March 1998 Longwave Messages

Subj: On screen display
Date: 98-03-27 11:14:14 EST
From: petersonhjw (Art Peterson)
I looked at the longwave news site for the first time today.
Interesting information -- if you can READ it! Can't you use some kind of neutral background (like white)? I really had to strain my eyes with that stippled background. Sorry to have to start out with a complaint. This is a nice tool for getting hot information out. Keep up the good work.
73, Art Peterson, Richmond, CA
- Reply 1: Hi Art, thanks for the e-mail.
  Sorry that there's a readability problem for you. Web page design is very much a balancing act. I receive messages from some users who find the plain gray or pastel backgrounds on some of our pages hard to read, asking me to use a texture. And, back when all the pages had white backgrounds, I got messages saying that this caused eye strain during prolonged browsing sessions.
  I'd be interested to know in a little more detail what the present background looks like on your machine. There seems to be a wide variability in this. On my main machine's Netscape browser, it's a neutral gray with very soft texturing, like a field of snow. On the main machine, using Mosaic, it's a light blue snow field. On my office machine with Internet Explorer 3, it's close to Netscape, but with a hint of graininess...a little more like paper than snow. A friend's machine with IE 3 renders it as slightly yellowed parchment, while the America Online version of IE 3 renders it as anything from white paper to yellow fabric, depending on the machine's video card. My eyes aren't what they used to be, but all the versions I've seen so far seem fairly readable.
  In a situation where this is not the case, there are three possible solutions. First is to see if the View or Preferences section of your browser allows you to change the amount or type of dithering used when rendering palettized graphics. A better solution, but one which won't work for everyone, is to see if your video card can work at a greater color depth, thus rendering palette conflicts moot. The third solution would be to turn off the auto-load graphics option in your browser's View or Preference settings. (That's sometimes a bit tedious, but I do it frequently when I browse. If I think I might encounter a page with too many pictures, I'll turn off graphics until I've got the text, then right-click to load individual pictures if the page looks worthwhile.)
  Anyway, I'd be interested to hear further details of how the background appears to you. Also, we'll be changing backgrounds on the first of April, and again after Easter. Please let me know how they affect your situation. (Although I may not reply individually to all e-mail messages I receive on this subject, I do read them carefully, and try to implement suggestions to whatever extent possible. Reader comments are always welcome!)
  Thanks.
  John Davis
Subj: Re: How many ground rods?
Date: 98-03-27 02:01:25 EST
From: ashlocksmdc (Ashlock)
I suppose the answer depends on the quality (conductivity) of the ground itself. In my yard, as is the case for much of New England, the soil has such poor conductivity that even one rod is too many. This is because a few inches below the surface it's all dry sand and not many feet below that is solid rock (so- called ledge).The only successful ground systems in this area depend on burried or above ground radials that must have a length of at least 1 1/2 times the height of the antenna. I had burry over 2000 feet of #18 for beacon WA.
I envy you mid-westerners that use the conductive soil as the ground plane by connecting to it with a few rods.
Bill Ashlock
Subj: How Many Ground Rods are Enuf?
Date: 98-03-25 20:15:10 EST
From: bickingmwci (Robert Bicking)
As I reported on 2-28, I decided to add some ground rods at the ends of radials on my 31' lowfer (RB at 186.92 kHz) antenna with a 17' top hat. It has 24 radials, each 34' long. Initially, the equivalent resistance was 77 ohms. Adding five foot copper ground rods to 4 of the radials, roughly 90 degrees apart, dropped the resistance to 47 ohms. Enter the law of diminishing returns. When I added another 4 ground rods, the resistance only dropped another 1.5 ohms. I think that I can quit creating artifacts for archeologists.
73, Bob Bicking
Subj: European 137 kHz Activity Monitor
Date: 98-03-24 20:43:17 EST
From: bickingmwci (Robert Bicking)
A website devoted to ham band dx spotting has just added a 137 kHz category. Not much on it so far but it will take people sending in reports to have something to look at. I use this site to find out quickly about dx activity on the existing ham bands too. It is "DX Summit" at http://oh2aq.kolumbus.com/dxs.
- Note: Readers who don't care for pages with frames may want to use the no-frame version.
Subject: Mowing Season is Here
Date: Mon, 23 Mar 1998 14:21:17 -0600
From: "William Cantrell"
Hello All, FYI,
I had to roll-up the chicken-wire ground-plane yesterday because of the rain/warm weather, for mowing. Expect a 6 dB drop in the signal strength of the TEXAS beacon. I will roll it back out some time in the Fall, probably around November. As always, if you have an experiment that you would like to try, just let me know and I will roll it back out for special events. My plans are to rebuild the transmitter circuitry this summer per an upcoming article in the LOWDOWN, and also build a LF receiver for bpsk work.
TEXAS(space) will remain MS200, ET1, on 184.400 kHz, with 5 minutes of bpsk and 5 minutes of CW. (BPSK is sent during minutes ending in 0,1,2,3,4, and CW is sent during minutes ending in 5,6,7,8,9, synchronized with WWV.)
--
Regards,
Bill Cantrell
Subj: Looking for application
Date: 98-03-20 17:04:48 EST
From: (Lothar Müller)
Hello to all,
My name is Lothar and I am a German radio amateur, call DG5KF.
I am looking for an application of a "straight ahead" receiver for the frequency of 77500 Hz. It is the german time-signal system (DCF77) which keep its frequency with an accurance of 1*10E-12 a day. I would like to use the carrier frequency of this transmission as the referencial frequency for a PLL oscillator (OCXO) of about 25 MHz for use as a timebase for a frequency counter first, and later for synchronising several local oscillators in our 70cm Repeater, Digipeter and linear Transponder up to 6 cm.
DCF77 is basically AM modulated. So the receiver should have a bandwidth of equal to or lower than 40 Hz. Serveral modern IC's which are available on the market do not give access to the carrier frequency and can't be used for this project. So I think only conventional use of discreet transistors and filters is required. Older applications (dated about 1970) are available but requires special components of manufactures "died ten years ago" with part-No. "last manufatured 20 years ago". So i think i need a little help.
Does anyone of you can give me some information or applications for a newcomer in lf-projects?
Best 55 et 73 Lothar
- Address:
  Lothar Müller
  Hunschlade 18
  51702 Bergneustadt
  Germany
Subj: BCK 1813 ????
Date: 98-03-18 16:25:23 EST
From: (Robert Montgomery)
Ken Mills, who does not access to the internet, sends me a note that he is hearing BCK on 1813 and is wondering who it is. I have checked several books and no luck here. Anyone have any ideas????
Bob Montgomery
Subj: IS1HT
Date: 98-03-17 11:52:42 EST
From: pthomsonbruderhof
Mark Karney wrote:
```
     I saw the note about IS1HT in the last Lowdown and decided to give 
 a listen on 1740.3 kHz....
     There is another signal that is slightly below IS1HT that is 
strong on both receivers that is sending the ID AU4V followed by the long dash like the Canadian beacons.
```
It appears that IS1HT is not sending A1 CW, but FSK. The other signal you are hearing is just the "inverse" of IS1HT (the part between the dits and dahs).
I suspect they use FSK so that a 1 KHz wide ADF receiver gets a continuous signal to lock onto.
We still have no precise location for IS1HT, but all indications point to a location in the Gulf of Mexico, roughly east of Galveston. Several coastal Texas stations can copy it by groundwave.
I'm still trying to raise money to rent a small plane and overfly the area ;-)
73,
Pierre Thomson KA2QPG / RI
Subj: Lowfer Beacon "NC" Returns
Date: 98-03-15 09:28:54 EST
From: dmcintyreatt (Dexter McIntyre W4DEX)
The antenna has been repaired. Reception reports are appreciated.
Lowfer beacon "NC" 189.050 KHz from EM95TG (south central NC)
73, Dex, W4DEX
Subj: Alex's longwave page has moved
Date: 98-03-14 22:35:46 EST
From: magnumionsys (Alex Wiecek)
Just to let everyone know. For some weird reason my ISP shuffled some addresses around and as a result my longwave page was moved. From now on my page will be available at http://web.ionsys.com/~magnum/longwave/longwave.htm
tnx
Subj: IS1HT Reception
Date: 98-03-13 17:24:28 EST
From: mkarne19idt (Mark Karney)
I saw the note about IS1HT in the last Lowdown and decided to give a listen on 1740.3 kHz. I was quite audible on my Racal receiver using a GAP vertical antenna at about midnight here in Barrington, Illinois.
When I went to bed I decided to make a quick check on the RS DX-390 that I keep by my bed. The signal was strong on that too, even with the built-in antenna. There is another signal that is slightly below IS1HT that is strong on both receivers that is sending the ID AU4V followed by the long dash like the Canadian beacons.
Mark Karney - N9JWF
Subj: SAM
Date: 98-03-13 14:13:31 EST
From: (George M. Jacob)
I wondered why there have been no reports this year on GIR, operated by myself, KA3GIR, in FN00. Then I checked the Low Freq page to find that SAM is also on 189.2. Since most of my reports came form the area where SAM is located, that explains it. I guess he is also wondering why he is not being heard in this area. If the operator of SAM would please let me know if he intends 24/7 operations on this frequency, I would consider moving my 15 year location to another frequency.
Subject: Lowfer "NC' off air
Date: Thu, 12 Mar 1998 18:18:59 -0500
From: Dexter McIntyre W4DEX
High winds last week must have broken some of my antenna wires. The antenna is still up but the resonant frequency is 425 KHz. The antenna is made of teflon insulated wire so I guess somewhere the wire is broken and the insulation is holding it up. I will advise when NC is back on.
73, Dex, W4DEX
Subj: Good reception
Date: 98-03-12 18:23:46 EST
From: stealthnetnitco
Greetings from snowbound N.W. Ind.! Being without power for two days, no phone, and snowed in...I had time to fire up my Sony portable and do a some lowfer listening. It was AWESOME to hear 180-190kc without a trace of manmade QRM! Heard RB, YHO, and BOB on the little portable with no outboard filtering....and with an unamplified 5ft whip up 15 ft.! When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!
Ken Berkebile
Demotte,Ind.
A.R.S.....NB9I
Subj: Neat pictures of LEK site
Date: 98-03-11 18:30:07 EST
From: bhkoehlermmm
Those are pretty neat frosty pictures of the LEK lowFER beacon site on K0LR's web page. My brain must be a little turned inside out, as the picture of the suspended LEK antenna looks weird. I think the longest spreader (they are the same size) should be in the front of the image, but my brain puts it in the background. I can't make it 'flip' in my head. Does everyone else see it this way? It's good to see the K0LR web site back on.
73, Bruce BK/W0BK
Subj: LowFER RED; K0LR web site
Date: 98-03-09 16:42:31 EST
From: k0lremily (Lyle Koehler)
* Just got a call from Red in Florida. He is going to put his beacon on 183.0 kHz tonight so that a friend with severe broadcast intermod will have a better chance at hearing it. Don't know how long he will leave it there, but this might give others a better chance as well. His normal format is BPSK on even numbered days and CW on odd days. For tonight it sounds like he will leave it in CW mode.
* I think my web site is back to normal operation again at http://www.qsl.net/k0lr/ There site now includes a picture of the farm, and a picture and description of the LEK antenna. The pictures were taken with a camcorder and then compressed down to about 30 kilobytes in JPEG format, so the resolution is very poor, but they give a general idea of the layout here.
Lyle, K0LR
Subj: New BPSK Format for "TEXAS"
Date: 98-03-09 16:14:10 EST
From: QA0057email.mot (William Cantrell)
Here is the new format for the TEXAS Beacon, effective immediately:
TEXAS(space) 184.400 kHz MS200 ET1 with BPSK being sent during minutes ending in 0,1,2,3,4 and CW being sent during minutes ending in 5,6,7,8,9, synchronized with WWV. That's 5 minutes of BPSK and 5 minutes of CW, etc. etc.
--
Regards,
Bill Cantrell
Subj: Re: March LOWDOWN
Date: 98-03-07 11:11:23 EST
From: k0lremily (Lyle Koehler)
To: okbillbrightok.net (William E. Bowers)
CC: lowferqth.net, LWCANews
William E. Bowers wrote:
```
* 
* LYLE:  I wish I knew enough to write your article that they but my name
* on the front list.  In any case I use your basic transmitter and it
* works better than any other circuit I tried. That makes me a user, not
* an auther.  BILL BOWERS
```
Well, Bill, I was glad to see your name as the author. That way you can take the blame for any mistakes in the article :-) I already know of one error in the circuit diagram and the referring text. Capacitor C1 in the output low-pass filter should be 0.018 uF (0.015 uF and 2700 pF in parallel) rather than 1800 pF.
By the way, OK was quite strong here the other morning and TEXAS was audible between the static crashes. Since then the QRN has taken over again.
Regards,
Lyle, K0LR
Subj: VA -7days-24 hrs.
Date: 98-03-06 20:37:08 EST
From: n4zvroanoke.infi (n4zv)
Just a note to say that both VA beacons, medfer and lowfer, will continue through the warmer months (between storms)!
73 - Bart Prater N4ZV/VA
Subj: BK still off
Date: 98-03-05 10:04:17 EST
From: bhkoehlermmm
In my last message posted here, I said I expected to get BK back on in about 2 weeks after drywall work in the shack was completed. It's been over 2 weeks now, and the drywall is in, but a suspended ceiling and floor still need to go in. It's much easier to do that stuff without all my radio junk in the way, so it may be a while before BK is back on again. I expect to start improving things this spring and summer, and maybe next season BK can be heard again by lowfers other than LEK and RM. I will listen for RB's signal when I get a chance. It sounds like he should be putting out a fairly good signal.
73, Bruce W0BK, BK
Subj: Beacon MEP
Date: 98-03-04 23:27:23 EST
From: aeroelecfastdata (Larry Caldwell)
I'm planning to leave the MEP (188.540) beacon on this summer. I haven't had any reception reports this winter, but it has been on continuously.
Subj: RI beacon off air for summer
Date: 98-03-02 13:20:15 EST
From: pthomsonbruderhof
As of March 1, I have taken the RI LowFER beacon (184.320 KHz CW) off the air for the season. My only reception report was from Paul Cianciolo in Harwinton, CT, about 50 miles away.
My plan is to relocate the beacon to a river valley site where the ground is much more conductive. I expect to make tests during the summer and resume 24 hour operation around October 1.
Happy hunting,
Pierre Thomson KA2QPG / RI
Rifton, NY FN21
Subj: Exp 17 from Curry Comm
Date: 98-03-02 06:29:13 EST
From: (Mike Lamanna)
Does anyone have any knowlage of this sideband kit?? please let me know what you think of the kit... I am thinking of getting one.
thank you
Mike (A3O)

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