I need antenna advice from the guys who have
Hello All:
It's time now to get down to some serious and beneficial ant. work. My xmtr is working fine, and with my current ant. setup, I'm getting possibly around 8 to 10 miles of local ground coverage. In brief, it's a 30 foot coax cable vertical
section with a 40 foot wire tophat up about 25 feet high on a homemade wooden " A " frame mast, with the top 10 feet being PVC pipe.I'm using loading coils out of old TVs and computer pwr supplys until I found the most output power, no ground radials yet,( best I could do for now ). Money will be a factor for me, and copper is out the roof right now, so I'll have to be pretty frugal with my improvements. From my research, it seems that variometers are the most widely used for ant. matching, and the 5 gallon bucket version seems to be the most
common.so, that's the direction I'm considering. QUESTION #1 !! using the 5 gallon bucket; what size wire will give the most inductance per turn ?? Most likely I'll be using a plastic covered wire of some sort.
QUESTION #2 !! I assume " Tap Points " every few turns would be in order for fine tuning ?? Also; the materials need to be easily obtainable from local building supply stores. This is a good starting place for me to get some input now, and all input will be appreciated. 73, and thanks in advance for your responses.
Andy - KU4XR
Re: I need antenna advice from the guys who have
Posted by J.B. Weazle McCreath on August 03, 2008 at 11:52:56.
In reply to I need antenna advice from the guys who have posted by Andy - KU4XR on August 01, 2008
Hi Andy,
Make a "rough cut" unit first while you experiment
with the turns and taps. Once you've got a combo
that works, then build the better "finished unit".
You can buy 500 foot rolls of type THHN electrical
wire at Home Depot and other sources that works
well for winding coils...watch for sales.
I wound my first Lowfer loading coil out of 14 awg
enamel covered wire, using the basket-weave method
to keep the self capacitance low. This makes it a
lot easier to make taps as well, as there's a bit
of room between turns.
My finished coil is wound with #12 awg house wire.
If you make a combo load coil/variometer you can
do away with a lot of the taps. See my home page
lower right corner for an example:
http://www.hurontel.on.ca/~weazle
There's a lot of good info on loading coils, etc.
on the various LF and Lowfer web sites. a Google
search can turn up hours of reading material.
73, J.B., VE3EAR/VE3WZL NDB and LowFER Lowpass Filter
Posted by Gregg on August 04, 2008 at 00:45:49.
Hi folks!
Just getting back into the longwave hobby after a 20 year absence.
Picked up an Eton E5 couple of weeks ago and compared to the rigs I used 20 years ago, it rocks. But, she does lack on the LF side with AM intermod all over the place. I slapped this project together today and it works great combined with a tuner and longwire:
http://geek.scorpiorising.ca/GeeK_ZonE/index.php?topic=3887
Hope it is of use to some here as it was to me :-)
Cheers!
Video of BBC Droitwich construction
Posted by Mike Terry on August 05, 2008 at 15:07:40.
A video showing the BBC Long Wave transmitting station at Droitwich being
constructed in 1934 is available on YouTube at
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/august2008/droitwich_video.htm
The transmitter, call sign 5XX, went on air on Thursday afternoon 6th
September 1934 broadcasting the National Programme on 1500 metres (200 kHz).
It took over fully from the old Daventry transmitter on 7th October.
(Southgate) KU4XR confimered in Maryville
Posted by kg4enb on August 06, 2008 at 19:05:25.
Hey Guys look for Andys signal on 184.32o
Re: KU4XR confimered in Maryville
Posted by Andy - KU4XR - EM75xr on August 06, 2008 at 19:46:39.
In reply to KU4XR confimered in Maryville posted by kg4enb on August 06, 2008
Hello all: Thanks Bryan for the reception report and the screen capture, I appreciate it. I'm just getting the beacon to the point where I would consider it operable. My longest reception in just one day of operation is 9.3 airmiles, not DX, but a start. I'm xmit-ing on 184.322 KHz +/- depending on calibration.Just for the fun of it, if anyone would like to see the screen captures I have so far, you can view them at: http://webpages.charter.net/ku4xr then look in the Beacon reception reports folder. I'm excited, and looking forward to improving my antenna for a better signal. 73, all, and Good LOWfer-ing !! Andy - KU4XR
The 85th Anniversary of the Polish Long-Wave Radio Station
Posted by Marcin on August 07, 2008 at 01:42:16.
Special-Event Amateur Radio Station Celebrating
The 85th Anniversary of the Polish Long-Wave Radio Station
in Babice near Warsaw
01.08-30.10.2008
The long-wave radio station in Babice was the largest Polish telecommunications investment of the Interwar period. It was opened on 4 October 1923, and the contemporary press estimated its cost at two million dollars. The facility served telegraphic communications with the USA, Japan and distant European countries.
The radio station covered the area of 4 km2. The transmitter comprised two 200 kW Alexanderson generators. Ten 127.5 m antenna masts were spread over 3.2 km. They were supported by 42 m cross-beams from which antenna cables were suspended. Rudzki & Co. Ironworks used 1,770 tons of steel to manufacture the masts. Under the antenna, 300 km of grounding copper wire were buried. The station broadcast at 14,29 kHz i 16,42 kHz (20 km waves), using the AXL and AXO callsigns. These were later changed to SPL and SPO.
During World War II, the station was used by the Germans for communications with submarines. Upon the Germans’ withdrawal from Warsaw on 16 January 1944, the facility was blown up. Only few mast bases remain until today.
Marcin SQ2BXI Friendsville, TN. beacon " XR " status
Posted by Andy - KU4XR on August 11, 2008 at 10:34:20.
Hello LOWfers:
I have been amazed at the emails I have received from operators who have tried to copy mybeacon " XR " here in Friendsville, TN. - EM75xr. It has been a great source of encouragement for me. Some would be what I would describe as a Super DX reception had they been able to copy the signal. Of course we're all aware that this is not the best of times for reception, the static is still at unbearable levels, but we're all looking forward to the cooler times and lower static levels. I still have much work to do on the antenna setup to get it performing the best I can before the fall. I have enough real estate, but the layout is not accomodating to a good radial system, so I'll " Put-em where I can, and do the best I can " Probably the most difficult of chores will be making the matching system to get the antenna to resonance.
NOTE: I could still use some more operators near the Maryville, TN. area to listen for the beacon occasionally, and let me know how they're receiving the signal. Anyone within a 25 to a 50 airmile distance would be fabulous. The beacon schedule will be: approximately 7pm EDST( 11:00 UTC ) till about 7am EDST Weekdays, I have to turn it off during the day because T-storms are still too unpredictable. I will run the beacon continuous from Fri. evening untill
Mon. morning, ( I'm home on the weekends ).
The Frequency is 184.322 KHz ( carrier freq. )
You can email me with any questions or reports if you copy it.
I do want to thank Mark - W4TGB, Bryan - KG4ENB, and Bob - W4LQE for listening and giving me their reports.
73, to all for now from the sunny southland: Andy - KU4XR , Re: Friendsville, TN. beacon " XR " status
Friendsville, TN. - EM75xr
Posted by Don Moth on August 11, 2008 at 15:00:46.
In reply to Friendsville, TN. beacon " XR " status posted by Andy - KU4XR on August 11, 2008
Better check yout UTC time as 7:00 PM is 23:00 UTC
Re: Friendsville, TN. beacon " XR " status
Posted by Andy - KU4XR on August 11, 2008 at 16:22:36.
In reply to Re: Friendsville, TN. beacon " XR " status posted by Don Moth on August 11, 2008
OOps !! I've always been bad at getting my days and nights mixed up. Thanks for the correction HI visit
Andy - KU4XR
Posted by Sal, K1RGO on August 15, 2008 at 20:01:03.
For an update on medfer HI : I had an eyeball with Ronnie when I dropped by his QTH after a bit of hiking at Webb Mountain. I got the tour, it was like a time warp. He is running all tubes on both the Hifer and Medfer rigs. The latest Medfer rig runs 2 Xtals with a 6BE6 mixer(if any of you can recall that good old tube)with a output frequency of 513.5 KHz. The IDer is a motor driven aluminum wheel with pegs. Ronnie has no land line, cell or computer, only snail mail. His mailbox is decorated with high voltage insulators so its easy to find his "shack". ........Sal
Nuclear Test Ban treaty verification using VLF
Posted by Floyd E. Rasmussen on August 19, 2008 at 16:19:02.
I served in a secret organization of the USAF whose mission it was ( and still is) to monitor the nuclear testing treaties for cheating. During the 60's, after the Atmosheric Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was ratified in Geneva, SW. in Oct 1963, i completed my training and soon went on active duty.I served at various locations around the globe operating equipment that specifically listened for a unique "signature" waveform generated during a thermonuclear event. This waveform's frequency centered around 10 KHZ.We had to be able to guarantee location of the source out to 10,000 Km, + or - 2 degrees, with a time of occurrence to a precision of 1 Usec.The fact that the US had such a capability, and an organization dedicated to this mission, was TOP SECRET from 1947 to 1997.It was one of the 10 most carefully guarded secrets of the Cold War. Our proven capability of long range monitoring of nuclear testing induced the USSR to ratify this traeaty, after we produced evidence of having monitored their tests since 1949.The name of the organization is the Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC). You might want to look up their website. It makes for some very interesting reading about some of the activities during the Cold War years.
Floyd
Re: Nuclear Test Ban treaty verification using VLF
Posted by Peter B on August 20, 2008 at 06:10:38.
In reply to Nuclear Test Ban treaty verification using VLF posted by Floyd E. Rasmussen on August 19, 2008
Interesting, Floyd,
I plan on a visit to the AFTAC Web site as, I'm interested in post-WWII milittary developments. Could you describe the type of gear used for such detection, ie, receiving and antenna systems?
Also, were other natural phenomenon detected by your service?
Re: Nuclear Test Ban treaty verification using VLF
Posted by John Hoopes on August 22, 2008 at 09:59:49.
In reply to Re: Nuclear Test Ban treaty verification using VLF posted by Peter B on August 20, 2008
I was stationed at Patrick AFB during the early 70s and there was an AFTAC facility there. I use to service one of their back-up generators.
I always wondered what went on inside because it was locked up tighter than a drum!
Thanks for the info.
WMS beacon status
Posted by Paul Daulton on August 29, 2008 at 18:18:50.
WMS is back on the air today Aug 29,2008.
Mode is qrss 30, frequency is 187.492khz.
Reception reports appreciated.
Thanks
Paul Daulton
K5wms
Jacksonville,AR em34
potrzebie