Mystery 3885 KHz Carrier QRM Jan 4 2025

[AJ1G]

The early Saturday morning Old Military Radio Net suffered QRM this morning from a continuous unmodulated CW carrier on 3885.0 kHz throughout the net.  I did some attempt to localize it and at that time it appeared to be coming from the SF Bay Area in California, based on a very steady amplitude signal level at around -80 dBm with over 30 dB of SNR on the KFS Half Moon Bay Kiwi SDRs.  As of 1000 EST it isn’t being heard here out east, but it is still being received at the KFS SDRs at about the same -80 dBm signal level and over 30 dB SNR.  Someone out there asleep at the switch?  Anyone out there to DF on it, or use the Kiwi SDR network to localize it?

Chris AJ1G Stonington CT

[N1BCG]

Anyone out there to DF on it, or use the Kiwi SDR network to localize it?

Unfortunately, the Kiwi TDoA function will not create a heat map for carriers. It requires some form of modulation for time-delay comparisons. That's also quite a carrier to be originating on the west coast.

[AJ1G]

Fortunately the carrier disappeared on the KFS SDR an hour or two after my posting.  It was also detected on a number of other West Coast SDRs at a lower amplitude when it was strapping on KFS.  The band was very long during the Milrad Net, the carriers from a number of the higher power net stations where transmitting a bit off from 3885.0 were very strong on the KFS SDR at similar levels to those of the mystery carrier here at East Coast SDRs.

[KD6VXI]

Probably someone with a broadcast tx testing, thinking he was boiling oil lol.

I cannot confirm nor deny if I have ever been a victim of the antenna switch.

--Shane
WP2ASS / ex KD6VXI

[W1ITT]

If not a cockpit error, it could also have been a case of Fluffy the cat deciding that this is a nice warm place for a nap.
73 de Norm W1ITT

[AJ1G]

I was thinking someone out on the Left Coast
had a bit too much weed or red stuff and fell asleep in his Lazy Bastard mid buzzard transmission.

I once was horrified to come down to the shack to find my IC-7300 had been sending continuous dits for possibly up to 12 hours on 20 meter CW, apparently the set’s hand microphone somehow (mice?) came in contact with the Bencher paddle.

Amazingly enough, no damage to the 7300 from the stress test, I immediately checked
the internal temperature in the multimeter screen display mode and it had barely gone up its normal standby temperature.🤒