hf air traffic control logs

During a casual frequency scan, I came across some air traffic control voice traffic on 8891 kHz USB. It looks like that frequency is used for North Atlantic traffic, and the signal was very weak.

• 2012-08-04, 0750 UTC, 8891 kHz: heard a woman talking in short segments, ended with "Okay, goodnight!"
"...selcall."
"You're welcome!"

After looking for a webpage of air traffic HF frequencies, I found 5547 kHz listed as an ARINC frequency for my local airport (SFO). Here are some of the exchanges that I logged, with the ground-based controller typically being more audible than the aircraft. I looked up flight routes and included them after some of the messages that included a callsign and flight number. There's a lot of Hawaii flights here.

• 0800-912 UTC, 5547 kHz:
"Air Canada 033" "stand by for selcall" (YVR-SYD)
"Delta 2246, San Francisco, go ahead." (HNL-SEA)
"Delta 2246, say again your temperature only."
"...requesting flight level 310."
"Delta 2246... climb and maintain flight level 310. read back."
"2246, San Francisco, roger."
"American 14, San Francisco, go ahead." (OGG-LAX)
"Alaska 822, San Francisco, go ahead." (OGG-PDX)
"Air Canada 048, San Francisco, roger." (HNL-YVR)
"All Nippon ... destination O'Hare... stand by for selcall."
"All Nippon 12, San Francisco, roger." (NRT-ORD)
"Delta 2246, San Francisco, go ahead."
"Delta 2246, ... flight level 310, San Francisco, roger."
"American 286, San Francisco, go ahead." (LIH-LAX)
"American 286, San Francisco, roger, copy all."
"EVA 620, San Francisco, go ahead." (ANC-LAX)
"...flight level 330..."
"EVA 620, San Francisco, roger... say your aircraft registration and destination."
"Say your aircraft registration and your destination. go ahead."
"Roger and say your aircraft registration... your tail number."
"Maintain this frequency primary, secondary 6673. Stand by for selcall."
"EVA 620, San Francisco, roger."
"Alaska 871, San Francisco, say request." (HNL-ANC)
"...Requesting climb flight level 370. stand by."
"...Say again your altitude and your selcall."
"Position American 102..."
"American 102, San Francisco, roger." (HNL-DFW)
"American 14, San Francisco, roger, copy all."
"Alaska 860, San Francisco, go ahead." (HNL-SEA)
"Alaska 860, San Francisco, roger."
"ATC clears Alaska 871... flight level 370... read back."
"American 298, San Francisco, go ahead." (HNL-LAX)
"Philippine 103, San Francisco, go ahead." (LAX-GUM)
"Philippine 103, San Francisco, roger."
"Korean air 012, San Francisco, go ahead." (LAX-ICN)
"All Nippon 2, San Francisco... stand by for selcall." (NRT-IAD)
"American 246, San Francisco, go ahead." (KOA-LAX)
"38 north, 130 west..."
"Confirm the next waypoint is ALLEB... alpha lima lima echo bravo?"
"American 267, San Francisco, go ahead." (LAX-HNL)
"Boeing seven-seven whiskey... Hong Kong..."
"Cathay 873, San Francisco, roger. ... stand by for selcall." (SFO-HKG)
"American 176 selcall bravo kilo juliet mike." (NRT-DFW)
"Asiana 203, San Francisco, go ahead." (LAX-ICN)
"Delta 2246, San Francisco, go ahead."
"Delta 2246, say your remarks after winds, your transmission was stepped on after that."
"Cathay 883, San Francisco, go ahead." (LAX-HKG)
"Philippine 103, San Francisco, go ahead."
(Philippine 103's transmissions aren't copyable by me, but wow they have a terrible hum over it.)
"ATC is requesting, confirm you are at ... waypoint."
"Confirm your flight level is 320..."
"Saab? 247, San Francisco, go ahead." (unsure of callsign)
"WestJet 1865, San Francisco, go ahead." (HNL-YVR)
"American 286, San Francisco, roger, copy all."
"American 14, San Francisco, go ahead."
"...flight level 380."
"American 14, San Francisco, roger, copy all."
"Air Canada 048, San Francisco, go ahead."
"...flight level 350."
"San Francisco, position, American 102..."
"Korean Air 012, San Francisco, go ahead."
"American 298, San Francisco, go ahead."
"Alaska 822, San Francisco, go ahead."
"Alaska 871, San Francisco, go ahead."
"Alaska 871, confirm waypoint was 45 north, 153 west."

• 2012-08-05, 0503-0513 UTC, 11282 kHz:
(selcall tones)... "1874, San Francisco"
"Roger ATC clears WestJet 1874... climb and maintain flight level 380... read back." (YVR-LIH)
"Alaska 877, San Francisco, go ahead." (PDX-HNL)
"WestJet 1874, San Francisco, go ahead."
"...stand by, selcall."

• 0747-0807 UTC, 5574 kHz:
(three identical selcall tone sequences)
"United 333, roger." (LIH-LAX)
"United 333, San Francisco."
"United 344, roger, stand by." (KOA-SFO)
"United 2, San Francisco." (HNL-IAH)
(seven identical selcall tone sequences)
"United 631, copy all." (KOA-DEN)
"United 1114, San Francisco." (OGG-SFO)
(two identical selcall tone sequences)
"United 1114, roger, copy all."

number station logs, aug-sep 2012

Here are my logs for the V02 (Spanish numbers) and M08 (morse code) number station broadcasts, believed to originate in Cuba. My usual rig for these logs was the Eton E5 with my indoor random wire antennas.

2012-08-02, 0804 UTC, 5898 kHz: V02 using the usual groups of five digits.
2012-08-03, 0600 UTC, 6800 kHz: M08. Went silent at 0635 UTC.
2012-08-05, 0711 UTC, 5883 kHz: V02. Ended with "Final, final, final" at 0742 UTC.
2012-08-05, 0808 UTC, 5898 kHz: V02.
2012-08-06, 0732 UTC, 5883 kHz: V02.
2012-08-10, 0700 UTC, 5883 kHz: V02. Heard "Atención!" intro.
2012-08-10, 0724 UTC, 9153 kHz: M08.
2012-08-20, 0713 UTC, 5883 kHz: V02.
2012-08-20, 0817 UTC, 5898 kHz: V02.
2012-08-23, 0704 UTC, 5883 kHz: V02.
2012-08-24, 0821 UTC, 5898 kHz: M08.
2012-08-24, 0822 UTC, 9063 kHz: V02. Looks like M08 and V02 frequencies are flipped for this hour, or my information is out of date.
2012-08-30, 0814 UTC, 5898 kHz: V02.

2012-09-01, 0503 UTC, 5898 kHz: M08.
2012-09-01, 0623 UTC, 5800 kHz: M08.
2012-09-01, 0709 UTC, 5883 kHz: V02.
2012-09-02, 0834 UTC, 5898 kHz: V02. Ended with "Final, final, final" at 0842 UTC.
2012-09-02, 0909 UTC, 10432 kHz: M08.
2012-09-03, 0703 UTC, 5883 kHz: V02.
2012-09-05, 0903 UTC, 9040 kHz: V02.

northern finland dxpedition camp for rent

A group of serious DXers have assembled an impressive camp in northern Finland, and set up 12 beverage antennas. They're offering to rent out the camp and help anyone who wants to use it. The page states "We want you to succeed and we'll do everything to make your DXpedition as comfortable and successful as possible."

This remote arctic circle location with very little radio frequency interference promises to put you in touch with nature and provide an ideal environment for AM DX.

Aihkiniemi DX cabin in Lapland for rent

The webpage shows a photo of the cabin exterior, a few interior photos, a Scandinavian map showing the location of Aihkiniemi, a list of the 12 antennas with the direction and target areas for each, a globe with the antennas drawn over them to illustrate the target regions. "The antennas hang 3-5 meters above the ground to prevent reindeer and moose from getting stuck in the wires." However, nature still interferes: "Bears, moose, reindeer and rabbits have all wreaked havoc with our antennas at some point (mostly cutting or damaging the coax cables on the ground)."

Aihkiniemi antenna directions 8/2011. Source: dxing.info

Due to the effort required in getting there, and the chances of DX being affected by a solar storm, they recommend staying at the camp for at least a week. Since the northern location is only practical for long-range reception during the northern hemisphere's winter, snow will be a factor. "In between major snowfalls, there's a shovel under the cabin for your exercise."

I grew up in upstate New York, where I've already had enough winter to last a lifetime. But an expedition to this well-equipped camp could be quite productive and fun for those prepared to make the effort.

The camp's DXing room. Source: dxing.info