The Site Returns--Some Changes
Grass is growing, robins are bobbing along, trees are pollinating, and the lwca.org Web site is pushing its way up through the mulch once again as well. It must be Spring.
It's the Longwave Message Board's turn to bloom tonight. You can now post your questions, answers, beacon news, etc., once again. However, there have been some changes that you will want to remember as you write:
Although we are returning the Message Board to a more basic state at this time, please be watching in coming months for word of a new communication tool at this site, with many of the features our readers have been asking for. We think this will promote a good mix of information resources for longwave enthusiasts of all kinds.
John VLF-transmitters at Japan and Hawaii
Posted by Henry Smith on March 31, 2008 at 02:21:28.
I know, that there was an OMEGA transmission site at Japan. Unfortunately nearly no data about it are in the internet available. Wikipedia says that it used a 389 metres tall mast insulated against ground, which was built in 1973. Is this correct? What was the station used after the shutdown of OMEGA?
If it is active, on which frequency does it work with which callsign?
What kind of antenna does Ebino VLF transmitter use? I saw once a picture of it which shows several masts, but the picture did not show, if there are wires spun between the masts or that the masts are mast radiators. How tall are the masts at Ebino and when were they built? Are they grounded or insulated against ground.
What is the designation of the antenna type, which Lualualei VLF transmitter uses? I know that it has 2 458 metres tall towers insulated against ground. Are there two independent VLF antennas at Lualualei or is there only one antenna system? Re: VLF-transmitters at Japan and Hawaii
Is it a special type of Alexanderson antenna or why is there no helix building close to the mast?
Do other VLF transmitters use a similiar antenna like Lualualei transmitter?
Posted by John on March 31, 2008 at 06:20:23.
In reply to VLF-transmitters at Japan and Hawaii posted by Henry Smith on March 31, 2008
Hi Henry,
OMEGA was shut down in September, 1997 due to the wide acceptance of GPS technology. Many consider it a good riddance. LORAN is still active and is widely used for aircraft and ship navigation, often as a backup to GPS.
There is a comprehensive article about the Omega Navigation System here.
http://jproc.ca/hyperbolic/omega.html Hello Again Everyone !!!
Posted by Andy - KU4XR on March 31, 2008 at 11:34:19.
It feels good to be home again !! Looking forward to the days ahead. Sure am glad the site is coming back up; revved up, and ready to go !! Thanks John for your patience, and perserverance. To the casual browser; the effort needed in keeping up a functional website usually never crosses their mind. Again; thank you for your efforts, I am looking forward to being able to post here again. 73 to everyone; Andy - KU4XR - EM75xr
All mechanical 17.2 KHz receiver!
Posted by John - AB4MS on April 04, 2008 at 10:04:14.
I ran across this story and just had to share. It is quite simply - amazing, or at least I thought so.
Anyway, I'm inspired now to build a dedicated receiver for listening for SAQ, of course I will use semiconductors!
http://wireless.org.uk/mechrx.htm
73, The Lowdown magazine
John
Posted by Dave Goodman on April 05, 2008 at 07:07:27.
I have a collection of The Lowdown, the official publication of The Longwave Club of America, from 1978 through 1987.
I will donate this collection for the cost of postage to the first responder.
Dave
SJ on 186.85kHz sked change
Posted by Sal, K1RGO on April 07, 2008 at 17:17:25.
SJ on 186.85 kHz was running 24/7 as of mid March. Now will be run by request/ weekends until Nov or Dec season start this year. However EH on 511.97 kHz and also on 13.557 MHz will still be running 24/7. Re: SJ on 186.85kHz sked change
Sal, K1RGO
Posted by John Davis on April 07, 2008 at 20:50:33.
In reply to SJ on 186.85kHz sked change posted by Sal, K1RGO on April 07, 2008
Thanks, Sal. That also brings up a good point or two which I hope will inspire other beacon operators to update their schedules here, too.
It is spring, after all, and a good many LowFERs will be cutting back their operation until fall. No point wasting listeners' time hunting a beacon that's listed but not on.
Also, it's time for us to be updating the MedFER/HiFER list so it can return to the Web site as well. So, anyone operating one or more of these, please follow Sal's lead and post word of your plans here!
Thanks. Re: SJ on 186.85kHz sked change
Posted by Sal, K1RGO on April 08, 2008 at 15:58:25.
In reply to Re: SJ on 186.85kHz sked change posted by John Davis on April 07, 2008
OK John, good to have the lw message board back. Note a change in frequency for HI, his old medfer frequency was ~510.6 kHz now I hear him on 513.5kHz. He mentioned that he was going xtal with a new rig a couple of months ago. Re: The Lowdown magazine
later, Sal
Posted by Steve Osborne on April 10, 2008 at 19:10:20.
In reply to The Lowdown magazine posted by Dave Goodman on April 05, 2008
I'd love to take these off your hands. I have a some years all the way back to the first issue, but have many gaps that your set would fill. Please let me know the postage, and what your radio interests are - I have a large collection of articles. and maybe I can also send something back to you.
Thanks - Steve Osborne KC0YA JASON Program
Posted by Russell NC5O on April 12, 2008 at 10:38:24.
Is anyone using JASON program by I2PHD, I would like to ask a few question about how to get it work. I have had one qso with it but dont know how to configuate. Need some info.
Thanks Russell NC5O
Re: JASON Program
Posted by John Andrews, W1TAG on April 12, 2008 at 13:16:54.
In reply to JASON Program posted by Russell NC5O on April 12, 2008
Russell,
Email me directly, and I'll try to help.
John Andrews, W1TAG
NDB changes #4/2008
Posted by Michael Oexner on April 14, 2008 at 04:25:06.
+---------------------+
| |
| NDB changes #4/2008 |
| |
+---------------------+
Hi all,
Some NDB changes in Europe, Africa, and the Near & Middle East. As
always I'd appreciate your feedback whether you can confirm the
changes "on the air".
[1] New NDBs or changes of frequency or callsign
Call kHz Station ITU Lat Long Comments
AK 345.0 Al Khor BHR N25 37 49 E051 30 26
U 366.0 Tartu/Ülenurme EST N58 18 29 E026 43 08 still active
KDR 429.0 Kadra LBY N32 22 00 E013 37 00 ex KDR-314
NA 489.0 Poznan/Krzesiny/Kamera POL N52 20 26 E016 56 23 ex A-625
NBT 345.0 Malbork POL N54 01 43 E019 09 16 ex BT-345
NF 282.0 Minsk Mazowiecki/Faktor POL N52 11 44 E021 41 31 ex F-282
NK 489.0 Poznan/Krzesiny/Kamera POL N52 19 21 E016 59 45 ex K-625
NR 282.0 Minsk Mazowiecki/Faktor POL N52 11 44 E021 37 23 ex R-282
S 1086.0 Bydgoszcz/Szwederowo POL N53 05 59 E018 00 45 on request
SL 534.0 Bydgoszcz/Szwederowo POL N53 06 11 E018 03 11 on request
AJ 430.0 Staritsa RUS N56 31 00 E034 56 00 still on old QRG (not AJ-1000)
F 195.0 Vladivostok/Knevichi RUS N43 23 12 E132 07 06 ex Q-195
FA 680.0 Ekimchan RUS N53 08 00 E132 49 00 ex QA-680
FD 400.0 Vladivostok/Knevichi RUS N43 22 00 E132 04 06 ex QD-400
FI 335.0 Troitskoye RUS N49 27 00 E136 34 00 ex QI-335
JF 225.0 Bomnak RUS N54 43 00 E128 51 00 ex JQ-225
QM 215.0 Shumerlya RUS N55 31 00 E046 27 00 ex UW-215
R 231.0 Malacky-Kuchyna SVK N48 24 07 E017 07 06 still active
[2] Deletions
Call kHz Station ITU Comments
MEG 401.0 Mengen D
LEZ 399.0 Nice/Côte d'Azur F eff 10/04/2008
IW 426.0 Bembridge G
SMF 333.0 Sheffield City Airport G eff 21/04/2008
GG 342.0 Eelde/Groningen HOL eff 13/03/2008
STK 315.0 Stadskanaal HOL eff 13/03/2008 but still active?
TGE 391.0 Deventer/Teuge HOL eff 13/03/2008
ZL 339.0 Maastricht/Zuid-Limburg HOL eff 13/03/2008
LST 383.0 Lista NOR eff 31/08/2007
NK 422.0 Ayan RUS
F 338.0 Östersund/Frösön S
NS 351.0 Malmö/Sturup S eff 10/04/2008
SS 420.0 Malmö/Sturup S eff 10/04/2008
VA 359.0 Västervik S
--
vy 73 + gd DX,
Michael
Editor of "The European NDB Handbook" & "The North American NDB Handbook"
cf. http://www.beaconworld.org.uk/files/NDBpublications2008.pdf
and http://tinyurl.com/27j5ku
NDB changes #5/2008
Posted by Michael Oexner on April 14, 2008 at 04:26:42.
+---------------------+
| |
| NDB changes #5/2008 |
| |
+---------------------+
Hi all,
Some NDB changes in North, Central & South America. As always I'd
appreciate your feedback whether you can confirm the changes "on the
air".
[1] New NDBs or changes of frequency or callsign
Call kHz Station ITU Lat Long Comments
1L 400.0 Fort Mackay/Firebag AB CAN N57 16 50 W110 58 20 maybe 1I instead of
1L?
IC 394.0 Attawapiskat ON CAN N52 48 55 W083 52 27
PFL 425.0 Fort Sill/Post (Army) OK USA N34 36 32 W098 24 14 ex PFL-308
[2] Deletions
Call kHz Station ITU Comments
ORA 285.0 Oran ARG
PTM 335.0 Perito Moreno ARG
2G 380.0 Port Cartier QC CAN
3L 315.0 Brazeau River/Amoco AB CAN
3N 298.0 Weyburn SK CAN
4E 344.0 Sable Island/Rowan Gorilla II NS CAN
4F 233.0 Sable Island/Galaxy 2 Platform NS CAN
4J 314.0 Knee Lake MB CAN
5N 284.0 Sable Island/Rowan Gorilla 5 Platform NS CAN
5R 351.0 Sable Island/M/V Western Monarch NS CAN
5Z 366.0 Oyen AB CAN
6S 215.0 Burlington ON CAN
7I 258.0 Trout Lake NT CAN
8F 239.0 Debert NS CAN
8G 286.0 Stettler AB CAN
8J 208.0 Provost AB CAN
D5 391.0 Melfort SK CAN
F4 402.0 Polaris/Little Cornwallis Island NU CAN
MS 388.0 McInnes Island BC CAN
S4 294.0 Ulu NT CAN
W3 369.0 Cooking Lake AB CAN
WK 218.0 Wabush NL CAN
YDM 218.0 Ross River YT CAN
ZQY 219.0 Sydney/Bras d'Or NS CAN
ZYD 201.0 Sydney/Glace Bay NS CAN
AFP 283.0 Wadesboro/Anson Co NC USA
AN 245.0 San Diego/Boing/North Island NAS CA USA
AOA 215.0 Alabaster/Calera AL USA
APF 201.0 Naples FL USA
BA 230.0 Westfield/Wesie MA USA
BAR 320.0 Banner Elk/Hemlock NC USA
CDI 223.0 Cambridge OH USA
DED 201.0 Deland FL USA
EGE 357.0 Eagle/Gypsum Co CO USA
EMC 375.0 Winnemucca NV USA
EMV 346.0 Emporia VA USA
ESS 260.0 Middleton Island/Wessels AK USA
EVZ 308.0 Cartersville GA USA
FDF 204.0 Fayette AL USA
FLD 248.0 Fond du Lac WI USA
GGL 375.0 Titusville/Geiger Lake FL USA
GGY 338.0 Clanton/Gragg-Wade AL USA
GTC 293.0 Man/Guyandot WV USA
HBW 251.0 Hillsboro/Kickapoo WI USA
HP 212.0 Hammond/Anger LA USA
JAS 344.0 Jasper TX USA
LHX 239.0 La Junta CO USA
LIF 220.0 Limestone/Loring ME USA
LIQ 335.0 Athens/Lochridge Ranch TX USA
LQV 252.0 Pennington Gap/Long Hollow VA USA
LUX 307.0 Laurens SC USA
MBV 356.0 South Hill VA USA
MKO 306.0 Muskogee OK USA
PED 221.0 Springfield/Needmore TN USA
PL 332.0 Tallahassee/Palee FL USA
PMX 212.0 Palmer MA USA
PQ 209.0 Pascagoula/Tlott MS USA
PT 264.0 Pottstown/Googl PA USA
RD 382.0 Rayleigh/Durham/Greon NC USA
RLL 263.0 Rolla ND USA
SBS 245.0 Steamboat Springs CO USA
SE 344.0 Selma/Pollk AL USA
SKN 256.0 Smithville/Hurricane TN USA
SLW 400.0 Wooster/Smithville OH USA
TTQ 335.0 Murphy/Tomotla NC USA
UOS 275.0 Sewanee TN USA
UTU 326.0 Butler Municipal/Taylor County GA USA
VV 299.0 Connellsville/Camor/Uniontown PA USA
XCB 260.0 Carlisle PA USA
ZZV 204.0 Zanesville OH USA
--
vy 73 + gd DX,
Michael
Editor of "The European NDB Handbook" & "The North American NDB Handbook"
cf. http://www.beaconworld.org.uk/files/NDBpublications2008.pdf
and http://tinyurl.com/27j5ku
NDB changes #6/2008
Posted by Michael Oexner on April 14, 2008 at 04:28:03.
+---------------------+
| |
| NDB changes #6/2008 |
| |
+---------------------+
Hi all,
Some NDB changes in Asia, the Pacific region, and Oceania. As always
I'd appreciate your feedback whether you can confirm the changes "on
the air".
[1] New NDBs or changes of frequency or callsign
Call kHz Station ITU Lat Long
G 304.0 Xichang/Qingshan CHN N27 59 21 E102 11 04
GO 627.0 Xichang/Qingshan CHN N27 59 21 E102 11 04
M 290.0 Yinchuan/Hedong CHN N38 19 18 E106 23 30
MF 365.0 Yinchuan/Hedong CHN N38 06 48 E106 20 24
PK 208.0 Shanghai/Hongqiao/Nanxiang CHN N31 17 12 E121 19 48 ex PK-369
Q 418.0 Hotan CHN N37 02 24 E079 51 48
R 228.0 Hotan CHN N37 02 24 E079 51 48
U 364.0 Xichang/Qingshan CHN N27 59 21 E102 11 04
UZ 388.0 Xichang/Qingshan CHN N27 59 21 E102 11 04
V 249.0 Yinchuan/Hedong CHN N38 19 18 E106 23 30
VO 221.0 Yinchuan/Hedong CHN N38 19 18 E106 23 30
GN 230.0 Gondia IND N21 31 30 E080 17 24
[2] Deletions
Call kHz Station ITU
PH 272.0 Perth AUS
WF 296.0 Xiamen/Gaoqi/Xinglin CHN
BG 363.0 Bangalore IND
--
vy 73 + gd DX,
Michael
Editor of "The European NDB Handbook" & "The North American NDB Handbook"
cf. http://www.beaconworld.org.uk/files/NDBpublications2008.pdf
and http://tinyurl.com/27j5ku
XGJ on 137.779
Posted by Mark on April 16, 2008 at 18:47:44.
Copied WD2XGJ beacon last night on 137.779 from about 0400 to 1000 utc. Good show here. Did not expect that good of conditions! Using an R-75 and Wellbrook LFL-1010 loop.
73, Mark, Ku7z 2J beacon update
DN41af
Ogden, Northern UT (NUT)
Posted by WJ Stack on April 17, 2008 at 15:19:10.
Beacon 2J has changed to QRSS6 on 176.2 khz. Hope everyone is doing well. 73's, N2JOE. Measuring frequency...accurately!
Posted by John Hoopes - AB4MS on April 18, 2008 at 06:19:25.
After my last post about hearing NEED on 504.5 KHz and being told I was off frequency by 500 Hz, I decided it was time to clean up my act, or should I say get it together. ;)
My receiver is an Icom R-75 with no added filters (for the moment) and with a 3 KHz (apprx) bandwidth on CW. I decided one method I could adopt to get greater accuracy when reporting a signal would be to use an audio filter with a narrow (< 100 Hz) bandwidth that I can peak on the signal of interest. Since the BFO detector on my radio is set to 600 Hz, I surmised that by zero beating with WWVB, and measuring my audio frequency with a software spectrum analyzer, I could tune to an exact frequency of 600 Hz and depending on the calibration of the software spectrum analyzer, be right on frequency. Sounds good in theory, right? If I had a good standard, I could take it a step further and calibrate the software of the spectrum analyzer and be right on +/- 1 Hz.
If I had the spectrum analyzer connected at all times, the audio filter wouldn’t be necessary, but I don't like to use my laptop around the receiver when trying to dig out the weak ones (by ear that anyway). So now the accuracy will be limited about half of the audio filter's bandwidth, or +/- 50 Hz. A lot closer than 500 Hz!
Now this brings me to my question. What methods do you use, if any, to ensure you're "spot on" frequency? I would be very interested to hear about the different methods ya'll use!
73 Re: Measuring frequency...accurately!
John
Posted by Andy - KU4XR on April 19, 2008 at 09:28:47.
In reply to Measuring frequency...accurately! posted by John Hoopes - AB4MS on April 18, 2008
Hello John: A possible sugesstion for you to try. I understand you to be saying that all your receiving is by ear only.Pick a time when you can receive WWV at 5 / 10 / 15 MHz, with very little fading. Using the A.M. mode, record a .wav file of the 500 cycle constant tone, and the 600 cycle tone. Each lasts for about 50 seconds during the minute on alternate minutes. If your BFO offset is at 600 cycles, then use the 600 cycle tone. Play the .wav file thru the PC speakers, and tune the rig to match the frequency. You are now receiving 600 cycles above the carrier frequency of the signal you are listening too. No more guess work. WWV's tones are precise ( that's why they are called frequency standards ). Much more areas could be covered about frequency accuracy between USB / LSB / CW etc, and souncard frequency accuracy, But hope this will get you started. 73, and have fun: Andy - KU4XR
Re: Measuring frequency...accurately!
Posted by John Andrews, W1TAG on April 19, 2008 at 09:53:26.
In reply to Measuring frequency...accurately! posted by John Hoopes - AB4MS on April 18, 2008
John,
My approach has been to provide accurate frequency markers that are close to the frequency I want to measure. This gets around the problem of keeping a receiver calibrated over a wide frequency range. Those of us are interested in splitting hairs down into the milliHertz range have to eliminate the obvious sources of errors.
I start with an HP Z3801A GPS receiver that provides a 10 MHz output. Assuming that everything is running right, the accuracy should be parts in 10^11. Lacking that, another approach would be to start with a 10 MHz oven-controlled oscillator, and do calibrations against WWV, CHU or Loran-C.
Years ago, I would have constructed a divider chain using 7490 decade dividers, and that's still a legitimate approach. But a PIC microcontroller can provide outputs at decade intervals down into the seconds range. Here's a site with the source code for a 16C84 or 16F84: http://www.leapsecond.com/tools/PPSDIV.ASM
I have been using that with a 16F84 to provide dead-accurate 10 Hz timing for a WOLF transmitter project.
Anyway, if you take the 1 kHz output from such a divider chain, you can bring it into your receiver and get a very accurate marker near the frequency you desire to measure. Using Argo, Spectran, Spectrum Lab or a similar DSP program, you can make very accurate measurements down into the milliHertz range if you can compensate for your sound card's sampling rate. The 1kHz output can make that compensation quite easy, as you can send that tone directly into your soundcard (no receiver involved), and determine a correction to get the DSP program to give you 1000.000 Hz exactly.
John Andrews, W1TAG
WEB good copy in AR
Posted by Paul Daulton on April 19, 2008 at 22:12:25.
Good copy on web 189.950khz tonight 4/19/08 starting at 11.30 pm cdt(0430utc).
I will run capture all night. WMS beacon on 187.492 will be off for a couple of
nights while I do some listening.
Thanks and good luck to all.
Paul Daulton K5WMS Re: Measuring frequency...accurately!
Jacksonville,AR
em-34
Posted by John Hoopes - AB4MS on April 20, 2008 at 08:37:23.
In reply to Measuring frequency...accurately! posted by John Hoopes - AB4MS on April 18, 2008
John and Andy, thanks for your input! Both ideas sound like a good way to get on frequency.
I wonder if either of you have ever tried to measure the ARRL's frequency during their annual contest? It might be fun to try.
73
John
Medfer HI on 513.5kHz
Posted by Sal, K1RGO on April 23, 2008 at 18:55:42.
I now copy HI on 513.5kHz with an improved signal, he may be xtal controlled now, and his signal is up a bit. Running 549 at my QTH ~ 20 miles east FN31nh... RADIO NATURE in English
Sal
Posted by Renato Romero on April 25, 2008 at 15:23:38.
The book RADIO NATURE is now available also in English Language,
published by RSGB www.rsgbshop.org.
And OpenLab News: a new article is available at www.vlf.it by Dave Ewer,
entitled "UPGRADING RECORDING METHODS"
73, Renato Romero Beacon RM
Posted by Roger on April 28, 2008 at 07:12:37.
Beacon RM 189.8 is off until further notice.
Roger
potrzebie