[TenTec] 40M Band Sweeps

[Doug Smith]

On Thu, 2007-12-06 at 07:17 -0500, Paul Christensen wrote:
> I have been noticing an alarming amount of band sweep activity lately.
> It occurs where someone keys their transmitter and quickly sweeps the
> band from 7.0 - 7.3 MHz. 

Is it limited to 7.0 - 7.3 MHz?

There is a government system "Chirp Sounder" that sweeps the entire HF
spectrum.  There are multiple receivers in multiple locations that are
synched to the transmitter(s).  As the sweep occurs, the receivers
record signal levels.  The speed and frequency range of the sweep is
adjustable.

The system is used to sweep the ionosphere, not their antenna systems.
Propagation analysis, the search for the MUF, that sort of thing.

There is some possibility that is what you're hearing.

73,
-Doug, W7KF