Re: Hifer report
Thanks Bill and everyone reporting beacons. Domenic KC9GNK
Hifer report with good news
Posted by Bill Hensel on September 02, 2015 at 01:19:35.
I did not go out in a remote area today but I should have. I should have fished today also.
Anyway, here is what I managed to noodle out of the ionosphere today not unlike catching a few trout on a fly in a stream with only a few small trout.
At 1557 Utc GNK faded up very strong for 5 or 6 or very strong IDs then faded out completely.
1607 Utc FRG was with weak fads ups
1616 - 1623 Utc NDB faded up five to 6 times
2026 utc I caught FRC and GNK with a few weak fad ups..
Re: Hifer report with good news
Posted by John Davis on September 02, 2015 at 04:00:41.
In reply to Hifer report with good news posted by Bill Hensel on September 02, 2015
Not bad at all compared to recent conditions!
FCC IT upgrade brings disruptions.
Posted by John Davis on September 02, 2015 at 05:38:59.
I just became aware this evening that some important FCC online resources, plus their voicemail and most email, will be unavailable to the public for a week beginning this Wednesday evening at 6 PM EDT. To see if this will affect you, check out the story at our home page, lwca.org.
John
Re: FCC IT upgrade disruptions--file repository.
Posted by John Davis on September 02, 2015 at 22:25:22.
In reply to FCC IT upgrade brings disruptions. posted by John Davis on September 02, 2015
We are now in the scheduled shutdown of the FCC's interactive Web pages, due to upgrades. The Electronic Comments Filing System (ECFS) is one of those planned to be unavailable until next Tuesday morning. It will not be possible to file Reply comments during the outage, nor to search the ECFS for comments already posted in the LF/MF ham rulemaking proceeding.
Until the FCC page returns, LWCA has collected all 39 filings posted as of 6 PM EDT on 2 September in a repository at lwca.org/Docket15-99. You can select the one(s) you want to read in a new browser tab or window, or save any of them to your hard drive.
John
Wednesday & Thursday
Posted by John Davis on September 03, 2015 at 19:08:09.
Only had a relatively short session yesterday, with MP coming in at solar noon but then fading as the LF spectrum got a bit noisier with static. Not much at HF yesterday, either, except CODAR and this scene of EH and NC in collision. Both were strong enough to produce distinctive beat notes. Nobody else was audible or visible.
Got out to the field a couple of hours earlier this morning, and MP was going great. Solid copy on the QRSS30 screen as well as 60, and even a faint trace at QRSS3. Still watching, and hope to present a capture or two later today.
Checked HiFERs briefly before going to LF today. NC was audible and strongly visible, EH was visible, and CODAR of course. My first tune around the band yielded nothing but an outlaw sending long dashes and occasional random Morse-like keying around 13562. Tuning back lower, I then encountered WV for the first time in a couple of years! QSB resulted in some wide level fluctuations, but I was fortunate enough to catch one of the peaks and parked on the frequency to listen for a while.
John
unknown signals
Posted by Bill Hensel on September 04, 2015 at 16:08:09.
I have a good solid copy on dits sent about one dit every 2 sec on freq. 13560.490 Khz...time is 1608 utc
Wonder if anyone else ever hears this?
Re: unknown signals
Posted by John Davis on September 04, 2015 at 19:09:04.
In reply to unknown signals posted by Bill Hensel on September 04, 2015
Was listening on the farm around that time, but did not copy such a signal here. Quite strong ISM racket here centered around that spot, though.
Today's HiFERs thus far have mainly been NC and EH. Early this morning, I thought I had USC for a while but couldn't be sure under the heavy CODAR. At mid-morning, MTI finally returned to audibility after being absent for several days, I caught snippets of WV again, and just briefly I had what was probably V1RGO/B (bits of keying right at the noise level, then suddenly what I took to be a "/" followed by a definite "B"), but it faded away before I could get another shot at a complete ID and never returned.
John
Re: unknown signals
Posted by Dave on September 05, 2015 at 10:05:03.
In reply to unknown signals posted by Bill Hensel on September 04, 2015
I've heard those "pips" since March, 24 hrs/day in central Florida suggesting mine is of local origin, perhaps within a few miles of my house. Other listeners in the western USA also report them but with some slight differences in timing and signal strength. So, is there more than one source?
I count the 55th pip as a double pip, whereas others reported 57th pip as a double, usually at the 60 second mark.
Thanks to excellent propagation earlier this year, I've actually heard two transmissions, that is, two sets of pip signals a few Hz apart confirming more than one source.
Thus far, the intent of these signals is unknown. Re: unknown signals
Dave
Posted by Dave on September 06, 2015 at 00:03:37.
In reply to Re: unknown signals posted by Dave on September 05, 2015
Saturday evening at 7:45 pm EDT, I am able to copy for the first time WM. EH is always heard here.
In addition, I am copying another unknown "pips" signal on 13563.665 KHz. On full band spectral view, it looks like just a dit about every 0.8 seconds, but at 3 seconds/dot, it shows to be about 10 Hz wide, with skirts on either side. Not a beacon it seems.
Re: unknown signals
Posted by robert on September 06, 2015 at 14:29:17.
In reply to Re: unknown signals posted by Dave on September 06, 2015
at last i can finally attempt to offer something coherent to a discussion on the forum :-)
isn't that within the HF part 15 allocation? also didn't ups have an allocation down there for something in addition to there 220 MHz allocation?
could those signals be something to do with UPS? Re: unknown signals
Posted by John, W1TAG on September 06, 2015 at 20:39:09.
In reply to Re: unknown signals posted by robert on September 06, 2015
This is indeed in the Part 15 ISM (industrial, scientific, medical) range. Most of the use is from dielectric heating, medical heating treatments and RFID. I can picture a conveyor belt with widgets going through a dielectric heater (big transmitter) getting zapped for short periods.
The equipment does radiate, and the range around 13560 kHz just screams with continuous and pulsed signals. By keeping our "Hifer" beacons at least a couple of kHz above or below that clump, we miss most of the stuff. But you will find such signals up and down the band.
John, W1TAG
Denmark 243 khz
Posted by Mike Terry on September 07, 2015 at 07:31:38.
DR on LW is a new 50 kW Nautel transmitter. On air 3 times a day 30 - 60 minutes !!
(http://members7.boardhost.com/PirateRadio/msg/1441485537.html)
The Hifer and the K index of 5 and G1 mino storm
Posted by Bill Hensel on September 07, 2015 at 16:47:12.
This morning from 1446 utc - 1450 utc GNK was coming into Pine very well...many ID s in a row and pretty strong. Then it went away and never came back.
Just goes to show Hifers pop up when condx seem that they would not. Kinda of like catching a trout in a location in a stream that it shouldn't not be at.
I think thats what makes hearing these little signals so much fun...
While on a short hike yesterday (Sept 6) into the Pike National forest FRC was heard on my KA1102.
Re: The Hifer and the K index of 5 and G1 mino storm
Posted by John Davis on September 07, 2015 at 18:10:43.
In reply to The Hifer and the K index of 5 and G1 mino storm posted by Bill Hensel on September 07, 2015
Good observations, Bill. I'd like to be out in the field today myself, but we've got minor storms of the more earthly kind close enough that I'm reluctant to set up the buffer at the base of the antenna. Had a couple of close calls with lightning last summer from storms that popped up without notice.
John
Re: The Hifer and the K index of 5 and G1 mino storm
Posted by Bill Hensel on September 07, 2015 at 20:01:39.
In reply to Re: The Hifer and the K index of 5 and G1 mino storm posted by John Davis on September 07, 2015
Never under estimate the power of a lightening bolt LOL
Re: unknown signals
Posted by Richard Pushman on September 08, 2015 at 21:39:01.
In reply to Re: unknown signals posted by John, W1TAG on September 06, 2015
Also, there is semiconductor manufacturing equipment that uses 13.56 MHz - CVD/sputtering chamber, for instance. A friend of mine related a story about a 10kW sputtering chamber with bad SWR - was scary for him!
So, yes, these things can radiate too.
73.25 kHz
Posted by Clive Carver on September 11, 2015 at 21:09:23.
Due to a network psu which supplies my SDR-IQ receiver fault, I have not been monitoring VLF or LF for the last few weeks. My little hifer report
Now back up and running, I have noticed the return of transmissions on 73.25 kHz which used to be MTO21 from Rugby many years ago. Then MTO21 was within the UK 73 kHz LF Band which existed 29th April 1996 to 30th June 2003 with a
1 watt ERP limit.
Looking at Peter DF3LP’s excellent Kiel Longwave Monitor at www.df3lp.de I can see some low power testing on 24th August with H24 operation earlier this week.
At Hawarden, North Wales 53-11-44N 3-01-42W Signal strengths of 71.25 kHz -36dB, MSF 60.0 kHz -32 dB, 51.95 kHz -44 dB, DCF77 77.5 kHz -52 dB and 81.0 kHz -24 dB.
Likely Tx sites for 73.25 kHz being Crimond, Inskip or Anthorn?
73’s
Clive
GW4EYO
Posted by Bill Hensel on September 12, 2015 at 23:14:55.
I did not listen long today however at 2121 Utc GNK was weak but full copy on a number of the IDs over a two minute listening time ( I wish it was a bit faster LOL), at 2123Utc FRN was top dog with a nice signal and once again little ole NDB faded up three times at 2126 Utc.
I hope to get a QSL card from the NDB operator...I would enjoy seeing what his set up looks like.
Not bad for me of late....I keep hoping to hear TON someday...
Poor little RQ hasn't been heard in quite a while.........
189.845 KC "R" Beacon - Anyone Else Hearing?
Posted by Dave AB5S on September 13, 2015 at 03:15:41.
Hearing in northeast Texas near Dallas,189.845 KC CW beaconing "R" at about 15wpm. Anyone else hearing?
Re: 189.845 KC "R" Beacon - Anyone Else Hearing?
Posted by John Davis on September 14, 2015 at 07:21:12.
In reply to 189.845 KC "R" Beacon - Anyone Else Hearing? posted by Dave AB5S on September 13, 2015
Hven't managed to hear it here thus far. Are you hearing it consistently (ie, both day and night)? Is it a fairly strong signal there?
John
GNK Hifer
Posted by Brian on September 17, 2015 at 14:13:32.
Nice copy this morning of Hifer GNK in DN10tx
My ELF+VLF+LF reception hardware
Posted by Ben Hutchinson on September 20, 2015 at 02:53:51.
My equipment is actually quite simple. A laptop computer, and a long wire (about 20 feet) is all I am using. This picks up the electric field, not the magnetic field, even though (from what I've read online) most people use coil antennas for picking up the magnetic field when listening to signals in this range. My laptop has sound hardware that supports audio input via its microphone connector. This is better than a line-in connector as microphone inputs have a much higher gain amplifier, in anticipation of the much weaker signal coming from a microphone than would come from a line-level device. This extra gain is great for ELF, VLF, and LF listening, as no antenna of reasonable length is going to be very efficient for receiving signals in this frequency range, which have such extremely long wavelengths. So brute force gain is the only way to make up for that fact. 630m CW Beacon
While the above mentioned mic-in port is not that uncommon among consumer level PCs. Something that is uncommon, that my laptop happens to have, is a 192kHz sample rate on the mic-in port. This allows one 2 theoretically capture up to 96kHz of audio, though I have discovered that due to my laptop's sound hardware's low pass filter on the mic-in port, I only can get up to about 50kHz before the signal strength drops very close to the noise floor. This is only 2kHz better than the 48kHz maximum permitted if I was using a 96kHz samplerate. However, even 2kHz more is better than 0kHz more, so I usually use the highest sample rate permitted by my laptop's sound hardware of 192kHz. Also, if I record at this sample rate, and then take the recorded file, and use software to highpass filter it above 50kHz, and then amplify the signal, I find that I can see signals up to about 70kHz on a spectrogram display (albeit, a lot of noise also becomes visible, so the SNR is much lower than in the lower part of the band, due to the computer's sound hardware's lowpass filter). And it can take a lot of amplification like this too, because of another great feature of my laptop's sound hardware. The mic-in port has a 24bit bit-depth. This means a lot of dynamic range, so it can take a whole lot of amplification, before the signal waveform starts to look "posterized".
What does this all mean? It means that not only can I use my laptop's sound hardware (without any additional radio equipment) to receive ELF (0 to 3kHz) and VLF (3kHz to 30kHz), but I can also use it to receive in the low end of the LF band (LF being from 30kHz to 300kHz). Normally if you want to even be able to think about receiving any part of the LF band, you need an external radio receiver, but my laptop's sound hardware is able to be used as an SDR, capturing the RF signal directly, and processing it later in software to extract specific parts of the signal, and it covers all of the ELF band, all of the VLF band, and the lowest few 10s of kHz of LF band.
My antenna is about 20 feet long, and is what is often called a "longwire antenna". It isn't cut for any specific wavelength. A short alligator clip wire (about 1.5 feet long) clips to one end of the antenna wire, and also to the center pin of the black RCA connector on a stereo audio cable. The audio cable has a stereo phono connector on one end, and a pair of RCA connectors on the other (the black one is left channel, and the red one is right channel). The stereo phono connector on this audio cable plugs into the mic-in port on my laptop computer.
Posted by joe VO1NA on September 20, 2015 at 23:54:04.
VO1NA is QRV on 477.7 kHz with a 12 WPM CW beacon, 50 watts to a monopole in GN37 until 1000 utc 21 Sept. 2105.
Reports will be very much appreciated!
73 to all Re: GNK Hifer
Joe
Posted by Bill Hensel on September 22, 2015 at 16:51:58.
In reply to GNK Hifer posted by Brian on September 17, 2015
Today Sept 20 and with a solar flux of 102 Little NDB
GNK has had some nice fad ups beginning at 1624 and still coming in well at 1651 utc..
Sure is nice to hear GNK once again...
Posted by Bill Hensel on September 22, 2015 at 23:15:57.
With the solar flux at 102-`103 and a Boulder Muf at 18Mc I was able to hear a few fad ups of NDB at around 1937 utc.
Does the operator of NDB ever read these reports? If so maybe he could send me a QSL card. I sure put some time into listening for it. Has anyone else heard it? Bill AA0RQ
Little WM hifer
Posted by Bill Hensel on September 23, 2015 at 01:36:03.
Dusk enhancement...at 0105 utc I caught three IDs from WM on my ka1103 while standing on the edge of a small lake
Re: GNK Hifer
Posted by Bill Hensel on September 23, 2015 at 01:37:51.
In reply to Re: GNK Hifer posted by Bill Hensel on September 22, 2015
Tonight while standing on the side of a small lake from 0045 - 0115 Gnk had a big signal into my little ka1103
Re: Little WM hifer
Posted by Mike - N8OOU on September 23, 2015 at 13:25:17.
In reply to Little WM hifer posted by Bill Hensel on September 23, 2015
Bill;
WOW, I am impressed! The propagation god was smiling on you for those receptions. Just proves big antennas, high power, and $x,000.00 receivers are not required.
I am curious about your location at the time of reception. I don't know for sure where you are located and would like better knowledge about my coverage. Also, I assume, but would like to confirm that you copied the CW ID. The beacon sends both QRSS FSKCW and regular CW.
Thanks for listening, and good DX. Re: Little WM hifer
Mike N8OOU 73
Posted by Bill Hensel on September 23, 2015 at 14:23:28.
In reply to Re: Little WM hifer posted by Mike - N8OOU on September 23, 2015
Mike I was at Pine Lake last night which is located at Pine Valley Ranch Park. The radio was the KA1103...to see the little lake go to http://pinekenpokarate.com/hifer-beacon-rq-13-5635-mhz
then scroll down to the picture of the little lake.
My grid square DM79IJ I think. DM79HJ is very close to the lake.
I was hearing the CW ID, I don't listen to hifer with the aid of a computer or software of any kind, I only hear the CW Hifers.
Re: Little WM hifer
Posted by Mike - N8OOU on September 23, 2015 at 18:26:58.
In reply to Re: Little WM hifer posted by Bill Hensel on September 23, 2015
Bill, I found the radio info on the net, and have a similar portable which works good also. I added the CW ID segment a while back for listeners who were not using computers for "weak" signal modes. You are the first to report reception of the CW signal, and with using a portable receiver to boot. Thanks for confirming the info.
Mike
Re: Little WM hifer
Posted by Bill Hensel on September 23, 2015 at 23:41:35.
In reply to Re: Little WM hifer posted by Mike - N8OOU on September 23, 2015
Your very welcome...I have a friend in Boulder who is going to build a beacon...the more hifers the better. Re: Little WM hifer
73 to you Mike. Did you go up on my hifer page and look at the little lake?
Posted by Mike - N8OOU on September 24, 2015 at 03:00:27.
In reply to Re: Little WM hifer posted by Bill Hensel on September 23, 2015
Yep, Your 'little lake' looks like it should belong to an artist/painter by the name of Bob Rossi. Hi Hi.
a couple pieces of test gear available
Posted by Robert C. on September 24, 2015 at 16:37:23.
i have a couple pieces of equipment available,,,
Nems Clarke 120E AM FIM 530-1600 kHz $600.00
Marconi 2955 Communications service Monitor $600.00
Chez Procaster Part 15.219 Certified Agile AM Transmitter $400.00
Contact kc8gpd[AT]gmail[dot]com for info and pictures
payment by Paypal, Money Order
prices do not include shipping
need $$$ asap to cover some bills or i would not even consider selling this stuff.
Thanks
Robert kc8gpd
Re: Little NDB
Posted by Bill Hensel on September 24, 2015 at 20:08:35.
In reply to Little NDB posted by Bill Hensel on September 22, 2015
Sept. 20,2015
From 1945Utc - 1955Utc NDB had fad ups that lasted for minutes at a time. Solid copy IDs, it was exciting to experience this. The SF 111 The Muf was 22.
This was a grand showing in every sense of the word.
While this was happening GNK was very weak but FRC was strong also.
Who ever owns this beacon thanks for all your efforts, it was fun to catch it. 73 Bill Pine, Co
BBC Radio 4 - demise of long wave technology
Posted by Mike Terry on September 26, 2015 at 08:00:28.
Daily Telegraph
26 September 2015
Excerpt:
After more than 90 years the days of the Shipping Forecast may be numbered due to the demise of long wave technology
It has kept sailors safe on the ocean waves for 90 years, becoming just as much a part of national consciousness as cricket, cups of tea and The Archers.
But the days of hearing the Shipping Forecast out on a boat may be numbered thanks to the demise of long wave technology, a veteran announcer has said.
Peter Jefferson, who read the Shipping Forecast to Radio 4 listeners for 40 years, said the "very old" transmitters which worked on long wave could soon be retired.
If that was to happen, he said, anyone more than 12 miles from the coastline would be unable to hear the shipping forecast on long wave, ending a Radio 4 tradition dating back to 1924.
Speaking at the Radio Times Festival, in Hampton Court, Mr Jefferson said the soothing tones of the Shipping Forecast would then be left to its many fans who choose to listen to it from their homes in lieu of a "sleeping pill".
....
He added: "The long wave will be retired because it's very old and costs a lot to maintain, I think it' days are numbered now."
....
The valves used in the transmission system, based at Droitwich in Worcestershire, are no longer made, with the BBC said to have once bought up the entire stock of 10 in the world in order to make it last as long as possible.
A spokesman for the BBC said they were no firm plans to end long wave broadcasting, and no date set for when the technology could run out.
The service currently reaches as far as south-east Iceland, and is occasionally picked up as far as 3,000 miles away.
The forecast, which airs four times a day, is currently listened to by a large audience on dry land, with the vast majority choosing to tune in for pleasure rather than professional necessity.
,,,,
Of his early days at Radio 4, (Jefferson) told an audience he had been tested by his older colleagues in a ritual prank, which saw them take his script away mid-broadcast and leave him to fend for himself.
His book, "And Now The Shipping Forecast", is out now.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/11892805/End-of-Shipping-Forecast-on-long-wave-radio-could-leave-sailors-high-and-dry.html
Saturday hifer log
Posted by Dave on September 26, 2015 at 19:35:37.
The indices were pretty juicy saturday morning: solar flux index 120, A index 7, and K index of 0.
EH was clear and bright in central FLA.
SIW in slant mode came through briefly, and I have a screen shot of some dual freq CW about 25 Hz south of SIW. Could it be TAG? Re: Saturday hifer log
Posted by John, W1TAG on September 26, 2015 at 20:13:51.
In reply to Saturday hifer log posted by Dave on September 26, 2015
Dave,
Not TAG. I shut it off a few weeks ago, but forgot to post that here.
John, W1TAG
Re: Saturday hifer log
Posted by Dave on September 26, 2015 at 23:29:03.
In reply to Re: Saturday hifer log posted by John, W1TAG on September 26, 2015
I put Argo on auto-capture each 6 minutes early this morning and let it run all day. I got a couple of decent captures of multiple signals and the best one is attached.There was lots of OTH radar in my captures today.
My little sawtooth is on the air non-stop and seems to favor 13555.1025 Khz. If I park my receiver on 13554.50 KHz USB, I get a sawtooth signal frequency shift from 601 Hz to 604 Hz, hence 602.5 Hz the midpoint.
Re: Saturday hifer log
Posted by Garry, K3SIW on September 27, 2015 at 01:08:49.
In reply to Re: Saturday hifer log posted by Dave (fwd) on September 26, 2015
Dave, nice capture. I run QRSS6 from a second station below the slash code. They both feed the same 1/4 wave vertical antenna at reasonably matched power levels.
73, Garry, K3SIW, EN52ta, Elgin, IL
HiFER Report
Posted by John Davis on September 28, 2015 at 16:38:38.
Yesterday, I took a break from monitoring MP on LF (solid copy all afternoon and evening) and quickly looked at HF for a while in late afternoon. NC had drifted up into USC, EH was intermittent, and MTI was audible at times. Nobody else was seen or heard.
This morning has been much better. NC is still in collision with USC. No MTI or PBJ today, but WV is present about half the time. And, around 11 AM CDT, EH and MP (HF) are sometimes faintly visible, in competition for the same space. I had slight hopes of hearing FRC, but the steady carrier on 13565.0 is back.
John
Re: HiFER Report - Monday afternoon
Posted by John Davis on September 29, 2015 at 05:42:53.
In reply to HiFER Report posted by John Davis on September 28, 2015
First time I've seen the Florida sawtooth (gator teeth?) since June here in SEK! Frequency was a bit lower than Dave indicated, although there were traces just before noon where the upslope extended a smidgen above 13,555.1 kHz.
Also this afternoon, plenty of USC and NC, some intermittent EH and MP, and WV just barely identifiable at times. MTI returned part of the time this afternoon, too.
John
potrzebie