Re: G3AQC copied in MA
Posted by Jerry Cross KC2INK on December 01, 2001 at 08:51:36
Hey John, Nice job! I'm a new amatuer operator in upstate NY. I would like to ask you more about the software you used. The ARGO? Where can i get my hands on it? I do have the Icom IC R75 and building an antenna is no problem. Thanks.
MedFer "WV" on the air!!
Posted by michael tyler on December 01, 2001 at 12:17:13
MedFer "WV" is on the air on 1700 khz at 11:30 e.s.t.12-01-01 from Richwood, West Virginia. Using a North Country AM-88 . Currently using A-3 modulation .Need to work on SWR a little more cant get below 2.4:1 presently and have not time to change taps on the coil. Will put some pictures on my HiFer site later on when time premits...Thanks....mike..... http://access.mountain.net/~mtyler/HFbeacon.html
Re: MedFer "WV" on the air!!
Posted by Jim V. M. on December 01, 2001 at 14:57:22
Hope my MedFer Beacon ESA on 1700 kHz does not give you any QRM! Good luck... 73 jim
rld(185.555khz) off until further notice
Posted by Brian Helms on December 01, 2001 at 20:32:14
Due to a coil/antenna problem, rld will be off the air. I'm not sure what the problem is so it may take a few days for me to be able to fix it.
Re: MedFer "WV" on the air!!
Posted by michael tyler on December 02, 2001 at 10:19:21
Hi Jim....where are you located??....mike.
Re: what's going on on 1710 khz ?
Posted by Nigel homer on December 02, 2001 at 10:36:47
Hope this helps, its taken from the Yahoo Shortwave Pirates Site.
From: Ralph Brandi Date: Thu Nov 29, 2001 2:47 am Subject: Lubavitcher pirate, 1710 kHz
Here's one of the odder pirate loggings I've ever made: a messianic Jewish pirate radio station.
UNITED STATES 1710 Lubavitcher Radio 0056 Lengthy talk about messiah
(pronounced "mesh-ee-uhch"), talk about whether the messiah has come already or not; messianic Judaism. Mention of "The Rebbe" and how he brought this message to the Jewish people @ 0215. Music at end of lecture. Definitely the Lubavitchers. www.therebbe.org has much information about Moshiach (presumably pronounced the same way); see also http://chabad.org/moshiach/index.html.
Probably a rebroadcast of a program intended for legitimate radio stations; at the end of the loop at 0220, there was mention of how you could hear this on WWMF(?) something-teen forty (1340? 1540? 1640?) (Brandi November 29)
-- Ralph Brandi ralph@b... webmaster@a... http://www.anarc.org/
Webmaster, Association of North American Radio Clubs
Re: MedFer "WV" on the air!!
Posted by jim on December 02, 2001 at 17:15:55
Mike, I am located in San Jose, CA, CM97BJ.
FYI, there is a emergency message transmitter located at Moffett Field near Mountain View, CA on 1700 kHz.
Since September 11 this year, it has been on 24/7.
I can hear my sidebands MCW for about 1 mile. I may go back to 1689.6 kHz until condx change. 73 Jim...
rld back on
Posted by Brian Helms on December 02, 2001 at 19:04:52
After spending all day rewinding my coil and untangling 500 feet of wire, rld is back on again. It is still at 185.555 send qrss 3/30. It identifies once in qrss3 and once in qrss30.
Re: rld back on
Posted by John Davis on December 02, 2001 at 20:55:23
Good to have you back on. I hope the meltdown wasn't a result of all the bad puns. :-)
John
Re: MedFer "WV" on the air!!
Posted by michael tyler on December 02, 2001 at 21:17:09
Thanks for the info Jim....I am new to MedFer....we jumped into the family car today and drove around and were able to hear the voice id about a mile ...what is your equipment like? what does your antenna consist of?....I am using the AM-88 kit that north country sells. It has dip switches to set the frequency. It seems to be very stable....I will most likely be changing to a MCW or CW mode soon....I am using a base loading coil tapped a few turns up from the bottom for impedance matching the transmitter and a variable capacitor connected from the top of the coil to the bottom of the coil where the coil is tied to a system of 3 buried ground wires about 50 feet long each...the antenna is a couple of 5 foot antenna mast pipes with a capacity hat on top ....transmitter and ider mounted in a weather proof box below the inductor....just playing with the stuff right now....any info you may have i will put to good use....thanks...mike....WA8YWO...MedFer,LowFer,HighFer "WV"
Re: rld back on
Posted by John Andrews on December 02, 2001 at 21:51:13
Ease up on him, John. He's been PUNished enough!
John A.
Re: rld back on
Posted by Brian Helms on December 03, 2001 at 10:03:01
The down to further notice was probably a little extreme but I was pretty upset when I posted that. It all started with me taking down a working system. I rewound my loading coil and of course not taking into account the direction that the variometer was wound which needless to say didn't do a whole lot for the q of the coil. Anyway I made too many changes at once without using my head but that's part of the learning process. It's nice to know that it's warming the earth once again though.
NC 177.777 kHz Special format will continue a few more days.
Posted by Dexter McIntyre, W4DEX on December 03, 2001 at 18:45:49
NC's test signal will continue a few more days. So far it has been viewed by six lucky stations. Get your screen capture now during this limited promotion. Best viewed at QRSS30 speed on 177.777 kHz.
Reports received from:
John Andrews W1TAG first report
Larry Putnam WB3ANQ strongest screen shot
Paul Cianciolo W1VLF
Paul Stroud AA4XX
Roger Thompson AD5T
Lyle Koehler KØLR best DX
Dexter, W4DEX
MedFer "WV"
Posted by michael tyler on December 04, 2001 at 19:13:48
MedFer "WV" Richwood, West Virginia on 1700Khz is now running A-2 "MCW" . Sending E E E E E WV WV then repeated.....running 6 WPM. Thanks...michael
Report of ZL6QH reception by W4DEX
Posted by Bob Vernall on December 05, 2001 at 10:39:34
CLAIM OF ZL TO W4 AMATEUR LF DX
4 December 2001
On Saturday 1 December ZL6QH sited near Wellington, New Zealand transmitted a low speed frequency shift keyed test signal in the 136 kHz band. This was the first time that DX testing in he 136 kHz band has been tried by ZL6QH, since having the 135.7 - 137.8 kHz band recently added to the club station Low Frequency Permit. Various DX listeners had prior knowledge of the ZL6QH test transmission, which ran for all hours of local darkness.
Dexter W4DEX managed to receive and positively identify signals from ZL6QH. The path length from ZL6QH to W4DEX in North Carolina has been calculated as 13,633 km.
W4DEX used receiving equipment with the audio fed to a computer sound card for filtering and display of the signal. This is now a popular technique used for "below the noise" detection of amateur LF signals, as ZL6QH was using 120 second dot length (each transmitted bit was 2 minutes) and there can be nil detected by ear, yet coding of the wanted signal can be seen after DSP filtering and displaying on the screen. The screen display can be captured and saved as a file, as a record of what was received, and for passing to others by electronic means.
Best reception was reported as being between about 0904 and 0950 UTC, which is approximately one to two hours after ZL6QH sunset at 0800 UTC and about two to three hours before W4DEX sunrise at 1212 UTC.
The radio equipment used by W4DEX was a square loop antenna, 2.3 metres per side, balanced pre-amplifier feeding an HP3586B selective level meter.
The ZL6QH transmitted signal used dual frequency keying, with 0.4 Hz frequency shift. The uniquely coded transmission consisted of repetitive sending of QQQQQ. sent as 137.7900, 137.7900, 137.7896, 137.7900 and then a gap, with all elements being of 120 seconds (2 minutes) duration. This means sending a single Q takes ten minutes. The timing was such that the start of a fresh Q was on the hour, so coding by absolute timing was another factor that could be used for analysis of weak signal detection.
The ZL6QH LF signal was generated using a modified TS-850SAT, in SSB mode, fed with audio from a lap top PC, using soundcard software developed by Steve VK2ZTO. TS-850 frequency control was by means of a high performance TCXO master oscillator. The low level LF signal from the TS-850 transverter port was fed to an external LF power amplifier, and the output power was around 500 watts. The radiated power is estimated to be 4 watts. The antenna was a long wire at the Quartz Hill club station, which is run by the Wellington Amateur Radio Club. The ZL6QH operator was Bob ZL2CA.
The next test from ZL6QH in the 136 kHz band will be on 15 December.
Bob Vernall ZL2CA Organiser of the ZL LF DX tests
Automatic Antenna Tuner on e-bay
Posted by Gray Frierson Haertig on December 06, 2001 at 01:51:28
There is a nice looking Nautel LF/MF Automatic Antenna Tuner for Auction on e-bay right now.
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1672512584
(You may need to paste that URL back together.)
The Buy It Now price is $115.
Gray
Re: Clam Lake ELF - the bandwidth of its aerial
Posted by Harald on December 06, 2001 at 06:23:37
How big is the bandwidth of the aerial of the ELF transmitter Clam Lake? What is its maximum bandwidth when it is run on its standard frequency 76 Hertz?
Why does the US Navy uses two ELF transmitters on the same frequency, Clam Lake and Republic Michigan in opposite to Russia where ZEVS seems to consist only of one transmitter?
Why uses Clam Lake and Republic Michigan regulary not two different frequencies for different transmissions.
VLF- and longwave signals on powerlines (PLC)
Posted by Harald on December 06, 2001 at 06:39:46
Power companies often uses signals in the frequency range of 1000 Hertz in order to switch counters on and off and in the range between 50 kHz and 500 kHz (well known as PLC) for data transmission (sometimes but rarely even for telephony).
How can I identify such signals which are transmitted by power companies through their lines? Does there something like callsigns exist?
Are there tables for identifying such signals?
Which frequencies are in use?
Can signals (especially in the 1000 Hertz range) travel between asynchronous networks through HVDC links?
How far away from power lines can such signals be detected?
(I received signals in the longwave range where they often interfere LW - broadcasting reception at wet wheather until a distance of 1 km away from the powerline, but there are reports of receiving such signals in a distance of 30 kilometres from the powerline about which it is transmitted.)
How far away from powerlines can signals in the 1000 Hertz range be received? Can I receive signals from powerlines in the 1000 Hertz range from power companies which have no line connection to the power grid which supplies my home?
Re: VLF- and longwave signals on powerlines (PLC)
Posted by Jacques d'Avignon on December 06, 2001 at 06:52:14
We have received PLC over 20 kms from the power lines, and we have also heard telephone conversations on 158 kHz USB as recently as two weeks ago.
The frequency range appears to be in the 130 to 180 kHz in our area of eastern Canada.
73
Jacques
Re: VLF- and longwave signals on powerlines (PLC)
Posted by John Davis on December 06, 2001 at 10:47:29
As Jacques noted, reception of PLCs in the 100kHz or greater frequency range is fairly common at 20km or more. In the United States, skywave fading effects have been reported on some of the more notorious PLC frequencies, implying that they are being radiated over hundreds of kilometers.
There are no callsigns. Since these signals are not intended for transmission, but are supposedly(!) only conducted to receiving devices which are closely coupled to the power lines, they are classified as incidental radiators by most administrations and are not very closely regulated. In fact, in the U.S., there is a private industry group that coordinates frequencies, powers, and data modes among the electric companies, and they are supposed to advise the government periodically about the current state of affairs. Generally, no lists are made public for security reasons. But to paraphrase Galileo's purported statement: still, they radiate.
Capacitive coupling between transformer windings will allow a certain amount of these signals to be conducted on lower voltage power lines at times; but as you can imagine, the lower the frequency, the less such coupling will exist. If there are transmission lines using 1000Hz control signals, you would not likely be able to receive those at your home, unless your home is located within a kilometer or two of the line.
John
Ground dipols as used in Clam Lakes - properties, advantages and disadvantages
Posted by Udo Maier on December 07, 2001 at 06:32:21
On the first look ground dipols as used for the NAVY transmitter Clam Lake seem to have many advantages: no requirement of high towers, no danger of lightning, etc..
But if you take a closer look on this aerial type you will find an extremely bad effiency! (0.00001% for Clam Lake!)
Why is it so bad?
Is there no possibility to embetter it?
For which frequency ranges can I use ground dipoles?
Do other professional radio services (except of the ELF transmitters of the US Navy and its Russian counterpart ZEVS) also use ground dipoles?
Can I build a small ground dipole in my garden?
(If I use frequencies below 10 kHz, I assume I do not run an illegal transmitter)
Is a ground dipole in a housing area sensitive/allowed?
If yes, for which maximum power?
Can its operation cause trouble with the neighbourhood although all interfering harmonics are discriminated?
Is it better to lay the feeding lines to the electrodes underground or above the earth? What kind of electrodes should I use?
How far can I transmit with it?
Can I connect the output from a normal audio amplifier, designed for 4 or 8 ohm loudspeakers directly with the electrodes or should I better connect them via a transformer?
Are there dangers for the amplifier?
RLD copy in Maryland
Posted by Lloyd Chastant on December 07, 2001 at 08:34:44
Had a good Arg0(and Spectran) copy of RLD in the QRSS30 mode at 1245z today.Distance 344 miles. de Lloyd W3NF FM19MH
medfer antenna information
Posted by Chris Waldrup on December 07, 2001 at 12:48:06
Does anyone know of web sites showing pictures or giving description of Medfer antennas? I am getting ready to repair mine over the weekend but was wanting to see some others to get better ideas.
Re: medfer antenna information
Posted by Dexter McIntyre, W4DEX on December 07, 2001 at 19:50:48
Chris,
You can see a pic of NC 510.500 kHz Medfer antenna on Les' web site.
http://highnoonfilm.com/xmgr/medferbeacons2.htm
The mast is a stick of aluminum conduit, the top hat is a UFH TV antenna reflector covered with screen wire. Loading coil is covered by the inverted bucket. I can send you several more pics if you would like to see them.
73,
Dexter
Web Page Update
Posted by Larry Putman on December 07, 2001 at 20:38:47
I have fixed the broken link to my lowfer webpage! It is now located at
http://www.cprinc.com/lowfer/
73
Larry Putman WB3ANQ Pasadena, MD. FM19rc
LF-activity 14th, 15th, 16th December Campen Lighthouse
Posted by Alfred Kluess on December 08, 2001 at 10:41:02
DF2BC, Ali, will start lf-activity on 136,5 kHz at Campen Lighthouse at the next weekend on 15th and 16th December.
Mode CW only, TX Ropex, homemade receiver, big dustbin antenna loading coil and 170 mtrs long L-antenna.
cu on 136,5 73s Ali, DF2BC
Listening DXpedition
Posted by Dave Stinson AB5S on December 08, 2001 at 12:35:44
(Copied to the LCWA Message Center)
Back in the 80s when we were working on 1750 meters,
some of us would go on "listening" Dxpeditions.
I have found a couple of excellent locations for listening on longwave. Both are next to cow pastures and use the wire fences for antennas. This is how I first copied Brice Anderson's BA LOWFER beacon while visiting in Louisiana,
along with several others.
You can still find fences with wooden posts around here.
They have been replaced with grounded metal posts in many areas.
Assuming it is not storming and work does not interfere,
I will be making one such listening trip the night of the 11th in an attempt to hear the spark at Poldhu. I will begin listening on 600 meters and on 1750 meters at about 6 PM central time and go until about 10 PM local, then catch a nap until Poldhu starts at 2 AM. I will be recording anything I hear.
If you want me to listen for you, please send this information:
Times you will be on the air and mode of transmission.
Your tx frequency as close as you can possibily measure it.
Message you will be sending- I respectfully request this be only your callsign.
I will be be in a cold truck with no room for fancy stuff,
so I won't attempt to copy any of that LOOOOOOOG SLOOOOOOOOOW CW or other Martian modulation schemes. AM/CW/SSB/Spark.
I'm interested in practical communication. In the 80s I was able to copy normal-speed CW sent from both coasts by stations with microwatts of radiated power on 1750 meters. We hand nothing more hi-tech then a pair of earphones.
Granted- my ears were a lot younger then,
but I ain't wasting 20 minutes of tape to get one letter.
Please let me know if you want me to listen for you.
73 DE Dave AB5S
JDH in QRSS3 mode
Posted by John Hoopes on December 08, 2001 at 17:11:17
Greetings All,
Since I haven't been having much success with WOLF, I've decided to return to QRSS3 using my old transmitter. Frequency is 184.512 +/- 2HZ. I think I will capture a wider audience with this mode.
73 John
NC Medfer and Lowfer exchange formats
Posted by Dexter McIntyre, W4DEX on December 08, 2001 at 17:28:42
I have told several people I would put the saw tooth pattern on the medfer beacon today. I just got home and will go the the LF shack as soon as I finish this message to make the change. Look for the NC Medfer signal using Argo in QRSS30 mode. NC Lowfer will resume QRSS3 keying. Hope to be able to run both in QRSS30 or QRSS60 soon thanks to John, W1TAG.
NC Lowfer 177.777 kHz QRSS3 NC Medfer 510.500 kHz Saw Tooth (view at QRSS30 speed)
NC Medfer QSL #3 is waiting.
Dexter
Re: JDH in QRSS3 mode
Posted by Dexter McIntyre, W4DEX on December 08, 2001 at 17:46:33
John, I recorded several times looking for your WOLF signal with no success. I have a file I made early this morning that showed nothing on the first run. I will run it a few more times to see if I can get anything out of it. I've also been looking on Lyle's frequency but nothing seen so far.
Dex
Re: NC Medfer and Lowfer exchange formats
Posted by Larry Putman on December 08, 2001 at 18:25:38
Dex,
Your saw tooth format was showing up on 510.500 as soon as I saw you message and started argo!
That was about 6:22 pm est. That sawtooth is a format to be reckoned with!!
73
Larry WB3ANQ FM19rc
BZS at 187.302 Khz
Posted by Steven Brooks on December 08, 2001 at 21:07:01
Happy Holidays all,
I finally measured my exact frequency of BZS and it is 187.302 plus or minus .3Hz. It will be transmitting in QRSS5 mode begining at 0230 UTC and lasting until Sunday morning at 1500 UTC. Thanks for all of your help and patience.
NC 510.5 copy in Maryland
Posted by Lloyd Chastant on December 08, 2001 at 22:32:49
NC in QRSS30 was very strong copy in Maryland tonite on both Argo and Spectran.de Lloyd W3NF
Larry Putman, Bob Riese and Bill Farmer copy 510.5 Medfer!
Posted by Dexter McIntyre, W4DEX on December 08, 2001 at 22:36:24
Within a few hours of switching the saw tooth pattern to the little medfer system three new Q5 reports with attached screen captures were received.
1822 EST Larry Putman MD 339 miles
2030 EST Bob Riese PA 380 miles
2036 EST Bill Farmer MD 323 miles
NC Lowfer 177.777 kHz QRSS3 NC Medfer 510.500 kHz Saw Tooth (view at QRSS30 speed)
Re: Ground dipols as used in Clam Lakes - properties, advantages and disadvantages
Posted by John Davis on December 09, 2001 at 05:45:39
:: On the first look ground dipols as used for the NAVY transmitter Clam Lake seem to have many advantages: no requirement of high towers, no danger of lightning, etc.. (---) But if you take a closer look on this aerial type you will find an extremely bad effiency! (0.00001% for Clam Lake!) Why is it so bad? ::
"Bad" is a highly relative term. Consider first that the wavelength at their operating frequency is measured not in meters, and not even in kilometers, but in Megameters.
Second, despite the dipole name, the antenna is actually working as a loop: one which is tens of kilometers long, but only about 3km tall physically. And "tall" is a relative term too; in this case, it's actually the depth to which the electrodes are buried. Not only is the loop miniscule in fractions of a wavelength, but it is also turned upside-down and three-fourths of it is embedded in the medium above which the signal is normally expected to propagate. (I added the word "physically" above, because dispersion of the ground currents does effectively increase the loop's size; however, not enough to overcome the huge disadvantage of the wavelength.)
Third, one entire leg of the loop (the path through the earth between the grounding wells) is made of resistive material--the rock itself.
Yet there is no really good alternative to doing it this way at such low frequencies. If you tried a conventional dipole, it would be nearly 2000km long; and no matter how tall you built the supporting masts, the antenna would effectively be lying right on top of the ground, and would be terribly inefficient as a result of that fact.
:: Do other professional radio services (except of the ELF transmitters of the US Navy and its Russian counterpart ZEVS) also use ground dipoles? ::
Not on any large scale. No one but governments have such urgent need of propagating ELF signals for communication purposes, and only they could justify the massive expenditures.
Ground dipoles can be used on a smaller scale for geophysical research and mineral prospecting, but radio communication is not the purpose in those applications. They are sometimes also used for communication by cave explorers, but again on a relatively small scale.)
:: For which frequency ranges can I use ground dipoles? ::
One nice thing about such antennas is that the same factors which make them inefficient radiators also make them usable over very broad frequency ranges. If one raises the frequency toward 9kHz or above, a large commercial user would find it more efficient to use an array of tall masts to support an extensively top-loaded vertical antenna. But we ordinary experimenters do not have such resources, so ground dipoles (grounded loops, actually) are one of the few options open to us at VLF or below.
:: Can I build a small ground dipole in my garden? ::
Yes, but I would not expect significant distances. Wide separation of the electrodes is essential to achieving much range. For example, in the message from Don Moler on 12 November, titled "76 hertz and 9.5 Khz," the results he achieved were because of a fortuitous location that enabled him to use the water pipe systems of two nearby towns as his electrodes. Additionally, it is beneficial to have great depth for the buried electrode.
:: (If I use frequencies below 10 kHz, I assume I do not run an illegal transmitter) ::
That depends on where a person lives.
At one time in the United States, anything below 10kHz was free territory, but that frequency has changed within the last quarter century. In most countries these days, including here, the lower limit of radio regulations is now 9kHz.
In the U.S. and several other countries, there seem to be no limits on experimenters below 9kHz as long as emissions above that frequency are adequately suppressed. (Although I suspect that if an experimenter interfered with the Navy or some secret research project, there might soon be a knock on his door!)
However, this is not the case everywhere. I am aware that in Germany an amateur radio operator was recently told that he had to obtain a special license to operate on 8.9kHz, even with just a few watts.
:: Is a ground dipole in a housing area sensitive/allowed? If yes, for which maximum power? ::
An interesting question. I doubt whether any city has regulations that specifically cover such a matter.
If the police wandered by and found you pouring audio power into the ground for no apparent reason, but you were not bothering the neighbors, it is not very likely that they would say anything about it. (Other than perhaps wondering whether they should call the mental health authorities. But we low-frequency types are accustomed to having our sanity questioned.)
On the other side of the coin, though, if you were to go to the town hall and ask a clerk whether it was all right to do such a thing, I'm sure he or she would be able to find reasons why it could not be allowed under some broadly worded and highly obscure city ordinance, or why it would require expensive engineering studies and permits first.
:: Can its operation cause trouble with the neighbourhood although all interfering harmonics are discriminated? ::
Yes. Even if harmonics are well suppressed, it remains possible to cause problems in home stereo systems, sound reinforcement or public address systems, video equipment, and other gear, if your signals are coupled into such equipment via ground loops which may inadvertently exist because of the manner in which those devices are interconnected. (When I experimented with one or two hundred watts into a very large loop antenna at 8.8kHz some years ago, I had to schedule my operation so as not to induce interference into some nearby television production equipment.)
There is one other risk to consider. Since you won't be able to bury the electrodes 3km down (as are the ones at Clam Lake) there is a chance that the soil between the electrodes or any metallic objects contacting the soil in the general vicinity of the system could deliver an electrical shock to anyone coming in contact with them. I can attest to this from first-hand experience.
:: Is it better to lay the feeding lines to the electrodes underground or above the earth? ::
Either way is acceptable, provided that safety regulations are observed, but I would make certain to use very well insulated wiring designed for direct burial. Leakage currents resulting from deteriorated insulation will reduce the efficiency of the antenna further, so one should install the best he can afford.
:: What kind of electrodes should I use? ::
Anything conductive, as deep as possible.
:: How far can I transmit with it? ::
Some British experimenters have achieved 6km or more with an installation of reasonable size. The fun is in the experimenting.
:: Can I connect the output from a normal audio amplifier, designed for 4 or 8 ohm loudspeakers directly with the electrodes or should I better connect them via a transformer? ::
An impedance matching transformer is a very good idea to maximize power transfer to the soil. Where I live, almost any pair of grounded electrodes will see a resistance of between 200 and 300 ohms between them at audio frequencies. (It is not possible to determine this accurately with a DC ohmmeter. One should improvise a simple bridge circuit and use a sinewave signal near the intended operating frequency in order to measure the value.)
:: Are there dangers for the amplifier? ::
Yes. Earlier you mentioned lightning as not being a risk for the Clam Lake system, but actually it is. Lightning currents induce very large voltage differences between grounded electrodes. In a very high power installation, this can be dealt with as part of the system design. However, for solid state amplifiers at ordinary power levels, lightning voltages can be catastrophic.
Also, if using an impedance matching transformer with your electrodes, take precautions so that the feeders are never disconnected from the transformer when the audio amplifier is on. The inductive reactance of the transformer, with no significant load resistance attached, can cause many solid state amplifiers to be unstable and to suffer serious damage.
John
RLD 185.555 change of format
Posted by Brian Helms on December 09, 2001 at 08:33:24
I will be changing RLD to sending 5 wpm cw this week just to see if anyone is still interested in trying to copy cw. This is also to give Dave Stinson and chance to hear it if propagation happens to be super. I will change it over sometime today and then change it back next weekend.
BRO locked to GPS/LORAN QRSS10
Posted by Bryce Ofstie, KI0LE on December 09, 2001 at 13:52:09
Hello and Happy Holidays. I have made a few improvements to the BRO beacon.
I stumbled across a stratum one clock a few weeks ago and have added it to the BRO beacon. For those who may not be familiar with these clocks, stratum one is a quality level that is used by telecommunications carriers for timing Sonet equipment. A stratum one clock is accurate to 1 x 10^-11. The clock I have running has a Loran receiver and a GPS receiver with a Loran assist module. The
10 MHz clocks from these are statistically combined and correct a 10 MHz disciplined frequency standard. I divide this 10 MHz down to drive the frequency synthesizer on one of Lyle's "All in One" transmitters. BRO should now be transmitting about as close to 182.200 KHz as I'll ever be able to get it.
I also set the BRO beacon to transmit 3 repetitions of BRO at 12 WPM followed by
1 BRO at QRSS10.
Effiency of aerials of NDBs
Posted by Harald on December 10, 2001 at 06:46:15
In opposite to other longwave transmitters NDBs often uses very short aerials (tower height approximately 10 metres).
How big is the effiency of such aerials?
(I assume not more then 10 %)
How big is their bandwidth?
Why do NDBs often uses such small aerials even when they are not in an area in which are regulary deep flying aircraft?
(I know from NDBs more then 10 km away from an airport with aerial heights of approximately 10 metres)
How does the coupling of the aerial of an NDB to the output of the transmitter looks like? How does the inductivity looks like which is connected in serial to the aerial?
Would it not be sensible when the pilot could see the aerial of the NDB from the plane?
DDH47 LF 12/12/01
Posted by Doug Williams on December 10, 2001 at 11:19:13
From the LWCA homepage:
"German Weather Service on LF The maritime weather station DDH47 plans a special event transmission in Morse
code on 147.3 kHz on December 12, 2001. The broadcast will be in multiple languages, with a special Slow CW segment
at the end to enhance prospects for reception on this side of the Atlantic! Get details from the source, DWD in
Germany, or from Costas Krallis' Web site."
I failed to find any further details on the QRSS part of this transmission. I'm going to be at work while this is going on, but would like to set ARGO to try to get the QRSS part. Any details on the dot length, etc.?
Re: Effiency of aerials of NDBs - photos
Posted by John Harper on December 10, 2001 at 12:27:37
Hi Harald,
The efficiency of NDB antennas are very low - something like 1-2%. This is due to the long wavelength and the size of antenna/ground system that would be required at these frequencies in order to be electrically efficient. I am responsible for an FAA NDB that operates at 281 kHz. A 1/4-wave vertical at this freq would be close to 260m tall - not very practical! In an effort to improve the radiation resistance, NDB antennas usually have a capacitance hat on top.
More details and photos of an NDB transmitter, antenna and matching network can be seen on my page at:
http://www.qsl.net/ae5x/ndb.html
73 and good DXing,
John Harper AE5X (FAA)
Outdoor QRP: http://www.qsl.net/ae5x
The longwave broadcasting transmitter Konstantynow – its aerial mast was the tallest structure mankind ever built – has anyone photographs and construction drawings?
Posted by Harald on December 11, 2001 at 02:54:45
In 1974 the Polish broadcasting company completed its new 2000 kilowatt - longwave transmitter in Konstantynow, Poland for the frequency 225 kHz.
Its aerial was a 646 metre high guyed mast, which stood on a 2 metre high ceramic insulator designed for a voltage of 100 kV.
The mast was a steel frame construction with a triangular cross section.
The side length was 4.7 metres.
In 1991 the aerial mast collapsed during reconstruction work. The transmission on 225 kHz was after this performed from the spare transmitter at Warszawa (height of mast 324 metres) until the new transmitter at Sojec Kujakowski (aerial height unknown) went in service in 1998.
Has anyone photographs and construction drawings of the radio mast of Konstantynow?
If yes, then mail them please to me, or put them in the forum.
howdy
Posted by bob hoffswell on December 11, 2001 at 14:07:02
Howdy,all
BOB is still on the air 24hr all year. The signal at about 60 miles is considerably better than in years past, judging from the results of listening with my portable set-up. When BA is on, his signal is very good here and I'm looking forward to a QSO soon.(We usually try to hook-up for SKN, at least.) Other than BA, I haven't heard any other lowfers this season. Even YHO seems to be off the air this year, and his signal here was always very good.
The Chrismas message from bob will be on, as soon as I get it loaded into the beacon keyer. Have a listen at about 187kHz, and have a happy hoilday season, all.
73 de BOB
Listening DXpediton Rained Out.
Posted by Dave Stinson on December 12, 2001 at 09:12:42
It hasn't rained for a while and then, on the one night....
It quit early in the morning so I did give Poldhu a try at 2 and 3 AM.
No joy in Texas, but I think my receiver was acting up, too.
Bad night. Hope someone heard them.
73 Dave S.
Re: Effiency of aerials of NDBs
Posted by Robert Bicking, W9RB on December 12, 2001 at 16:00:17
A short vertical looks capacitive and adding a top hat makes it more capacitive so that several mH of inductance in series is required to resonate it. If it isn't operated in resonance, the efficiency will be even lower than 1-2 % and results even poorer. When operated in resonance with a high Q inductance, using Litz wire on a large diameter coil, for example, the Q will be at least 300, resulting in a B/W of 600 Hz or so. It is impractical to make an antenna tall enough to operate at LF without a top hat, even the European LW broadcast stations use them.
NC LF loaded for DX, running QRSS60
Posted by Dexter McIntyre, W4DEX on December 12, 2001 at 16:39:25
NC LF 177.777 KHz is now running QRSS60 thanks to W1TAG.
NC MF 510.500 KHz has resumed sawing, best viewed at QRSS30 speed.
Dex
"RB" back on the air
Posted by Robert Bicking, W9RB on December 12, 2001 at 18:38:46
RB will be on 186. 92 kHz from midnite CST to 8 am, QRSS5, except when I'm chasing DX. Bob Nickels, W9RAN, also a LWCA member and LW listener, has moved to a new home about 1/2 mile from me. 'm curtailing my operating to allow him to hear something besides my beacon. I can operate regular CW if requested.
medfer beacon "WV" web site
Posted by michael tyler on December 12, 2001 at 21:42:42
I have some pictures and info for medfer WV.
http://access.mountain.net/~mtyler/MedFerbeacon.html
US LF Amateur Activity
Posted by Keith VA3QF on December 13, 2001 at 08:43:24
There is a report on the Radio Amateurs of Canada web-page about a group of US amateurs who have permission to operate on 480kHz and 166kHz. I have not seen any report of this on the LWCA pages - does anyone have any info?
Regards,
Keith VA3QF
LEK received in Maryland at QRSSS60
Posted by Larry Putman on December 13, 2001 at 11:46:04
Lyle,
I was able to get a couple of argo captures of your QRSS60 signalat about midnight est and again about 6:50 AM est!
Path was about 1010 miles.
73
Larry WB3ANQ FM19rc Pasadena, MD.
What am I doing Wrong?
Posted by Jerry on December 13, 2001 at 21:06:37
I'm using an Icom IC R75 reciever, with the Argo software. I set it up to capture at 10 min intervals from sun down to sun up. All i capture are hours of long straight lines. I've tryed freq from 160 to 190 kHz. Setup at all dot settings. Nothing. What am I missing? Is it my setup or am I just unlucky to capture anything? What should I be looking for?
Re: US LF Amateur Activity
Posted by Mitch VE3OT on December 13, 2001 at 21:50:00
Keith:
Following information has been on the "lowfer" reflector.
You can view and print the grant by going to the following URL (you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed and configured properly).
https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/index_els.html
Click on "Application Status" in the left-hand frame, then type 0213-
EX-PL-2001 in the "File Number" window, then hit "Start Search".
73 Mitch VE3OT
Ken Gordon W7EKB
What can I hear?
Posted by Barrie Smith on December 13, 2001 at 22:13:08
I'll be downloading Argo, soon. I'd like to practice reception on something "easy" first.
Which LF beacon would be a likely candidate from Missoula, Montana, DN36?
Can run AR7030 or FT-1000MPV, with 400' doublet.
Any help appreciated!
Barrie, W7ALW
Re: What am I doing Wrong?
Posted by Roger Magnuson on December 13, 2001 at 23:29:21
Hi Jerry,
There is no easy answer to your question. first, where are you located? Look for beacons closest to you that are known to be active and are getting reports from others. Also I think its very important to use some sort of reciever front end tuning. All of the (tune everything recievers) are wide open on LF need some sort of tuner or filter to limit whats coming in. A simple "L" network is an effective way to do this. Of course if you are using a tuned loop or some sort of tuned LF antenna thats better yet. Next , use the narrowest IF filter that you can. I'm sure others may have some suggestions too. Good luck...
Roger, beacon (RM 189.8 Khz) Duluth, Minnesota
LEK received in Tennessee.
Posted by Doug Williams on December 14, 2001 at 12:59:23
Solid copy on LEK running QRSS60 here in TN at 05:00 EST. Distance about 916 miles. This is my sixth successful Lowfer reception so far this season (XM, JDH, WA, NC, RLD, LEK). Part of the reason for this is probably my new AR-7030+ receiver, but I would say the majority of the credit must go to QRSS. I am very impressed by how QRSS digs 'em out of the static.
-Doug KB4OER
Re: What am I doing Wrong?
Posted by Doug Williams on December 14, 2001 at 13:13:07
Jerry,
First:
Do you hear signals (static, etc.) coming out of your PC speakers? If not, you don't have the receiver connected to your sound card properly. I have a patch cable connected between the headphone jack on my receiver and the Line In jack on my sound card. You should see the "signal" meter on Argo (little green bar on left side of screen) move up and down with static crashes, etc. I keep the volume on my radio at about 60%. If I run Argo without the radio connected,
I've noticed all I see are straight lines, which are caused by power line hum.
Secondly,
In order to receive a QRSS signal, you must have your radio tuned to the EXACT frequency of the signal AND be running Argo in the proper mode (dot length) for the beacon you are trying to receive. There is a list of beacons on this web page and which modes they are running. QRSS3 means 3 second dot length. QRSS60 means 60 second dot length, etc.
Hope this helps.
Re: US LF Amateur Activity
Posted by John Davis on December 14, 2001 at 16:33:51
Hi Keith,
The 480-500kHz experimenters have not been mentioned on the LWCA pages because their work is more mediumwave than longwave. Neither is it authorized under amateur radio rules, nor Part 15-related. (The fact that they didn't choose to go public before now also didn't help. As you notice, Mitch has forwarded information from one reflector that had, in turn, been forwarded from another.)
We don't have word on the 166kHz experimental authorization, if such exists, either at this time.
73,
John
ZL6QH on 136
Posted by Bob Vernall on December 14, 2001 at 18:59:54
Hi all,
It is reasonably fine weather in Wellington today so there is little doubt that ZL6QH will be able to be set up on LF and transmitting from before ZL sunset (approx 0800 UTC) until after ZL sunrise (approx 1700 UTC) on Saturday.
The dual frequency tones will be 137.7890 (hi) and 137.7886 (lo) kHz. These frequencies are 1 Hz lower than those used for the previous test, and give better separation from Loran lines received in Europe.
The ZL6QH transmission has the format QQQQ... sent as hi, hi, lo, hi, gap, with 120 second dot length, 0.4 Hz shift.
It takes 10 minutes to send each Q. Timing will be such that the first element of a Q will be on or close to the hour
If the LF path is open to VE7, a cross-band LF/HF contact could be attempted with VE7SL, with the likes of 20 second dot length, around 1500 UTC, after which 120 second dot sending would resume.
73, Bob ZL2CA
LEK QRSS60 copy in Maryland
Posted by Lloyd Chastant on December 14, 2001 at 19:31:54
I had a copy on LEK this morning with QRSS60 just before he faded out around 7AM local.Distance about 983 miles.
de Lloyd W3NF FM19MH
qrss60 for rld 185.555
Posted by Brian Helms on December 14, 2001 at 21:42:27
I'm putting the brakes on my data rate. Rld will stop sending the breakneck speed of 5 wpm and send qrss60 unless someone shows interest in listening for high speed cw again. This changeover has occurred at aprox. 9:30 est.
Brian Helms KD4RLD RLD 185.555
BRO copied QRSS10 in Maryland
Posted by Larry Putman on December 14, 2001 at 22:20:16
At 10PM EST I have an argo copy on BRO dead on freq.182.200Khz qrss10!
My first reception of BRO! Path 953 miles!
73
Larry Putman WB3ANQ FM19rc
Fwd: Re: LF: Just in [too late]
Posted by Hans-Joachim Brandt on December 15, 2001 at 14:38:36
Subj: Re: LF: Just in [too late]
Date: 12/13/01 12:38:26 PM Eastern Standard Time From: hajo.brandt.dj1zb@t-online.de (Hans-Joachim Brandt)
To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
Dear all,
in Munich we were sparking the "soft way":
During a speech by DJ3YB about the development of radio I had the chance to demonstrate a spark transmitter simulator constructed already in the eighties:
Two gates of a CMOS 4093B form an RC oscillator which can be tuned by a potentiometer from 200 Hz to 1 kHz, a third gate is keying this oscillator, and the fourth gate is amplifying the rectangular wave form, the slopes of which are pushing (via 22 pF) an LC circuit tunable from 1,8 to 3,6 MHz, with an output link to 50 ohms, thus simulating the spark transmitter as a high-grade frequency multiplier.
The power is just sufficient to generate S9 in a R1000 receiver in AM. But by tuning the potentiometer through its range it is possible to demonstrate the sound of different kinds of spark transmitters, from the krrk krrk sound of a Marconi spark up to the tone sound spark pioneered by Telefunken in the following years.
For better understanding a drawing of the Telefunken multiple spark gap has been displayed on the wall to discuss the way how this construction would enable a spark repetition rate of up to 1 kHz, generating a sound that could be copied much better in noise and qrn (all history now, of course, but a remarkable difference in those spark years).
From the same QTH the club station of the German Museum in Munich, DL 0 DM, had been active in CW only with usual amateur equipment, with up to 300 QSOs counted up to the early evening, contacting several other memorial stations. After returning home there was still time to copy the Marconi memorial transmission of DDH47 on 147,3 kHz at 22.30 gmt.
73 Ha-Jo, DJ1ZB
Re: ZL6QH on 136
Posted by Marsh on December 15, 2001 at 14:45:32
I monitored all night long until DEC 15, 1615 UTC from CN87lf south of VE7SL near Shelton, WA and saw nothing. Using a K0BRA Active Antenna, a modified RX-320(which I am pretty sure was calibrated correctly, with KF5OJ software) and ARGO at
120sec dots.
I also looked above and below the freq (+/- 1HZ) this am to check in case I was off. Will have to get some more accurate freq std which will work better at these freq to confirm.
I will keep trying! Might try to build a loop similar to VE7SL's.
73,
Marsh, NC7V
Re: ZL6QH on 136
Posted by Dexter McIntyre W4DEX on December 15, 2001 at 19:10:06
The ZL6QH signal was received again in North Carolina last night. Best signal occurred shortly before local sunrise this time. First trace of signal was see shortly after sunset ZL time. Best reception posted at:
http://www.qsl.net/w4dex/ZL6QH_15Dec01.jpg
Received by W4DEX EM95tg 35 15 22N X 80 22 48W Local sunrise 15DECØ1 1222 UTC Argo time is UTC
FWD: LF: 73 kHz is Hot Tonight!
Posted by John Andrews on December 15, 2001 at 20:08:19
Subj: LF: 73 kHz is Hot Tonight!
Date: 12/15/01 7:38:13 PM Eastern Standard Time From: w1tag@charter.net (John Andrews)
To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
As of 0025, excellent signals are coming in from G3AQC and M0BMU. These are the clearest signals I've seen since 21 November.
For the U.S. guys, here are the frequencies:
G3AQC, DFCW, 120 second elements, 0.1 Hz shift. Dashes are on 72.4013 kHz, and dots on 72.4012 kHz.
M0BMU, QRSS60 (or a little longer), 72.4018 kHz.
I'd suggest using the Argo 90 second screen, with the center of the screen on 72.401 kHz.
John Andrews, W1TAG
8.8 KHz success in NC
Posted by Dexter McIntyre, W4DEX on December 15, 2001 at 20:26:09
Today Brian, KD4RLD, successfully transmitted an 8.8 KHz signal that was received by Dexter, W4DEX, at a distance of 10 KM. Tests were also made with success on 7 and 6 KHz. No signal was detected at 4 KHz. An Argo capture of "RLD" can be seen at:
http://www.qsl.net/w4dex/8.8KhzRLD16dec01.jpg
Transmitter: Surplus telcom audio oscillator with digital frequency counter, driving solid state audio power amplifier. Amp DC input: 8 amps/12 volts
TX antenna: Ground wire of two utility poles separated by 435 feet. No. 12 wire connected to ground wire of one pole, run to amp at the other pole. Amp output connected to No. 12 wire and pole ground wire.
Receiver: Hewlett Packard 3586B Selective Level Meter 20 Hz IF. Argo used to view output.
RX antenna: 100 foot vertical with 270 foot single wire top hat. (160 meter balanced fed dipole used as a single wire vertical). Antenna was resonated to 8 KHz with a 288 mH inductor.
More tests planed for tomorrow.
Dexter, W4DEX
Re: What can I hear?
Posted by Dexter McIntyre, W4DEX on December 15, 2001 at 20:50:56
Barrie,
Both BRO and LEK would be good ones for you to look for. You can get their information from:
http://www.lwca.org/part15/lflist.htm
I assume since you have posted here you are aware of the Longwave Homepage at:
http://www.lwca.org
Good luck,
Dexter
Re: 8.8 KHz success in NC
Posted by Sandy Sanders on December 15, 2001 at 21:31:47
Was there an overhead wire between the poles connecting the grounds. (making a loop?)
Sandy WB5MMB
Re: 8.8 KHz success in NC
Posted by Brian Helms on December 15, 2001 at 23:02:59
The antenna was configured as a loop. I could not measure the resistance on the loop due to the stray ac on the wire, but it should have been very low. I ran a wire from the ground wire of both poles to the amplifier making a loop from the amp to the ground wires which were connected to the neutral wire on the poles.
Brian Helms
NC copied in Duluth,MN
Posted by Roger Magnuson on December 15, 2001 at 23:10:46
Just had a good copy of NC on 177.777 Khz. First time this season Dex, looks good here tonight and its still early. Now to see if I can see others.
Roger, RM 189.8 Khz Duluth,MN
Re: 8.8 KHz success in NC
Posted by Bill Ashlock on December 16, 2001 at 01:22:23
Dex/Brian,
Congratulations on the VLF success! Was wondering if you resonated the TX antenna with a series capacitor?
Bill WA
TH copied in Duluth,MN
Posted by Roger Magnuson on December 16, 2001 at 01:25:15
I am now hearing TH on 189.36 CW. Lots of static but very pronounced TH on normal CW. Its been a long time since I have copied TH. No other message at this time, just TH.
Roger, beacon RM 189.8
Will be putting the beacon back on soon. QRSS10.
Re: qrss60 for rld 185.555
Posted by John Andrews on December 16, 2001 at 09:32:56
Brian,
RLD was coming in nicely this morning (12/16) from when I tuned in around 2:45 to about 6:00 AM EST.
John Andrews, W1TAG
FWD: G3AQC MØBMU 72.4 kHz received in NC
Posted by Dexter McIntyre W4DEX on December 16, 2001 at 14:50:55
Subj: LF: G3AQC MØBMU 72.4 kHz received in NC Date: 12/16/01 8:19:40 AM Eastern Standard Time From: dmcintyre@att.net (Dexter McIntyre W4DEX)
To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org (RSGB LF)
Thanks to the W1TAG propagation alert machine I was able for the first time to receive Q5 copy of Laurie's signal on 72.401 kHz. Laurie's signal was last seen about 0630 UTC. Argo capture can be seen at:
http://www.qsl.net/w4dex/72401b16dec01.jpg
Argo time is UTC. Frequency scale: Ø = 72401 Hz
Thanks for all the effort you guys put into transmitting these signals.
Dexter, W4DEX
Re: FWD: LF: 73 kHz is Hot Tonight!
Posted by John Andrews, W1TAG on December 16, 2001 at 16:07:28
In addition to Dex's well-deserved reception of G3AQC last night, I was able to catch a full ID from M0BMU. A snapshot of the two stations may be seen at:
http://webpages.charter.net/w1tag/aqcbmu2.jpg
Conditions appear to have equalled the night of 21/22 November. The two signals were visible from before 0000 to at least 0745 UTC.
John Andrews, W1TAG
Antenna?
Posted by Jerry on December 16, 2001 at 18:41:53
I'm still getting zip. Could it be my antenna? I have an 80 meter dipole. I read in the message boards a loop ant is the way to go. But I'm not sure of the details of the loop. Also I'm just outside the city of Poughkeepsie, am I picking up local noise that is blocking reception? And what about the calabration of the Argo?
NC LF 600 miles daylight reception by Paul Cianciolo, W1VLF
Posted by Dexter McIntyre, W4DEX on December 16, 2001 at 21:54:30
Paul Cianciolo, W1VLF, Harwinton, CT received good copy of NC LF at mid day today. The best mid day DX I have ever copied is JDH at 260 miles. The distance for Paul's reception is 600 miles. The good LF propagation of Saturday night carried over into the daylight hours of Sunday. Conditions appeared to be good right at sunset Sunday but deteriorated rapidly. This is probably due to the CME which occurred on Friday.
Thanks for the report and excellent Argo captures Paul.
Dexter, W4DEX
Re: Clam Lake ELF - the bandwidth of its aerial
Posted by John Davis on December 17, 2001 at 01:39:10
:: How big is the bandwidth of the aerial of the ELF transmitter Clam Lake? ::
An earth dipole/loop of this sort can work over a considerable frequency range. I'd guess as an approximation that the efficiency of this one would drop off rapidly below 55Hz and above about 170 or 200Hz. But the bandwidth in operational conditions depends on whatever interstage coupling arrangements exist and what sort of impedance matching network is being used at the transmitter output. I don't know if the Navy has revealed that information.
:: Why does the US Navy uses two ELF transmitters on the same frequency, Clam Lake and Republic Michigan in opposite to Russia where ZEVS seems to consist only of one transmitter? ::
That's an operational matter, and I doubt whether the Navy would comment on it to any extent. We can speculate, however.
First would be the matter of redundancy. Do you know the joke about the difference between a pessimist, an optimist and an engineer? A pessimist says, "my glass is half empty." An optimist says, "my glass is half full." An engineer says, "thanks goodness I've got half my water in a redundant glass." The Navy may be happier with half its water in another glass, so to speak.
Second, remember that any dipole or loop is directional, so it takes at least two to ensure 100% coverage in all directions. The Russians have a lot of real estate in the vicinity of their site for multiple antennas. The US Navy may have found it more practical to split the system into two separate sites.
And there may be other reasons that don't immediately come to mind.
John
A worlwide receiveable time - signal transmitter on 10 kHz - would it be sensible to realize it?
Posted by Udo Maier on December 17, 2001 at 06:17:57
Computer users often have problems with the clock in their computer, because they are often incorrect and when laws for daylight saving times are changed often additional trouble occur.
A DCF77 controlled clock in the printer cable is a good device to solve all clock problems of your computer, but DCF77 is only receiveable in Europe, North Africa, West Asia and all other areas in a distance below 2000 km of Mainflingen (near Frankfurt/ Main)
with common devices in the necessary strength.
So I asked me: why not to run a time signal station on 10 kHz?
This service would be worldwide usable, even in submarines and the value 10 kHz would be a good choice for a standard frequency!
Why is there no such facility (a good idea would be to convert a former OMEGA transmitter or the former VLF - transmitter NAA in Annapolis to such a station, if there is no money to build a new one?)
What radiation power would such a station require when it should be able to serve the whole world?
Why is there no time - signal system (except of the Russian "Beta" service with its complicate transmission schedule)
which transmits on frequencies below 50 kHz?
Would it be against ITU regulations to run a time signal transmitter on 10 kHz?
Would a time signal transmitter in the frequency range between 1 kHz and 10 kHz would make sense?
Can privately - owned companies, clubs of radio amateurs, private persons or other non-government institutions get licenses to run a time signal transmitter?
Re: A worlwide receiveable time - signal transmitter on 10 kHz - would it be sensible to realize it?
Posted by Lyle Koehler on December 17, 2001 at 09:51:35
Although a worldwide 10 kHz time service transmitter might be technically feasible, it would be a very expensive way to set computer clocks. Aside from the cost of installing, operating and maintaining the transmitter, there would be an additional cost for receiving modules at every computer. Worldwide coverage under all weather conditions would require a very high power transmitter; perhaps even more power than the Omega navigation system required. That's because Omega didn't have to penetrate into buildings or into areas where the man-made noise was overwhelming.
There are other less expensive ways to set a computer clock automatically. The cheapest and most effective solution is to go to http://www.bldrdoc.gov/timefreq/service/its.htm. From that site, you can download a small, free software package that will query the US National Institute of Standards and Technology time service over the Internet. For those who don't have Internet capability, GPS provides worldwide coverage. GPS usually requires an outdoor antenna, but the same might be true of a 10-kHz service in many locations.
vlf signals on utility lines
Posted by Brian Helms on December 17, 2001 at 13:45:38
I have found that the signal from my lf beacon increases if I go under powerlines within a mile of my house. Has anyone else experienced this? Does anyone have any experience/info about how far a signal can be propogated along a utility line? Also, would the receive antenna have to be coupled to the power line or would the radiated power from the lines close to the receive antenna be enough to receive a signal? Feel free to repost this on the e-mail reflector as I can't get messages through to it again.
Thanks KD4RLD
Re: A worlwide receiveable time - signal transmitter on 10 kHz
Posted by John Davis on December 17, 2001 at 21:30:41
For the reasons Lyle stated, it probably makes more sense for most of the world to use GPS or the Internet, or even good "old-fashioned" shortwave time signals where LF time signals are not available. But there are relatively few heavily populated areas where LF signals are not available. See the VLF time signal list maintained by William Hepburn. There's a link to it near the bottom of the lwca.org Longwave Home Page.
Some of the other questions...
:: Why is there no such facility (a good idea would be to convert a former OMEGA transmitter or the former VLF - transmitter NAA in Annapolis to such a station, if there is no money to build a new one?) ::
I personally wish someone would have kept one of the Omega facilities intact as a 10kHz standard frequency source. It would be tremendously convenient to pull a calibration signal out of the air with some wire and an op amp and be able to confirm its presence by ear.
But the Omega stations were terribly expensive to maintain and operate. Those that are still usable for other purposes have already been converted, and some are gone entirely... such as Liberia. Even NAA is no more. The towers were long ago toppled.
:: Why is there no time - signal system (except of the Russian "Beta" service with its complicate transmission schedule) which transmits on frequencies below 50 kHz? Would it be against ITU regulations to run a time signal transmitter on 10 kHz? ::
That frequency is part of a band reserved for radionavigation. However, there is an allocation for time and frequency signals at 20kHz.
:: Can privately - owned companies, clubs of radio amateurs, private persons or other non-government institutions get licenses to run a time signal transmitter? ::
That would depend on the policies of the individual country. There would be a very large investment for the atomic clocks, transmitter and antenna system, with a continuing expense for power and skilled personnel to maintain the whole facility--with no guaranteed source of revenue from the users. A government can afford that if there is a good reason to do so. Private individuals or groups might have to stop and ask themselves, "Now, tell me again, why are we doing this?"
Regards,
John
Capture signal?
Posted by Francis G. Cross on December 17, 2001 at 22:35:54
Subj: Capture signal?
Date: 12/17/01 7:11:17 PM Eastern Standard Time From: fcross@mybizz.net (Francis G. Cross)
To: MSGBOARD@LWCA.ORG
Attached is a pic from Argo I captured on 17 Dec 2001 at 2256 UTC. Are these the QRSS signals I've been searching for or did I strike out again?
Argo17Dec2001.jpg (87143 bytes)
MEDFER (?) on 511kHz
Posted by Mitch VE3OT on December 18, 2001 at 00:46:57
Copying very strong signal on 510 kHz. Callsign "OF", repeated continuously at approx 10 wpm.
Excellent signal (569) audible and capture on Spectrogram and Spectran.
Appeared approx. 0500Z (midnight local) in London, Ontario. 43N 81'15W.
73 Mitch VE3OT
Re: vlf signals on utility lines
Posted by Harald on December 18, 2001 at 06:16:28
I sometimes detected that some longwave and mediumwave broadcasting transmitters can be received with a stronger signal level if you are under an overhead power line.
This effect is because of electrostatic noise only then an advantage if your receibver has a ferrit coil or air-core coil aerial.
LEK QRSS60 copy in Maryland
Posted by Lloyd Chastant on December 18, 2001 at 07:56:33
Good copy on LEK about 1200z Distance 983 miles..de Lloyd W3NF FM19MH
Re: A worlwide receiveable time - signal transmitter on 10 kHz
Posted by Tony Levstik on December 18, 2001 at 09:32:22
I was reading this posting and wondered if the U.S. is the only country were Clocks and even Wrist watches are available that pick up VLF (WWVB 60khz) time code signals to set them ? I have even seen some frequency standards that used WWVB as a reference.
Tony Levstik
Re: Capture signal?
Posted by John Andrews on December 18, 2001 at 11:26:28
Francis:
1. What frequency was the receiver tuned to?
2. What receiver were you using?
3. Where are you located?
John Andrews, W1TAG
Re: A worlwide receiveable time - signal transmitter on 10 kHz
Posted by John Davis on December 18, 2001 at 13:42:30
:: I was reading this posting and wondered if the U.S. is the only country were Clocks and even Wrist watches are available that pick up VLF (WWVB 60khz) time code signals to set them? ::
No. There are clocks for the German longwave time and frequency station, and others for the station at Rugby, England. (Although the latter operates at 60kHz like WWVB, the signal is formatted differently.) I don't have any definite information on Asia, but it would greatly surprise me if the Japanese didn't also have such devices to work with JJY2.
:: I have even seen some frequency standards that used WWVB as a reference. ::
Could you point us to some sources on these, Tony? Sounds like they should be inexpensive and potentially very useful.
John
Re: A worlwide receiveable time - signal transmitter on 10 kHz
Posted by Tony Levstik on December 18, 2001 at 14:36:36
The frequency standards I have seen have been on Ebay. Unfortunately I was unable to "win the auctions" for them. They looked to be older units and used Outside antenna. and were designed for LAB use.
As far as the Clocks/wrist watches . I Know RadioShack sells them even seen several for sale on QVC.
Another one that I think might be Quit useful is for the "BASIC STAMP" from Parallax. Model 321BS is the name for the moduel.
http://www.parallaxinc.com/
You will have to do a search on there website for Model 321BS to get the PDF file.
Regards:
Tony Levstik
Re: Capture signal?
Posted by Francis G. Cross on December 18, 2001 at 15:33:34
The radio was tuned to 72.42 khz, an Icom IC R75 with a 30 ft long wire antenna. I'm located grid FN31 in Poughkeepsie, NY. Received at 2256 UTC. At the time of this capture I had not read how to tune the Argo. I have since found that site and have tuned Argo. I don't have the right tools to adjust the radio per the directions from your site.
Re: Capture signal?
Posted by John Andrews on December 18, 2001 at 16:04:04
Francis,
OK - With the R75 in CW mode and tuned to a steady carrier, you should get whatever the BFO offset frequency is into ARGO. For example, if you go into the R75's setup, and set the offset (called "cw offset", I think) to 800 Hz, and tune in WWVB on 60.000 kHz, you should get an 800 Hz tone from the R75. With that audio fed to the computer sound card, and ARGO set for 800 Hz at the center of the screen, you should get a horizontal line with junk on either side of it, centered right at 800 Hz. Start with Argo's 3 second per dot screen, as you'll get instant results.
If you can't hear WWVB with your antenna, try tuning into an AM broadcast station with the receiver in CW mode. All AM stations should be within 20 Hz of their nominal carrier frequency. The big NYC stations (WFAN, WOR, WABC, WCBS, WINS) are usually within 1 Hz.
Let me know if you can get that far.
And another thought... the 30 foot wire won't be much help with the U.K. transmissions on 72.401 kHz. That sort of reception is current being done with tuned loops using external preamps. You may want to concentrate on the U.S. Lowfer targets for the present.
John Andrews,W1TAG
Copy of LEK near Harrisburg, PA.
Posted by Dick Goodman - WA3USG on December 19, 2001 at 08:16:57
Last night (or rather this morning) I copied LEK here in Mechanicsburg, PA. using Spectran. Will try again tonight with ARGO.
Re: MEDFER (?) on 511kHz
Posted by Keith VA3QF on December 19, 2001 at 20:09:16
Mitch - "OF" on 510kHz is listed as Carsby NDB, Norfolk Nebraska. Bit of a hike to London??!!??
Regards,
Keith VA3QF, OTTAWA
Unusual signal on 182.12Khz
Posted by Lloyd Chastant on December 19, 2001 at 22:22:54
I was listening around on LF early afternoon- 1740z 12/19-
and ran across a signal that was audible and capitured it on ARGO and Spectran. I can send these jpg files if someone would like to see them .It was basically sending a 20 dash and then a space of 20sec followed by another 20 sec dash then an over lap 20sec dash with a 2 hz frequency shift on this overlap dash was some sort of modulation on it..Kinda weird and the fact that I could hear it here (Maryland FM19MH) leads me to thing it may be fairly close but with some of the rcent propagation that may not be true.Anyone run across this or may know what it is. I will continue to listen and see if it is on regularly but this is the first time I have heard this .de Lloyd W3NF
RE: NC and RLD seen in Minnesota
Posted by Bryce Ofstie (KI0LE) on December 19, 2001 at 23:00:40
I turned off Beacon BRO for a couple hours and listened tonight. I got a good screen save of NC on 177.777 and one of RLD on 185.555. Nice work Dex and Brian.
Why was OMEGA shut down?
Posted by Harald on December 20, 2001 at 06:30:28
Why was the OMEGA navigation system shut down in 1997?
Of course GPS is much more accurate, but OMEGA can be used also by diving submarines.
Submarines under water cannot use GPS (and LORAN-C and DECCA nearly the sea surface).
What system replaces OMEGA for the navigation of submarines?
An ELF system perhaps to which the ominous "Teddybaer" transmitter in Berlin - Tempelhof belongs?
Re: Unusual signal on 182.12Khz
Posted by Jacques d'Avignon on December 20, 2001 at 08:22:45
That sounds like Power line control signals. Do you have an HV line within 10 to 20 miles from you?
Jacques
Re: MEDFER (?) on 511kHz
Posted by Jacques d'Avignon on December 20, 2001 at 08:26:41
Yes it is a long way, but I no longer discount anything when it comes to propagation in the LF part of the spectrum.
Re: Why was OMEGA shut down?
Posted by Tony Levstik on December 20, 2001 at 08:52:35
I found this web site. that gives a little info about How submarines navagate under water.
http://www.howstuffworks.com/submarine3.htm
looks like they use an (Inertial guidance system) when under water.
Tony Levstik
Re: US LF Amateur Activity
Posted by Mike W2AG on December 20, 2001 at 09:18:55
For clarification, Jonathan W2MXW posted an inquiry on the rumored Glowbugs project here on Aug.18, 2001 at 16:26:22. I posted a response with the FCC file number and other details on Oct. 1 at 07:14:21. Both messages were reposted from the LWCA board on the RSGB reflector by Geri, DK8KW on Oct. 5 at 17:17 UTC.
As W7EKB has made clear, WC2XSR is not Amateur, but 36 new utility stations, in the same category as AMRAD. If LWCA members crave news of NDBs, medfers, 160m QRSS and hifers, I'd imagine they'll want to know about WC2XSR's presence. (Stations in Tennessee and Illinois have already QSOed in CW on 470 khz.)
Re advance notice, there was no guarantee of the FCC's approving their project. If it helps to be on record here, I have an Experimental application on file for 135.7-137.8 CW and 160-190 AM/SSB/CW/data, 200w TPO and 2w EIRP, in Putnam County, NY and vicinity. If approved, the call will be WC2XTC; at that time the help and participation of fellow LWCA members would be most welcome!
Mike W2AG
Re: Why was OMEGA shut down?
Posted by John Davis on December 20, 2001 at 09:53:31
Hi Harald,
Omega was used very little, if at all, by submarines. It was principally for the benefit of transoceanic aircraft, which could be out of range of LORAN for thousands of miles at a time. Now that GPS is so widely available, Omega would be little more than an expensive redundancy.
As Tony points out, subs use inertial navigation when they're out of radio contact. This method is far more accurate than Omega was. Accurate positioning information became crucial when submarines began to be used as missile launching platforms.
Regards,
John
Re: Unusual signal on 182.12Khz
Posted by Lloyd Chastant on December 20, 2001 at 12:09:55
FB Jacques,I'm not sure where the nearest HV power line is but I suspect there may be one within that distance..I'll have to check where the nearest one is..It was just the first time I had seen that in the Lowfer band..Thanks for the info de Lloyd
RLD copied
Posted by Roger Magnuson on December 21, 2001 at 10:04:08
I copied RLD during the night. Was on screen from about 8pm until 6am local. Good signal Brian! Roger, RM 189.8
Channel width: 9kHz, double-side band AM and a maximum modulation frequency of 7 kHz - how can this workwithout hurting international regulations?
Posted by Udo Maier on December 21, 2001 at 10:28:08
In Europe the channelwidth for AM broadcasting transmission (longwave and mediumwave) is 9 kHz,
so the maximum modulation frequency is 4.5 kHz, if the transmitter uses
-as all do- double-side band AM.
But there are some transmitters in the long- and mediumwave range which transmit sound frequencies up to 7 kHz and they use dynamic amplitude modulation (not CSSB).
How can this work (without hurting international regulations)?
Why is this only possible with modern transmitters?
AM - stereo, how does it work and in which countries it is available
Posted by Udo Maier on December 21, 2001 at 10:29:05
In which countries is AM - stereo available?
How does it work?
( I do not suppose two transmitters on two frequencies for two receivers)
How many methods are available?
Who offers receiving sets for AM - stereo? Is AM - stereo transmission also allowed for amateur radio and CB radio?
Re: AM - stereo, how does it work and in which countries it is available
Posted by Lyle Koehler on December 21, 2001 at 10:49:08
A web search for "AM stereo" will provide all kinds of links. One site that looks useful is http://www.inetarena.com/~alfredot/amstereo.html It has links to lists of stations, and to a description of how the C-Quam system works. The C-Quam description also provides a partial answer to one of your other questions about channel spacing and bandwidth. In the US, the channel spacing is 10 kHz and the bandwidth is 20 kHz (+/- 10 kHz from carrier). How do stations keep from interfering? They don't.
Re: AM - stereo, how does it work and in which countries it is available
Posted by Tony Levstik on December 21, 2001 at 11:07:44
Heres another link from the FCC on AM stereo C-QUAM
http://www.fcc.gov/mmb/asd/bickel/amstereo.html
Information might be of some help.
Tony Levstik
Re: AM - stereo, how does it work
Posted by John Davis on December 21, 2001 at 16:54:49
There are two principal methods which have been used for AM stereo. One involves generation of independent upper and lower sidebands, each containing one channel of the stereo signal. The Kahn system is one of these.
The more common method (at least, where AM stereo is actually a force in the marketplace) is C-QUAM. Compatible QUadrature Amplitude Modulation basically uses regular in-phase amplitude modulation of the carrier to convey the sum of both channels (L+R), while modified phase modulation of the carrier conveys the difference information (L-R).
I'm not sure how many countries permit AM stereo or how many receiver makers are still bothering with AM stereo for broadcast reception. One reason it hasn't caught on very well is that both stereo methods are slightly more susceptible to noise than mono AM, and the CQUAM system is highly susceptible to "platform shift," an interesting or annoying effect (depending upon your point of view) due to skywave propagation and/or interaction with carriers of other stations on the same channel. Maybe the links provided by Tony and Lyle address those questions.
Seems to me there would be little point in stereo for ham or CB work.
John
Re: Channel width: 9kHz, double-side band AM and a maximum modulation frequency of 7 kHz - how can this workwithout hurting international regulations?
Posted by John Davis on December 21, 2001 at 17:58:22
:: In Europe the channelwidth for AM broadcasting transmission (longwave and mediumwave) is 9 kHz,
so the maximum modulation frequency is 4.5 kHz, if the transmitter uses -as all do- double-side band AM. ::
Welcome to the wonderful world of frequency allocation standards and planning factors!
There are a number of ways to deal with the presence of sidebands when working with pre-defined channel spacings.
One is the way it's done on LF. The channels are spaced 9kHz apart, and the maximum modulating frequencies are limited to 4.5kHz. Each station occupies the same bandwidth as the channel spacing. At first glance, it looks as if this might be an efficient way of using spectrum. You could put one station right after another across the receiver dial--or rather, you could do that *if* each receiver had a perfect "brick wall" I.F. filter that only passed a band extending exactly +/-4.5kHz from the carrier, and *if* each transmitter was perfect and didn't generate harmonics of the modulating frequencies. Because these conditions are not met in the real world, it is necessary to position geographically-close stations no closer than every other channel across the dial. And in reality, the spacing should be greater than that. But since the Q of antenna systems and the noise levels at LF preclude very high fidelity to begin with, the compromises involved in the channel-spacing-equals-bandwidth approach are acceptable at LF, and result in something close to the maximum possible number of stations.
A second method applies to mediumwave: Channels are spaced every 10kHz in the Americas or 9kHz in Europe, and the maximum permissible modulating frequency is MORE than half the channel spacing...anywhere from 7kHz in Europe, right up to 10kHz here in the U.S. (Until relatively recently, there were *no* regulations on maximum modulating frequency in the U.S.) In a situation where occupied bandwidth exceeds channel spacing, interference arises not just because the sidebands of one station interfere with the sidebands of another, but also because the carrier spacing puts a heterodyne note right at the upper end of the intended audio spectrum. It then becomes necessary to space stations in any given region no closer than about three channels apart, and maintain almost the same distance between stations on first adjacent channels as if they were actually on the same channel. Otherwise, their sidebands would create the same degress of interference as if they were co-channel, and the intercarrier whistle would be quite annoying.
(Just as a side note: Back in the days when the AM broadcast band was less crowded in the States, some stations prided themselves on transmitting full 20kHz audio. To avoid excess 10kHz whistle, it was necessary to locate stations far enough apart that adjacent carriers were attenuated by at least as much as co-channel stations. When that ceased to be a practical reality, there were still some high-fidelity receivers which would pass broadband audio, but with a 10kHz notch filter that could be switched in as needed. Most mass market consumer receivers, though, solved the problem cheaply by rolling off audio gradually above about 2kHz. Eventually, stations began boosting high frequencies to compensate for that loss, but with modern audio processing being able to keep average audio levels so much higher, the boosted treble frequencies caused even more chaos and interference on the band. As a result, the FCC mandated an RF emission mask. When viewed on a spectrum analyzer with particular bandwidth settings, an AM broadcast signal must not exceed certain decibel amounts below carrier level at frequencies more than 10kHz removed from the carrier. In practice, this means very sharp filter characteristics must be implemented, and the transmitters must exhibit very low amplitude distortion and phase modulation at high audio frequencies. Thus we have 10kHz modulating frequencies, equal to the channel spacing; and occupied bandwidth twice that of the channel spacing. I gather that the 7kHz limit in Europe is for similar purposes, but perhaps with a less steep filter requirement. This has made interference by second-adjacent stations less serious than it might otherwise have been, but first adjacent spacings still have strong potential for interference. This also answers your question about why such response is only feasible with modern transmitters. Harmonic distortion or incidental phase modulation would result in wider emissions. Dynamic AM is itself an altered relationship between resting carrier and modulated carrier, which could be viewed as a type of envelope distortion; however, it does not result in excess bandwidth if it is properly controlled. There are apparently times, though, when it is not so easily controlled. I notice that there have been recent complaints by European hams about interference caused by modulator problems at Deutschlandfunk in Donebach.)
Planning factors, derived in part from the performance of practical transmitters and receivers, and in part from studies to determin how much interference a typical listener considers to be acceptable, tell a spectrum administrator how many decibels of signal from one station can be tolerated on a first, second, or third adjacent channel. Interference on the same channel is largely a function of listener perception, while the planning factors beyond third adjacent channels depend almost entirely on receiver properties such as rejection of image response, spectral purity of the local oscillator, and susceptibility to overload from an extremely strong local signal.
From a purely engineering standpoint, planning factors can be chosen to make AM listening a relatively interference-free proposition. However, administratively, pressure for more stations has almost always resulted in compromise of those planning factors on the grounds that "we have some interference now, so the public can learn to tolerate a little more." Once in a while, policy making even detriorates to a matter of "who cares about the other station, so long as ours can be heard well enough by our listeners." I'm sure we've all heard the result of that kind of planning.
TACAMO and other mobile VLF transmitters
Posted by Harald on December 22, 2001 at 18:39:43
I suppose that the signals on 17.8 kHz I sometimes receive are transmitted from TACAMO.
But there are several questions concerning TACAMO:
where may TACAMO operate? Only over sea or also over land (I suppose that the TACAMO plane would disturb the regular air traffic)
What kind of aerial does it use?
Because there is no grounding, it must use a dipole type aerial?
How is this aerial fed?
How big is the effiency of the aerial? Better then as a ground based VLF transmitter?
How long can TACAMO operate continuously? Can a TACAMO plane be tanked in the air?
How many TACAMO planes are there?
Do other states, e.g. Russia also have an airborne VLF - transmitter?
Are there other mobile VLF transmitters e.g. installed on ships using an aerial which is carried up by a kite, a balloon or a helicopter or on submarines?
Re: TACAMO and other mobile VLF transmitters
Posted by Trond at ALFLAB on December 23, 2001 at 13:46:55
Harald
The Russian operate their Tu142 MR aircrafts and the French their Astarte ( I think it is a C160 )aircrafts in the same manner, as the US Navy TACAMO planes.
In peacetime they mostly operate over water, due to the fact that the antenna someties get stuck, when it is reeled in, and they have to cut it. Not good for the image, to drop 2 km of 12 mm coper wire on the heads of potential friendly people on the ground.
The antenna system is a dual trailing wire, the short one is a coupling for the long one, wich act as the transmitter aerial.
During the spring of 2001, an article covering mobile VLF transmitters, will up on Renato Romero's site; www.vlf.it
best regards
Trond at ALFLAB,
Halden in Norway
LEK/BRO QRSS60 copy in Maryland
Posted by Lloyd Chastant on December 24, 2001 at 07:51:37
Several nice captures of the twins LEK and BRO(182.2) last nite.
Distance LEK -983miles
BRO -923miles de Lloyd W3NF FM19MH
LEK & BRO Nice Copy in MA
Posted by John Andrews, W1TAG on December 24, 2001 at 08:04:49
After Europe 1 on 183 kHz finally faded out this morning, BRO and LEK were nicely visible on 182.200 and 181.1995 kHz, respectively. First reception was about 0800 UTC, and the signals held up until just after local sunrise, at 1220 UTC. Through that period, the two beacons were similar in strength.
Thanks, guys!
John Andrews, W1TAG
NC QSY, who will be first to catch 3 with one hook?
Posted by Dexter McIntyre, W4DEX on December 24, 2001 at 16:14:17
It won't be Lyle, Bryce or myself I suspect. NC will join BRO and LEK for a few days in an effort to provide more signals close enough for one screen capture. NC LF will be on 182.199. Variometer is in bucking position so efficiency may be down slightly.
GL,
Dex
Minnesota Twins into VE7 land
Posted by Steve McDonald on December 24, 2001 at 17:03:18
Lyle...both signals identified in CN 88IU last night. BRO faded in first at 0330Z (my local time 7:30 pm) while LEK appeared one hour later, at 04330Z.
Last remnants of either signal were around 1150Z (my local 3:50 am). Distance to LEK is 1,382 miles while distance to BRO is 1,435 miles.
You will note on the screen captures that signals are reversed (the normal cw output of the R75 is reversed) and that LEK is on top while BRO is below.
Not sure what the strong carrier at .1994 is but it looks propagated. Notice the first dash in your first 'L' at the start of the capture...a huge fade-up and probabaly actually "hearable" had I not been pounding the pillow.
Using a 10' air core tuned loop. I will be on the island until Jan 5 th and will do some more listening for you both. Your QSY was a good idea ... now if we could get everyone to move we could see all signals on a single screen!
73 / Steve / VE
Lek, BRO, and NC all coming into Maryland!
Posted by Larry Putman on December 24, 2001 at 20:53:45
About 8 pm all 3 beacons started to come in weak but building up!
Larry WB3ANQ FM19rc
Re: Minnesota Twins into VE7 land
Posted by Roger Magnuson on December 25, 2001 at 03:35:10
Wow!! Congrats to both Lyle and Bryce. I can personally verify that both stations are running 1 watt and are using legal antennas. I have been to both stations and know this to be true. I helped Bryce put up his nice antenna and a lot of effort went into it. Its a beauty. Nice going guys!!
Roger (RM) 189.8
Unidentified signal on 18.75 kHz - source TACAMO?
Posted by Harald on December 25, 2001 at 20:28:31
Date: 12/23/01 12:16:12 PM Eastern Standard Time To: MSGBOARD@LWCA.ORG
I received at my home town Sindelfingen (8O s8, 48N 43) a signal of the bursted type on the frequency 18.75 kHz. It looks like the unidentified signal which I receive sometimes on 17.8 kHz with the only difference that it is weaker.
The axis of my reception coil showed while I received the signal in East - West direction.
LEK,BRO,NC QRSS60 copy in Maryland
Posted by Lloyd Chastant on December 25, 2001 at 21:25:46
Problems getting this posted but had nice copy this morning on the three with Argo.
Happy Holidays to all.
de Lloyd W3NF FM19MH
New Lowfer RAL
Posted by Paul Stroud on December 25, 2001 at 23:44:12
Lowfer RAL is now up and running in QRSS60 mode on 184.600 khz. RAL is located
10 miles south of Raleigh, NC. Dex reports good signal strength 100 miles to the west.
The beacon is built around Lyle's All-In-One Tx, and the antenna is a 43' top loaded vertical, with a raised counterpoise.
Any signal reports would be greatly appreciated.
73 es Happy New Year, Paul AA4XX
BRO copied in TN.
Posted by Doug Williams on December 27, 2001 at 10:09:25
Copied BRO this morning about 4:00 AM EST here in Tennessee. Distance about 880 miles. QRSS60 mode. First time copy of BRO for me. Also copied LEK and NC on the same Argo screen.
BRO is my seventh Lowfer beacon copied this season.
-Doug KB4OER
NC, LEK, BRO copied in mechanicsburg, PA.
Posted by Dick Goodman on December 27, 2001 at 10:43:39
Yipee!!! Copied all three beacons on Spectran this morning! It looks like ARGO does a better job but for some reason, after capturing 2 or 3 screens, ARGO just saves noise as a graphics file after that.
Re: NC, LEK, BRO copied in mechanicsburg, PA.
Posted by Lloyd Chastant on December 27, 2001 at 17:27:22
Dick I'm not certain but I think if you have any power savers and/or screen savers running while trying to get Argo saves you get some messed up captures.I had some problems with monitor power saver set doing overnite captures with Argo and then disabled that and ran overnite again and all was well.May have been a fluke but you may try that..
de Lloyd
www.vlf.it upgrade
Posted by Renato Romero on December 28, 2001 at 00:27:20
A new upgrade of www.vlf.it is on line, about "VLF Seismic Radio Emissions".
73, Renato
BRO/LEK/NC, I should leave town more often.
Posted by Bryce Ofstie (BRO,KI0LE) on December 28, 2001 at 07:41:42
Look what happens when you leave town to visit family. I have about 75 emails to sort through. I'll try to send out some cards today. Thanks for all the reports and a special thanks to Lyle and Dex for shifting frequency and drawing in so many listeners. I'll post a more detailed message once I sort the mail.
Happy Holidays and Good Listening,
Bryce
WA copied
Posted by Roger Magnuson on December 28, 2001 at 10:59:27
I have several screens of WA with the slanted QRSS. I have been looking for WA on and off and this is the first copy this season. Nice to see you again Bill.
BRO reception reports.
Posted by Bryce Ofstie on December 28, 2001 at 13:57:03
Well I'm set to send out 15 reception reports. Quite a successful week for Beacon BRO thanks to Lyle and Dex moving frequency and drawing in so many listeners. Special mention is needed for Bill de Carle for 'crunching' recorded wave files down and actually hearing the signals. I still like to hear the beacons.
Mike spotted that my signal has sidebands as observed by Lyle and John as well. I see this on most screens I have received so far.
It must degrading my signal by stealing power from the carrier,
so I'll have to fix it as soon as I can. Lyle observed that my carrier is jumping phase 90 degrees or so with about a 3 Hz rate.
I suspect that the 500 Hz signal driving the frequency synthesizer is jittering a little. I'll look into it this week and see what I can find. Steve McDonald surprised me with the best distance for reception of BRO at 1434 Miles. Nice job Steve.
The following is a table of the reports I have received so far.
The times are when the mail arrived and not when signals may have actually been seen. Sorry about the formatting, I'm still not too good at making the text arrive at the far end the way I want to send it...
DATE TIME NAME CALL GRID DISTANCE COMMENTS
12/09/2001 12:00 BRO gets GPS/LORAN Frequency Lock/Starts QRSS10
12/09/2001 16:43 Roger Magnuson K0MVJ EN36vt 6
12/??/2001 ??:?? Lyle Koehler K0LR EN36ek 66.4
12/14/2001 16:43 Bill Davis K0AWU EN37ed 67.7
12/14/2001 21:26 Larry Putnam WBANQ FM19rc 953.3
12/22/2001 13:50 BRO starts QRSS60
12/23/2001 10:48 LEK shifts frequency to 182.1995 kHz QRSS60
12/23/2001 19:54 Dexter McIntyre W4DEX EM95tg 1005.5 LEK,BRO
12/23/2001 22:15 Larry Putnam WB3ANQ FM19rc 953.3 LEK,BRO
12/23/2001 22:38 Mitch Powell VE3OT LEK,BRO
12/23/2001 23:24 Bill de Carle VE2IQ FN25uw 857.8 LEK,BRO
- Crunched audio files
12/24/2001 1:12 Mike Reid WE0H EN35hj 108.7 LEK,BRO
- Spotted phase noise
12/24/2001 5:39 Bill Farmer W3CSW FM19kd 927.6 LEK,BRO
12/24/2001 6:38 John Andrews W1TAG FN42hi 1069.5 LEK,BRO
12/24/2001 6:55 Lloyd Chastant W3NF FM19mh 927.3 LEK,BRO
12/24/2001 10:01 Steve McDonald VE7SL CN88iu 1434.5 LEK,BRO
- Best Distance Yet
12/24/2001 15:24 NC shifts frequency to 182.199 kHz QRSS60
12/24/2001 21:02 Mike Reid WE0H EN35hj 108.7 LEK,BRO,NC
12/24/2001 22:28 Mitch Powell VE3OT LEK,BRO,NC
12/25/2001 6:19 Lloyd Chastant W3NF FM19mh 927.3 LEK,BRO,NC
12/25/2001 8:42 John Andrews W1TAG FN42hi 1069.5 LEK,BRO,NC,TAG
12/27/2001 6:07 Jonathan Jesse W1JHJ FN41qv 1117.8 LEK,BRO,NC
12/27/2001 9:17 Doug Williams KB4OER EM86uj 882 LEK,BRO,NC
12/27/2001 10:43 Dick Goodman WA3USG FN10mf 889 LEK,BRO,NC
73 and Happy New Year,
Bryce
RAL copied in MA!
Posted by John Andrews on December 29, 2001 at 07:09:30
I was able to copy Paul Stroud's RAL beacon this morning around 6 AM EST. A screen clip can be seen at:
http://webpages.charter.net/w1tag/RAL.jpg
800 Hz would represent 184.600 exactly. His signal is just below the strong line, making it about 0.3 Hz low in frequency. Good thing that he didn't hit the line exactly!
Distance is about 592 miles.
John Andrews, W1TAG
Re: RAL copied in MA!
Posted by Paul Stroud on December 29, 2001 at 10:49:55
John,
Congratulations on copying RAL this morning! You get QSL #2, right behind Dex.
Yes, my frequency is dipping 300-500mHz as the overnight temp plunges. I'm taking measures to minimize that over the next few nights. I'm hoping I'll be able to leave the tx in its remote site without having to relocate the synthesizer to a warmer space. Adding two 12V, 200ma lamps and some insulation inside the enclosure has helped, but more heat is needed.
Thanks for taking the time to listen for RAL.
73, Paul AA4XX Raleigh, NC RAL 184.600 khz
RAL in Ontario
Posted by Mitch VE3OT on December 29, 2001 at 11:43:57
Hi Paul:
I have been watching this series of characters just below the strong carrier - and finally got a partial this morning as you can see. That carrier on 599 appears here about 11 pm in the evening and just sticks around, giving you grief. I am going to try another antenna tonight and see if I can get a cleaner capture.\Congratulations on fine signal.
Pictures on http://technology.fanshawec.on.ca/tele354
73 Mitch VE3OT
rld will be off the air
Posted by Brian Helms on December 29, 2001 at 19:30:47
RLD will be off the air throughout the first part of this coming week. I am using the final amp for 8kc experiments.
Brian Helms KD4RLD
BZS in QRSS60 mode
Posted by Steven Brooks on December 29, 2001 at 23:01:54
Hello All,
I am happy to report that beacon BZS is running QRSS60 format. My frequency is 187.302Khz + or - .5Hz. BZS will be on 24/7 in this mode until further notice. Hopefully some back east can copy me now, we'll see.
Still trying,
Steven BZS
Re: BRO reception reports.
Posted by Denis on December 30, 2001 at 09:37:36
Hello all,
Yesterday,(Saturday) was the first time I tryed ARGO. I got good copy of BRO and LEK at 8:30AM EST in Manistique,MI.
(EN66uc). I tryed looking at noon and at 4:00PM and still good copy! I remember a few years back how hard it was to finaly hear LEK.
The equipment here is IC-756PRO Curry transverter and a Radio Works Super loop 80.
Now for the part that I think was realy neet. I can see a good signal using the transverter but the xverter drifts up and down about 2 Hz. I tryed using just the 756PRO but I couldn't see any signal in the wide view. I clicked the mouse on where the signals should be and to my suprise there was LEK nad BRO with no drift.
Keep up the good work people and have a Happy NEW YEAR.
Denis WB8SKP
Re: BRO reception reports.
Posted by Bryce Ofstie on December 30, 2001 at 11:52:04
Thanks for the report Denis. You might try RM now. He is running qrss10 so it will be slightly more difficult but he puts out a good signal and is just 6 miles north of BRO.
73 and thanks,
Bryce
medfer JN back on, et c.
Posted by bob hoffswell on December 31, 2001 at 14:17:09
Howdy, all!
Happy New Year and dx for the coming season. I've recently got John Horton's beacon back in operation again. The call is still JN, but the freq has been moved up to about 1694.4kHz. That place is pretty populated, but JN is atleast in between a few BC stations.
BOB and BA have had a number of CW QSO's on LF and there's been solid copy both ways-once for almost an hour (we're windy!) We'll probably be on again for SKN, if Brice's neighbor doesn't turn the TV on. (QRM)
I've been hearing JDH and TH the last few nights, both with S4 signals. I'm still using two 500' wire antennas laying on the ground in the woods here-one NNW the other ENE. BA is generally S6 or so and no trouble to copy.
I've got the parts together to build the AMRAD E-probe antenna described in QST awhile back. A neighbor here has built one already and it seems really fine, with no intermodulation and overload problems that my MPF102 active antenna has had.
73 de BOB, and listen for me and JN in 2002.
ps For the record, BOB is near 186.94kHz and is on 24/7 all year, except when I listen. JN is also on 24/7 all year, except when he mows the grass.
Re: RAL copied in MA!
Posted by Les Rayburn, N1LF on December 31, 2001 at 19:43:27
Congrats on the successful receptions. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I attemtped to run the "All in One" transmitter in my outside enclosure for the first half of last season without success.
Like yourself, I attempted insulation, small lamps for heating, etc. but the frequency drift was just too much for weak signal work.
Eventually I opted to move the exciter inside and then built a separate final amp to be mounted near the antenna.
Even in my semi-heated basement shack, I've found that I had to enclose the unit in Styrofoam to keep the frequency on target.
Hope it works out and congrats again!
73,
Les
Good conditions and copy this morning of LEK BRO NC!
Posted by Larry Putman on December 31, 2001 at 22:00:05
This morning about 7 Am EST I received my best yet Argo captures of the trio on 182.200 KHz.
The capture is on my web site listed below.
http://cprinc.com/lowfer/best-trio.jpg
73 and Happy New Year!
Larry Putman WB3ANQ FM19rc
Re: Good conditions and copy this morning of LEK BRO NC!
Posted by Dexter McIntyre, W4DEX on December 31, 2001 at 22:09:48
Larry, I see a few sparkles on your background and a blob just left of lower center. See if you can do a little better next time :)
Happy New Year and thanks for all your reports,
Dexter
RAL in MN
Posted by Lyle Koehler on December 31, 2001 at 23:16:55
Just before a New Year's Eve LowFER straight key night session with RM and BRO, I captured RAL's signal sneaking around between a couple of QRM lines. An Argo screenshot showing RAL at about 598.9 Hz can be seen at: http://www.computerpro.com/~lyle/ral.jpg
LowFER straight key night
Posted by Lyle Koehler on December 31, 2001 at 23:20:12
Roger (RM), Bryce (BRO) and I just had a very nice LF rag chew lasting a little over an hour. The art of two-way LowFER communication isn't completely dead!!
Re: LowFER straight key night
Posted by Roger Magnuson on December 31, 2001 at 23:45:27
Thanks Lyle and Bryce. It was a very good 3-way QSO on CW. Nice straight key night on LF.
Roger, (RM 189.8)
www.lwca.org
potrzebie