reporting name STEEL WORK or STEEL YARD. 24: "HF over-the-horizon radar," in: Radar Handbook, 2nd ed., Merrill I. Skolnik, ed. Planet Analog – AC grounding: essential, dangerous, or both? 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Speed, russian woodpecker ham radio, ROT, etc tapping noise, at 7pm via Zoom Chad... Most common rate was 10 Hz, giving rise to theories such as Soviet mind control and weather control.. The buzzer signal is interrupted and a voice transmission in Russian language with English titles... For it, which may or may not be true a forerunner of the image self-annointed would! Would frame the `` Woodpecker '' name, while the 16 Hz and Hz... Some sources also use the term “ ham radio license in the area their. From what i remember once hearing the Woodpecker needed ] Triangulation quickly revealed the came!