More recent | Archive index | Older
Click on the pictures to enlarge them
26 Jun 2012: Taking advantage of a lull in the unseasonal gales that have hit south-east England, I dropped one of the antenna masts and repaired the break in one of the top wire inter-connections. The antenna is up to spec once more. See a picture of the top section here.
Click on the pictures to enlarge them
26 Jun 2012: Taking advantage of a lull in the unseasonal gales that have hit south-east England, I dropped one of the antenna masts and repaired the break in one of the top wire inter-connections. The antenna is up to spec once more. See a picture of the top section here.
20 Jun 2012: My 472/500kHz reception today was interrupted by intermittent loss of signal. I traced this to my antenna blowing in the wind. After sending some 136kHz RF up it - which often works with dodgy joints – one of the top loading wires disconnected itself, permanently detuning the antenna (d’oh). Fortunately I have engineered the wires so that they interconnect, so the wire is still aloft but drooping a little. A job for next week is dropping one of the support masts and re-soldering the joints. Meantime, I am on receive-only. A rough sketch of the antenna is here. I have since added some cross-wires.
20 Jun 2012: Last night I heard CW from DF7FC (469 in the heavy static) on 477kHz, and GI4DPE (559) on 504kHz. I have retuned my antenna for 136kHz for a few days now.
20 Jun 2012: Last night I heard CW from DF7FC (469 in the heavy static) on 477kHz, and GI4DPE (559) on 504kHz. I have retuned my antenna for 136kHz for a few days now.
17 Jun 2012: Yesterday evening, Geri, DK8KW, transmitted CW and Opera4, running 100W into a 17m umbrella antenna, 0.4 watts ERP on 477kHz. He had a couple of CW reports from other German stations, then his Op4 transmissions were decoded by G0NBD who was using the remote receiver in Delft, Holland.
I monitored for CW – nothing heard – and Op4. At 2043UTC I got an Opera decode at -30dB S/N. A report by G0NBD on the rsgb_lf_group said: “G3XDV -30 right at the lower system limit , but first UK decode !” So this was the first amateur radio station ever received in the UK on this new band.
Apart from a break between 2131 and 2236 , when DK8KW went on CW, I continued to decode his Op4, at S/N up 0dB, until 0249 when it faded out, although he transmitted until 0558UTC. The graph plots the signal/noise figure quoted by Opera, showing the signal peaking between 10 and 01UTC.
Another UK ’first’ was a two-way crossband between DK7FC and G3KEV (who was transmitting on 501kHz) around 2230UTC.
I monitored for CW – nothing heard – and Op4. At 2043UTC I got an Opera decode at -30dB S/N. A report by G0NBD on the rsgb_lf_group said: “G3XDV -30 right at the lower system limit , but first UK decode !” So this was the first amateur radio station ever received in the UK on this new band.
Apart from a break between 2131 and 2236 , when DK8KW went on CW, I continued to decode his Op4, at S/N up 0dB, until 0249 when it faded out, although he transmitted until 0558UTC. The graph plots the signal/noise figure quoted by Opera, showing the signal peaking between 10 and 01UTC.
Another UK ’first’ was a two-way crossband between DK7FC and G3KEV (who was transmitting on 501kHz) around 2230UTC.
16 Jun 2012: Last night, amongst other stations on the 500kHz band, I received Opera4 signals from PA0WMR (383km – my best DX so far) and PA0BIE (379km). PA0WMR is audible at noon today as well.
15 Jun 2012: Yesterday I mentioned that I had bad QRM on 500kHz from my plasma TV. I have greatly reduced the problem – almost to nil on 472kHz – by selecting earthing sources. I have several earth stakes around the site, as well as a few radial wires. After experimenting with several combinations, I found that removing one particular earth stake from the system made a 15dB difference. A further 6dB improvement was gained by moving the point at which the earth system was connected to the station. The rogue earth stake is the deepest one and is buried under my conservatory, whislt the others are all outside. I will test later (when the TV is off) whether this stake affects the strength of wanted signals.
15 Jun 2012: Yesterday I mentioned that I had bad QRM on 500kHz from my plasma TV. I have greatly reduced the problem – almost to nil on 472kHz – by selecting earthing sources. I have several earth stakes around the site, as well as a few radial wires. After experimenting with several combinations, I found that removing one particular earth stake from the system made a 15dB difference. A further 6dB improvement was gained by moving the point at which the earth system was connected to the station. The rogue earth stake is the deepest one and is buried under my conservatory, whislt the others are all outside. I will test later (when the TV is off) whether this stake affects the strength of wanted signals.
I listened again late evening for amateur activity from Germany on the new 472kHz band, but heard nothing except a couple of new aircraft beacons (see my main website for a list of NDBs in the band): ‘SA’ in Poland, and ‘VIB’ in Italy. Also received PA3ABK and PA0A on Opera, and IQ2MI using QRSS3 and CW, all at good strength.
14 Jun 2012: Yesterday was the start of the German amateur radio band at 472-479kHz. I re-engineered my 136kHz antenna to be able to receive on this frequency for the next few days. I replaced the 5.8mH loading coil with one for just 0.319mH. QRM (electrical noise) from my plasma TV was very bad on the current UK experimental band at 500kHz, but not so bad at the new 472kHz allocation (available in the UK probably from 1 Jan 2013). Running out a counterpoise/radial down the 20m long garden helped to alleviate this.
14 Jun 2012: Yesterday was the start of the German amateur radio band at 472-479kHz. I re-engineered my 136kHz antenna to be able to receive on this frequency for the next few days. I replaced the 5.8mH loading coil with one for just 0.319mH. QRM (electrical noise) from my plasma TV was very bad on the current UK experimental band at 500kHz, but not so bad at the new 472kHz allocation (available in the UK probably from 1 Jan 2013). Running out a counterpoise/radial down the 20m long garden helped to alleviate this.
Several German stations were apparently active and at least one received a report from Holland. I listened for a CW sked between G3KEV on 502kHz and DJ2LF on 473.0kHz. Although G3KEV was 599, I did not hear DJ2LF (or any other German amateur stations), though ‘BIA’, a Polish NDB (aircraft beacon), was audible on the same frequency and was quite strong around midnight. Also heard Slovakian NDB ‘RP’ on 477kHz.
Heard CW on 500kHz from PA3ABK (579) and IQ2MI (579). Also Opera4 from PA0A and PA3ABK.
I queried a loud RTTY-like transmission heard on 490kHz. According to Roelof Bakker, PA0RDT:
[It] ”is a second NAVTEX frequency (besides 518 kHz), intended for local use. You probably heard a UK NAVTEX station or Oostende in Belgium. Here you can find information about this service to mariners: http://weather.mailasail.com/Franks-Weather/European-And-Mediterranean-Navtex-Schedules"
Heard CW on 500kHz from PA3ABK (579) and IQ2MI (579). Also Opera4 from PA0A and PA3ABK.
I queried a loud RTTY-like transmission heard on 490kHz. According to Roelof Bakker, PA0RDT:
[It] ”is a second NAVTEX frequency (besides 518 kHz), intended for local use. You probably heard a UK NAVTEX station or Oostende in Belgium. Here you can find information about this service to mariners: http://weather.mailasail.com/Franks-Weather/European-And-Mediterranean-Navtex-Schedules"
13 Jun 2012: The latest country to incorporate a ’500kHz’ band into its licence is Germany. RSGB’s John Gould, G3WKL, reported in the rsgb_lf_group that:
Ulrich, DK5VW, Chairman of the Region 1 HF Committee, and DARC HF Manager, has announced the following to the IARU Region 1 HF Committee:
“The German administration (BNetzA) informed in an official gazette, that from today German radio amateurs with licence class A may use the band 472-479 kHz (in anticipation of the normally needed changes in the National Frequency Allocation Table). Power limit is 1 watt e.r.p , max. bandwidth 800 Hz.”
It is expected that a band in this frequency range will be made available to UK amateurs from 1 Jan 2013.
10 Jun 2012: 1310: Saw hellschreiber transmission on 137.700kHz from DF8XV, a call I didn’t recognise. It turned out to be DF6NM (which you can just make out if you enlarge the picture (click on the pic, then click on the next one you see). My SpecLab settings are optimised to favour horizontal lines (valid QRSS/DFCW signal) and discriminate against vertical lines (static/data bursts) so that may have distorted the callsign.
10 Jun 2012: 0855-0950: Markus, DF6NM replied to my CQ call on 137.7kHz. I was running QRSS3, he was using DFCW3 and we exchanged ‘O’ reports. The DFCW text says “XDV DF6NM K”. See ON7YD’s site for an explanation of QRSS and DFCW.
9 Jun 2012: I have added the Reverse Beacon Network to the Links page on my website. This appears to be a nework of remote receivers running the CW Skimmer software to automatically report CW activity. Just enter your call, or anyone else’s, to see when and where they have been received. Not many receivers on 136kHz, though.
Ulrich, DK5VW, Chairman of the Region 1 HF Committee, and DARC HF Manager, has announced the following to the IARU Region 1 HF Committee:
“The German administration (BNetzA) informed in an official gazette, that from today German radio amateurs with licence class A may use the band 472-479 kHz (in anticipation of the normally needed changes in the National Frequency Allocation Table). Power limit is 1 watt e.r.p , max. bandwidth 800 Hz.”
It is expected that a band in this frequency range will be made available to UK amateurs from 1 Jan 2013.
10 Jun 2012: 1310: Saw hellschreiber transmission on 137.700kHz from DF8XV, a call I didn’t recognise. It turned out to be DF6NM (which you can just make out if you enlarge the picture (click on the pic, then click on the next one you see). My SpecLab settings are optimised to favour horizontal lines (valid QRSS/DFCW signal) and discriminate against vertical lines (static/data bursts) so that may have distorted the callsign.
10 Jun 2012: 0855-0950: Markus, DF6NM replied to my CQ call on 137.7kHz. I was running QRSS3, he was using DFCW3 and we exchanged ‘O’ reports. The DFCW text says “XDV DF6NM K”. See ON7YD’s site for an explanation of QRSS and DFCW.
9 Jun 2012: I have added the Reverse Beacon Network to the Links page on my website. This appears to be a nework of remote receivers running the CW Skimmer software to automatically report CW activity. Just enter your call, or anyone else’s, to see when and where they have been received. Not many receivers on 136kHz, though.
Last night’s gales did not damage the antenna, though it did get snagged by the tree several times before the next gust broke it loose.
This morning DK7FC was running a test CW beacon on 137.0kHz at 579 here.
At 0900 UTC I had a two-way CW QSO – a rare occurence on this band – with Mal, G3KEV in Scarborough. He was 589 and gave me 579. Terry, GW0EZY, reported my sigs at 579.
8 Jun 2012: Stefan is running his high power CW beacon again today. Here is a spectrogram view. The line at the top is German utility station DCF38, which is very stong indeed on 138.83kHz. It transmits data bursts every few seconds (see the left of the picture) which spread into the amateur allocation.
No transmit activity from me as the wind is very high and the antenna is waving about (see this old video for how the wind affects my antenna).
7 Jun 2012: Monitored 137.777kHz for US QRSS60 stations over last night, but nothing seen.
At 0900 UTC I had a two-way CW QSO – a rare occurence on this band – with Mal, G3KEV in Scarborough. He was 589 and gave me 579. Terry, GW0EZY, reported my sigs at 579.
8 Jun 2012: Stefan is running his high power CW beacon again today. Here is a spectrogram view. The line at the top is German utility station DCF38, which is very stong indeed on 138.83kHz. It transmits data bursts every few seconds (see the left of the picture) which spread into the amateur allocation.
No transmit activity from me as the wind is very high and the antenna is waving about (see this old video for how the wind affects my antenna).
7 Jun 2012: Monitored 137.777kHz for US QRSS60 stations over last night, but nothing seen.
Nice 569 CW beacon signal from DK7FC on 137.000kHz this afternoon. Very bad storm static from central Europe.
6 Jun 2012: 1245-1400 UTC: QSO on 137.7kHz with DK7FC. He was a strong signal using Hellschreiber. He gave my QRSS3 an ‘M’ to ‘O’ report.
6 Jun 2012: 1245-1400 UTC: QSO on 137.7kHz with DK7FC. He was a strong signal using Hellschreiber. He gave my QRSS3 an ‘M’ to ‘O’ report.
6 Jun 2012: The RSGB bookshop is offering the book LF Today (by myself and M0BMU) at £5 below the list price. It is currently at £7.99. Over 150 pages of information on getting the best out of your 136kHz or 500kHz station, based on years of experience. Buy it at http://www.rsgbshop.org/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Low_Frequency_43.html
6 Jun 2012: Uwe, DJ8WX, sent this picture of my QRSS60 transmission on 136.171kHz on 4 June 2012.
I also received a 579 audible report from G3JVL who is “nearing full operation” on the band.
More recent | Archive index | Older
6 Jun 2012: Uwe, DJ8WX, sent this picture of my QRSS60 transmission on 136.171kHz on 4 June 2012.
I also received a 579 audible report from G3JVL who is “nearing full operation” on the band.
More recent | Archive index | Older
