USCG closing remaining 38 DGPS sites

[NJQA]

Ran across this today:

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDHSCG/bulletins/1e45da7


Steve

[skeezix]

Oh no.

What do they mean no mission - what about MW propagation studies?

I guess it will be getting easier to get foreign stations now, potentially. Would be nice if they kept the stations going in Hawaii & Alaska.

[ChrisSmolinski]

The rough schedule is here: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/03/21/2018-05684/discontinuance-of-the-nationwide-differential-global-positioning-system-ndgps

The Alaskan stations are the last to go... I guess that is good from a DXing point of view. Annapolis is first? At least we'll have the foreign stations... for a while.

Timeline of Maritime Sites To Be Discontinued

Termination of the NDGPS broadcast during Fiscal Year 2018 is planned to occur at the following sites. Specific broadcast discontinuance dates for each site will be announced via Local Notices to Mariners (LNMs) 60 days in advance of the termination of the NDGPS broadcast.
Annapolis, MD
New Bern, NC
Robinson Point, WA
Pigeon Point, CA
Bobo, MS


Termination of the NDGPS broadcast at the following sites is planned to occur in Fiscal Year 2019.
Whidbey Island, WA
Appleton, WA
Fort Stevens, OR
Cape Mendocino, CA
Lincoln, CA
Point Loma, CA
Kokole Point, HI
Upolu Point, HI
Driver, VA
Kensington, SC
Cape Canaveral, FL
Card Sound, FL
Tampa, FL
Wisconsin Point, WI
Mequon, WI
Upper Keweenaw, MI
Cheboygan, MI
Detroit, MI
Youngstown, NY


Termination of the NDGPS broadcast at the following sites is planned to occur in Fiscal Year 2020.
Penobscot, ME
Acushnet, MA
Hudson Falls, NY
Moriches, NY
Sandy Hook, NJ
English Turn, LA
Angleton, TX
Annette Island, AK
Biorka, AK
Kenai, AK
Kodiak, AK
Gustavus, AK
Potato Point, AK
Level Island, AK

[skeezix]

Lucky for you, Annapolis is going away sooner rather than later.

Upper Keweenaw will be going away in 2019, but Potato Point not until 2020, so we'll have a window to grab that one.

I created a sticky topic dedicated for the notices, so its clear and don't have to wade through our comments here. I'll try to update the sticky topic with dates as they become available.

[ChrisSmolinski]

Lucky for you, Annapolis is going away sooner rather than later.

Yes, that's great news for me (not so great for others I guess)

Upper Keweenaw will be going away in 2019, but Potato Point not until 2020, so we'll have a window to grab that one.

I created a sticky topic dedicated for the notices, so its clear and don't have to wade through our comments here. I'll try to update the sticky topic with dates as they become available.

Thanks for creating it, that's a good idea.

I wanted to refresh my memory on the definition of fiscal year: "The current fiscal year is 2018, often written as "FY2018" or "FY18", which began on 1 October 2017 and which will end on 30 September 2018."

So those first 5 will be going away in the next 6 months. I have never received Robinson Point, WA here. IIRC that is because the semi local Georgetown (DC) TIS blocks it. So I doubt I ever will.  Now we wait on the exact dates I guess. Maybe they have to send techs to the sites to close them down, so they will be staggered.

We need to watch the federal surplus auctions for DGPS transmitters 

[skeezix]

Maybe they have to send techs to the sites to close them down, so they will be staggered.

We need to watch the federal surplus auctions for DGPS transmitters 

Yeah, I hope they will be staggered.


Would be fun to have a few of these things scattered all over. And change their messages to be more robust.

[ChrisSmolinski]

Would be fun to have a few of these things scattered all over. And change their messages to be more robust.

I think the best bet is to set up something on the new 600m ham band (which I got the authorization to use, I still need to build a transmitter).

[skeezix]

I think the best bet is to set up something on the new 600m ham band (which I got the authorization to use, I still need to build a transmitter).

I have authorization as well (on both bands), also no xmtr+antenna.

Could probably slide them up to 600m, but we only get 5W EIRP.

[ChrisSmolinski]

I have authorization as well (on both bands), also no xmtr+antenna.

Could probably slide them up to 600m, but we only get 5W EIRP.

It's pretty easy to generate RF at these frequencies, you can use the MOSFET style amps folks use on 43m, and get even more power, since you are actually operating well within the design spec for the part 

Should be pretty simple to FSK modulate it as well.  Antenna efficiencies are not great down at this band for the practical size antennas we can make, so it will probably take many watts to even get close to 5W EIRP.