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Author Topic: DGPS Logs from Belgium - nighttime 27/28th of Februar  (Read 904 times)

Offline Uli_Bel

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DGPS Logs from Belgium - nighttime 27/28th of Februar
« on: February 28, 2018, 1224 UTC »
In the past, I found that my very large EWE performed excellent towards Northwest, decoding a lot of North-American beacons.

However very soon, I need to dismantle the temporary installations (large EWE, Beverages), as they are erected over agricultural farmland, which will be needed soon to prepare for the next summer season.

I mentioned, that I want to check, how small you can make EWE antennas to still work efficiently on 300kHz. I have now installed a quick test antenna, really really small : 2.5m up, 5m horizontal, 2.5m down to resistor 700Ohm, total instead of 100m wire of the big EWE, only 10m of wire- unfortunately to make it quickly happen, it is NOT pointed to NW (over the atlantic ocean) but to Scandinavia (Northeast).
So far, I did not fine-tune the resistor value - it seems to me, that tuning is necessary, as I can see a lot of southwest Europe - look at the many decodes of Cape Ferret (which is also 'dubbed' as the Brazilian beacon as false decodes). I will try to increase the Front/Back ratio in the future.

A lot of Scandinavia was indeed heard - however the UK, was very weak, although the distance to many of the beacons in Scandinavia is larger than to the UK - this is certainly due to the directivity of the little EWE out of only 10m wire...

I must mention, that a high impedance pre-amp is used to feed the EWE - instead of the impedance matching transformer, I directly connected the pre-amp to pick up the voltage between the wire an a ground rod (1m of copper-pipe, only half inch thickness (gasinstallation material) for quick solution)

So - do not expect a lot of North-America.... wrong direction for this test antenna.

My feeling so far is, that it is really the minimum size, which will work - but only with pre-amp.
I will be better to at least double the size - make an inv. U (EWE style) out of 20m wire, instead of only 10m

Regards,
Ulli, ON5KQ

Here are the logs from late evening (22h utc) tot early morning around local sunrise:

Count    ID   ref1 ref2 kHz   Baud City                           Country              Lat      Lon      km     Deg
2        001  001  001  297,5 200  San Carlos Centro              Argentina            -31,967  -60,925  11.136 231
2631     269  466  466  310,0 100  Cabo de Santa Marta Grande Lt BBrazil               -28,606  -48,824  10.195 224
5        626  652  653  310,5 200  Bachu Jiao Lt                  China                20,004   110,944  9.472  64 
4        614  628  629  295,0 200  Shitang                        China                28,267   121,617  9.358  51 
28913    652  704  705  302,0 200  Ose Saki                       Japan                32,622   128,614  9.311  44 

2        925  320  321  313,0 200  Moise, QC                      Canada               50,202   -66,119  4.717  297
4        940  338  339  315,0 200  Cape Race, NL                  Canada               46,661   -53,075  4.052  286
3        944  342  343  310,0 200  Cape Norman, NL                Canada               51,509   -55,831  4.004  295
25       342  484  485  308,0 200  Horta                          Azores               38,533   -28,617  2.830  254
865      405  605  001  314,5 100  Marjaniemi                     Finland              65,033   24,567   2.005  30 
109      005  005  005  311,0 100  Shepelevskiy 2                 Russia [Eu]          59,983   29,15    1.913  48 
4        513  793  823  286,5 200  Skomvaer Lt, Rost              Norway               67,419   11,883   1.911  11 
54       408  608  001  290,5 100  Kokkola                        Finland              63,833   23,167   1.866  31 
62       461  722  722  311,5 100  Bjuroklubb                     Sweden               64,491   21,587   1.861  28 
12412    406  606  001  287,0 100  Klamila                        Finland              60,5     27,433   1.848  45 
2833     531  841  001  295,5 100  Narva                          Estonia              59,467   28,04    1.835  49 
8969     407  607  001  292,5 100  Haarajoki                      Finland              60,517   25,167   1.738  43 
679      462  724  001  289,0 100  Jarnas                         Sweden               63,486   19,655   1.716  28 
8356     400  600  001  293,5 100  Porkkala Pilot Station         Finland              59,981   24,403   1.673  44 
2865     401  601  001  287,5 100  Mantyluoto                     Finland              61,599   21,475   1.640  36 
1649     340  480  481  311,5 200  Cabo Carvoeiro Lt              Portugal             39,365   -9,411   1.606  223
10537    404  604  001  301,5 100  Turku                          Finland              60,442   22,224   1.596  40 
7252     530  840  840  307,0 100  Ristna Lt                      Estonia              58,945   22,058   1.501  46 
7483     464  728  728  307,5 100  Kapellskar Lt                  Sweden               59,719   19,087   1.408  39 
6954     463  726  001  299,5 100  Skutskar                       Sweden               60,617   17,433   1.405  33 
3599     454  715  716  287,5 100  Torshavn                       Faroes               62,023   -6,841   1.390  338
12967    468  734  734  298,0 100  Nynashamn                      Sweden               58,946   17,958   1.305  40 
1542     361  522  001  294,5 100  Cala Figuera                   Balearics            39,465   2,528    1.260  183
1034     363  526  001  286,0 100  Castellon                      Spain                39,967   0,017    1.228  193
2        362  524  525  293,0 100  Mahon, Menorca                 Balearics            39,867   4,3      1.217  176
7231     465  730  001  297,5 100  Hoburg                         Sweden               56,928   18,156   1.191  49 
7947     470  738  001  288,5 100  Otterbaecken                   Sweden               58,867   14,1     1.135  33 
31       364  528  001  291,0 100  Cabo Salou                     Spain                41,05    1,167    1.094  189
5        467  733  001  302,0 100  Hjortens Udde                  Sweden               58,633   12,667   1.062  31 
4639     444  684  694  295,5 100  Butt of Lewis Lt               Scotland             58,526   -6,27    1.052  329
12655    445  685  695  291,5 100  Sumburgh                       Shetland Isles       59,869   -1,276   1.048  346
12595    460  720  001  292,0 100  Holmsjoe                       Sweden               56,433   15,65    1.032  48 
54151    500  780  810  310,5 200  Faerder Lt                     Norway               59,034   10,533   1.029  24 
5912     351  502  001  289,0 100  Cabo Mayor                     Spain                43,4     -4,417   1.002  218
567      366  532  532  313,5 100  Cabo San Sebastian             Spain                41,883   3,2      990    180
12951    469  736  001  296,5 100  Goteborg                       Sweden               57,617   11,967   948    33 
11869    451  700  701  289,5 100  Hammerodde Lt, Bornholm        Denmark              55,31    14,779   922    52 
1998     435  670  671  288,5 100  Tory Island Lt                 Ireland              55,267   -8,25    912    308
10625    453  710  711  296,0 100  Skagen West Lt                 Denmark              57,761   10,605   912    29 
290      466  732  001  293,0 100  Kullen High Lt                 Sweden               56,303   12,46    865    41 
9123     503  783  813  304,0 200  Lista Lt                       Norway               58,116   6,572    844    14 
14268    001  850  851  295,0 100  Obristvi                       Czech Republic       50,301   14,484   799    89 
9595     446  686  696  297,0 100  Girdle Ness Lt                 Scotland             57,142   -2,056   785    336
12195    491  761  721  308,0 100  Gross Mohrdorf                 Germany              54,367   12,917   767    55 
2632     336  466  466  310,0 100  Cap Ferret                     France               44,567   -1,25    767    207
11001    443  693  001  285,5 100  Stirling [Earls Hill]          Scotland             56,067   -4,067   758    324
8900     496  766  766  313,5 100  Mauken                         Germany              51,717   12,817   677    77 
7399     495  765  765  314,5 100  Bad Abbach                     Germany              48,933   12,033   666    105
2208     452  705  706  290,0 100  Blavandshuk Lt                 Denmark              55,564   8,085    623    30 
6635     441  681  691  306,0 100  Lizard Lt                      England              49,966   -5,202   602    265
126      334  464  464  307,0 100  Les Sables Olonne              France               46,517   -1,8     600    220
591      332  462  462  308,5 100  Pont de Buis                   France               48,3     -4,083   593    245
2238     442  682  692  297,5 100  Point Lynas Lt                 Wales                53,427   -4,292   589    303
13924    493  763  001  303,5 100  Zeven                          Germany              53,283   9,25     498    54 
21825    492  762  001  298,5 100  Helgoland                      Germany              54,183   7,883    493    38 
11703    449  689  699  309,5 100  Nash Point Lt                  Wales                51,401   -3,552   476    281
13795    447  687  697  290,5 100  Flamborough Head Lt            England              54,126   -0,091   433    330
2191     494  764  001  293,5 100  Iffezheim                      Germany              48,833   8,117    414    120
12822    439  691  001  291,0 100  Wormleighton                   England              52,208   -1,374   354    298
5967     330  460  001  299,0 100  Heuville                       France               49,7     -1,267   339    251
3992     440  680  690  307,5 100  St Catherines Point Lt         England              50,581   -1,306   318    268
12541    490  760  001  302,5 100  Koblenz                        Germany              50,367   7,583    313    97 
28096    428  655  656  294,0 200  Vlieland Lt                    Netherlands          53,3     5,067    307    24 
28913    426  652  653  302,0 200  Gilze Rijen                    Netherlands          51,617   4,933    152    52 
28890    425  650  651  312,5 200  Hoek van Holland               Netherlands          51,992   4,123    149    25 
5428     448  688  698  299,5 100  North Foreland                 England              51,38    1,457    138    299

Offline ChrisSmolinski

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Re: DGPS Logs from Belgium - nighttime 27/28th of Februar
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2018, 1354 UTC »
In the past, I found that my very large EWE performed excellent towards Northwest, decoding a lot of North-American beacons.

However very soon, I need to dismantle the temporary installations (large EWE, Beverages), as they are erected over agricultural farmland, which will be needed soon to prepare for the next summer season.

I mentioned, that I want to check, how small you can make EWE antennas to still work efficiently on 300kHz. I have now installed a quick test antenna, really really small : 2.5m up, 5m horizontal, 2.5m down to resistor 700Ohm, total instead of 100m wire of the big EWE, only 10m of wire- unfortunately to make it quickly happen, it is NOT pointed to NW (over the atlantic ocean) but to Scandinavia (Northeast).
So far, I did not fine-tune the resistor value - it seems to me, that tuning is necessary, as I can see a lot of southwest Europe - look at the many decodes of Cape Ferret (which is also 'dubbed' as the Brazilian beacon as false decodes). I will try to increase the Front/Back ratio in the future.

A lot of Scandinavia was indeed heard - however the UK, was very weak, although the distance to many of the beacons in Scandinavia is larger than to the UK - this is certainly due to the directivity of the little EWE out of only 10m wire...

I must mention, that a high impedance pre-amp is used to feed the EWE - instead of the impedance matching transformer, I directly connected the pre-amp to pick up the voltage between the wire an a ground rod (1m of copper-pipe, only half inch thickness (gasinstallation material) for quick solution)

So - do not expect a lot of North-America.... wrong direction for this test antenna.

My feeling so far is, that it is really the minimum size, which will work - but only with pre-amp.
I will be better to at least double the size - make an inv. U (EWE style) out of 20m wire, instead of only 10m

Regards,
Ulli, ON5KQ

Here are the logs from late evening (22h utc) tot early morning around local sunrise:


I look forward to your test results with a 20m EWE, esp if it is aimed to North America. If they are promising,  may try erecting one here.  Which pre-amp are you using with it?
Chris Smolinski
Westminster, MD
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Offline Uli_Bel

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Re: DGPS Logs from Belgium - nighttime 27/28th of Februar
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2018, 1446 UTC »
Hi Chris,
I am using the LZ1AQ pre-amp.
As the EWE is not a magnetic loop, I am using directly the inputs of the voltage amplifier (Dipole) as Chavdar describes in his document: http://active-antenna.eu/tech-docs/aaa-1c-addendum.pdf

At the moment I have removed the jumpers for the input balun, as I thought the antenna is very small...
However here in Europe I get huge signals from shortwave BC-bands even with bad condx...
The Web-receiver is using this little EWE now (although a different antenna picture is shown - I just do not have a proper picture yet)
link to the receiver: http://on5kq.ddns.net:8073

I notice on the webreceiver just starting IM2 distortion signals in our local afternoon (for example on 14100kHz beacons frequency) - I think even with this small loop on the shortwave bands the signals are really really strong...
So to prevent such IM2 distortion in the pre-amp (it is only noticeable, if you really search for it on the band, because the distortion is still very small), you better install the jumpers to include the input balun of the voltage amplifier of LZ1AQ's design.
With the jumpers set, you will never see distortion products coming from the pre-amp (my findings)

To enlarge the EWE to 20m long wire (so 5m x 10m x 5m) has several serious drawbacks:
- Directivity on the higher shortwave bands will disappear or at least becomes a very different pattern, instead of the desired, pronounced  cadioid
- As I have transmit antennes very close (less than a wavelength), the influence of the 20m wire will be much greater to the existing transmit antennas (also vertical phased array).
-If you increase the size of the EWE, it will be much more difficult to install a multi element array out of several EWE antennas. I am planning at least 2ele arrays in several directions. Now with the 5m long invU style, it is very easy and almost unvisible to install several of such beams at the side of the garden, without using extended space on the farmland arround (more of a praktical issue)
- A larger EWE-element will help for better directivity only below 1Mhz, at the price of less or no directivity on frequencies above 10MHz - at least for summer, I prefer better directivity on the higher frequencies.

Conclusion: I think the antenna is performing well on 300khz - only the real specialist may want better directivity and increase the size. However I prefer to keep the nice performance up to the highest shortwave frequencies (30Mhz). For 300kHz, I will install a second small EWE to Northwest - so I can verify the directivity between the NorthEast one and the NorthWest one. Then to get a better F/B ratio, I will install second elements in line at both systems, for better reception of the stations in the desired direction (switchable)- spacing will be 60m initially (best for lowest frequency incl 300kHz), both elements fed with LZ1AQ pre-amps and phased 180degree - this will get you a very sharp pattern broadband over many octaves.

I used to have such an array made with Flags, but passive, without pre-amps. It was usable very well on 1.8-7Mhz - in Mediumwave or lowerin frequency  it was totally deaf. With the pre-amps, this antenna really awake and is alive again... Listen on the web-receiver to verify the high sensitivity even of the single element (10m wire) system.

Will let you know further developments...

Ulli, ON5KQ