@peterpeterification i guess so they can control all the transmitters at once. they just stay on and they feed whatever audio they want through the orbiter
I had been listening to shortwave radio for almost 17 years and I always hear the firedrake mostly in the day. at first I thought it was a Chinese shortwave music station. it turns out to be a shortwave radio jammer. there is also other shortwave radio jammers that make bubbling and warbling sounds. I hear the shortwave radio jammers that make the bubbling and warbling sounds mostly in the night in the United States below 15 MHz.
@aurora990 I first thought it was a Chinese music station too! Then it went for an hour, and there was no news, or anything else, just a constant stream...
@MattExzy instead of the unusual sounds heard by jammers such as bubbling, warbling, running water or siren sounds, the Firedrake jammer uses music that has no end. in addition, the same music can be heard on frequencies that normally broadcast Sound of Hope, VOA and any shortwave radio broadcast the Chinese government does not want anybody to listen to. similar attempts are being done by Cuba and North Korea.
I wish someone would stick a nail through their coax and blow the transmitter to hell. When will the Chinese people ever get the balls to overthrow that maniac from power? I have a real bad feeling that before too long China will start making outrageous demands so that if they aren't met they will have a reason to start a war. But thats OK, they have no idea who they're up against. I hope it doesn't come to that though of course.
@minimaluhftv It's New World Order sorta stuff.. this is just radio, Australia wants to bring in an internet filter, powerful people want Wikileaks destroyed, they definitely need to fill their control gap.
@DrMotorDude No doubt about that. BUT wiki leaks will not do that - they are Euro style neo-socialists. THEY LOVE OBAMA in Western Europe, regardless of the fact that they have NO CLUE what he stands for. I travel to Europe about twice a year and it is absolutely stunning what passes for "news" about the USA and Canada over there. At least once a week, they completely make up B.S. presented as fact. IE: Italian TV - "The US Marshal Service tracked down & killed the 'Anthrax mailer.' "
Great video on the Firedrake. Firedrake is being heard in the Pacific Northwest on 8400 kHz around 1500-1800 utc, with a super strong signal. Off for around 4 minutes at the top of the hour then returns with the Chinese music. Never a word spoken, just music, Sound of Hope Radio International is listed in the World Radio TV Handbook as broadcasting on this channel. Have never heard the Sound of Hope transmission.
Voice of Hope is one of the jammer's targets - very interesting that it's back on 14970.. I guess they call it Firedrake because it's Chinese music and all-consuming lol. Seems to have stuck as a name.
Firedrake is working overtime today, 7th Aug 2009. From 12.00 to 15.00 UTC almost all of the VOA transmissions in chinese are affected. Booming on 12040 khz in London UK. Thanks for all the videos. Great stuff!
They also use ground level transmissions for Beijing which are not pick up outside China. The site for this jammer is located in Shunyi, 20KM from Beijing, and Huanghuacheng 43km from Beijing.
The main site for jamming is controlled on Hainan Island. With signal being fed by satellite. China Radio International main control room on the 3rd floor of there main buildings also have a smaller control room also on the same floor for switching and feeding not just firedrake but other audio as well to 22 transmitter sites around China.
Thanks for the info, 22 sites all up for their normal broadcasting or simply for Firedrake? I remember when Firedrake was at its maximum last year, it could have easily been on a dozen or so frequencies at the same time.. And the ground level jammer, I'm guessing that may be used on local stations such as AM?
They use to use jamming against AM stations set up to broadcast from the ROC to China. But this has al stopped as these stations switched to SW. The Chinese use ground level jamming in areas such as big cites like Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and others.
Because reporting anti-Chinese stories is not politically good at the moment. Remember how much money the Chinese have invested in the West.
Media organisations would be "advised" not to report this kind of stuff. The BBC will be telling the UK Govt of the jamming so it's all known inside. But there is little that can be done until the Chinese decide who isn't a threat anymore....
I came across this whilst in Spain on various frequencies. I couldn't help but wonder why they feel the need to have such a strong jamming signal to the degree that it disrupts communications even here in Europe! Could they perhaps be trying to 'protect' chinese tourists? Who knows... Either way this kind of censorship is both irritating and completely wrong!
If a country or group considered hostile keeps sending propaganda against your country wouldn't you block it? So I guess it is only natural. And the Firedrake is a pretty artistic way of blocking hostile signals. :P
same here! in fact, it's on one of these videos! probably used by a cheaper country that jams by noise like maybe Vietnam if they are still fascist (North Korea maybe too but obviously not South Korea since they just block the signal with static)
No wikipedia doesn't, but theres pretty much alot of gathered info on a website called simonmason(dot)karoo. I think its the most complete and detailed info and samples of and about numbers stations and shortwave signals I have seen so far.
@dieselscience China is very different than the USSR, they never got along when both were Communist states. Both were totalitarian and both called themselves "Marxist". China's economical system today is far from being a marxist state. The Chinese people are not afforded the same personal freedoms that we are. However, at the same time the Chinese people are not as concerned about them as we are. They have a different perspective on life than the Western World and thats okay.
@815Sox To refer to "The Chinese people" as a homogenous group is wrong. Also, Marxism never defined an economic system, it is and always had been a political administrative system. "Communism" describes the economic system in any Marxist administered government. The Chinese GOVERNMENTAL model is TEXTBOOK Marxist as there has been no other models of government since Mao. I know you never lived in communism (based on your reply) that's OK, too but never argue with those who have.
Hi, thanks for the comment :) 11665KHZ is one of its strongest signals here in Australia, too. I'm pretty sure it could be Voice of America it jams at that time, but it targets just about anything.
The jammer music comes in pretty strong here in Australia. It seems to favor the 25m and 19m bands. After the earthquake it did quieten down, but it's the exact same 55 minute non-stop mix that it was before. For what it's worth, China Radio International has Firedrake either side of it sometimes, it's almost like they clear a path for their own station.
Is the Firedrake less active nowadays or am I just teh suck at shortwave? I've been looking for months and haven't heard it anywhere. Is it on SSB?
Dontholdback747 3 days ago
No no you've all got it wrong, this isn't being broadcast to block transmissions.
It's simply a world-wide Chinese restaurant/takeaway PA system supplying constant background music while you eat.
pikuorguk 1 month ago
USA got the HAARP. So why not put it to good use?
vstman 10 months ago
@DanielChristy19 Thanks for the report! Happy listening, yes I've noticed Firedrake has been quite active recently compared to a year or so ago.
MattExzy 11 months ago
Why the need for the satellite if they're using terrestrial repeaters? Why not just broadcast from Earth?
peterpeterification 1 year ago
@peterpeterification i guess so they can control all the transmitters at once. they just stay on and they feed whatever audio they want through the orbiter
GMSamuelRhine 1 year ago
I had been listening to shortwave radio for almost 17 years and I always hear the firedrake mostly in the day. at first I thought it was a Chinese shortwave music station. it turns out to be a shortwave radio jammer. there is also other shortwave radio jammers that make bubbling and warbling sounds. I hear the shortwave radio jammers that make the bubbling and warbling sounds mostly in the night in the United States below 15 MHz.
aurora990 1 year ago
@aurora990 I first thought it was a Chinese music station too! Then it went for an hour, and there was no news, or anything else, just a constant stream...
MattExzy 1 year ago
@MattExzy instead of the unusual sounds heard by jammers such as bubbling, warbling, running water or siren sounds, the Firedrake jammer uses music that has no end. in addition, the same music can be heard on frequencies that normally broadcast Sound of Hope, VOA and any shortwave radio broadcast the Chinese government does not want anybody to listen to. similar attempts are being done by Cuba and North Korea.
aurora990 1 year ago 2
I never hear this on shortwave!!!
MegaFred55 1 year ago
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linutas 1 year ago
Too many people don't go beyond the "Boycott Wal-Mart" mentality. FORGET WAL-MART! BOYCOTT ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING MADE IN CHINA!!!
DrMotorDude 1 year ago 4
Someone needs to play this out loud in the middle of random conversations and say "CHINESE BE JAMMING YOUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH!"...
YouDuck2345 1 year ago 2
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YouDuck2345 1 year ago
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YouDuck2345 1 year ago
I wish someone would stick a nail through their coax and blow the transmitter to hell. When will the Chinese people ever get the balls to overthrow that maniac from power? I have a real bad feeling that before too long China will start making outrageous demands so that if they aren't met they will have a reason to start a war. But thats OK, they have no idea who they're up against. I hope it doesn't come to that though of course.
phattieg 1 year ago
China first takes over the wavebands and then the world.
Then we'll hear this 24/7!!!!!!!!!
mjkearsley 1 year ago 2
we should invade china kill them all let god sort em out
nik10096 1 year ago
Fuck the chinks!! And why is it then everyone buys made in china crap!! We are supporting their agenda? What the fuck!!! People wake up
minimaluhftv 1 year ago
@minimaluhftv It's New World Order sorta stuff.. this is just radio, Australia wants to bring in an internet filter, powerful people want Wikileaks destroyed, they definitely need to fill their control gap.
MattExzy 1 year ago 10
@MattExzy Wait until wiki leaks puts out something bad on Obama. ALL the socialist heads of state will shut wiki leaks down in a heartbeat.
DrMotorDude 1 year ago
@DrMotorDude No doubt about that. BUT wiki leaks will not do that - they are Euro style neo-socialists. THEY LOVE OBAMA in Western Europe, regardless of the fact that they have NO CLUE what he stands for. I travel to Europe about twice a year and it is absolutely stunning what passes for "news" about the USA and Canada over there. At least once a week, they completely make up B.S. presented as fact. IE: Italian TV - "The US Marshal Service tracked down & killed the 'Anthrax mailer.' "
DrMotorDude 1 year ago
i can hear the firedrake almost always on 9 mhz
linutas 1 year ago
Great video on the Firedrake. Firedrake is being heard in the Pacific Northwest on 8400 kHz around 1500-1800 utc, with a super strong signal. Off for around 4 minutes at the top of the hour then returns with the Chinese music. Never a word spoken, just music, Sound of Hope Radio International is listed in the World Radio TV Handbook as broadcasting on this channel. Have never heard the Sound of Hope transmission.
vroomski888 1 year ago
@vroomski888 Thanks for the update! I've been away from shortwave a bit, but I have still been hearing it occasionally on the dial.
MattExzy 1 year ago
Damn commies. My shortwave is almost useless right now.
BlueStateChronicle 2 years ago 2
This comment has received too many negative votes show
japanese muaic is crazy,
but what is the name of the tune anyway?.
nicolaj0154 2 years ago
Comment removed
PaeprDragn 1 year ago
heard it yesterday approximately 20:30UTC or so on 9350khz with a strong signal.
MarkiFaith 2 years ago
Heard it tonight on 14970. This is reputed to be a Voice of Hope (Falun Gong) site. Why do people call it "Firedrake"?
scaspia 2 years ago
Voice of Hope is one of the jammer's targets - very interesting that it's back on 14970.. I guess they call it Firedrake because it's Chinese music and all-consuming lol. Seems to have stuck as a name.
MattExzy 2 years ago
Hmmmm
Yoetah 2 years ago
Firedrake is working overtime today, 7th Aug 2009. From 12.00 to 15.00 UTC almost all of the VOA transmissions in chinese are affected. Booming on 12040 khz in London UK. Thanks for all the videos. Great stuff!
MrBillyBong 2 years ago 2
what are you talking about? the firedrake-jammer is gone long time ago to the fact that olympics are over and i believe they only needed it for that.
i sometimes receive it on 9000khz but thats just like broadcasting wonderful traditional - not jamming, and the signal is weak.
man, i really wish these good old days come back, with firedrake transmitter all over my radio...
traumline 2 years ago
They also use ground level transmissions for Beijing which are not pick up outside China. The site for this jammer is located in Shunyi, 20KM from Beijing, and Huanghuacheng 43km from Beijing.
sidecarcn 2 years ago
The main site for jamming is controlled on Hainan Island. With signal being fed by satellite. China Radio International main control room on the 3rd floor of there main buildings also have a smaller control room also on the same floor for switching and feeding not just firedrake but other audio as well to 22 transmitter sites around China.
sidecarcn 2 years ago
Thanks for the info, 22 sites all up for their normal broadcasting or simply for Firedrake? I remember when Firedrake was at its maximum last year, it could have easily been on a dozen or so frequencies at the same time.. And the ground level jammer, I'm guessing that may be used on local stations such as AM?
MattExzy 2 years ago
They use to use jamming against AM stations set up to broadcast from the ROC to China. But this has al stopped as these stations switched to SW. The Chinese use ground level jamming in areas such as big cites like Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and others.
sidecarcn 2 years ago
I wonder why the mainstream media isn't reporting on this. Firedrake is a threat to iternational safety. The Chinks are up to no good.
I figure, what the hell is the difference? They build radios and other stuff that we buy. Why not finish taking over the world.
rooster081774 3 years ago
Because reporting anti-Chinese stories is not politically good at the moment. Remember how much money the Chinese have invested in the West.
Media organisations would be "advised" not to report this kind of stuff. The BBC will be telling the UK Govt of the jamming so it's all known inside. But there is little that can be done until the Chinese decide who isn't a threat anymore....
ebyard 3 years ago
I came across this whilst in Spain on various frequencies. I couldn't help but wonder why they feel the need to have such a strong jamming signal to the degree that it disrupts communications even here in Europe! Could they perhaps be trying to 'protect' chinese tourists? Who knows... Either way this kind of censorship is both irritating and completely wrong!
tomcw0 3 years ago
Firedrake is gone!
westwind75 3 years ago
Almost gone! It's parked on 9MHz and I heard it last night on 11870kHz (or around there). I wonder what they're up to...
MattExzy 3 years ago
maybe their technical engineer is i'll and fix the machine or that doomsday device is running crazy now.
its election time.. youll never know!!!
The firedrake sound hypnotizes. It's Falung Gong Evil, who spreads his mind all over the world using simple shortwave radios.
Man, thats freaking shit, I bought myself books about Falung Gong, Li Hongzhi, also had thoughts running trugh my head, to convert to Buddhism.
But since it has stopped I feel like the old person! 73 best dx!
westwind75 3 years ago
It's definitely the doomsday device gone berserk.
Although Firedrake has been back on 11840kHz - the show aint over!
MattExzy 3 years ago
Interesting.. When did you receive it there? Tryed to catch it, but nothing here....
11840kHz is on my list from 1145-1315 UTC
westwind75 3 years ago
Come to think of it Hainan island is not far a place from where I live.
emmthreejonny 3 years ago
Go and shut down the transmitters then. Just don't get caught....
ebyard 3 years ago 2
Comment removed
emmthreejonny 3 years ago
Quite simple; it's interfering with radio amateur communications (not to mention other stations) the world over.
Imagine if the US setup a 500kw transmitter somewhere and screwed all Chinese domestic transmissions. There would be a huge diplomatic protest.
Why can the Chinese do the same and get away with it? The music might be good but repeating it 24/7 on numerous frequencies is not!!
ebyard 3 years ago 17
Simple.
1. The jamming sites don't interfere with domestic US radio.
2. The US has been removing SW transmitters, unlike the Chinese who keep installing them.
sidecarcn 2 years ago
pretty song!
MaryStewart 3 years ago 2
it is pretty! too bad the chinese used it in such a terrible way!
SwellBarney 3 years ago
If a country or group considered hostile keeps sending propaganda against your country wouldn't you block it? So I guess it is only natural. And the Firedrake is a pretty artistic way of blocking hostile signals. :P
emmthreejonny 3 years ago
it's better than the tiger roar used by cheaper countries with less of an economic power.
SwellBarney 3 years ago
Hah! Yes I've heard that! Lol.
emmthreejonny 3 years ago
same here! in fact, it's on one of these videos! probably used by a cheaper country that jams by noise like maybe Vietnam if they are still fascist (North Korea maybe too but obviously not South Korea since they just block the signal with static)
SwellBarney 3 years ago
Where can I read more about these stuff?
emmthreejonny 3 years ago
random sources. maybe wikipedia but they probably don't have much on the subject! perhaps websites related to HAM radio
SwellBarney 3 years ago
No wikipedia doesn't, but theres pretty much alot of gathered info on a website called simonmason(dot)karoo. I think its the most complete and detailed info and samples of and about numbers stations and shortwave signals I have seen so far.
emmthreejonny 3 years ago
Why does China fear free speech?
dieselscience 3 years ago 2
The Cold War never ended, it just moved to another communist regime, 1989 Tienanmen Square for example?
dieselscience 3 years ago 14
@dieselscience China is very different than the USSR, they never got along when both were Communist states. Both were totalitarian and both called themselves "Marxist". China's economical system today is far from being a marxist state. The Chinese people are not afforded the same personal freedoms that we are. However, at the same time the Chinese people are not as concerned about them as we are. They have a different perspective on life than the Western World and thats okay.
815Sox 8 months ago
@815Sox To refer to "The Chinese people" as a homogenous group is wrong. Also, Marxism never defined an economic system, it is and always had been a political administrative system. "Communism" describes the economic system in any Marxist administered government. The Chinese GOVERNMENTAL model is TEXTBOOK Marxist as there has been no other models of government since Mao. I know you never lived in communism (based on your reply) that's OK, too but never argue with those who have.
dieselscience 8 months ago
@815Sox You can cheerlead for China all you want, Firedrake Jammer is ILLEGAL - PERIOD!
DrMotorDude 8 months ago
17635KHz AM at 00:00UTC
Aug 31 2008
flash178 3 years ago
Thanks :)
MattExzy 3 years ago
17635KHz AM at 04:00UTC
betomiyazaki 3 years ago
Life under the SKS! Gee Wally, ain't it swell!
jstrunck 3 years ago
7185 and 6085 KHz AM MODE from 12:00 to 13:00UTC
betomiyazaki 3 years ago
here in Mexico is also audible
for example, saturdays at 16;00UTC
via 11665KHz and 11765KHz
73's
betomiyazaki 3 years ago
Hi, thanks for the comment :) 11665KHZ is one of its strongest signals here in Australia, too. I'm pretty sure it could be Voice of America it jams at that time, but it targets just about anything.
MattExzy 3 years ago
It hasn't long returned either, since the earth quake they decided to broadcast actual broadcast radio instead.
Good little video the guy who writes satdirectory is a fantastic bloke also.
remlap 3 years ago
The jammer music comes in pretty strong here in Australia. It seems to favor the 25m and 19m bands. After the earthquake it did quieten down, but it's the exact same 55 minute non-stop mix that it was before. For what it's worth, China Radio International has Firedrake either side of it sometimes, it's almost like they clear a path for their own station.
MattExzy 3 years ago
thanks for the info
turnermedman 3 years ago