HiFer K6FRC
Today at 2115Z, I am copying K6FRC HiFer on 13.565 MHz, RST 519 and building. No other HiFers copied between 13.553 MHz and 13.567 MHz. I will try again later in the day. 73, Jeff
HiFer K6FRC Again
Posted by Jeff K8NDB on April 05, 2011 at 19:29:26.
04/06/11 copying K6FRC continuously until 0213Z with the following signal reports: 0116Z RST 569, 0155Z RST 519, O213Z LOS (loss of signal). No other HiFers copied in Yuma, AZ. Looking forward to better Hifer conditions. 73, Jeff K8NDB
Re: HiFer K6FRC Again
Posted by Paul on April 06, 2011 at 10:22:54.
In reply to HiFer K6FRC Again posted by Jeff K8NDB on April 05, 2011
Wow. Thanls for the report, Jeff! A 569? Dang!!
As soon as I read this, I turned on the R-390A, and even fighting the warm-up drift, I cannot copy NDB or AJO. Double drat. Will keep receiver on until I leave today, so will hopefully get to report a HiFer or two today!
VY 73.
HiFer K6FRC
Posted by Jeff K8NDB on April 06, 2011 at 14:32:29.
04/06/11 2055Z HiFer K6FRC copied in Yuma, AZ, 13.562 MHz, RST 549. No other HiFers copied. 73, Jeff K8NDB
HiFer K6FRC Correction
Posted by Jeff K8NDB on April 06, 2011 at 14:38:37.
Frequency should read 13.565 MHz not 13.562 MHz. I must have been thinking about my HiFer frequency. 73, Jeff K8NDB
Dasher back on 13.562 MHz.
Posted by Paul on April 07, 2011 at 09:19:30.
Copying the dasher real solid this morning around 16:00 UTC.
Signal doing real slow fades (over 60 seconds each) then coming up real strong for minutes at a time. RST approx 529 on peaks.
No other HiFers heard other than mine at 70 miles away via groundwave.
Location- California NHVT
Receiver- R-390A
Antenna- 160 foot inverted L
Posted by Glenn - WØLUS on April 07, 2011 at 19:00:41.
NHVT in and out of the noise floor - lower sideband. Have what sounds like a motor vehicle idling of a space ray gun firing all the time also around 13.560.
Re: NHVT
Posted by Glenn - WØLUS on April 08, 2011 at 05:16:34.
In reply to NHVT posted by Glenn - WØLUS on April 07, 2011
NHVT in once again this morning, 7 am local time in MN.
Fun at 137 kHz
Posted by John Davis on April 09, 2011 at 11:30:02.
If you haven't tried monitoring the 2200 meter ham band at 137 kHz, you should. If you're able to copy any LowFERs at all at 1750 meters, you stand a very good chance of seeing or hearing the significantly higher power levels allowed the licensed hams and Experimental Service stations at the lower frequencies, even though antennas are more of a challenge there.
Now that I can finally spend time at my antenna out in the field at night, I decided to give 137 kHz a try, and am very happy with the results. I've even discovered that I can copy MP from London, Ontario, most of the day in southeast Kansas! You can read a detailed account and see the results of my most recent nighttime session out there in this post in the Forum area.
And if you happen to give it a try tonight, look for John Andrews' XES to be on 137.779.
John
HiFERS Friday
Posted by John Davis on April 09, 2011 at 11:33:48.
Yesterday I saw and heard NC, despite the interference sources others have also reported. And after much persistence, I got one clean ID of AJO after a string of bits and pieces. (The dash-after-ID was very helpful in letting me know I'd found the right spot during tuning.)
None of the other usuals came in well enough to claim, though I saw several of your carriers on Argo. I would encourage more folks to experiment with QRSS3 mode again at this time of year! It might help in getting through some of the increasing QRM sources that show up with rises in solar flux.
John
HiFer K6FRC
Posted by Jeff K8NDB on April 09, 2011 at 14:00:47.
Good copy on K6FRC on 13.565 MHz at 2055Z with a RST of 519. No other HiFers copied. 73, Jeff K8NDB
Re: HiFERS Friday
Posted by Paul on April 10, 2011 at 11:39:12.
In reply to HiFERS Friday posted by John Davis on April 09, 2011
Hi John,
Good suggestion.
However (this is just my worthless opinion), QRSS just isn't a "real" beacon to me. If you need a computer to copy it, that just sucks.
Beacons are what gave me the radio bug back when my age was still a single digit. I heard beacons on the LW and SW bands, and was hooked. All beacons were copied with the naked ear, no software. THAT to me is a "real" beacon.
So, I try to emulate that feeling for others with my own beacons on the air now. I prefer somewhere between 5 and 13 WPM, mostly because that is what I was used to hearing all those years ago. But, somehow, about 9 WPM seems "beacon-ish" to my ear, and that's what I like most of all.
This may sound silly, but it is true- When I am having trouble sleeping, I tune in a beacon on the headboard SW receiver and it lulls me right to sleep. Laugh all you want, it works!
73,
Paul Re: HiFERS Friday
Posted by John Davis on April 10, 2011 at 15:43:43.
In reply to Re: HiFERS Friday posted by Paul on April 10, 2011
I agree, it's a lot more fun to copy a beacon (or most any signal) by ear. It definitely feels more like you're actively participating in the process, than if you merely tune the receiver to exactly the right spot and optimally configure a piece of software...although that does require a certain skill set of its own when working under extreme conditions.
When I'm monitoring the 185.3 or 137.7 kHz "watering holes," the 20 to 40 minutes it may take to capture a single identifier really makes me feel redundant, so I usually nap for a while. White noise from the speaker will put you to sleep pretty quickly, too. :)
Of course, like all radio, a beacon exists to communicate, even if the message is only "here I am." Tools that can improve the odds of communicating are fine by me. At speeds of QRSS3 or QRSS1 (which I wish Argo supported), you can readily copy characters by ear anyway when the signals are strong enough to hear, provided your attention span is adequate. It's those days when signals aren't strong enough that sticking solely with normal speed Morse gets boring on the receiving end.
Yesterday (Saturday) was one of those days in SE Kansas. Unlike Friday, when I had good copy of AJO for a little while, I couldn't ever get more than fragments of AJO and FRC by ear on Saturday. But I could see both of their carriers (and that of NDB) in QRSS3 mode of Argo.
Now, there are other weak carriers floating around at 22 meters, so how could I be reasonably sure I was seeing a HiFER, apart from just the frequency? On-off Morse keying produces distinctive sidebands, so I could tell these signals were being keyed in that manner (and at approximately what speed), whereas other carriers in the band tend not to be keyed. It's not 100% foolproof when the signal is very weak and/or there is static, of course. Also, even under the best circumstances you can't "read" the actual code on a spectrum analysis screen when sent at normal speed, so in principle it could be anyone sending. That's why I don't report reception of normal CW stations when merely viewed by Argo. (But at least in the case of AJO, the long dash between intervals of on-off keying makes for a pretty unmistakable appearance!)
By the way, there was something new in several places on the band yesterday. At least, I'd never seen it before. I'll post some captures later this evening and see if anyone has any ideas.
John
SAQ Extra Broadcast 14th April 2011
Posted by Alan Gale on April 11, 2011 at 09:12:22.
Hi All,
I just received the following message from Lars Kalland at SAQ, might be of interest to some of you:
EXTRA GRIMETON RADIO/SAQ TRANSMISSION
There will be an extra transmission with the Alexanderson alternator on 17.2 kHz on Thursday April 14th 2011 at 12:45 UTC with tuning up some time before.
The transmission is directed to "The 5TH European Conference on Antennas and Propagation" in Rome, Italy.
We do not require any QSL-reports this time and will not verify.
Regards.
SM6NM/Lars
ONLINE RECEIVER WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR SAQ APRIL 14
Posted by Todd WD4NGG on April 13, 2011 at 17:18:18.
Hi all,
There will be at least one online receiver tuned to SAQ for the upcoming
SAQ broadcast on Thursday, April 14 at 12:45UTC on 17.2 KHz.
That will be at 7:45 EST time on USA East Coast.
Lionel Loudet in France will have his online receiver up and running at
this address :
http://spectrumlab.loudet.org/
Be sure to click the "sound off" spkr button in the upper left hand corner
of the page to turn the sound on.
SAQ may be broadcasting some tuneups before the 12:45 UTC time so be sure
and listen 15-30 minutes early.
73 - Todd WD4NGG
Re: ONLINE RECEIVER WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR SAQ APRIL 14
Posted by Todd WD4NGG on April 13, 2011 at 17:26:14.
In reply to ONLINE RECEIVER WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR SAQ APRIL 14 posted by Todd WD4NGG on April 13, 2011
OOPS! The 1245 UTC time for SAQ broadcast April 14 SAQ tuning up at 1219utc
will be 0845 EDT East Coast Time and 0745 CDT.
Posted by Alan Gale on April 14, 2011 at 05:19:27.
Re: SAQ tuning up at 1219utc
SAQ just started tuning up at 1219utc
Posted by Alan on April 14, 2011 at 05:24:53.
In reply to SAQ tuning up at 1219utc posted by Alan Gale on April 14, 2011
vvv vvv vvv de SAQ SAQ SAQ loop at 1224utc
Re: SAQ tuning up at 1219utc
Posted by Alan on April 14, 2011 at 05:53:55.
In reply to SAQ tuning up at 1219utc posted by Alan Gale on April 14, 2011
Broadcast ended at 1252utc, perfect copy here expect for when someone local switched something electrical on right in the middle, couldn't hear the bit after that for all the bad language here in the shack!:-)
Hope some of you folks further afield managed to catch them!
Re: SAQ tuning up at 1219utc
Posted by Paul on April 14, 2011 at 06:11:34.
In reply to Re: SAQ tuning up at 1219utc posted by Alan on April 14, 2011
I tried but could not get good copy. Could tell something was there, but couldn't come close to making out the CW.
RX was Icom IC-R1500 in the truck. Location= California.
Re: SAQ tuning up at 1219utc
Posted by Fwd: Jay W1VD on April 14, 2011 at 12:37:30.
In reply to Re: SAQ tuning up at 1219utc posted by Paul on April 14, 2011
SAQ in CT
Very surprised to have best reception SAQ to date! Receiving setup setup similar to previous receptions. Short recording of message and sign off at:
http://www.w1vd.com/capture/SAQ041411A.mp3
Jay W1VD WD2XNS WE2XGR/2
Re: SAQ tuning up at 1219utc
Posted by Lee on April 14, 2011 at 23:21:14.
In reply to Re: SAQ tuning up at 1219utc posted by Paul on April 14, 2011
Thats good information. I have been working on putting together a setup just for the SAQ transmissions. I figured I would have Zero chance. I would be happy with those results. Something there. Same location= California
Re: SAQ tuning up at 1219utc
Posted by Paul on April 15, 2011 at 08:51:43.
In reply to Re: SAQ tuning up at 1219utc posted by Lee on April 14, 2011
Hi Lee.
I have had success receiving SAQ from my home QTH. My setup was really simple.
The antenna is a 160 foot inverted L over a bunch of buried copper radials. The longest radials are 300 feet long, the shortest radials are 20 feet long, all interspersed.
The L feeds a 9:1 balun most of the time, and I found that leaving the balun in for LW reception gave the best results. I used to use a kitbuilt VLF converter/filter, but now use a LF Engineering Model L-202 VLF preamp/filter. The 202 feeds a Model L-111 VLF converter / filter. That feeds a nicely restored R-390A receiver. The VLF is converted to the 4 MHz. range, so for SAQ, the freq. on the receiver is 4.0172 MHz. It works great!
Picture of my shack- http://www.k6frc.com/images/The%20shack%2012-2010sm.jpg
VY 73,
Re: SAQ tuning up at 1219utc
Posted by Lee on April 15, 2011 at 17:00:57.
In reply to Re: SAQ tuning up at 1219utc posted by Paul on April 15, 2011
Hi Paul Re: SAQ tuning up at 1219utc
Very cool setup. I had a my paws on a R390 in the early 80's but the guy selling it was in the ARMY reserves and the deal felt ..... Hot. So I passed. My convoluted plan is to use an old Rycom 3121B SLM, a Rockwell ant pre- selector, a LF ENG 202 preamp, my LowFer umbrella sorta tuned for 17.2 khz, and a Rat Shack audio DSP brick to clean up noise/static. And a laptop to record whatever I get. This weekend I plan to find out if the Rycom can even measure 17.2 khz. Should be fun.
Lee
Posted by Paul on April 15, 2011 at 21:45:38.
In reply to Re: SAQ tuning up at 1219utc posted by Lee on April 15, 2011
Sounds like a plan!
FYI, using this setup, SAQ signal is good enough that DSP help is not required. Analog demod is more than sufficient.
For Sale or Trade G313e SDR
Posted by Bill KB9IV on April 19, 2011 at 09:54:49.
Hi Group I have FS or Trade a Winradio WRG 313e SDR Receiver. Covers 9KHz-30 MHz. It is very Accurate, Stable and Sensitive. Comes with Orig. Box,USB Cable,Ant Adapter, Low Noise AC/DC Supply. This a non 180 VHF version.
I'm asking $500 or Trade for a Good R75 receiver.. I want to try a different receiver.
If iterested contact me off list via email.
Best DX
Bill KB9IV
Summer Beacon Schedules
Posted by Webmaster on April 23, 2011 at 11:27:43.
Any LF beacon operators planning to be off or make other schedule changes during the summer? If so, please let me know so we can get the change on the list.
Thanks.
John
NDB updates
Posted by Michael Oexner on April 24, 2011 at 01:42:27.
Hi all,
Recent changes - if you have any feedback about the real on air status of these NDBs please let me know.
Still active:
OLY-272.0 Olney IL N38 43 05 W088 10 22 last log rww 2011-04-07
HKF-239.0 Middletown/Hook OH N39 29 56 W084 26 51 last log rww 2011-03-28
Deletions or planned deletions:
TPF-270.0 Tampa/Knight FL eff 2011-06-30 last log rww 2011-01-10
DEH-236.0 Decorah IA eff 2011-03-10 last log rww 2011-03-28
IKV-275.0 Ankeny IA last log rww 2008-12-31
XWY-278.0 West Union IA last log rww 2009-05-11
MNE-201.0 Minden LA last log rww 2010-12-29
HMQ-212.0 Homer LA eff 2011-05-05 last log rww 2010-11-21
DXT-370.0 Dalton MA last log rww 2010-02-12
RL-399.0 Waterville/Bracy ME last log rww 2010-12-27
EVU-317.0 Maryville/Emville MO last log rww 2005-02-27
MXR-284.0 Raton/Maxwell NM eff 2011-05-05 last log rww 2011-03-19
GF-521.0 Cleveland/Hogaf OH last log rww 2006-11-26
CX-219.0 Harrisburg/Latle PA last log rww 2011-02-14
EFC-269.0 Belle Fourche SD last log rww 2006-11-10
VMR-375.0 Vermillion SD last log rww 2010-03-21
DPG-284.0 Dugway Proving Ground (Army) UT last log rww 2010-01-23
ENY-254.0 Ashland/Kennedy WI last log rww 2010-02-17
RRL-257.0 Merrill WI last log rww 2011-01-08Have updated http://ndbchangeblog.blogspot.com - comments welcome!
vy 73 + gd DX,
Michael
ENDBH & NANDBH editor
http://ndbchangeblog.blogspot.com
HiFer K6FRC
Posted by Jeff K8NDB on April 28, 2011 at 19:36:39.
04/29/11, 0200Z, Copying K6FRC HiFer on 13.565 MHz with a RST of 519. No other HiFers copied at this QTH. 73, Jeff K8NDB
potrzebie