1
WEFAX and SSTV / Re: USCG NMF 12750 kHz USB WEFAX 1800 UTC 10 JAN 2024
« on: January 20, 2024, 0121 UTC »
Very nice copy!
Shortwave Pirate Radio In North America And Around The World, And Other Signals That Go Bump In The Night
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2
North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: UNID 6960 USB 0100 UTC JAN 20 2024
« on: January 20, 2024, 0118 UTC »
GD track s3/s5 0113Z
3
North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: UNID 6950 USB 0100 UTC JAN 20 2024
« on: January 20, 2024, 0114 UTC »
80s/synth track S5/S8 or so, @ 0113Z 20JAN24
4
Amateur Radio / HAMS on 3927 lsb talking about hfunderpants
« on: November 22, 2023, 0323 UTC »
Lol welcome HAMs checking out hfunderpants and extolling its virtues, there is much to explore at hfhouseplants!
5
Equipment / Re: Optimal EFHW Configuration for Low Angle DX?
« on: July 18, 2023, 1853 UTC »
Yep ground conductivity plays a major role in reception of hf and lower sigs.
Just note the z of the small loops as detailed in this link;
https://practicalantennas.com/theory/loop/full-wave/
Pay particular attention to Table II, where the Z is shown in relation to the mounting height of the loop, see how drastically it changes. This is why people think their low mounted antenna has a nice swr, well, it's only nice because of ground losses.
This treatise on loop antennae is one of the best I've found so far.
Just note the z of the small loops as detailed in this link;
https://practicalantennas.com/theory/loop/full-wave/
Pay particular attention to Table II, where the Z is shown in relation to the mounting height of the loop, see how drastically it changes. This is why people think their low mounted antenna has a nice swr, well, it's only nice because of ground losses.
This treatise on loop antennae is one of the best I've found so far.
6
Equipment / Re: State of HF transceiver art
« on: July 18, 2023, 1843 UTC »
What I like to see in a given hf rig is a 90dB imd3, 120dB blocking, -130dBm sensitivity without preamp, and excellent audio. Those specs get you to the point where, barring the band noise, the transmitters distortion is the limiting factor in reception with such a system.
A lot of rigs come close enough to the above specs to be more than usable. With the most common background noise on hf being around -120, anything that hears down to -125dB will be more than enough unless you have poor antennas, then some additional gain can help.
As to antennas, I'd rather have an outstanding rig and mediocre antenna than the other way round. After all, if the background noise comes up when you connect the antenna to the antenna socket, that's about all you need. That said, a beam is the closest thing to cheating for radionerds.
A lot of rigs come close enough to the above specs to be more than usable. With the most common background noise on hf being around -120, anything that hears down to -125dB will be more than enough unless you have poor antennas, then some additional gain can help.
As to antennas, I'd rather have an outstanding rig and mediocre antenna than the other way round. After all, if the background noise comes up when you connect the antenna to the antenna socket, that's about all you need. That said, a beam is the closest thing to cheating for radionerds.
7
For Sale / Wanted / Barter / Re: WANTED CV-591 SSB CONVERTOR
« on: July 15, 2023, 0129 UTC »
I've seen more than one for sale at qth over the years. Might put a wanted there.
8
Equipment / Re: Optimal EFHW Configuration for Low Angle DX?
« on: July 15, 2023, 0110 UTC »
Crucial to a efhw is orientation as it is a dipole, as a vertical it would be an omni, horizontal and it is bidirectional for all but nvis sigs. If it's a wavelength or longer on some bands of interest you can aim it towards a target like a beverage, but it has to be a few wl long to pull it off.
9
Equipment / Re: State of HF transceiver art
« on: July 15, 2023, 0059 UTC »
Rob Sherwood knows his way around a good receiver. He keeps the rx performance list updated, all of us can profit from perusing said list;
http://www.sherweng.com/table.html
For those who don't grasp the details of the rx list you might click where it says (Terms Explained: DOC PDF) and get educated. He also has multiple utube vids on the subject that are worth the time.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sherweng
Many rx boxes are listed, not just transceivers.
For a long time Hilberling held the top spot, then yazoo came out with the 101D and blew everyone away and it's still on top. In the end, if your rx hears what you want that's all one needs right? That said, understanding what goes on in a given rx box is of some interest to radionerds so I say learn all you can about them and what is state of the art today.
Also interesting Icom is selling so many 7300s, I think their other big seller was the 706 series. Wonder how many R75s they sold, they ran from 1999 to 2015 or thereabouts. I note the R71 has 62dB close dynamic range, while the R75 has 67dB, much better, something I figured would be opposite, with narrow spaced dynamic range being the holy grail of the sherweng testing.
http://www.sherweng.com/table.html
For those who don't grasp the details of the rx list you might click where it says (Terms Explained: DOC PDF) and get educated. He also has multiple utube vids on the subject that are worth the time.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sherweng
Many rx boxes are listed, not just transceivers.
For a long time Hilberling held the top spot, then yazoo came out with the 101D and blew everyone away and it's still on top. In the end, if your rx hears what you want that's all one needs right? That said, understanding what goes on in a given rx box is of some interest to radionerds so I say learn all you can about them and what is state of the art today.
Also interesting Icom is selling so many 7300s, I think their other big seller was the 706 series. Wonder how many R75s they sold, they ran from 1999 to 2015 or thereabouts. I note the R71 has 62dB close dynamic range, while the R75 has 67dB, much better, something I figured would be opposite, with narrow spaced dynamic range being the holy grail of the sherweng testing.
10
Utility / Re: HF 7553kHz // 9153kHz logs
« on: July 14, 2023, 2223 UTC »
Hi sat, do you have a freq list for the chicom 4+4 sigs?
11
SDR - Software Defined Radio / Re: Which SDR for RX?
« on: May 06, 2023, 1741 UTC »
I'd try a new rx888mkii or something from rfspace used in that price range. If you have a strong enough pc, the 888 and sdr console is very hard to beat.
12
Equipment / Re: Do you get RF jolt? What causes it?
« on: May 06, 2023, 1736 UTC »
I'd put money on someone in the house or close to the house turning on a light or some other device that's ac line connected. On the R71 turn the nb on and set the nb level low, it should take out strong pops like that while not degrading the signal of interest.
13
Equipment / Re: Episode 7,492 In Maintaining An Antenna Farm
« on: May 06, 2023, 1733 UTC »
Around here they (isp/cable systems) use more or less two cables, one is orange and about the size of rg11, the other is black with green stripe about an inch or so thick and has a support wire built in. The neat thing is they're both direct bury, and the fat line with the green stripe also has something added to the jacket that discourages animals from tasting it. Get the fat cable with the green stripe if you can. I asked a isp service tech what he'd charge for 75ft of orange stuff and he gave it to me, along with the connectors. The fat cable would be best for long runs and where high power is used. I'm only sending 100w down the line so orange will do.
14
Shortwave Broadcast / Re: How bad does Radio Cairo sound?
« on: May 06, 2023, 1705 UTC »
I applaud their consistency, plus you always know it's them.
15
North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Yeah Man Radio 6925 USB 2205 UTC 26 APRIL 2023
« on: April 26, 2023, 2229 UTC »
Music jba @ 2228Z, sw indiana.
