HFU HF Underground
General Category => General Radio Discussion => Topic started by: MDK2 on July 30, 2018, 2005 UTC
-
Via ARRL
http://www.arrl.org/news/haarp-campaign-to-use-wspr-on-80-meters
07/27/2018
Alaska’s super-power High-Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) transmitters in Gakona, Alaska, will take advantage of the WSPR digital protocol and the Weak Signal Propagation Reporter Network (WSPRnet) during a short experimental campaign, July 30 through August 1. University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Space Physics Group researcher and HAARP Chief Scientist Chris Fallen, KL3WX, told ARRL that he’ll be conducting research into ionospheric irregularities, but hardly with a weak signal.
“I am conducting a dual-use experiment to create field-aligned — plasma density — irregularities while also modulating the HF beam for a WSPR beacon test,” he said. Specifically, Fallen will be looking at plasma density irregularities in the F-layer of the ionosphere.
Fallen said the WSPR experimental periods are tentatively planned to last about 30 minutes per day and occur between approximately 2300 and 2400 hours UTC on all 3 days, which would put the operations during daylight hours in US time zones. Most transmissions will be at the WSPR 80-meter default frequency of 3.592.6 MHz, Fallen said. HAARP will use full-carrier AM, since it’s not equipped to transmit SSB. The call sign will be WI2XFX. The HAARP transmitters can generate megawatts of RF.
“One irregularity is that the actual transmit power will be higher than what is reported since it is out of range of what the software allows to be encoded,” Fallen told ARRL.
“These daytime 80-meter conditions are not ideal for a propagation test, but are the result of a compromise with other science objectives and operational constraints,” Fallen said. “I hope that this will be a useful trial for future propagation tests that utilize beacon networks maintained by hams. If I have a little bit of time remaining in my budget, I will try to accommodate a 40-meter test as well.”
Fallen said he’s using WSPRnet to retrieve signal reports automatically, rather than by soliciting listener reports, which often do not include the location and signal strength information his research requires.
“We will conduct a short test each day — admittedly not QRP, but the test will be short — transmitting on even numbered minutes, and then later collecting from the database the spots reported by each station that received HAARP,” Fallen explained. “This will demonstrate the concept of using a large and incredibly variable — in terms of frequency, power, and direction — HF transmitter such as HAARP, in conjunction with WSPRnet, to generate snapshots of HF propagation conditions from a point source in the subarctic.”
Fallen said hams have been requesting something like this, although with far more asking for FT8 than for WSPR transmissions. “But, I am having trouble figuring out specifically how FT8 would work with HAARP,” Fallen said.
Fallen said the Amateur Radio bands are not included in HAARP’s permanent Part 5 Experimental license authorization, but UAF routinely seeks a Special Temporary Authorization (STA, attached) that permits access to some amateur frequencies.
-
I monitored tonight but don't think they were on the air. No spots of the HAARP station on wsprnet.org. KL7L in Wasilla, AK was spotted on the west coast on 80 m.
I have spotted 9 stations including 3 in Europe. Greyline here now.
-
What few reports I have found on this activity are not clear as to whether they actually transmitted on 80m or not. There were a handful of reception reports for WI2XFX on 40m right around 2018-07-31 00:04 and :08 UTC were all of the receiving stations were in the western part of North America: (hopefully the formatting doesn't get messed up):
2018-07-31 00:08 WI2XFX 7.040105 -25 0 BP72 1000 KK6ZIZ CM88 3055 141
2018-07-31 00:04 WI2XFX 7.040101 -25 0 BP72 1000 W6EXT CM87wi 3201 140
2018-07-31 00:04 WI2XFX 7.040089 -22 0 BP72 1000 SWL-CM98DN CM98dn 3091 138
2018-07-31 00:04 WI2XFX 7.040095 0 0 BP72 1000 VE7DXK CN88fp 2028 129
2018-07-31 00:04 WI2XFX 7.040105 -16 0 BP72 1000 KK6ZIZ CM88 3055 141
2018-07-31 00:04 WI2XFX 7.040100 -26 0 BP72 1000 VE6HFD DO41ap 2297 106
2018-07-31 00:04 WI2XFX 7.040099 +2 0 BP72 1000 KPH CM88mc 3097 141
2018-07-31 00:04 WI2XFX 7.040100 -10 0 BP72 1000 KP4MD CM98iq 3093 138
2018-07-31 00:04 WI2XFX 7.040100 -17 0 BP72 1000 WB6HYD CM87xi 3204 140
2018-07-31 00:04 WI2XFX 7.040100 -21 0 BP72 1000 KR6LA CN90ao 2875 137
2018-07-31 00:04 WI2XFX 7.040100 -22 0 BP72 1000 WW6D CM88pk 3070 140
cheers, G near Ottawa Canada
-
They are transmitting on 40. Copied in SE Fla at 0038
0038 -16 -0.4 7.040097 0 WI2XFX BP72 60 3767
60 dBm 3767 mi
First saw them spotted on dxwatch.com at 0014Z