Alarm-like beeps on UKSAR channel?

[jvvd]

Hi,

I recently came into ownership of a hand radio. It's something I've been interested in learning more about partly to support hiking and sailing, partly out of technical interest.

At the moment I'm doing my own research before investing more time in finding training. I've been scanning a selection of frequencies that I've programmed in. There's not a lot going on around here it seems, mostly just taxi drivers and security guards.

I took the radio on a walk earlier and it kept stopping on the UKSAR RAF TWC (157.26875). There was a frequent series of fast beeps that sounded like an alarm - two alternating tones, for a fraction of a second repeating for about five seconds. I've not been able to find any information the sort of noise. There was no activity on other channels.

Can anyone shed some light on this? I'm in Ceredigion.

Edit: I've put a small antenna above my skylight and turned off the scanner, the alarm like tone is actually being transmitted continuously (scanner jumps after 5 seconds). I wonder if this is to make sure people don't try and use that channel? I wonder if it has something to do with CTCSS? I've seen a document that says CTCSS will be used for UKSAR TWCs from 2009 and an undated one that says it's not to be used.. Hopefully I can find a group soon and have spend time learning about this sort of thing with someone who knows on hand!

[Allan]

Why not give the Ham Exams a go,,,,Its so simple and easy these days anyone can pass ,,When I did mine it was night school for several months then take the exams,If all ok you now your B licence G6 ,Then several more months to learn CW ( Morse Code ),Then you went to a cost guard station for the CW test , Or certain Ham radio rallies allowed you to take the CW test there,If all ok You were now a proud owner of a A Licence,,,,Nowadays you can even get on the short wave quite easy ,,And you don't have to do 12 wpm on cw these days..No you go for it and enjoy.Ive enjoyed it for 33 years and 10 years before that as a SWL. DO it.

[SilverShadow]

Land Mountain Rescue Teams can and do use data modes on their Team Working Channels

As you point out though 157.26875 is the MRT RAF channel so I wouldn't expect it on there, it may be local interference, also CTCSS won't make a difference as it's a sub audible tone and cannot be heard by the human ear. In the past MRT teams mainly used no tones but CTCSS has now been introduced to cut out interference.