Chapter 2, Poplar
BG4MXH is his call sign
If Bai Yang comes back from evening study feeling hungry, then something happened. He ate
There is someone
There are indeed illegal radio stations without call signs, which are referred to as "black stations"
Wait a moment
What is ham
The supper prepared by my mother is usually kept warm in the rice cooker, which is placed on the dining table and plugged in
In addition to being a senior high school student, he has another identity
In his youth, the old man found some channels bustling like a vegetable market, with radio waves from all over the country converging in the night sky and then flying off to various parts of the world
In China, amateur radio is a hobby that is strictly regulated. To use a radio station for communication, one must have complete documentation, and operators are required to pass an examination to obtain a license. Each legal radio station possesses a unique call sign, akin to a person's identification number. The IC725 in Baiyang's hands has the call sign BG4MXH, where the initial letter B represents China, the letter G indicates the level of the amateur station—Baiyang's is a Class 3 station, hence G—and the number 4 signifies the region, with all call signs in Jiangsu province starting with 4. Each legal radio station possesses a unique call sign, akin to a person's identification number. The IC725 in Baiyang's hands has the call sign BG4MXH, where the initial letter B represents China, the letter G indicates the level of the amateur station—Baiyang's is a Class 3 station, hence G—and the number 4 signifies the region, with all call signs in Jiangsu province starting with 4
No. 66, Muxuyuan Street, Qinhuai District, Meihua Mountain Villa, Zhongqin Courtyard
The ICOM725 shortwave radio resembles an old-fashioned CD player from the 1980s
The sound from the other party stopped, and Bai Yang began to call: "CQ! CQ! CQ! This is BG4MXH, Bravo Golf Four Mike Xray Hotel! Calling CQ and waiting for a call!"
The security guard uncle poked his head out and shouted
Ham refers to amateur radio enthusiasts
14.195 megahertz
eleven thirty in the evening
Bai Yang locked his bicycle downstairs, then carried his backpack and hurried up the stairs. The motion-sensor lights in the hallway illuminated from the bottom to the top as soon as he stepped through the unit door
If all goes well, after 8:30 PM, he can establish contact with radio stations in Russia or Europe on the 14.195 MHz frequency.
Bai Yang reached out to remove the plastic cover from the bookshelf, and with a swift motion, revealed the black radio underneath
Now even the people in the vegetable market have dispersed
Late-night snacks are usually noodles or rice. Bai Yang does not return home for dinner, so his mother will set aside a portion of the dinner and keep it warm in the rice cooker
The channel is empty.
He leaned forward to open the external power supply at the other end of the bookshelf, pressed the POWER button on the radio panel, and the radio powered on. The pale yellow vintage LCD screen and the small level meter lit up, with the channel set to 7.2750 MHz. Bai Yang plugged in the headphones and the handheld microphone into the jacks, pressed the SSB button to enter single sideband communication mode, and pressed the TUNER button to activate the antenna tuner. A few seconds later, tuning was completed, the green light illuminated, and he slowly turned the knob to adjust the frequency. Bai Yang plugged in the headphones and the handheld microphone into the jacks, pressed the SSB button to enter single sideband communication mode, and pressed the TUNER button to activate the antenna tuner. A few seconds later, tuning was completed, the green light illuminated, and he slowly turned the knob to adjust the frequency.
14. 128 MHz
Understood, Uncle Cai
Bai Yang took a deep breath. As an unqualified illegal small HAM who had yet to take the B certificate exam, he shouted out the first call of his ham radio career:
In preparation for tonight's attempt, Bai Yang climbed to the rooftop in the afternoon to confirm that the antennas were functioning properly—his father, in his youthful exuberance, had installed two antennas on the rooftop: a six-meter whip and a D P antenna, which had drawn numerous complaints from the neighbors.
Oh, you are back, go to bed early
It is ham
Tonight, Bai Yang is set to conduct the first long-distance communication of his ham radio career
Then greet the foreign friends and tell them that you come from CHINA
In the words of my father, who still plays this in this day and age? Isn't it more enjoyable to chat on WeChat?
CQ ! CQ ! CQ ! 这里是 BG4MXH，布拉沃高尔夫四号迈克斯雷酒店，呼叫 CQ 并等待回复！
He lifted the lid of the pot, revealing the steaming stir-fried noodles
An increasing number of veteran HAMs are retiring from the scene, and Old Dad is one of them
Poplar answered
Indeed, there is no one.
CQ ! CQ ! CQ ! 这里是 BG4MXH，布拉沃高尔夫四号迈克斯雷酒店，呼叫 cq 并等待回复！
Either there is simply no one on this channel, so no matter how he calls, there is no response
Damn, 2012
Of course not
His voice is modulated into regular radio waves within the radio station, then transmitted into the air by the oscillators inside the antenna. In the brightly lit and bustling Qinhuai District of Nanjing, it is as if a small stone has been thrown in, creating imperceptible ripples that spread outward at the speed of light in all directions. Reflected by the ionosphere at an altitude of 50 kilometers, it crosses vast rivers and lush primeval forests, reaching the ears of everyone tuned into this channel. Creating imperceptible ripples that spread outward at the speed of light in all directions, reflected by the ionosphere at an altitude of 50 kilometers, crossing vast rivers and lush primeval forests, reaching the ears of everyone tuned into this channel
After quickly finishing the late-night snack, Bai Yang wiped his mouth, took a deep breath, and pulled out his phone from under the table to check the time
The so-called radio communication is essentially about finding someone to talk to, but the biggest difference between it and mobile phone calls is that you do not know who you can reach, nor do you know where the radio waves will be reflected by the ionosphere dozens of kilometers above. Radio stations do not have phone numbers, do not have operators, do not have undersea cables crossing oceans, and cannot dial one-on-one. In simpler terms, this is a genuine form of communication that fundamentally relies on shouting; it is just that the shout is modulated and transmitted via radio waves, then reflected by the ionosphere to distances of hundreds of thousands of miles away. If someone out there, hundreds of thousands of miles away, can hear your shout, then they will shout back.
Father is right, the number of people who play with radio is decreasing, and those who engage in shortwave are even fewer. Currently, the only active users are in the UV frequency band, where local car enthusiasts use it to discuss where to go for skewers on the weekend. The laborious task of long-distance communication using shortwave radios is no longer undertaken by anyone.
Bai Yang slowly turned the frequency knob, and the numbers on the LCD screen changed gradually, shifting from 14.195 MHz to 14.120 MHz, then to 14.125 MHz. He thought he might try his luck; perhaps there would be someone speaking on other channels
After the evening self-study session, it is already 10:30 PM. Riding home will soon take it to 11 PM. Life in the third year of high school is always so tight. My mother insists that Bai Yang must go to bed before midnight every night. If he wants to squeeze in some activities before sleeping, he must return home quickly
Bai Yang rested his head on his hand, listening to each channel for about ten seconds before turning the knob
This is the sending status
The channel was silent for a few seconds
14.132 MHz
Little Yang
Hello! Hello! Hello! This is BG4MXH! BG4MXH is looking for someone to chat with! I am waiting for your reply
Bai Yang increased the power from 2W to 5W and then attempted to call again
Yet there was still no response in the channel, only the endless white noise.
From this moment on, he is about to change his identity
Then, a surprised scream erupted from the headphones
He has found that post again
lewd person
14.255 MHz
Bai Yang listened attentively with his headphones for half a minute, but no one spoke on the channel. Therefore, he pressed the TRANSMIT button on the handheld microphone, and the green light on the radio panel lit up
He is in a hurry
Bai Yang tried to touch the bowl, finding it not too hot, and then picked it up to return to his room
8th floor, 804
Living person
Ride slowly!
Bai Yang flipped out the phone, while others had clearly stated that 14195 is a vegetable market
Bai Yang twisted the knob, and the numbers on the LCD screen fluctuated
Well, I am back
Bai Yang sat up straight on the chair, pulled the curtains, turned on the desk lamp, and then solemnly took out a roll of toilet paper and placed it on the table. No matter what happens next, it is always prudent to have a roll of tissue on hand. In the stillness of the night, with everything silent, a single young man, alone, had some handiwork to attend to that was inconvenient to do during the day.
similar to what is said when making a phone call "Is anyone there? Is anyone there? Is anyone there?"
He suddenly froze, his fingers coming to a halt
The heirloom left by father
14. 133MHz
However, this is also an expected outcome. It is quite normal for shortwave communication to encounter issues; any number of factors can lead to failure. Radio waves are inherently unstable, and the ionosphere is also unstable. It would be truly remarkable if two uncertain elements could yield a certain result. Moreover, the external electromagnetic environment is becoming increasingly complex, with interference pervasive throughout urban areas. Even an electric vehicle can act as a counter-radiation weapon against a radio station. It would be truly remarkable if two uncertain elements could yield a certain result. Moreover, the external electromagnetic environment is becoming increasingly complex, with interference pervasive throughout urban areas. Even an electric vehicle can act as a counter-radiation weapon against a radio station
Due to limited equipment conditions, utilizing shortwave for long-distance communication is quite a challenging task—colloquially referred to as an expedition, abbreviated as DX QSO. Even for seasoned operators, DX failures are a common occurrence
CQ is a universal phrase in all radio communications, meaning SEEK YOU
Bai Yang called again, then waited nervously for a response
In one breath, Bai Yang rushed up to the eighth floor, took out his keys to unlock the door, and placed his backpack down at the entrance to change his shoes. The lights in the living room were still on, but at this time, both his father and mother were already asleep. Bai Yang peeked into their bedroom, and sure enough, the door was tightly closed.
Therefore, the old man uses this radio station as a radio
He hopes that in a few seconds, another person's voice will sound in the channel, possibly a call sign starting with J or R, coming from Japan or Russia
Mother has fallen asleep again, and Father's snoring is as loud as ever
Bai Yang rode his bicycle swiftly over the pavement of Alfalfa Garden Street, darting from under one streetlight to another, then turning left into the gated community. As he rushed over the speed bump, the wheels lifted off the ground, then came crashing down heavily. In the astonished gaze of the security guard, he vanished into the night in a flash.
It is akin to an unregistered individual without a household registration
The residence is located in Building 11, Unit 2, and is situated twenty meters to the left after entering the community
14. 130 MHz
Antiques that can enter the museum
Of course, it is also like the old gentleman who listens to the radio before going to bed
Bai Yang sighed; tonight's communication announcement had failed. He gazed at the radio for a long time, casually adjusting the frequency knob, turning it back and forth as if playing with a radio. The red TX indicator light remained lit, and the numbers on the LCD screen flickered rapidly.
14. 126 MHz
Bai Yang returned to his room holding a late-night snack. His room was not large; upon entering, there was a narrow passage created by the single bed and the wall. The desk was positioned against the bay window, and to the right of the desk stood a tall bookshelf, which was filled with supplementary study materials.
The radio station of Bai Yang was left to him by his father. His father was like a cured ham that had been pickled for twenty years, having once served in the Beihai Fleet's communication station as a professional communication technician. After transitioning to civilian life, he opened a Didi (ride-hailing service) in the city. In his heyday, he was a prominent figure in the ham industry in Nanjing, a genuine technical expert, but ultimately he withdrew from the scene.
With swift movements, at this moment he seemed like the underground party member Yu Zicheng from "The Hidden"
As I passed by my parents' bedroom, I heard my mother's drowsy voice coming through the door
She is still a young girl
Bai Yang cautiously turned the knob back slowly, furrowing his brow and listening intently. Amidst the noisy clamor, someone was speaking indistinctly, uncertain whether they were singing or reciting a scripture
On this day in 2019, few people can feel the romance of radio communication. No one is willing to set up antennas several meters high to send their voice to all corners of the world. This endeavor is too complex, too cumbersome, and too slow, and even as a hobby, it is not interesting or stimulating enough.
It takes one hour to walk to Purple Mountain and ten minutes to walk to Crescent Lake. With mountains, water, and city walls, it is a land of excellent feng shui. The housing prices in the community exceed 30,000 per square meter
He is a solitary traveler wandering in the desert, looking around and finding no other of his kind.
Upon checking the time
14.131 MHz
After a night of turmoil, Bai Yang finally encountered the second person
Bai Yang is a bit disappointed; what went wrong?
He glanced at the channel instinctively