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HF Beacons / Re: 26.600Mc beacon is back.
« on: April 15, 2010, 0129 UTC »
Heard in Atlanta, GA, 0128z 14Apr2010. Those dashes are crazy long!
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Hmmmm......Was that a recent change? I thought I heard it in the last couple of weeks on 4011, but maybe not. I guess the hfunderground wiki page (http://www.hfunderground.com/wiki/High_Frequency_Beacons) isn't up to date.
I can't answer for syfr, but I'll give my answer because I'm interested in making a beacon, too:
I'm a novice in the realm of electronics. I've built a couple of sw receivers and a qrp transciever and a few other things, but that not much more. I'm strictly a cookbook kind of guy: give me the schematic and I can order the parts and solder 'em together. Basic troubleshooting with a DMM is as far as I get. I have no idea how to use rf probes and oscilloscopes and I don't have any of that kind of stuff anyway. If it doesn't smoke and there are no backwards parts and the thing still doesn't work, I'm stuck.
For me, it doesn't need to be complete. I could probably get by with some basic instructions, schematics, and someone or somewhere (here?) to ask some novice-type questions. For instance, I think I could probably get the "universal qrp transmitter" circuit that's in nearly every ARRL handbook on the air, but I'm not so sure about the keyer, nor about the solar charger and charge controller.
So what kind of beacon is right for me?
Charlie
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HF Beacons / CO in Atlanta
« on: April 15, 2010, 0125 UTC »
Hearing CO (11002.7 kHz) and blinky (5157 kHz) pretty strong here above the S6 noise in Atlanta, 0115z 14-Apr-10. There are probably others in there, but I was just cycling thru the memory banks and these popped out. A bit unusual for me to here CO so late in the day. (Local time is 2115)
3
General Radio Discussion / scanning strategies?
« on: November 13, 2009, 0055 UTC »
I see lots of folks here reporting interesting things from parts of the HF spectrum I'd never think to listen to. How do you do it? Do you just let the radio scan while you're doing something else? Do you have some cool SDR that lets you see 30MHz at a time? Do y'all have radios with thousands of memory banks? How do you convince the wife that static is fun to listen to?
Just for comparison: I listen with a ham HF rig (Yaesu FT-840) hooked up to a ladder-line fed 80m dipole thru a tuner. The radio scans slowly, only has 100 memories, and the antenna needs re-tuning every 2 MHz or so. Should I think about a more broadband antenna and a radio better suited for faster scanning?
Charlie
Just for comparison: I listen with a ham HF rig (Yaesu FT-840) hooked up to a ladder-line fed 80m dipole thru a tuner. The radio scans slowly, only has 100 memories, and the antenna needs re-tuning every 2 MHz or so. Should I think about a more broadband antenna and a radio better suited for faster scanning?
Charlie
4
HF Beacons / beacon on 8424.3?
« on: October 09, 2009, 2252 UTC »
I'm hearing a CW beacon of some type on 8424.2 kHz at 2243z in Atlanta. It's pretty strong, between S3 and S5, and sending "de SVO" followed by a 3 second key down.
Any idea what it is?
Any idea what it is?
5
HF Beacons / Hearing CO in Atlanta
« on: October 09, 2009, 2207 UTC »
Hearing CO at 2206z drifting between 11002.47 and 11002.80 here in Atlanta. It just popped out of the noise in the last hour or so and it's getting stronger as I type.
Charlie
Charlie
6
HF Beacons / Re: Beacons heard in Louisville, KY this evening
« on: September 17, 2009, 1531 UTC »There is no FL on 4011...
Hmmmm......Was that a recent change? I thought I heard it in the last couple of weeks on 4011, but maybe not. I guess the hfunderground wiki page (http://www.hfunderground.com/wiki/High_Frequency_Beacons) isn't up to date.
7
HF Beacons / Beacons heard in Louisville, KY this evening
« on: September 17, 2009, 0157 UTC »
I'm temporarily in Louisville, KY listening with the trusty ATS-909 and the reel antenna.
I heard these beacons tonight between 0040z and 0100z, around sunset local time:
11002 kHz CO, easy copy with twangy keying and no message
8003 kHz Pike 78, a first for me, easy copy
5157 kHz Blinky, weak but there
4077 kHz MO, very weak, difficult copy
Tried for FL on 4011.8, but the MARS ragchewers up on 4013 were too loud.
Also tried for a ride on UFO, but it just wasn't there.
Charlie
I heard these beacons tonight between 0040z and 0100z, around sunset local time:
11002 kHz CO, easy copy with twangy keying and no message
8003 kHz Pike 78, a first for me, easy copy
5157 kHz Blinky, weak but there
4077 kHz MO, very weak, difficult copy
Tried for FL on 4011.8, but the MARS ragchewers up on 4013 were too loud.
Also tried for a ride on UFO, but it just wasn't there.
Charlie
8
HF Beacons / Re: HF beacon plans?
« on: September 17, 2009, 0149 UTC »Not to be nosy- How would you define your general electronics experience or background?
I can't answer for syfr, but I'll give my answer because I'm interested in making a beacon, too:
I'm a novice in the realm of electronics. I've built a couple of sw receivers and a qrp transciever and a few other things, but that not much more. I'm strictly a cookbook kind of guy: give me the schematic and I can order the parts and solder 'em together. Basic troubleshooting with a DMM is as far as I get. I have no idea how to use rf probes and oscilloscopes and I don't have any of that kind of stuff anyway. If it doesn't smoke and there are no backwards parts and the thing still doesn't work, I'm stuck.
Would you need a complete transmitter in a chassis complete with a controller etc
or could you complete a set up with basic instructions?
For me, it doesn't need to be complete. I could probably get by with some basic instructions, schematics, and someone or somewhere (here?) to ask some novice-type questions. For instance, I think I could probably get the "universal qrp transmitter" circuit that's in nearly every ARRL handbook on the air, but I'm not so sure about the keyer, nor about the solar charger and charge controller.
So what kind of beacon is right for me?
Charlie
9
HF Beacons / Re: CO with a message
« on: September 12, 2009, 0305 UTC »
CO heard in Atlanta, 11 Sep 2009 ~2115z, message "de CO sun is dead". (At least that what I got. My CW copy is rusty.)
Drippy sounding keying and the frequency drifts up and down around 11002.7 kHz.
Charlie
Drippy sounding keying and the frequency drifts up and down around 11002.7 kHz.
Charlie
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