Messages

31

Propagation / Re: So you think you are are beginning to understand propagation?

« on: December 16, 2021, 1225 UTC »

Hey All,
 
FASCINATING INFO !!!

I read  along time  ago( a bit fuzzy now)  about ULF /whistler/ sferics being "conducted" down "tubes" in the magnetosphere and actually getting a measure of natural AMPLIFICATION from  incoming solar radiation ,so far , the only known example of NATURAL  radio amplification (??).

I also just read /printed a Hardcore Dx Medium Wave Propagation article  by KN4LF, good stuff there.

de N1NQC

32

MW Loggings / WSM (BARELY) Under Digital Station

« on: December 16, 2021, 1211 UTC »

Hey All,

Log from earlier this week : Copied WSM under the regional  digital dog WSRO 650 . Specks  of voice and  a rhythm beat  for for a bit ( sounded like a good ole country bass).
SM/SRO are nearly on the same bearing to me , so some hash had to be let in or no joy. Radio placement  / loop aiming geometries  were among the tightest I have ever encountered, super touchy and  extremely easy to lose.

I suppose the take away here is it can be done (in "theory" !) , but would take a LOT more horsepower from the analog station to "break through". Even then , not sure how listenable things would be.

Nice to hear a tiny peep from "The Legend " , but overall a colossal failure.

Also FWIW, a  tiny BIT of SRO  hash QRM to fair CMLA 640 and  strong WFAN 660, but not enough to really affect things.

640 in particular is one of my favorite Dx frequencies.

K

 

33

MW Loggings / Re: CFZM Toronto

« on: December 16, 2021, 1153 UTC »

Hey Don,

I had Zoomer  fair here last night carrying the George Burns/Gracie Allen Show. Nulling out local Co Channel WJIB 740 is always a challenge. Zoomer  had  it's typical steady beat flutter up against the JIBster.

K

34

MW Loggings / Re: 1710 am WQFG689 Hudson County 0150 utc 5 Sep 2021

« on: December 03, 2021, 1244 UTC »

Hey All,

I also vaguely recall another 1710 allocation for a casino in AL or MS. Don't recall from where but I believe  I saw one listed for such use.

It would be interesting to find out which ones are active and which are silent.

Again , compared to the numerous  Info stations on other frequencies, 1710 seems quite rare. Not sure why.

I suppose 1710 doesn't HAVE to be clear so that "others" could use it.It would be "nice " though. Maybe there are enough holes in the X band for most folks to use in most areas.

K

35

MW Loggings / Re: 1710 am WQFG689 Hudson County 0150 utc 5 Sep 2021

« on: December 01, 2021, 1453 UTC »

Hey Rob.

Interesting to learn about armory on 1710.1710 info stations are exceedingly rare compared to the other frequencies.

K

36

MW Loggings / Re: 1710 am WQFG689 Hudson County 0150 utc 5 Sep 2021

« on: November 30, 2021, 1326 UTC »

Hey Skeezix,

TIS stations are pretty rare at the apt, but on the car radio when cruising around Eastern MA ( near or "far"), I get a few- "at times".

I think 389 may be the only active 1710  station in the US. It is not enough of an issue here, so I can use 1710 (preferred) or other holes in the X band for my transmitter (which is off air for now). I can cover the entire band but obviously folks like to run as high as possible re antenna length. I have to run with with a less than 1/8 wave / loaded ( for now anyways ). So although I can use the transmitter in the "test"mode across the band,  getting any type of range  really has to be done in the X band.

Again , I'd like to see them go bye bye so that "others"   around the country could use 1710 , but I am not counting on it.

K

37

General Radio Discussion / Re: WMLK photos

« on: November 29, 2021, 1300 UTC »

Hey Chris,

You know THE Timtron  ?

I started  listening to him on "Yay Yem" (AM) 45 + years  ago.

I have  hung out with him a few times at NEARFEST , Haven't seen him now for years though.

I have never heard ANYONE on amateur radio like   Tim  !

BTW , interesting antenna .

K

38

The RF Workbench / Re: Giuseppe’s Homemade “Magic Tablet” Antenna System?

« on: November 29, 2021, 1251 UTC »

Hey Dood,

What is a Godz Eye antenna ?

There is nothing about this on Google.

K

39

MW Loggings / Re: 1710 am WQFG689 Hudson County 0150 utc 5 Sep 2021

« on: November 29, 2021, 1228 UTC »

Hey Pinto,

Yes - Three things will survive the final apocalypse : Cockroaches , Keith Richards and WQFG 689 .

K

40

MW Loggings / Re: CHHA (Toronto) 1610 AM 2051 UTC 28 NOV 2021

« on: November 29, 2021, 1224 UTC »

Hey All,

CHHA is a fairly frequent visitor here but usually not very strong. Local big signal from WUNR 1600 often gives them at least  some  trouble, even when loop/receiver are rotated. 

Using Pan 840 receiver and   Select-A-Tenna loop.

K

41

MW Loggings / Re: 1710 am WQFG689 Hudson County 0150 utc 5 Sep 2021

« on: November 24, 2021, 1329 UTC »

Hey Skeezix,

Nice catch. 

'389 is not common here , even at night.

To hear them them  VERY loud during the DAY   (7/21/24, along with other NJ stations )  was astounding.

But as has been stated  by others before, we have now "all" heard it,  so enough already. It's just another unattended Info station sending out old info to  essentially nobody. I'd love to see 1710 open up to "other" activities . But probably not likely anytime  soon .

K

42

Other / Re: WWV at 25MHz is heard again!

« on: November 19, 2021, 1214 UTC »

Hey All ,

I also had it recently on HFU SDR.

K

43

Longwave Loggings / Re: post storm unusual propagation

« on: November 19, 2021, 1207 UTC »

Hey Pinto,

I thought about your LW beacon activities and gave a scan on the ATS 803a on it's ferrite.

Nada, not a one  .

"Maybe",  something after  new indoor antenna   is built .

k

44

MW Loggings / Re: 1710 am WQFG689 Hudson County 0150 utc 5 Sep 2021

« on: November 19, 2021, 1201 UTC »

Hey Dr.,

That's a NICE catch from Alabama.
 
MW conditions in general have been WAY up  here over the last week or more.

K

45

MW Loggings / Re: Excellent Conditions On AM

« on: November 18, 2021, 2200 UTC »

Hey Dood,

Thanks for the reply.
 
I am in a  sweet spot .Despite some very , very strong signals , none runaway. 3 or 4 miles  in certain directions and I'd be in trouble.

My old 2 X 660/46 litz crystal could well separate   least + 40  vs S-9 on  1st adjacent (  using  the Icom's  guess meter as guide) -  used  old 100' ft. Rig and ant long gone.

No really noteworthy   intermod or image issues  on any rig inside the apt., especially  when the soil in my area  is not saturated. If REALLY wet , maybe some slight issues in the X band (maybe ).

The car radio is more prone to intermod, only  in the  X, especially when cruising around  2 or 3 miles in some directions.


High Q is still important here.

The 803 does get "some" monkey chatter on some of the big guns, even in narrow mode. Usually not TOO horrible unless I am working a REALLY weak signal on a  1st adjacent blow torch.Turning loop and turning rig clean really clean things up at times. 1/4 " placement can make or break reception. Even fussier on longer bar  Pan 840 rig , 1/8"!

RF gain on mine = useless.Not a big deal to me.

HF section blown , so  nothing above  1620 Kc into X band. I don't really  care that much if this receiver gets HF or not anyways .Also  not too fuzzy that X band is not on ferrite.But not Sangean's fault , rcvr  is just TOO old.

LW AM FM  still op at full sensitivity.

Single BFO knob not too bad for MW   b'cast band use. It was just "OK" on true  HF SSB. I got spoiled back in the day by Icom R-70 , R-71a , IC 735 ,etc, all  having a separate  U/L ssb  . All long gone.
 
Eventually building an indoor 12' X 14' horizontal  square which will feed as a loop or an end fed . Certainly NOT like the old 100 sky wire I had here but oh well, better than nada and simply another option. A 3 way cold return also in the  works :  As- 1: a short  18 '  unterminated c poise. 2:  18 'direct  to heating  pipe. 3: 18'  coupled to heating pipe.This return should be fun to try on the new Xtal set I am building.

Not sure how much many beacons are  left around here, probably not many.

Touch pad is quite nice to use in total darkness.

I actually LIKE the 1 KC chug,  it's easy to count up or down one channel by ear.

K