EAR in SC
I have been monitoring EAR the past few nights and below are links to some of the better captures. I didn't realize I had argo set on slow. I will set it back to normal.
https://www.jwhamer.me/grabber/2022/EAR_11_29_2022/EAR0359.jpg RTE 252 continues interruptions
https://www.jwhamer.me/grabber/2022/EAR_11_29_2022/EAR0503.jpg
Posted by Mike Terry on December 02, 2022 at 07:25:01.
IRELAND
December 1, 2022
RTE 252 kHz was off air (for maintenance?) yesterday November 30th, 2022
Ydun Ritz (2022-12-01)
Re: RTE 252 continues interruptions
Posted by Mike Terry on December 02, 2022 at 07:27:35.
In reply to RTE 252 continues interruptions posted by Mike Terry on December 02, 2022
The transmitter is proving difficult to maintain, they used to announce these switch offs but now the transmitter suddenly goes off air with no prior announcement.
Mike
DAB tests on longwave in 2007
Posted by Mike Terry on December 02, 2022 at 10:36:13.
In 2007 RTÉ in Ireland upgraded 252 kHz longwave with DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale). It was tested and received in Germany and the UK. Buty no progress has since been made,and DRM receivers remain expensive.
Mike
SIW and WM in SC
Posted by John Hamer on December 02, 2022 at 13:13:08.
I monitored the watering hole last night and captured some hot action around 10:00 UTC. Unfortunately I had the sensitivity and contrast set weird on Argo from some earlier testing and I think this contributed to the poor quality. Links below.
https://www.jwhamer.me/grabber/2022/SIW_12_1_2022/SIW0123.jpg
https://www.jwhamer.me/grabber/2022/SIW_12_1_2022/SIW0143.jpg
I believe this folder is public, so you can go to the link below and look through the whole list if you want.
https://www.jwhamer.me/grabber/2022/
2200 m activity
Posted by swlem3 on December 02, 2022 at 15:00:07.
Found 2200m activity, yesterday evening and through the overnight. WB5MMB in E. Texas is currently transmitting wspr2, along with N4WLO in Alabama. Saw W9SRW (Wisconsin) on that mode overnight with K9KFR using FST4W-300 in Indiana. N4WLO switches between wspr2, FST4W-120 and FST4W-300. Band was reasonably quiet. looks like activity is starting to pick up again as the QRN is starting to lessen.
I'm decoding on 2200m with my un-amplified loopstick at 4 ft. above ground level, with an airspy HF+ sdr. The directivity of the stick is a must at this qth as the local qrm here on 2200m makes any dx'ing impossible when using omni-verticals.
Ray ... N. Central Texas
Re: new wspr2 hifer
Posted by swlem3 on December 02, 2022 at 19:18:08.
In reply to new wspr2 hifer posted by swlem3 on November 23, 2022
New today... wspr2 hifer.
1904 -21 -0.1 13.555502 1 KD9QZO EN52 7dbm 827 miles
Ray
Re: new wspr2 hifer
Posted by JohnK5MO on December 02, 2022 at 21:33:03.
In reply to Re: new wspr2 hifer posted by swlem3 on December 02, 2022
Hi Ray,
Been seeing the same, with a good number of recent spots. The more the merrier!
John K5MO
22 m grabber via VE3 land QRV
Posted by Andy G0FTD on December 02, 2022 at 21:34:23.
Running for a few hours as of 2130 UTC Friday 2nd Dec.
https://www.qsl.net/g0ftd/grabber.htm
73 de Andy
Reminder: Lowfer net +/- 3929 kHz Saturday morning 0800 California time
Posted by Jerry Parker on December 03, 2022 at 01:18:58.
Lowfer net +/- 3929Khz Saturday morning 0800 California time
Or listen online at kfs:
http://websdr1.kfsdr.com:8901/?tune=3929ls
or
KPH Point Reyes:
http://198.40.45.23:8073/
or
Utah Web sdr:
http://www.sdrutah.org/websdr1.html
If you cannot get into the net on 80 meters you can listen on KFS and participate by sending net control your thoughts to wa6owr@gmail.com
73
1750 m Update: WH2XIL
Jerry
Posted by John Davis on December 03, 2022 at 20:31:56.
...has been reported to now be on 185.298 kHz as of last night, by John W1TAG. Warren is still apparently running QRSS10 and CW into his earth dipole.
WV
Posted by Marcy on December 04, 2022 at 17:26:44.
Copying WV good now at 1725 first time hr WV/B
73,s Marcy
Posted by Marcy on December 04, 2022 at 17:29:13.
Actually it,s WV/B I forgot the slash "B" in first Re: WV
posting....Marcy
Posted by Marcy on December 04, 2022 at 17:31:36.
In reply to WV posted by Marcy on December 04, 2022
13.554 it would help if I said the freq. lol!
Marcy
Re: 2200 m activity
Posted by swlem3 on December 04, 2022 at 20:55:20.
In reply to 2200 m activity posted by swlem3 on December 02, 2022
As I type at 2053z Dec 4, 2022... K9KFR is making the trip to N. Texas on 2200m wspr2 @ -22db. Must be some daytime enhancement...Just fyi
Feedback
Posted by Marcy on December 04, 2022 at 22:36:15.
Kinda curious how come you never get any feedback from Re: Feedback
the ops who operate the Beacons? when you report/log
them? on here. I would think if it was me operating the
beacon I would look forward to listeners who log them on
here but guess thats just me...I know they must check this
site and look at the message board I,m sure! but I will keep
logging them and reporting them at any rate...73,s Marcy
Posted by michael tyler WV on December 04, 2022 at 22:55:41.
In reply to Feedback posted by Marcy on December 04, 2022
Thanks for the report. I check this board everyday. Its been a while since i received a report on WV. Thanks for the report.
Re: Feedback
Posted by Marcy on December 04, 2022 at 23:03:09.
In reply to Re: Feedback posted by michael tyler WV on December 04, 2022
Thanks Michael, now I really have to eat crow Re: Feedback
hahahaha...I posted it on R.Reference this afternoon
also when i copied it , it was very strong at times
did I get it right ?? there is a /B?? WV/B??
thanks again good to hear from a operator on here
73,s Marcy
Posted by Marcy on December 04, 2022 at 23:05:14.
In reply to Re: Feedback posted by Marcy on December 04, 2022
I raised my T2FD it,s only 33 ft. long cause I Re: Feedback
rent or it would be longer but maybe that helped
just saying??...Marcy
Posted by John Davis on December 05, 2022 at 01:24:17.
In reply to Re: Feedback posted by Marcy on December 04, 2022
And so you'll know other listeners pay attention to and value your reports also, Marcy, you inspired my trip to the field in late afternoon, also looking for WV and anyone else who might be on and visible around sunset. At 10 minutes prior to sunset, WV was only fair copy, but half an hour later it was sometimes very solid copy. Everybody else faded away for a few minutes too at sunset, but several others strengthened again later also.
Michael uses a rather complex transmission sequence, and I think he still has the ability to vary it. Right now, it is:
WV WV WV WV /B (series of slow dots) (series of slow dashes)
Watering hole lowfers in NE IL
Posted by Garry, K3SIW on December 05, 2022 at 22:52:32.
LF conditions have been poor here of late with only nearby lowfers EAR, WM, and SIW coming through. But this morning before local sunrise both TAG and WH2XXP were in there too. Nothing was seen from SJ so wonder if it's still really sending and if so on what frequency.
73, Garry, K3SIW, EN52ta, Elgin, IL
Re: Feedback
Posted by Marcy on December 06, 2022 at 00:00:29.
In reply to Re: Feedback posted by John Davis on December 05, 2022
Ok np John , so I take it "WV" is not Re: Feedback
heard a lot?? I am in Long island, NY
not sure if i said so? the one I would say
I copy the most is NDB2 and one in T(I would have to go back and look at my log.
73,s Marcy
Posted by Marcy on December 06, 2022 at 00:01:29.
In reply to Re: Feedback posted by Marcy on December 06, 2022
Typo...NDB2 and one in Tennessee SAQ to Air on Christmas Eve Morning 24 Dec
...Marcy
Posted by Mike Terry on December 06, 2022 at 09:59:11.
On Christmas Eve morning, Saturday December 24th 2022,
SAQ Grimeton is scheduled* to be in the air, to send out a Christmas message to the whole world, using the unique 200kW Alexanderson alternator, from 1924, on 17.2 kHz CW.
Program and Transmission Schedule
08:00 CET (07:00 UTC): The transmitter hall at World Heritage Grimeton Radio Station is opened for visitors.
Transmission & YouTube Live stream
08:25 CET (07:25 UTC): Live stream on YouTube begins.
08:30 CET (07:30 UTC): Startup and tuning of the Alexanderson Alternator SAQ.
09:00 CET (08:00 UTC): Transmission of a message from SAQ.
Test Transmissions Re: Watering hole lowfers in NE IL
We are planning to carry out some test transmissions on Dec 23rd, approximately between 13:00 CET (12:00 UTC) and 16:00 CET (15:00 UTC). SAQ will be on air shorter periods of time during this interval, when we will be carrying out some tests and measurements. Your comments are welcome to info@alexander.n.se.
https://alexander.n.se/
Posted by John Davis on December 06, 2022 at 17:00:38.
In reply to Watering hole lowfers in NE IL posted by Garry, K3SIW on December 05, 2022
Interesting about the lack of DX. My most recent trip to the field on Sunday night yielded WM and SIW quite strong at times, but with longer fades than in previous seasons. WH2XXP remains a nighttime regular, but with fades capable of wiping out a character or two at a time. EAR has only been coming through with one or two solid, complete IDs during the wee hours. No sign here yet of TAG or SJ, nor XIL either.
I can't find any indication of increased QRM locally, and WWVB remains as strong as ever here. QRN rose a bit between 8 PM and midnight, but not to the levels that would usually obliterate EAR.
In early afternoon Monday, I saw WM fine, but it was apparently after the transition time for SIW. I had a second instance of Argo running on 185.185 and never saw anything I could identify as Garry's signal. (At first I thought I was seeing WSPR-15 about a hertz high, but it turned out to be an SMPS spur.) I've had trouble with 185.185 for the past couple of seasons, for unknown reasons.
John
LF loopstick
Posted by swlem3 on December 07, 2022 at 21:40:31.
Continuing adventures with the LF loopstick... presently tuned to 2200m. Latest improvement:
(1) Output matched (finally) to 75 ohm coaxial cable for much better signal transfer.
(2) External capacitor control on component box for fine adjustment of exact resonance and ease of retuning.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/952kozl7dr29jta/20221207_144744.jpg?dl=0
Background shows the L400B mounted on the gate pole. Foreground is the LF loopstick suspended between fence poles. The black resonance tuning knob can be see on the matching component box. The stick is orientated in the end-to-end N-S position to receive W-E signals. By pure luck, the desired rx direction also provides a null in the noise from the powerlines... again PURE luck.
The stick is working quite well without amplification and is cabled into the shack to feed my sdr's. Because of powerline noise, the stick is outperforming the L400B by approx. 11db on most 2200m signals. In the RARE times when the noise disappears, the L400B will equal the performance of the stick. One drawback of the stick is it's very sharp resonance response which necessitates capacitor re-tuning with temperature changes. Yes, I know I could go with varactor "padding" to remotely (bias-T) bring the system to resonance, but that's more complication than I wish to deal with at this time.
I'm impressed with the sticks performance for it being so electrically short, ground independent, and only a few feet off of ground level. I'm "hearing" well on 2200m with it. WB5MMB is on 2200m wspr2 with a EIRP of 20dbm at 214 miles from me. His signal generally produces a +1 to +2 db with occasional +4db wspr2 decodes.
Ray ... N. Central Texas.
Re: Feedback
Posted by michael tyler WV on December 07, 2022 at 21:45:24.
In reply to Re: Feedback posted by John Davis on December 05, 2022
Hi John, i am open to suggestions if you can think of a different sequence i should use? I am able to reprogram it to whatever works best. I just have to take the laptop out in the field and plug in and reprogram. Any thoughts? TSN
mike
Posted by Marcy on December 08, 2022 at 00:01:24.
I copied this here in Long Island tonight "S" ?
at 2352 I still cannot beleive it but I got
it on 13.555.6 using a Icom 7610 and T2FD
73,s Marcy (I had it on USB so I had to
adjust to CW I might be off by one or two?)
Posted by Marcy on December 08, 2022 at 00:16:08.
Also vy strong on 13.555.98 at 0012 Hifer RX EA8FK
"S" beacon I think? it is 3 dots 5
times in a row...so to me "S" it
seemed QRT at around 0015...Marcy
Posted by Garry, K3SIW on December 08, 2022 at 13:04:38.
Nice to see a couple wspr-2 decodes from EA8FK last night. Such decodes had been commonplace but the last several days none occurred. Propagation seems substandard for this time of year.
73, Garry, K3SIW, EN52ta, Elgin, IL
Re: LF loopstick
Posted by Ed Holland on December 08, 2022 at 17:58:48.
In reply to LF loopstick posted by swlem3 on December 07, 2022
Ray,
Thanks for the update. I may give this a try, as there are some ferrite rods in my junk box.
How did you adjust and measure the impedance match to 75 Ohms? Are there any other details of the antenna you could share with us please?
THanks
Ed
Bought a cheap LW radio with only 9 kHz steps
Posted by Giovanni Lostumbo on December 08, 2022 at 18:37:32.
Hi, I am new to amateur radio. I am unlicensed, but am interested in mainly listening/tuning for the time being. I bought a $18 LW radio from Amazon, which can play 153kHz-279kHz, and was curious if I could use it for analog to digital reception. I know it was not designed for U.S. AM radio (since it is 9kHz instead of 10kHz), but I bought it mainly for the LW: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PY331BV
The four license-free stations I can tune to are: 162 kHz, 171 kHz, 180 kHz, and 189 kHz. I was wondering what I could do on these stations- perhaps others may be interested in these stations too? Thanks!
Re: Bought a cheap LW radio with only 9 kHz steps
Posted by Ed Holland on December 08, 2022 at 22:07:54.
In reply to Bought a cheap LW radio with only 9 kHz steps posted by Giovanni Lostumbo on December 08, 2022
Hi Giovanni,
I think you'll struggle with the radio for a number of reasons. The frequency step size is one difficulty, but if you can connect the audio to a computer that is one step. Incidentally, it mentions that the step size can be changed between 9kHz and 10 kHz
The main problem I can see is that if the set has no SSB or CW mode. This will make it nearly impossible to hear, or detect the types of signals used by amateur transmitters.
Since it will also probably rely on an internal antenna for LW reception, there may be a problem with low sensitivity, and noise from nearby electrical and electronic sources.
Try it anyway, and please let us know what you find. Good luck
Ed Re: Watering hole lowfers in NE IL (fwd)
Posted by John Davis on December 08, 2022 at 22:19:38.
In reply to Re: Watering hole lowfers in NE IL posted by John Davis on December 06, 2022
(From Garry K3SIW:)
Got weak copy through the night here of lowfer SJ around 185.304 kHz. John, W1TAG reported the signal level is down and that was certainly the case as it normally comes through well.
Also saw bits of WH2XIL when sending QRSS19 but using ARGO at QRSS30 the Morse characters "XIL" which seem to repeat roughly every 20 minutes are unclear. The signal starts around 185.308 kHz and drifts down slightly as the characters are sent. Nearby lowfer WM was fine as usual but hardly anything was ever evident from lowfers TAG and WH2XXP so not a good night for LF propagation.
73, Garry, K3SIW, EN52ta, Elgin, IL
---------------------------------------------------------------
File Attachment 1: sj8dec.jpg
Re: Feedback
The current sequence works fine for me, Mike. Only other thing I could think of might be if you could incorporate a QRSS3 character every so often, maybe either a W or a V, to help recognize the signal on days when propagation is not quite good enough for aural copy...but that doesn't happen too often.
John
Re: TSN
Posted by John Davis on December 08, 2022 at 22:44:19.
In reply to TSN posted by Marcy on December 08, 2022
As of mid-afternoon Monday, TSN was solid copy here in SE Kansas for the first time in months, almost exactly on 13556.005 kHz.
Re: TSN
Posted by Marcy on December 08, 2022 at 22:50:23.
In reply to Re: TSN posted by John Davis on December 08, 2022
Yes thank you John , I was vy surprised I got it Re: LF loopstick
last night and it was vy weak and the sig did not
hang around too long but making it to Long Island
was pretty cool logging for me, that is my farthest
HiFer so far..73,s Marcy
Posted by swlem3 on December 09, 2022 at 00:08:46.
In reply to Re: LF loopstick posted by Ed Holland on December 08, 2022
It's going to take a fair amount of rods Ed. They have to be overlapping, not end to end. I had my overlap ratio at 50 %. All my rods made a stick 21" long. Thicker in the center and tapered at the ends. One large caveat. The stick is fragile. I broke mine a few times and had to carefully super glue it back together. I used superglue initially and then used hot glue to re-enforce it at all the places that the rods ran along side each other.
The primary coil to be tuned to resonance was a length of zip cord wound over the entire stick, not closewound... 40 turns... some space between turns. That coil was connected bifilar to produce, in my case, approx. 418 uh. Remember, ordinary rods are not made for lf, so it takes more turns to get more uh. The winding needed approx. 3.3 nf for resonance at 2200m. I have a 300pf variable cap in parallel with the fixed mica cap to maintain resonance with changing outdoor temperature.
The pickup winding is also wound over the entire stick but with fewer turns... maybe a third as much as the primary. Not wound bifilar either. I wound a layer of electrical tape over the entire stick for more strength and placed it in the tube with all coil connections into a pvc electrical box.
I don't have an analyzer to make things easy, so I had to figure things out the hard way for max signal transfer. Things fell into place when I used my sdr's visible spectrum as a receiver to see what changes needed to be made. Resonance finally became a well defined peak out of the noise level when viewed on the screen at 2200m. I had needed capacitance in series with the pickup coil. I carefully adjusted the amount of series capacitance, watching the rx peak and found that approx. 2.5 nf worked to maximize/peak the signal carrier (that I was generating from across the home) out of the noise level. I must have everything right in the way of impedance matching because when different lengths of coax are connected, the resonant point of the stick doesn't change, as it did previously.
Ray
170 Morrocco
Posted by Marcy on December 09, 2022 at 00:12:57.
At 0010 coming in vy well with Chat in Arabic Re: 171 Morrocco
with Om/Yl...I never really cpy this early in
the evening...73,s Marcy
Posted by Marcy on December 09, 2022 at 00:21:38.
In reply to 170 Morrocco posted by Marcy on December 09, 2022
171, Nador
630 m beacon
Posted by Joe vo1na on December 09, 2022 at 00:30:46.
10 WPM CW ID on the utc half minute, 80 watts to a 100x20m LxH RL 477.7 kHz. TX in GN37 Eastern Canada. QRV for several days. Reports most welcomed.
TNX & 73, 152 (a) ? Arabic
Joe VO1NA
Posted by Marcy on December 09, 2022 at 00:32:56.
At 0130 I copy Arabic music/ chanting I tried to Re: 152 (a) ? Arabic
look this up? but could not find anything coming
in vy strong at this moment louder than 171 Nador
73,s Marcy
Posted by Marcy on December 09, 2022 at 00:33:34.
In reply to 152 (a) ? Arabic posted by Marcy on December 09, 2022
0030...typo sri !!!
153
Posted by Marcy on December 09, 2022 at 00:39:28.
I did some looking up and found this is 153 WRTVH
Radio Algerie International Chaine 1
153 not 152 ...sri abt that I,m kinda
new to this so bear with me tks...Marcy
Posted by Marcy on December 09, 2022 at 00:41:34.
I wonder why this is not in the 2022 WRTVH ?? Re: LF loopstick
strange...Marcy
Posted by Bruce McCreath on December 09, 2022 at 14:42:24.
In reply to LF loopstick posted by swlem3 on December 07, 2022
That's great progress, Ray! I've made no attempt to tune mine, as there are a range of frequencies that I want to receive, but might try it solely as an experiment. What capacitance did you end up using?
73, Bruce, VE3EAR Re: LF loopstick
Posted by swlem3 on December 09, 2022 at 15:20:49.
In reply to Re: LF loopstick posted by Bruce McCreath on December 09, 2022
Well Bruce, I'll tell you but I don't think it will help. The capacitance will vary with the permiability of the stick, and the inductance of both coils. In my particular instance, the main coil needed around 3.3 nf for resonance at 2200m and the pickup coil needed roughly 2.5 nh to match the desired output impedance.
I chose to go "Hi-Q", since it allowed me to avoid the use of an amplification stage, which would be adding more noise into the system. It also avoids the practical problems of feeding a preamp remotely.
If you're not interested in a specific band like I am, going broadband and using a low-noise preamp would work well. You could lower the Q of the stick and set the circuit to be broadly resonant at the middle of the band of frequencies of choice.
Ray
Re: Hifer RX EA8FK
Posted by swlem3 on December 09, 2022 at 15:49:52.
In reply to Hifer RX EA8FK posted by Garry, K3SIW on December 08, 2022
Congrats on the EA8 catch Garry. I've been unsuccessful so far at a Hifer decode off of CONUS. I have the habit of moving lower in frequency for decoding signals as evening approaches... the 160m/MF/2200m band for instance. Perhaps I should let the rx run on the hifer band overnight for a few days and see what happens.
Ray
Re: LF loopstick
Posted by Ed Holland on December 09, 2022 at 18:38:15.
In reply to Re: LF loopstick posted by swlem3 on December 09, 2022
Hi Ray,
Thanks, that's great info. Far fewer turns on your primary than I would have expected. When I took radios apart as a kid, I remember the "Wave-Wound" LW coils with a couple of hundred turns or so of Litz wire, enabling something like 150-280 kHz to be tuned with a 365 pF capacitor.
Recently I was reading old "Practical Wireless" magazines available on the WOrld Radio Heritage site. A design for LF used a small audio transformer to couple a loop antenna. This makes me wonder if the laminations used for audio chokes (experience gained making speaker crossovers) might make LF antenna "rods". If not, perhaps VLF.. They won't have the high permeability of ferrite, but could be cheaper and more easily available.
Of course a larger cross-sectional area, filled with ferrite gets more uH wit fewer turns.
Interesting stuff, and a great conversation.
Cheers
Ed
Re: LF loopstick
Posted by swlem3 on December 09, 2022 at 20:17:34.
In reply to Re: LF loopstick posted by Ed Holland on December 09, 2022
I guess the rule would be... less secondary turns, higher overall Q, less bandwidth. More secondary turns, less Q, more bandwidth. I could probably go for more secondary turns on my loopstick but frankly I'm exhausted with messing with it. It works, I'll let it be.
If those coils you mention were tuned with a 365 pf at lf, then tuning must have been fairly sharp, I'd guess. You mention the audio chokes... they do work for vlf. Good ones will work to 20khz. The laminated rod idea is interesting, but I think it's a vlf endeavor. Yes, interesting stuff and thanks for your comments Ed.
73,
Ray
Good WSPR Copy From The Left Coast
Posted by Zeak on December 09, 2022 at 21:28:43.
During a noon break today from desk work the WSPR signals noted below, even with a high QRM background were all punching through at this location.
KD9QZO -18dBm 2026Z 13.555387 MHz
KA9SXZ -19dBm 2028Z 13.555390 MHz
K3SIW -18dBm 2030Z 13.555403 MHz
KG7BX -22dBm 2030Z 13.555447 MHz
There was also one other very strong WSPR like signal several Hz below K3SIW which I’ve seen before over the last several weeks which will not decode. The reason I mention this here, after a closer look , the signal appears to be 4FSK, possibly with a WSPR coding error or not WSPR at all and some other waveform which *appears* to be very close to the WSPR coding and
timing scheme .
Zeak,
Receiver KiwiSDR Re: Hifer RX EA8FK
Ant(s): 80m dipole at 15m and 1m Loop
Location: DM12
Posted by John Davis on December 09, 2022 at 22:40:00.
In reply to Re: Hifer RX EA8FK posted by swlem3 on December 09, 2022
Perhaps I should let the rx run on the hifer band overnight for a few days and see what happens.
But I think what Garry was saying may have been that his own K3SIW WSPR signal was copied in the Canary Islands, by EA8FK...also a pretty impressive feat.
VLF
Posted by Garry, K3SIW on December 09, 2022 at 23:04:08.
VLF is nicely filled with signals here this evening. Count 15 coming through between 15 and 30 kHz, bounded by JXN at 16.4 kHz and 4X4 on 29.7 kHz. Further down the 3 "alpha" stations on 11, 12, and 14 kHz are also in there. And some wideband TACAMO activity has been seen at 27.2 kHz.
73, Garry, K3SIW, EN52ta, Elgin, IL
Re: LF loopstick
Posted by John Davis on December 09, 2022 at 23:04:52.
In reply to Re: LF loopstick posted by Ed Holland on December 09, 2022
Recently I was reading old "Practical Wireless" magazines available on the World Radio H(istory) site. A design for LF used a small audio transformer to couple a loop antenna.
This was a common feature of the Ralph Burhans loop preamp designs, one of which has been updated a bit in the following article:
lwca.net/library/articles/k3siw/rcvloops/index.htm
If Ray ever decides to try a pre-amp with his, this should work well with it, especially if he's inclined to use fewer secondary turns. Just one note, though...I would not make all the grounds common as shown in the schematic. I'd keep the input transformer center tap separate and run it to a local ground connection at the antenna site (if I used it at all), possibly also the transformer core ground, but reference all the other grounds to the coax shield and not tie it to ground except at the shack end of the run. Re: LF loopstick
Posted by Ed Holland on December 09, 2022 at 23:43:46.
In reply to Re: LF loopstick posted by John Davis on December 09, 2022
I found the article mentioned earlier - Practical Wireless, August 1993. The author makes reference to Ralph Burhans preamp designs in presenting his own take on the subject. A vaguely defined roll off of 400 kHz is mentioned, so operation at 2200m and LowFER frequencies might fare well enough.
worldradiohistory.com/UK/Practical-Wireless/90s/PW-1993-08.pdf
Ed
Re: Bought a cheap LW radio with only 9 kHz steps
Posted by Giovanni Lostumbo on December 10, 2022 at 00:18:00.
In reply to Re: Bought a cheap LW radio with only 9 kHz steps posted by Ed Holland on December 08, 2022
Hi Ed,
Thanks for the tips. I was able to listen to 600 kHz at 603 kHz with relative clarity, a station in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, over 90 miles away.
I was also able to listen to 780 kHz WBBM CBS Chicago at 783 kHz, over 142 miles away.
I also was able to get
As far as the the 9 KHz and 10 kHz, it appears to be a translation deficiency (poor translation). The product page has two different options to purchase- one is 10 kHz step frequency, and the other, 9 kHz. I have checked the manual but it does not indicate an option to switch between the two. Anticipating this scenario prior to purchase, I googled a product description of the same model, and found an Ebay product page description that stated the 9kHz "option" (read purchase option, not setting) had LW from 152 KHz to 279 kHz. I opened Windows Calculator and added 9 to 153, and reached 279, so I reasoned that the 9 kHz model only had the LW band. I could be wrong, but I was only willing to purchase one of the brands. I suppose the 10 kHz option might offer LW, but I wasn't willing to find out yet :)
I have tested a few frequencies using my PC and a laptop- I reason the radio works better on battery power, because a sensitive radio might get some interference through USB power.
https://github.com/hatonthecat/Sparkfun-Artemis-Nano-File-Server/tree/main/long%20wave
I don't know what all the sounds are from, but it seems like there was some different activity in the 189 kHz band.
I was also able to get 15 MHz and 20 MHz from Fort Collins, Colorado:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWV_(radio_station)
73,
Giovanni Re: Bought a cheap LW radio with only 9 kHz steps
Posted by Ed Holland on December 10, 2022 at 02:07:52.
In reply to Re: Bought a cheap LW radio with only 9 kHz steps posted by Giovanni Lostumbo on December 10, 2022
Hi Giovanni,
Thanks for the update - it is actually very interesting to see a review of an inexpensive radio such as this, using newer technology.
Does the radio tune in between 279 and 520 kHz?
It would be worth testing the receiver at a quiet location after dark, and seeing what can be heard on MW and LW
Keep trying and let us know what you find.
73 and good DX
Ed
Re: LW/SW radio
Posted by Giovanni Lostumbo on December 10, 2022 at 15:06:50.
In reply to Re: Bought a cheap LW radio with only 9 kHz steps posted by Ed Holland on December 10, 2022
I also purchased a 2nd SW radio last week, which had some other features like an 18650 battery and a dial for tuning instead of buttons. I tested it at 3:30 AM (CST) this morning, and was able to get 9.395 MHz quite clearly around 9.39 or 9.4 (I wasn't able to see the 0.05 indicator step but it seems to supports it)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WRMI was announced on the station, and it is in Okeechobee, Florida, over 1300 miles away! Interestingly, it is a station intended for the East Coast, so I was probably getting a good signal.
I also got WTTW in TN.
I tried listening to the WRMI station at 8:50 AM just now (CST) and the static is much higher (which I expected for daytime).
I tested the other bands, for Western North America and North America (5.85, 5.95 and 7.57) at 9:00 AM but did not get a signal. There may be additional settings I haven't tuned, but pretty surprised for a $20 radio.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BCGSXSV7
Re: Bought a cheap LW radio with only 9 kHz steps
Posted by Giovanni Lostumbo on December 10, 2022 at 17:22:47.
In reply to Re: Bought a cheap LW radio with only 9 kHz steps posted by Ed Holland on December 10, 2022
Hi,
I wasn't able to find a setting between 279 and 522. It does support FM 1, 3 & 4 too 56.25-91.75 and 174.2-222.25
I posted pics of a few pages of the user manual specs: https://www.amazon.com/photos/shared/Q4NNI4t_QCCNrLsdEo0qyA.rynFWkeWbIsHr9NtIjyb5g
72,
Giovanni
Re: Hifer RX EA8FK
Posted by swlem3 on December 10, 2022 at 20:54:13.
In reply to Re: Hifer RX EA8FK posted by John Davis on December 09, 2022
Ok John on SIW making the trip to EA8. I misinterpreted. Yep, that's a satisfying achievement for Garry.
Ray
Re: TSN
Posted by Frank Cathell on December 11, 2022 at 21:39:18.
In reply to Re: TSN posted by John Davis on December 08, 2022
Thanks for reports. The TSN beacon is operating out of my closed up (winterized) cabin in Heber-Overgaard, AZ, about 150 miles north of Tucson in the high country at an altitude of 6700 feet. Output power is about 4.8 mW into a 1/2 wavelength end fed wire with an antenna tuner.
Frank
Re: TSN
Posted by Marcy on December 11, 2022 at 22:13:53.
In reply to Re: TSN posted by Frank Cathell on December 11, 2022
Yes thank you Frank for the info/followup “R1” NDB on 275 kHz???
I was very surprised to cpy it here in LI,NY
the sig did not hang around too long but like
I mentioned my farthest HiFer from here that I
copied...Good holidays . Good Dx and 73,s
Marcy
Posted by Bruce WA1HGJ on December 12, 2022 at 02:24:48.
I am hearing a new (presumably) NDB, “R1” on 275 kHz with CW offset +0.4 (as characteristic of Canada). 0218 UTC 2022-12-12. I’m in NE Massachusetts. I can’t find this listed in the usual places, and never heard this before. The “1” is absolutely a “1.” Has anyone ever heard this? Any info on location? Sadly it’s fading as I type this. Thanks for any help. - Bruce WA1HGJ
Re: “R1” NDB on 275 kHz???
Posted by John, W1TAG on December 12, 2022 at 03:05:48.
In reply to “R1” NDB on 275 kHz??? posted by Bruce WA1HGJ on December 12, 2022
Bruce,
Longtime airport beacon with 25 watts in Thetford Mines, QC.
See Rex.classaxe.com
John, W1TAG Re: “R1” NDB on 275 kHz???
Posted by Garry, K3SIW on December 12, 2022 at 03:43:46.
In reply to “R1” NDB on 275 kHz??? posted by Bruce WA1HGJ on December 12, 2022
Bruce, the link I use for info on R1 is https://rxx.classaxe.com/en/rna/signals. Use R1 for the call ID. As John indicated it's located at Thetford Mines, Quebec, FN46ib, 46/02/44N, 71/16/04W and runs 25 W. Logs at https://rxx.classaxe.com/en/rna/signals/791/logs go back to 1996 with most recent report dated 10/11/22.
73, Garry, K3SIW, EN52ta, Elgin, IL
Re: R1 NDB on 275 kHz???
Posted by Bruce WA1HGJ on December 12, 2022 at 14:13:59.
In reply to Re: “R1” NDB on 275 kHz??? posted by Garry, K3SIW on December 12, 2022
John, Garry: many thanks for the information on R1, and for the links. Surprisingly, the link Ive been using doesnt have R1 listed: https://www.dxinfocentre.com/ndb.htm
Probably both incomplete and almost certainly outdated. Really appreciate the information from both of you. 73, Bruce WA1HGJ
Re: TSN
Posted by Ed Holland on December 12, 2022 at 19:16:37.
In reply to Re: TSN posted by Frank Cathell on December 11, 2022
TSN was strong again during daylight hours this weekend. Easily audible above the noise - that setup is doing a great job, Frank.
AZ also has been on a consistent run of audibility.
They are equidistant from PVC (Menlo Park, CA) within a few miles, but often experience quite different propagation. TSN seems more consistent over the last few weeks and months, however, AZ has occasionally been received with greater strength for brief periods (minutes), but is also subject to deep(er) fades. The wonderful magic of the ionosphere at work,
Ed
Re: Good WSPR Copy From The Left Coast
Posted by Robert, VA3ROM on December 13, 2022 at 23:59:22.
In reply to Good WSPR Copy From The Left Coast posted by Zeak on December 09, 2022
Hi Zeak,
That WSPR signal signal belongs to
2022-12-11 22:28 EZ1 13.555389 -16 0 EM77 0.005
The grid puts the station somewhere near Glasgow Kentucky.
My KiwiSDR WSPR extension software decodes the WSPR transmission with the oddball call sign "EZ1" okay and it's spotted to the WSPRnet server where you can access the spot data (I prefer WSPR Rocks! for the excellent data mining and graphing it does), but for some reason, WJST-X won't decode the signal since it doesn't meet the call sign format its programmed to accept.
73
WSPR signal "EZ1"
Posted by Robert, VA3ROM on December 14, 2022 at 00:02:04.
FYI all,
"EZ1" is a new WSPR signal that has recently appeared in the 22 m ISM waterfall.
2022-12-11 22:28 EZ1 13.555389 -16 0 EM77 0.005
The grid puts the station somewhere near Glasgow Kentucky.
My KiwiSDR WSPR extension software decodes the WSPR transmission with the oddball call sign "EZ1" okay and it's spotted to the WSPRnet server where you can access the spot data (I prefer WSPR Rocks! for the excellent data mining and graphing it does), but for some reason, WJST-X won't decode the signal since it doesn't meet the call sign format its programmed to accept.
73 Re: WSPR signal "EZ1"
Posted by swlem3 on December 15, 2022 at 04:39:18.
In reply to WSPR signal "EZ1" posted by Robert, VA3ROM on December 14, 2022
I've also seen that one Robert, down here in Texas. Interesting callsign.
Ray
234 kHz shutdown looms
Posted by Mike Terry on December 16, 2022 at 10:24:53.
Luxembourg/France - a reminder that RTL 234 kHz will close on 31 December. According to the station “Faced with the energy crisis, energy sobriety actions were necessary.”
Mike
The demise of longwave
Posted by Mike Terry on December 16, 2022 at 11:04:54.
In Europe BBC Radio 4 on longwave is becoming one of the few. Its end has been signalled by the BBC but not the timetable, probably 31 December 2023.
On 31 December this year the powerful Luxembourg transmitter of French speaking RTL on 234 kHz is to be switched off. The signal is also strong in much of the UK. Rising energy costs have been given as the reason.
Latterly this year in Ireland RTE 2 on 252 kHz has been suffering maintenance issues with shutdowns and reduced power, its days seem numbered.
It's a shame, I used to enjoy longwave stations at home, and also in my previous car driving around the UK and Western Europe. Reception was solid for hundreds of miles, no DAB "drop puts" to endure. I guess it's impossible these days to buy a new car radio with longwave.
Mike
Re: The demise of longwave
Posted by Marcy on December 16, 2022 at 11:47:48.
In reply to The demise of longwave posted by Mike Terry on December 16, 2022
Thank you for the info and update Terry, I only Re: The demise of longwave
copy Morrocco on 171, and Algeria on 153 and
something on 162 is that France and BBC on 198
Years back I use to cpy Iceland I think on 189?
I have yet to copy Mongolia but I see some listeners
have? 73,s Happy holidays good DX...Marcy
Posted by Marcy on December 16, 2022 at 12:00:52.
In reply to Re: The demise of longwave posted by Marcy on December 16, 2022
I meant Mike!....apologies early just having Re: The demise of longwave
my coffee forgive me lol! 73,s Marcy
Posted by Mike Terry on December 16, 2022 at 14:38:43.
In reply to Re: The demise of longwave posted by Marcy on December 16, 2022
Thanks Marcy
Incidentally on my post I meant RTÉ Radio 1 (Not RTÉ Radio 2)
Yes it's good some stations still exist on longwave, indeed Algeria is also currently expanding on medium wave and so (as far as I know) remains committed to high power longwave.
Re: The demise of longwave
Posted by Mike Terry on December 16, 2022 at 14:43:38.
In reply to Re: The demise of longwave posted by Marcy on December 16, 2022
Thanks Marcy
Incidentally on my post I meant RTÉ Radio 1 (Not RTÉ Radio 2) on 252 kHz, also used by Algeria.
DXers can't hear Mongolia in the UK either.
Mike
Re: The demise of longwave
Posted by Mike Terry on December 16, 2022 at 14:45:54.
In reply to Re: The demise of longwave posted by Mike Terry on December 16, 2022
Had my coffee but apologies for two replies (thought I deleted the first one)
Mike
Re: 234 kHz shutdown looms
Posted by Mike Terry on December 17, 2022 at 11:23:19.
In reply to 234 kHz shutdown looms posted by Mike Terry on December 16, 2022
This week RTL offered a podcast about the history of the transmitter at the end of the Second World War. Operation "Annie".
It's in French, but you may hear some historical sounds.
https://www.rtl.fr/programmes/focus/7900216230-265-l-incroyable-histoire-de-l-emetteur-grandes-ondes-de-rtl-pendant-la-seconde-guerre-mondiale
(Christian Ghibaudo - BDXC).
Re: 2200 m activity
Posted by swlem3 on December 17, 2022 at 16:14:14.
In reply to 2200 m activity posted by swlem3 on December 02, 2022
Seeing enhanced daytime 2200m prop from Texas and New Mexico to Indiana. K9KFR in wspr2 mode at the time of this message... 1613z Dec 17, 2022. This prop may apply to lf in general. Just a tip and heads-up fyi...
Ray
Airspy HF+ Discovery
Posted by Robert, VA3ROM on December 17, 2022 at 18:13:43.
After a lot of testing with my various radios (analog and SDR), I was amazed just how well the Airspy HF+ Discovery receiver did against my IC-7300 when I setup a dedicated QRSS 22 m monitor and web page. Only it and the IC-7300 could hear the QRSS 5mW WSPR and FSK CW and CW signals and only the IC-7300 had a slightly better minimum discernable signal (MDS) but at 10x the price!
Radios also compared where the RX-888 Mk II, RSPduo, FLEX-1500, KiwiSDR, RTL-SDR. I was able to use Simon Brown's awesome SDR Console to drive the Airspy, RX-888, RSPduo and RTL-SDR and create multiple (three) virtual receivers using VAC to feed various DSP decoding software. Any receiver, even an SA612 DCR will do a decent job with strong signals, but once you get down below into the noise then receiver MDS comes into play along with receiver dynamic range and real analog band specific filters. Specs are one thing but seeing the difference in the waterfall in another.
I also have the PTRX-7300 panapter board that I installed using the full HF bandwidth modification so it can share the same receiving antenna with the IC-7300 but bypasses the IC-7300's RF filters so you use the ones (analog or software) that come with the other connected receiver (makes A/B comparisions easier with the IC-7300 as the control). So I have the Airspy connected to the PTRX-7300 and it and IC-7300 share the same antenna system in receive mode. Albeit I'm only using one vertical antenna for receiving from 40 to 10 m feeding multiple receivers using a 5-port active antenna multi-coupler.
The 912 kHz (maximum) bandwidth of the Airspy allows one to monitor the entire 22 m and 20 m bands using SDR Console in multiple modes, AGC and receiver IF settings, etc. I've attached a screen capture. Currently, I'm monitoring the 22 m "sweet spot" but can see a lot of signals farther up and for 20 m, I'm simultaneously receiving FT8 and JS8. The IC-7300 is receiving SSTV since it can dig out signals that are a tad weaker. My KiwiSDR is spotting WSPR signals from 22 m to 10 m to the WSPRnet. I use the RTL-SDR for decoding (using SDR# and the Calico CAT Kenwood emulator) and uploading NOAA APT weather satellite images (using WXtoImg) since it does as well on VHF as the Airspy.
I changed the palette used with the Spectrum Lab 22 m decoder to make it easier to spot the QRSS and WSPR signals with the eye. It also makes signal level comparisons easier when I flip through the saved images and can compare times when the signals fade in and then fade out each day due to diurnal effects and perhaps how space weather affects the band since it's similar enough to 20 m. A strong X-ray flare can really shake and rattle a QRSS waterfall.
If I had it to do all over again, I wouldn't have bought the RX-888 Mk II or RSPduo receivers but nothing ventured, nothing gained.
73,
Robert
www.va3rom.com
---------------------------------------------------------------
File Attachment 1: SDRConsole_x_Airspy.jpg
Re: WSPR signal "EZ1"
Hi Ray,
"EZ1" seems to have gone silent. I guess that WJST-X and the KiwiSDR have slightly different call sign requirements for decoding. I check the WSPR Rocks! site because it identifies the decoding software used for the spots and my KiwiSDR could spot the signal but I see that the new WJST-X 2.6.0 RC3 and RC4 can but my older version 2.5.4 can't so time to upgrade. Have to see what else has been added or changed in latest RC version. Obviously the call sign format allowed is one.
73, Re: Airspy HF+ Discovery
Robert
Posted by Robert, VA3ROM on December 17, 2022 at 18:50:28.
In reply to Airspy HF+ Discovery posted by Robert, VA3ROM on December 17, 2022
Forgot to add the updated 22m QRSS Grabber palette with added signal measurement scale. This palette works much better to help spot signals just above the atmospheric noise levels.
73,
Robert
PS Happy Holidays and New Year. Seems that we have have a lot of interfaith holidays coinciding again this December into January. Seems to happen depending on how the various calendar systems in use (solar, lunar, Gregorian, Julian, et al) line up every once in a while.
Re: Airspy HF+ Discovery
Posted by swlem3 on December 17, 2022 at 19:36:25.
In reply to Airspy HF+ Discovery posted by Robert, VA3ROM on December 17, 2022
I also use the Airspy HF+ Robert. I haven't made the intensive comparisons that you have, as I no longer have a "box" radio. I'm very pleased with the HF+ and can say it works very well. On 2200m meters, I'm avoiding having to use a preamp with my Loopstick on that band with HF+. It offers enough gain to side-step that situation.
About the SDR Console...
Perhaps you don't have the noise problems here that I do, so I've done a fair amount of comparisons between 3 software programs, the SDR Console... the native software with my other sdr device... the 16 bit Elad-FDM-S2, and also HDSDR in relation to the effectiveness of their noise reducing abilities.
For single channel rx'ing, I've found HDSDR the best in the noise reduction/blanking capabilities, next was the software for the Elad, the least effective was Console. It just isn't up to the noise reduction job. I also don't like the fact that you can't set "notches" in Console. Unfortunately, HDSDR doesn't do more than one channel at a time. For doing split rx'ing, I use the Elad software. My onservations on noise are just empirical, I don't have any test equipment to make hard data, but I see the results in the wspr2 decode numbers.
For Linux enthusiasts
Posted by swlem3 on December 17, 2022 at 20:44:10.
Just for fun, I thought I'd try running all my radio rx'ing software on a thumbdrive bootable in Linux. I used a Puppy/Debian distro and "burned" the iso to a 16gb usb thumbdrive formatted as NTFS.
Results better than expected. So it has all the needed internet software, the system runs fine and has all but one radio program that currently isn't working (Argo). GQRX runs the sdr's. WSJTX suite for decoding, QSSTV for sstv, FLDIGI for the non-wsjtx decoding. I think the Argo problem is possibly a WINE issue. Argo loads but can't find the audio paths needed.
It's cool having a complete system on a thumbdrive that can be kept for times of unplanned pc "problems" that inevitably occur once in a while. The drive still has room for "expansion" of other radio software that might be desired in the future.
Ray
Re: Airspy HF+ Discovery
Posted by Robert, VA3ROM on December 18, 2022 at 06:30:23.
In reply to Re: Airspy HF+ Discovery posted by swlem3 on December 17, 2022
I'm rather fortunate that I don't have the kind of noise issues that you have but there are "black boxes" with small receiving antennas that can be used such as the MFJ noise cancelling signal enhancers. The idea being to stop the RFI before it gets into your receiver's front end.
In my case, I now use a hefty 65 AH, 12 VDC AGM battery (it's a hefty 25 kgs!) connected to a 13.8 VDC 3A linear power supply via a charge controller. It's an old trick learned from an electronics technician co-worker. The AGM battery handles the current needs and removes a lot of RFI acting like a really large ersatz filter capacitor while the small linear power supply provides the required 13.8 VDC. I use West Mountain Rig Runners to plug in my 12 and 13.8 VDC equipment.
Our house wiring is also a great antenna system that will pick up and/or radiate EM signals so my computers and monitors and laptops are powered by true sine wave UPS and filtered by their internal batteries to effectively disconnected them from the house electrical wiring. I have a desktop and several laptops sitting right next to my receivers without any RFI issues.
Anyway, just my two Canuck cents worth.
73,
Robert
Lowfer KE
Posted by Garry, K3SIW on December 18, 2022 at 12:59:49.
Last night lowfer KE made a good showing here using argo at qrss60 slow around 181820 Hz. Sorry nothing was noted from lowfer JH. At the watering hole only nearby WM and SIW came through until just before local sunrise when WH2XXP was evident.
73, Garry, K3SIW, EN52ta, Elgin, IL
Re: Airspy HF+ Discovery
Posted by swlem3 on December 18, 2022 at 14:19:44.
In reply to Re: Airspy HF+ Discovery posted by Robert, VA3ROM on December 18, 2022
Thanks for the details on your noise removing techniques Robert. The battery setup is a great way to decouple from the household wiring. At this qth, most of the noise issues are utility powerline problems, and not my own equipment. Yes, at hf, I could go the route of noise cancellers. I've been working only with noise cancelling antennas, so far. My loopstick is one solution at 2200m. I'm thinking I'll have to employ both active and passive noise reduction techniques here.
Ray
Re: Airspy HF+ Discovery
Posted by Robert, VA3ROM on December 19, 2022 at 02:31:47.
In reply to Re: Airspy HF+ Discovery posted by swlem3 on December 18, 2022
Evening Ray,
A few links to various QRM designs. Pricey version from Germany but another variant sold on eBay. The design looks to be pretty simple to implement and probably much like what MFJ also sells.
www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=qrm+eliminator+x-phase&_sacat=0&rt=nc&LH_PrefLoc=3
www.amateurradio.com/noises-off-wmo-qrm-eliminator/
g8jnj.net/rfnoisecancellation.htm
Hope some of this info helps you out, Ray.
73,
Robert
---------------------------------------------------------------
File Attachment 1: RF_Noise_Cancellation_Circuit.jpg
Re: Airspy HF+ Discovery
The X-phase looks good. The second link doesn't work Robert. I assume the jpg is a block diagram of the typical canceller. Thanks.
Ray
LSF still on the air
Posted by mike hayden on December 20, 2022 at 20:07:39.
LSF on 13.556.51 is still in operation CW. I am always interested in getting a report if it is heard. thanks!
mike AK3F
Hifer
Posted by Jay KD4BPZ on December 22, 2022 at 02:41:19.
Long time listener, first time poster.
Heard today (in FM17): ODX, AMA, KAH CW beacons. Around 1820 and on/off for the next hour or so. Then on WSPR, I have been hearing K3SIW, KA9SZX, KD9QZO for the last couple of weeks routinely each day. Today I added a new station that I thought was an erroneous decode at first. Q4ISM (EM64) was decoded here four times between 2120-2230.
Lowfer TAG
Posted by Garry, K3SIW on December 22, 2022 at 15:43:15.
Overnight watering hole copy here of lowfer TAG at 1471 km was the best so far this season. Not surprisingly lowfer SJ was in there well too along with nearby WM. Storms which had made LF copy difficult the last several days moved well out into the Atlantic. This allowed DCF77, a German time station sending on 77.5 kHz, to correctly decode using the CLOCK routine of MULTIPSK4.47.
73, Garry, K3SIW, EN52ta, Elgin, IL
Covid-19 stops SAQ on Christmas Eve morning
Posted by Mike Terry on December 22, 2022 at 17:19:34.
Excerpt of Email:
Important update!
Covid-19 is currently, again, spreading around the world, also to Sweden and to Grimeton.
Due to Covid-19 infection in the Alexander team, SAQ will not be able to air on Christmas Eve morning, Dec 24th 2022. No one is seriousely ill, only mild symptoms, however we can not put anyone in the team at risk.
For that same reason, the radio station will be closed for visitors and SK6SAQ will not be QRV, on that same day.
We feel very sorry for this and ask for everyone’s understanding.
From the whole Alexander team at World Heritage Grimeton Radio Station, we would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
We welcome you to become a member of the Alexander SAQ Grimeton Friendship Association, to support our non-profit activities in preserving, documenting and bringing to life the unique Alexanderson alternator from 1924.
*The world heritage site Grimeton is a living cultural heritage. All transmissions with the long-wave transmitter SAQ are therefore preliminary and may be cancelled at short notice.
https://alexander.n.se/en/
Re: Hifer
Posted by John Davis on December 22, 2022 at 21:40:26.
In reply to Hifer posted by Jay KD4BPZ on December 22, 2022
Welcome, Jay! Excellent results you're getting there. Glad for your reports.
Re: 2200 m activity
Posted by swlem3 on December 23, 2022 at 19:37:30.
In reply to 2200 m activity posted by swlem3 on December 02, 2022
Have some daytime propagation between NM and TX to Georgia as I type (1900z) on 2200m wspr2. Decoding WB4JWM. Might translate to good LF prop on other freqs... just fyi.
Ray
Re: 2200 m activity
Posted by John Davis on December 23, 2022 at 20:38:32.
In reply to Re: 2200 m activity posted by swlem3 on December 23, 2022
Groundwave propagation in daytime is often under-appreciated at 2200 m. It's always present, at distances of up to four times that of 540 kHz for a given attenuation level, although static covers up weak signals in most months.
At this time of year, however, the vastly reduced QRN allows even as little as 1 W EIRP to reach hundreds of miles effectively.
Re: 2200 m activity
Posted by swlem3 on December 24, 2022 at 01:37:11.
In reply to Re: 2200 m activity posted by John Davis on December 23, 2022
Your right John. It is under appreciated and I'm surprised there isn't more activity other than wspr2 on that band in the daytime. Seems like those guys should try FST4-120 down on 2200m, for a 2-way. Reception of that station in Georgia to NM and TX is a pretty good haul for the daytime.
Ray
KAH
Posted by Marcy on December 24, 2022 at 20:26:10.
13566.0 KAH at 2025 coming in vy well here in LI,NY KAH
happy holidays and DX to all...73,s Marcy
Posted by Marcy on December 24, 2022 at 20:28:10.
I actually have it around 13565.8 ...Marcy
AMA /ODX
Posted by Marcy on December 24, 2022 at 20:32:24.
AMA and ODX also in there at 2030...Marcy
WM Hifer on air over the holidays
Posted by Mike N8OOU on December 24, 2022 at 23:04:58.
I have restarted the WM Hifer beacon on 13555300. It is sending normal qrss alternating with a cw id. Reports are welcome. Thanks for listening
Mike N8OOU 73
2200 m Christmas greeting
Posted by swlem3 on December 25, 2022 at 04:35:51.
Got a pleasant surprise watching the waterfall of my 2200m FST4-120 monitoring... 0406z Dec 25, 2022. Saw what appears to be a Hellschreiber variant print out in the waterfall:
www.dropbox.com/s/u92aqk8vi6kknu3/no3m.jpg?dl=0
NO3M transmitting "MX NO3M" Christmas greeting. :-)
Thought I'd share it with you.
Ray ... N. Central Texas... Elad-FDM-S2 w/ 2200m loopstick antenna
p.s. I'm assuming it was Hellschreiber. Maybe a new mode in the wsjtx suite?
New HiFER beacon
Posted by Bob, W4TTU on December 25, 2022 at 09:42:29.
Merry Christmas to all! I have a first time 5mw FM-19 beacon running @ ~13.556 Mhz, W4TTU/B. I would appreciate any reports, tnx 73 Bob.
486kc Christmas Music BC
Posted by Bill Stewart K4JYS on December 25, 2022 at 12:00:13.
I am hearing an AM stn on 486kc with a fair sig, with fades down into the noise. They are playing instrumental Christmas Music and a male and female announcer. Can't quite make out the call sign, but starts with a 'W'...maybe an experimental call. Time 1141-1148Z. Re: 486kc Christmas Music BC
73 and Merry Christmas de Bill K4JYS - NC
Posted by Bill Stewart K4JYS on December 25, 2022 at 12:22:11.
In reply to 486kc Christmas Music BC posted by Bill Stewart K4JYS on December 25, 2022
I think I answered my own question. The xmsn is probably an annual BC by WA1ZMS/4 in VA. Info on You Tube....Bill
2200 m VK
Posted by swlem3 on December 25, 2022 at 14:53:52.
Propagation was favorable to copy VK into the CONUS overnight on 2200m, decoding with FST4W-1800 ...
2022-12-25 11:30 VK4YB 0.137556 -39 0 QG62ku 1 SWLEM3 EM03rf 13250 65 30 2022-12-25 11:00 VK4YB 0.137556 -36 0 QG62ku 1 SWLEM3 EM03rf 13250 65 30
Ray ... N. Central Texas... Elad-FDM-S2 w/ 2200m Ferrite Loopstick
Merry Christmas!
Posted by John Bruce McCreath on December 25, 2022 at 16:07:15.
I'd like to wish all of my friends on the LWCA Message Board a very Merry Christmas!
The blizzard of 2022 is finally winding down, so I hope to get out and see how all of
my antennas have weathered the storm. I hope your survived as well.
73, J.B., VE3EAR Re: 2200 m Christmas greeting
Posted by John Davis on December 25, 2022 at 17:48:16.
In reply to 2200 m Christmas greeting posted by swlem3 on December 25, 2022
Definitely Hellschreiber; very clever of Eric to fit it in the appropriate freq. window and timing for display on a WJST waterfall!
Re: 2200 m Christmas greeting
Posted by swlem3 on December 25, 2022 at 22:03:49.
In reply to Re: 2200 m Christmas greeting posted by John Davis on December 25, 2022
Thanks for the confirmation on the mode John... hard to keep up with the all the different modes and their variants nowadays. :-) ... and yes, kudos to Eric for his ingenuity in generating his Holiday greeting.
Ray
Six lowfer night
Posted by Garry, K3SIW on December 26, 2022 at 13:46:15.
First listened at the watering hole, where SJ came in pretty well along of course nearby WM and SIW. But TAG also perked up above the noise briefly. Then moved to 181820 Hz where lowfer KE was in there well enough even for copy at QRSS30. A pleasant surprise was also seeing bits of lowfer JH at 181818 Hz. First time this "season".
73, Garry, K3SIW, EN52ta, Elgin, IL
Re: Six lowfer night
Posted by Garry, K3SIW on December 28, 2022 at 08:59:34.
In reply to Six lowfer night posted by Garry, K3SIW on December 26, 2022
(Captures mentioned in precious post attached.)
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File Attachment 1: capt_qrss60_00001_TAG_1226.jpg
File Attachment 2: capt_qrss60_00011_KE_JH_1226.jpg
File Attachment 3: capt_qrss30_0002_watering_hole_1226.jpg
HAARP
Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Researchers are preparing for a potentially "catastrophic" close encounter with an asteroid in 2029 by scanning an asteroid with radio waves on Tuesday.
NASA is teaming with scientists from the University of Alaska Fairbanks' Geophysical Institute to send about 9.6 million radio waves to 2010 XC15, an asteroid that will pass by about twice the distance from Earth to the Moon.
The asteroid is estimated to be about 500 feet wide. Long wavelength radio waves will be transmitted from the High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program research site in Gakona. The HAARP program has never been used to probe an asteroid before.
Researchers hope to learn more about the interior of the asteroid, giving them a better idea of how they could redirect an asteroid should it be on a collision course with Earth.
"If you know the distribution of mass, you can make an impactor more effective, because you'll know where to hit the asteroid a little better," said Mark Haynes, lead investigator on the project and a radar systems engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
"Longer wavelengths can penetrate the interior of an object much better than the radio wavelengths used for communication."
If Tuesday's transmission is effective it may prove to be a useful method in 2029 when the asteroid Apophis passes within 20,000 miles from Earth, about 10 times closer than the Moon.
Apophis was discovered in 2004, and was quickly determined to be one of the most "hazardous" asteroids with the potential to strike Earth. It is more than twice the size of 2010 XC15 and while it is not projected to hit Earth, scientists want to be prepared.
"The more time there is before a potential impact, the more options there are to try to deflect it," Haynes said.
NASA deflected its first asteroid in September, in the Double Asteroid Redirection Test mission.
The Planetary Society, an international nonprofit organization based in California, estimates that if Apophis collided with Earth, it would cause widespread damage "up to several hundred of kilometers from its impact site," unleashing an energy output equal to "1,000 megatons of TNT, or tens to hundreds of nuclear weapons."
https://www.upi.com/Science_News/2022/12/27/8291672189790
LIAR, LIAR, SPAM ON FIRE
aka
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Posted by supposed Bernardo Palos - Annotated by Webmaster on December 30, 2022 at 04:22:04.
In reply to Re: Feedback posted by John Davis on December 05, 2022
Just to give you an idea what the board software has to cope with hundreds of times a day in the way of vile, depraved, no-conscience low-life spammers, I'm going to leave this one in place a few days. It managed to sneak through; but this one never will again, nor most of those that try to imitate its particular spam filter evasion tactics. The point is, however, that as spammers get wise smarter more aggressive, the Board software has to gradually get stricter in order to prevent crap like this from outnumbering legitimate posts! This means an increased risk of legitimate posts being rejected too--but they don't have to be. PLEASE CAREFULLY READ THE MESSAGE BOARD FAQ FOR TIPS ON HOW TO AVOID THIS PROBLEM! Meanwhile, here's an example of what I'm talking about, along with the kinds of comments I'd love to direct at the Spam B*****d who posted it, if I thought that (1) he were a real person and (2) he would actually read his mail. - John
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Click the link to try s***** ...and this time you didn't even spell your own product's name correctly! -> https://s*******.io/blah blah blah
I dont want to spam. (Of course not. I bel..giggle...I believe hee-hee-hee you! HAH-HAR-HAR-HAR!. Sorry, sorry. I really did try to keep a straight face while saying that.) I just wanted to help out if you do not want me to contact your contact fourm send me a email with your domain and I will not contact you again (Yeah...right...giggle, gasp, snort...uh-huh, sure.) to "remove+bernardopalos2000@gmail.com"
From
Bernardo Palos
(Readers, I reluctantly leave that address there in the earnest hope that no one will use it; especially not unless thay have an email address that has already been compromised by spammers and a website domain in mind that they'd like to inundate with more spam like his. I can't stop you, but as the guy with the jowls once said to John Dean in the Oval Office while leaning toward the hidden mic in the lamp on his desk, "it would be wrong.")
Re: HAARP
Posted by John Davis on December 31, 2022 at 06:34:32.
In reply to HAARP posted by Mike Terry on December 29, 2022
Thanks for the heads-up on this story, although it would probably be more aptly posted in the above-500 kHz section. I suspect the UPI reporter may not have had a good grasp of the electromagnetic spectrum. "Longer wavelengths" is a relative term in this case, meaning 9.6 MHz HF instead of X-band and S-band radar frequencies usually used for asteroid tracking. Dr Haynes elaborated on that fact by adding, "Ultimately the idea is to use echoes to form tomographic images of asteroid interiors."
Additional information on the story can be found on the spaceweather.com archive pages for Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, at:
spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=27&month=12&year=2022
spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=28&month=12&year=2022
RTL 234 kHz
Posted by Mike Terry on December 31, 2022 at 12:29:12.
Just a reminder, RTL Luxembourg on 234 kHz, will close on Monday January 2nd 2023 at 0100 local time i.e 0000 UTC.
Re: HAARP
Posted by Mike Terry on January 01, 2023 at 07:13:28.
In reply to Re: HAARP posted by John Davis on December 31, 2022
by AB7RG 2023-01-01 Re: HAARP
A powerful transmitter in remote Alaska sent long wavelength radio signals into space Tuesday with the purpose of bouncing them off an asteroid to learn about its interior. The asteroid, 2010 XC15, is estimated to be about 500 feet across and is passing by Earth at two lunar distances, which is twice the distance between the Earth and the moon. Results of Tuesday's experiment at the High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) research facility at Gakona could aid efforts to defend Earth from larger asteroids that could cause significant damage. Long wavelength radio signals can reveal the interior of objects. HAARP, using three powerful generators, began transmitting chirping signals of long wavelength at 2 a.m. Tuesday and continued sending them uninterrupted until the scheduled end of the 12-hour experiment. The University of New Mexico Long Wavelength Array near Socorro, New Mexico, and the Owens Valley Radio Observatory Long Wavelength Array near Bishop, California, are also involved in the experiment. Data analysis is expected to take several weeks. "So far we have received over 300 reception reports from the amateur radio and radio astronomy communities from six continents who confirmed the HAARP transmission."
https://www.eham.net/news/view-news-item?id=48868
Posted by Bruce WA1HGJ on January 01, 2023 at 13:19:01.
In reply to Re: HAARP posted by Mike Terry on January 01, 2023
Thanks, Mike. Do we know the precise frequency of these “long wavelength“ transmissions being “sent” to the asteroid? It is amazing to me that both articles, the one linked to in Mike’s post and another one linking out to phys.org from THAT article, failed to mention the actual frequency. John D suggested they were not longwave at all, but 9.6 MHz. Maybe it’s because we are radio people, but the frequency is such a fundamental detail to this story that I’m amazed that whoever wrote it didn’t consider it important enough to include. I work in another technical field and it’s the same thing: whenever some important advance is reported in the lay literature, the most fundamental aspects to the people who are actually IN the field (“What is the identity of the X they are talking about?”) are almost never in the lay article.
This post—my first human contact of 2023 while my xyl still sleeps—is a very curmudgeonly way to start the New Year—sorry! I’m a typically a very cheerful guy although I suffer fools poorly. So to end on a more upbeat note, all best wishes to everyone here for a healthy and prosperous 2023, including lots of good long wavelength DX (frequency intentionally undefined!). Bruce WA1HGJ
Re: HAARP
Posted by Bruce WA1HGJ on January 01, 2023 at 14:03:16.
In reply to Re: HAARP posted by Bruce WA1HGJ on January 01, 2023
Well, don’t I have a red face. Just looking at the phys.org article again and there it is plain as day: Re: new wspr2 hifer
“HAARP will transmit a continually chirping signal to asteroid 2010 XC15 at slightly above and below 9.6 megahertz (9.6 million times per second). The chirp will repeat at two-second intervals.” Not sure how I missed this on the first pass but I flag it here after complaining about its absence previously. So, I start the New Year not only being a curmudgeon, but also, it seems, eating some crow for good measure! Happy New Year all! Bruce WA1HGJ
Posted by swlem3 on January 01, 2023 at 16:57:08.
In reply to new wspr2 hifer posted by swlem3 on November 23, 2022
Another new (to me) wspr2 hifer decoded in Texas... VA2DMV 1600km -17db.
Ray
Re: new wspr2 hifer
Posted by swlem3 on January 01, 2023 at 16:58:33.
In reply to Re: new wspr2 hifer posted by swlem3 on January 01, 2023
Sorry... error, VA2DMV at 1600 miles, not km.
Ray
potrzebie