Messages

781

MW Loggings / Re: What's in there with 1100 WTAM in the evenings?

« on: July 01, 2020, 0649 UTC »

Actually, yes. I hear this on the C-Crane Plus at home, albeit not as pronounced. As far as this motor boating HET on other stations? No, not observed. One problem with a car stereo VERT antenna is that it is Omnidirectional.

782

MW Loggings / Re: What's in there with 1100 WTAM in the evenings?

« on: June 30, 2020, 1727 UTC »

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, I must be in the 'Sweet Spot' where I can just hear this. I've always heard massive phasing and fading from 1100 WTAM, since I'm only just under 300 miles from them and I suspect a high angle off bounce to get to me. (Which makes me wish that car stereos had Sync AM in them. How come no one thought of that?) Well, during those fades is when I hear the few Hertz HET from whatever else that is on 1100kHz. I've ordered an RTL-SDR package, and this might be a neat thing to look at with it.

783

Software / Re: FM broadcast SCA audio from SDR software?

« on: June 29, 2020, 1759 UTC »

Ya know, with SCA MPX'ing around for decades, how come no one seemed to have the foresight to have those MPX'ed channels to broadcast various news, talk, NOAA WX, other MX formats, or even paid programming, to the SCA service, but to only have an incredibly myopic use of this service? The idea of extra channels, as with HD Radio today, could have been way more utilized years ago.   

784

The RF Workbench / Re: Tecsun PL-880 external MW antenna idea

« on: June 29, 2020, 1751 UTC »

You can try what I did, make one of those godzeye AM antennas with a 20pF - 100pF tuning CAP. Here's a much smaller version of what I've built,   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sDtmmRHzZc    .    Here's one from PVC,    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wnkf_gQQwwg     So, more than one way to make one. Unfortunately, being inside an aluminum sided house, this also brings in more noise that generated within this house. Outside, on the other hand, is a different story. Works super that way. You might have to experiment though which variable capacitor works for the widest part of the AM BC band.  Oh... Pinterest has these,   https://www.pinterest.com/pin/345158758913671908/     Anyone have more loop-like antennas to show? They do seem to make the AM band more listenable with area-wide T-storm crashes constantly. Oh yeah... Archive.org should have some ideas as well,   https://archive.org/search.php?query=am%20loop%20antenna   

785

MW Loggings / Re: What's in there with 1100 WTAM in the evenings?

« on: June 29, 2020, 1739 UTC »

I duh-know about Europe, but Mexico could indeed be a good possibility from where I am. Most of the 1100kHz stations that I've done a 1,500mi search on Radio Locator are either Daytime Only, or very Directional. The ones from Mexico do not appear to be. https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/locate?select=city&city=25159&state=WV&band=AM&is_lic=Y&is_cp=Y&is_unl=Y&format=&dx=3&radius=1500&freq=1100&sort=freq   Another reason to disregard European stations id that I don't hear a 2kHz HET, but that rumble of just a few Hertz off. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm, the mystery thickens. And, why just within the last 3 weeks? Ehhhh???

786

MW Loggings / What's in there with 1100 WTAM in the evenings?

« on: June 28, 2020, 0440 UTC »

For better than two weeks now, I've noticed something about +/-10Hz off FREQ battling it out with Cleveland's 1100 WTAM on a job site to site drive at 10:06PM EST, (When I want to catch the opening of Ground Zero Radio with Clyde Lewis.), and also still there on the drive home, like after 2AM, when I want to see what's on C2C AM. So, what is that? You'd think that 1100kHz would have Clear Channel to WV, but I'm now nightly hearing something in there with it. That being only a few Hertz off is like a motor boating sound. Any ideas???

787

Software / FM broadcast SCA audio from SDR software?

« on: June 27, 2020, 1909 UTC »

Ya know... I've been reminded of a kit that ya add to the IF of an FM broadcast RX to decode the SCA audio. I've thought for years of doing this, but in our ever encroaching digital age, I'm wondering if any major FM stations from major metro areas are doing it anymore. But, if any still are, can SDR software decode that? Am I wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy to late to even ask this?

788

General Radio Discussion / Re: Another letter to the Editor: AM Stereo Is Still an Option? More!!!!!!

« on: June 27, 2020, 1715 UTC »

Here, hear!!!!!! https://www.dailynews.com/2020/06/23/heres-a-suggestion-for-how-to-save-am-radio/

789

Propagation / Re: Will Sahara / Atlantic Dust Cloud affect propagation?

« on: June 25, 2020, 2100 UTC »

Well, I'm wondering if it could cause a reflective affect, like Tropo, on VHF and UHF? Hmmmmmmm???

790

Amateur Radio / For those that want to get away from Field Day madness...

« on: June 23, 2020, 2104 UTC »

Don't forget... If you want to get away from this weekend's Field Day craziness, the WARC 12M band, 24.890MHz - 24.990MHz, also does nice Sporadic "E" hops as well, yet I hear very few ops using it for that. The "E" skip maybe a bit shorter than 10M and 11M hops. HAPPY DX!!!!!

791

Propagation / Will Sahara / Atlantic Dust Cloud affect propagation?

« on: June 23, 2020, 2046 UTC »

What is this dust cloud going to do to affect RF on various FREQ's?    https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/abnormally-large-dust-cloud-making-5000-mile-trek-across-atlantic/761708
This does not answer that.

792

Amateur Radio / Re: Anyone ready for Field Day 2020?

« on: June 23, 2020, 1814 UTC »

Actually, yes... During Field Day dinners, and even breakfasts, folks have a tendency to see what other people's rigs can RX. I know that I have, so I would tune around 6925kHz, 13.900MHz, 15.050MHz, 1710kHz, etc. With many of these stations now SDR aided, this would be a great weekend to be checking for pirates.

793

Equipment / Re: RFI from Recent Installation of Metal Rain Gutters?

« on: June 20, 2020, 1850 UTC »

I've DF'ed wide-ass RFI hash to duct works inside the house and the outside vent pipe. Every time the furnace would kick on, I'd get this bad crunching noise as well. So, I grounded the whole assembly. That worked.

794

Amateur Radio / WV QSO Party, that is this weekend 6/20/2020.

« on: June 19, 2020, 2309 UTC »

I was recently told about this,     https://www.qsl.net/wvsarc/wvqp/wvqp.html

795

General Radio Discussion / Re: CHAZ Free Radio Stations?

« on: June 19, 2020, 1948 UTC »

Oh wow!!!! Thanks for the reminder. I haven't corresponded with these two in years. Maybe, I should again. I even bought the DVD at the time and promoted the schytt out of their movie. I just can't believe that was just 15 years ago. (Here comes the Ben Stein WOW here.)