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Post by Rich on Feb 3, 2007 17:43:10 GMT
A good site for anyone who listens to long distance stuff on the HF bands is... www.selcalweb.co.uk/default.asp?sel=cmef®=&cn=&submit=searchIn case you haven't seen it already. It is updated regularly & you just type the SELCAL code letters you hear, into the box provided, and the aircraft operator & type is displayed. |
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Post by "YellowBelly" on Feb 4, 2007 0:48:44 GMT
Nice one Rich this one will come in handy...
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Post by Chris Gurney on Feb 4, 2007 12:41:57 GMT
Got to admit i've never listened to HF, any chance of an explanation as to what a Selcal is?
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Post by "YellowBelly" on Feb 4, 2007 15:10:17 GMT
SELCAL, or Selective Calling, is a signalling system used in conjunction with High Frequency (HF) radio communications. It is used to alert pilots communicating with ATC of an incoming radio message on HF. Each aircraft is assigned a 4 letter SELCAL code by ARINC (Aeronautical Radio Inc.), SELCAL equipment on board the aircraft monitors the HF radios for incoming signals and will generate an aural tone in the cockpit when the incoming signal matches the SELCAL code. The main purpose of SELCAL is to avoid having a constant listening watch on the HF radios to monitor for incoming calls, because the HF frequency is very noisy.
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Post by Chris Gurney on Feb 4, 2007 16:12:18 GMT
Thanks for the reply!  |
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Post by Rich on Feb 7, 2007 22:39:30 GMT
I had not listened to HF until recently either. I got a set quite cheap off ebay.
It is quite interesting,because of the range you can get. As I am listening just now, a plane is talking to New york oceanic and his position as approximately 200 miles SW of Bermuda!
Mike has explained very clearly about the selcal system.You can hear the SELCALS being sent, they sound like a two tone hooter, for want of a better description, and as the aircraft passes on to the next control centre they do a selcal check and give their 4 letter code which identifies the aircraft type and airline, whatever.
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Post by "YellowBelly" on Feb 8, 2007 0:01:18 GMT
I have had all sorts of Hf receivers over the years and planning on upgrading my Dx394 to something more professional some time in the future.
A few ATC centres received are
Shanwick
Newyork
Gander
Santa marie
Brazzaville
Cairo
Reykjavik
Kartoum
N,djamena
Niamey
Manila
Kuala Lumpur
Paramaribo
Tripoli
Dakar
Addis Ababa
Kinshase
Bombay
Mauritius
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Post by Rich on Feb 8, 2007 16:52:52 GMT
That's what I got a DX 394. I'll be interested to hear how a higher spec set performs in comparison when you do change it.
I have picked up a lot of the stations listed above, but the farthest East I have received has been Khartoum, Tripoli & Cairo, with Dakar the most Southerly.Nearly all I get is the N Atlantic/Carribean/Arctic traffic.The direction my wire runs might account for this as I have heard it is less sensitive to signals in the directions the ends are pointing towards?
It is interesting, I'm sure you'd agree in as much as HF reception seems very dependant on conditions & you never know what you'll hear. Also, how they have to keep changing frequencies depending on times of day, and other factors.
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