Yosemite Sam (shortwave)
Encyclopedia
Yosemite Sam is the nickname
given by DXers
to a mysterious number station that first surfaced on December 19, 2004. It transmits on several shortwave
frequencies in dual side band
: 3700 kHz, 4300 kHz, 6500 kHz, and 10500 kHz. The nickname is taken from the Looney Tunes
character Yosemite Sam
, whose voice is played as part of the unusual transmission.
Each transmission starts with a data burst
lasting 0.8 seconds, followed by the voice of Yosemite Sam exclaiming: "Varmint, I'm a-gonna b-b-b-bloooow yah t'smithereens!" The clip is taken from the 1949 cartoon Bunker Hill Bunny
.
The station disappeared on December 23, 2004, but returned during February 2005, on its old frequencies plus additional new frequencies, including those of time signal
s stations WWV and WWVH
.
The purpose and origin of the Yosemite Sam station remain unknown.
Reception reports seem to indicate that the transmitter site is likely in the desert near Albuquerque, New Mexico
, United States
. The Albuquerque location suggests another relation to Looney Tunes: the phrase frequently repeated by Bugs Bunny
, "I knew I should have taken that left turn at Albuquerque."
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
given by DXers
DXing
DXing is the hobby of tuning in and identifying distant radio or television signals, or making two way radio contact with distant stations in amateur radio, citizens' band radio or other two way radio communications. Many DXers also attempt to receive written verifications of reception from the...
to a mysterious number station that first surfaced on December 19, 2004. It transmits on several shortwave
Shortwave
Shortwave radio refers to the upper MF and all of the HF portion of the radio spectrum, between 1,800–30,000 kHz. Shortwave radio received its name because the wavelengths in this band are shorter than 200 m which marked the original upper limit of the medium frequency band first used...
frequencies in dual side band
Single-sideband modulation
Single-sideband modulation or Single-sideband suppressed-carrier is a refinement of amplitude modulation that more efficiently uses electrical power and bandwidth....
: 3700 kHz, 4300 kHz, 6500 kHz, and 10500 kHz. The nickname is taken from the Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
character Yosemite Sam
Yosemite Sam
Yosemite Sam is an American animated cartoon character in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons produced by Warner Bros. Animation. The name is somewhat alliterative and is inspired by Yosemite National Park...
, whose voice is played as part of the unusual transmission.
The transmission series
The transmission begins on one of the frequencies. Ten seconds later, it is repeated on the next higher frequency, and so on for a total of two minutes. The entire pattern takes precisely two minutes, and always begins seven seconds after the top of an hour.Each transmission starts with a data burst
Burst transmission
In telecommunication, the term burst transmission or data burst has the following meanings:# Any relatively high-bandwidth transmission over a short period of time...
lasting 0.8 seconds, followed by the voice of Yosemite Sam exclaiming: "Varmint, I'm a-gonna b-b-b-bloooow yah t'smithereens!" The clip is taken from the 1949 cartoon Bunker Hill Bunny
Bunker Hill Bunny
Bunker Hill Bunny is a 1949 Warner Brothers Merrie Melodies theatrical cartoon short, released in 1950 and starring Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam as a Hessian Mercenary in the American Revolution.-Crew:...
.
The station disappeared on December 23, 2004, but returned during February 2005, on its old frequencies plus additional new frequencies, including those of time signal
Time signal
A time signal is a visible, audible, mechanical, or electronic signal used as a reference to determine the time of day.-Audible and visible time signals:...
s stations WWV and WWVH
WWVH
WWVH is the callsign of the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology's shortwave radio time signal station in Kekaha, on the island of Kauai in the state of Hawaii....
.
The purpose and origin of the Yosemite Sam station remain unknown.
Reception reports seem to indicate that the transmitter site is likely in the desert near Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Albuquerque location suggests another relation to Looney Tunes: the phrase frequently repeated by Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny is a animated character created in 1938 at Leon Schlesinger Productions, later Warner Bros. Cartoons. Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray rabbit and is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality and his portrayal as a trickster. He has primarily appeared in animated cartoons, most...
, "I knew I should have taken that left turn at Albuquerque."
External links
- "Yosemite Sam" at Spynumbers.com Includes a recording of the station
- "Yosemite Sam" at the Global Frequency Database
- "Ham vs Spy (radio)" Transmitter site pinpointed