May 1998 Longwave Messages

(Remember that e-mail addresses and URLs in these posts are likely to be outdated.)

• Subj: Grid Locators
  Date: 98-05-31 22:40:53 EDT
  From:
  How do you get from the beacon grid locators to a real location on the map?
  Thank you.
  Terry Wilson N5USP
  • Reply 1: It's very much an approximation, since each grid "rectangle" is actually a 1º X 2º area of the earth's surface. If we were able to use the full six-character grid locator format (i.e., EN72ab, rather than just EN72), the resolution would be (I believe) ten times greater; but most LowFER operators don't know their QTH to that accuracy. The best way to locate stations with the four-character locators we use is probably to use the Maidenhead grid chart that appears in many editions of the ARRL Handbook. I understand there is software that will plot grid locators on a map, too, but I haven't used any of it myself. We'll post your message to the LW Message Board, and see if any of the other readers have some thoughts on this. - John Davis

• Subj: new listener
  Date: 98-05-30 19:21:26 EDT
  From: falconticnet (Darin Decker)
  I just bought a Radio Shack DX-390 and at 407khz I heard Morse Code of AD. Any idea where this is coming from or what it is? It just keeps repeating it.
  I've never really listened to longwave or shortwave until now and I was just curious. I'm assuming it is some kind of beacon or something but would be interested in knowing where it is. I live in Dallas, TX, and it comes in very clear.
  Thanks for any help you can provide.
  Darin Decker

• Subj: SAQ results
  Date: 98-05-30 12:46:12 EDT
  From: dougalpinet (Doug)
  I monitored frm 0900 to 0945 gmt here in Livingston, MT. Didnt hear any sign of SAQ. Also, W8QMD listened in Stevensville, MT and heard nil. We did hear a strong carrier on 20 khz, but it faded into the dust at about 0923z.
  I'm using a 400 ft antenna and converter, but no luck at this location.
  73
  Doug, K7YD

• Subj: SAQ?
  Date: 98-05-30 10:24:55 EDT
  From: harveyprairienet.org (Bob Hoffswell)
  Howdy!
  Well, I don't know what I heard near 18.2kHz on wednesday morning, but it wasn't there on thursday, nor did I hear anything on 17.2kHz. QRN was very bad early (S9+20dB) and down to S7 for the later 1500z transmission. Did anyone hear what I did on 26May at ~1100z or so? I think I should be close on the frequency of 18.2kHz. Phantom radio?
  73 de bob hoffswell, AA9DH/BOB

• Subj: medfer info
  Date: 98-05-29 01:14:11 EDT
  From: vlfradiotriax (Stephen P. McGreevy)
  There is one medfer still going well: N-1678.0
  I loaned out this xmtr to Carle Bumpus in mid 1992 and it is still going from his vacation home near Lake Wildwood northwest of Grass Valley, CA. Quite good signal at my camp spot at 5 a.m. or so each morning, easily 20 db s/n on peaks.
  Fortunately, the frequency is still clear of strong broadcast station modulation spatter -- only the weakish Mexican (Tijuana) spur from XEXX 1420 and the DFW-TX airport info. station on 1680. Is that weak spanish 1700 station from south Florida?
  Also, Seattle has a station now on 1620, mixing with the L.A. area tizzies. No other medfers noted besides 'N' during long slow sweeps above 1620 kHz.
  Steve

• Subj: Freq Change to: 189.900 kHz ???
  Date: 98-05-28 21:15:21 EDT
  From: (William Cantrell)
  Okay, another proposed change for TEXAS. I plan to go to 189.900 kHz. If this is a bad freq for anyone, please let me know. This gets my radiation resistance up from 0.088 ohm to a whopping 0.094 ohm. Should be an improvement of at least +0.29 dB !
  Bill Bowers says that he plans to move "OK" from 189.950 kHz to 190.000 kHz, so I will move up a little further when I get my transmitter back on the air in a few weeks.
  --
  Regards,
  Bill Cantrell
  "TEXAS" and WD5CVG

• Subj: SAQ this morning
  Date: 98-05-28 05:56:53 EDT
  From: aa1aradiocom
  Gudday,
  Although there was much QRN on 17.2 this morning at 0900Z, the following was copied at about 18 wpm.. ( or thought to have been copied ) It was weaker than EME signals and very noisy..
  0900z Intermittent Carrier
  0908z Cw in noise
  0912z "between"
  0919z "passing development"
  0921z "CQ SAQ"
  0926z "radio"
  0929z "state"
  0936z Key Down   Long Dash
  0937z NIL sigs...
  Antenna is 10' loop out in the woods with Burhans amplifier, DBM, IC706 with active filter and NIR-10.. QRN was about S4 and solid copy would have been possible without it..
  73s from Brant Rock, Massachusetts.. Home of the 'WESTERN TOWER' of Prof. Reg. Fessenden's 1906 voice broadcast and alternator fame..
  de Dave

• Subj: SAQ test transmissions?
  Date: 98-05-27 11:02:35 EDT
  From: w5rknamsat.org (Ronald G. Parsons)
  We listened (in Austin, TX) this morning, May 27, between 0900 and 1100 UTC on 17.2 kHz. Heard nothing. Has anyone heard test transmissions in advance of tomorrows event?
  --
  Ron Parsons
  W5RKN

• Subj: SAQ schedule confirmed
  Date: 98-05-27 04:46:37 EDT
  From: sm6lkm.jbeabswipnet.se (Johan Bodin)
  To all Lowfers:
  I phoned Bengt Dagås at the Grimeton station just minutes ago. The following information comes directly "from the source":
  ----
  SAQ will transmit tomorrow, May 28, from 9.15 to 9.45 UTC.
  If everything goes well, they will transmit the same message again 15.00 -15.30 UTC.
  Frequency: 17.2 kHz
  Call sign: SAQ

• Subj: Ottawa Area Lowfers
  Date: 98-05-26 17:30:12 EDT
  From: (Harold Tolton)
  I would like to get in touch with anyone in the Ottawa/National Capital Region interested in LOWFER operations. In particular, I would like to discuss tx antennas for the 1750 meter band.
  Best regards,
  Keith VA3QF (Nepean, Ontario)

• Subj: NATO VLF Transmitters
  Date: 98-05-26 14:04:12 EDT
  From: Lawrenceipfw.edu
  I am seeking reliable and current information concerning NATO and US Navy VLF transmitter sites (worldwide) for submarine communications. Specifically I need to know location, frequency, station ID, and ERP.
  I belong to a subgroup of the American Association of Variable Star Observers which monitors VLF stations for sudden ionospheric disturbances as an indicator of solar flare activity. We have observers worldwide and so I need stations in the Eastern hemisphere for South African, European, and Malaysian monitoring stations. Any references to published lists would be helpful. Thanks.
  Joseph Lawrence
  AAVSO Solar Division, SID Analyst

• Subj: URGENT! Test transmissions on 17.2 kHz!
  Date: 98-05-26 05:49:38 EDT
  From: ews2uni-bremen.de (Manfred Kerckhoff)
  Good morning!
  According to a German magazine, SAQ (Sweden) on 17.2 kHz will have test transmissions in cw.
  Date: THIS THURSDAY, 28. MAY.
  Time: 09:15 - 09:45 UTC
        and ca. 15:00 and (?)17:00 UTC
  I will record these.
  Regards!
  Manfred

• Subj: Radio Science Book
  Date: 98-05-24 11:45:25 EDT
  From: CARRJJaol
  My new book "RadioScience Observing" may be of interest to you. The table of contents is below. The book is available from Howard W. Sams/PROMPT Publishing (1-317-298-5400), or from Amazon Books (http://www.amazon.com).
  - Joseph J. Carr

  Preface
  1	The Cosmos: Radio Signal Generator
  2	Radio Astronomy
  3	Radio Receiver Systems
  4	Radio Signal Propagation
  5	Signals, Noise and Reception
  6	Whistler Hunting
  7	Solar Flare and S.I.D. Hunting
  8	Monitoring the Planet Jupiter
  9	Observing Radio Phenomenon During Eclipses
  10	Very Low Frequency (VLF) Receivers (10 - 100 KHz)
  11	Low Frequency, Medium Wave and Shortwave Receivers
  12	Loop Antennas for VLF Reception
  13	Meteor Detection By Radio
  14	Antenna Fundamentals
  15	Radio Antenna Examples
  16	Using a Geiger Counter to Detect Solar Flares
  17	Instrumentation Circuits
  18	Mechanical Recorders
  19	Computer-based Recording
  20	Spectrum Analysis of RadioScience Signals
  21	Doing Good Science Observing
  22	Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI)

• Subj: Schematic/manual needed
  Date: 98-05-19 21:57:43 EDT
  From: (Lyle Koehler)
  I picked up a Sierra 303B frequency selective level meter at the Dayton Hamvention. No manual or schematic with it, of course. Anyone know where I can find one?
  Lyle, K0LR

• Subj: Freq Change to 189.700 kHz?
  Date: 98-05-19 14:42:58 EDT
  From: (William Cantrell)
  To All,
  I am thinking about changing my operating frequency to 189.700 kHz while I am rebuilding my transmitter. I checked the LOWDOWN and this is an unoccupied freq. Would anyone have interference reception problems at this freq?
  OK Bill, Is this too close to your beacon for you to receive me?
  aa1a Dave, Will this be a clear spot for you to try for a TEXAS DX record in the Fall?
  --
  Regards,
  Bill Cantrell

• Subj: 5/18 not a bad night for NDB's
  Date: 98-05-19 13:32:55 EDT
  From: (Pierre Thomson)
  Last night at about 11 pm I turned on the rig for a last listen, and was pleasantly surprised by the number of NDB's that were audible. Most were from Quebec (just north of here) and the most distant was over 600 miles from my location.
  In approximate distance order, I copied in 5 minutes: YY, YLD, YHN, VV, YYU, YKQ, and YFM. YFM, La Grande-4, on the river of the same name, which empties into James Bay, was one of my first distant NDB catches years ago, and continues to put out a very strong signal.
  Static was present, but not overpowering. It was reminiscent of those long winter night beacon hunts!
  Pierre Thomson KA2QPG / RI
  Rifton, NY FN21

• Subj: TEXAS Beacon Off-the-Air for Maintenance
  Date: 98-05-14 18:05:05 EDT
  From: (William Cantrell)
  Howdy Y'all,
  The TEXAS beacon will be off-the-air for a few weeks while I redesign/rebuild the transmitter. Should be back on the air by June. I will keep you posted
  --
  Regards,
  Bill Cantrell
  Senior Staff Engineer
  MOTOROLA Cellular Networks & Space Sector

• Subj: new E-mail address
  Date: 98-05-13 18:59:52 EDT
  From: ad4nrmindspring (David Jones)
  New E-mail address.
  David AD4NR, LowFER NR
  Columbus, GA

• Subj: Re: Dayton
  Date: 98-05-12 11:31:13 EDT
  From: k0lremily (Lyle Koehler)
  I was going to suggest a LowFER meeting point at the ARRL booth at 11:30 Friday morning, but the back of the ticket indicates that the indoor exhibits are not open to the public until noon Friday. How about Friday afternoon at 2:30, at the ARRL booth? At that point we can plan any further get-togethers such as dinner on Friday or Saturday evening. The ARRL exhibit is likely to be on both sides of an aisle, so let's meet at the side with the ARRL officers. Then if we have any trouble recognizing each other, we can ask for Dakota Division Director Tod Olson, K0TO (LowFER IDF).
  73
  Lyle, K0LR
  http://www.qsl.net/k0lr

• Subj: On the quest for a frequency standard
  Date: 98-05-10 02:22:13 EDT
  From: (Jon Iza)
  Folks,
  In the last Lowdown, there was a question about some way to get a frequency standard of, let's say, 20 MHz from the LW standard stations WWV, MSF or DCF.
  Well, on the TAPR GPS-TAC list, Dr. Tom Clark, W3IWI has been tinkering with a GPS receiver, which offers a high precision 1 pulse per second signal in order to discipline external clocks (or oscillators).
  One of the outcomes of the projects is the Totally Accurate Clock (TAC), the one which is coming is the TOC, a time standard, with many different frequencies to use, and in between he is thinking on producing the TIC, which will be a frequency standard.
  You may get a kit of parts for the TAC, as well as low cost GPS engines from the TAPR http://www.tapr.org
  TOC's are coming in a few months, and I guess TICs will be ready much sooner...
  Be well.
  jon, ea2sn
  (still waiting for the Spanish Administration to clear 135-137 kHz....
  --
  Jon Iza ea2sn since 1978 qrp'er at large!
  ** One's needs are proportional to the square of his/her incompetence **

• Subj: MIN and LEK
  Date: 98-05-08 21:52:07 EDT
  From: k0lremily (Lyle Koehler)
  MedFER beacon MIN is no longer on the air. The antenna started to disintegrate this spring, so I took the whole thing down. Thanks to all who provided reception reports during the years that MIN was in operation.
  LEK will remain on the air all summer, except during thunderstorms. At present LEK is operating in CCW mode at 12 WPM. BPSK is still available by request.
  My listening time on LF has been very minimal for the past month. The only LowFER signal I can hear regularly is SAM from the Minneapolis area, although OK was readable this morning between about 1000 and 1200 hours CDT.
  Regards,
  Lyle, K0LR

• Subj: Alexanderson Alternators
  Date: 98-05-06 07:21:17 EDT
  From: mebrimberryjuno (marion e brimberry)
  The last one the Air Force had was shut down in 1952 at Marion MA. Was shipped to Smithsonian Inst. SAQ had serial numbers 15 and 16 of the 20 that GE built. Number 15 was scrapped and 16 remains as the only one still operational.
  Send me an email if the schedule changes. I can use about 5 miles of the old Western Union telegraph lines on the railroad that runs northeast from here, would be a good Beverage, hi.
  Regards,
  mebrimberryjuno.com

• Subj: Geomagnetic storms!
  Date: 98-05-05 09:01:40 EDT
  From: (Pierre Thomson)
  Last night I did not hear a single NDB outside groundwave range. I usually hear YFM from La Grande Riviere, Quebec, almost any night of the year. But not last night.
  Checking the solar conditions at http://www.dxlc.com/solar/ I found out why! We have been having record-breaking geomagnetic activity from a series of well-aimed solar flares and coronal mass ejections. This is going to affect the LW and MW DX for the next few days.
  Lucky it's the "off" season...
  Pierre Thomson KA2QPG / RI
  Rifton, NY FN21

• Subj: Fellow Loopers
  Date: 98-05-02 15:18:56 EDT
  From: n4zvroanoke.infi (Bart Prater)
  A quick tip for others using tuned balanced loops with single turn coupling through coax to the shack. Resonating the coupling loop, with a .1 or .2 capacitor can yield quite a bit of gain. At VA a .2 mfd capacitor across the preamp input netted approximately 6 db. It's an easy test with a couple of clip leads and a cap. Try it!
  73,
  Bart/VA/N4ZV

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