Messages

106

MW Loggings / Re: WAMM 790 khz Mount Jackson VA 0158utc 22 Jan 2025? How about WLSV?

« on: January 22, 2025, 1614 UTC »

You want a real tough-catch on 790kHz? Try WLSV, up in Wellsville, NY. Since the early 1990's, when the local stations up there consolidated, they've been a 24/7 Country Bumpkin format. They have nice daytime coverage, almost in to Buffalo and Rochester, and I've heard them almost all the way to Elmira, going East. However, when they upgraded to be on-air at night, they lower down to just 41 watts. I have yet to hear that in SW WV, but keep hearing ESPN Sport stations. https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?sr=Y&s=C&call=wlsv&nav=home  So, this will be a good-catch, for sure. HAPPY DX'ing!!!!

107

Equipment / Re: Does anyone have Telefunken e1800 schematic? A dream rig!

« on: January 19, 2025, 1702 UTC »

Damn... What's weird is that I've never heard this rig mentioned in the realm of commercial, military, and gov, rigs. Well, if there is documentation on this, it's got to be a thick binder-like book. Question is, did anyone ever scan it to .PDF? https://www.fenu-radio.ch/AEG_Telefunken-E1800-3-en.htm   and  http://www.classicbroadcast.de/downloads/telefunken_E1800.pdf   Some nice looks and spec's here, but no documentation of its guts. This, will give me something to quiz about to those that I know that brag about having Harris, Drake, Collins, Watkins-Johnson, Standard, etc., rigs in their collection. Someone's got to have documentation out there.  Here's this page, with German language review. http://alerter.co/e1800a_doc.htm  Even this site says that technical DOC is damn hard to find. If anything, THANKS for the subject for me to kick-around when I'm QSO'ing on Amateur Radio.

108

The RF Workbench / Opening up the Icom IC-705 for MARS operations? This, seems the best way?

« on: January 16, 2025, 1631 UTC »

Well, I can't afford to get an Icom IC-705, but those that have, have asked me how to do a MARS MOD to that rig. Not done so to that rig myself, (Yet...), I did a Startpage Search on the subject, and the most descriptive one that I've come upon is this one.  https://www.prc-77.com/2024/04/mars-modding-ic-705.html   The dude who wrote this does also mention MODS.DK, my original 'go-to' on MOD's, but I like how he meticulously lays it all out. So, will it work? I leave y'all with that responsibility on that one, as I pass the INFO on it, but I can not vow that this will actually work. (There, my disclaimer.) The newest rig that I've MARS'ed it, the Xiegu G90 SDR. So easy there, an SMT diode, with an arrow pointing to it. All my other rigs are older ones, with MARS done, for opening up the 60M, 5 Channel, Amateur Band. Well, except my Kenwood TS-2000X, AES did the MOD, but didn't tell me. Oh BTW, if you do successfully do the MARS MOD on the IC-705, there's a possibility that the auto-tuner may not work well on MARS FREQ's. I say that, since the TS-2000X's auto-tuner gets confused on 60M, wanting to toggle from 75M and 40M. The same with the companion auto-tuner for the TS-50S, the AT-50. Pure speculation on my part here, but it can't be bad speculation. Good luck!!!!

UPDATE:  Not confirmed, but apparently, those that have the Japanese Version of the IC-705 have to do a different procedure. Can anyone confirm this? 

109

The RF Workbench / Aligning the Henry Radio 30A02 RF Amplifier? Good info to have.

« on: January 15, 2025, 1947 UTC »

https://www.qsl.net/kp4md/henry_30a02.htm      Try #2 to post this, and not have Firefox crash and Windows update at the same time. Anyway... I bought one of these 'lil VHF commercial High Band amp at a Horseheads, NY Mini-Fest, back in the late 1990's for like $20.00, when the fest was at end and vendors were doing last minute close-outs. Hey, the parts were worth at least that. However, I've yet to power up and put RF to it to see if it even works, and to also see what FREQ it was tuned-up to. So, in a storage bin it's sat in for like +25 years. I did try a search for this amp over 20 years ago on-line, and could find nothing about this amp, at the time. Well, a few weeks ago, while searching for something completely different, that preceding link came up. (Well, COOL!!!) Not only that, but apparently, Henry Radio is still around today.  https://www.henryradio.com/  Anyway, back to that Henry 30A02 Amp, it looks very straight forward and has a nice filtering section. Better, than like Ramsey, or Mirage, amps do. So, if you have one of these amps, and an RF spurious HT, like those early Beofangs, this would be an ideal amp to use on it. Anyway, good INFO, I believe. 

110

Amateur Radio / Re: Heads-up on events the next three weekend.

« on: January 14, 2025, 1859 UTC »

Contest time, the next three weekends, starting with the ARRL VHF January Sweepsteaks. https://www.arrl.org/January-vhf   That's good practice for WFD, Winter Field Day.  https://winterfieldday.org/   That one is gaining more popularity, even local clubs are doing this one, this year. And then, the purely fun event, The AM Rally. http://www.amrally.com/   And, even if I don't seriously do these events for points, I don't mind giving out points as a contact and it tells me where my station can be heard. However, The AM Rally can be a bigger challenge, due to the nature of that mode. Barefoot power can still be heard, especially on the higher HF bands. Also, it's best to monitor your signal and to listen to your off-air signal for quality. Yep, there are broadcast quality AM stations out there, that use external EQ and processing. (I'm using that to tame the aggressive ALC in a Kenwood TS-2000X.) Rigs that were terrible in AM TX included the Yaesu FT-857D and FT-847. (I've heard better audio through a mattress.) If your rig has crisp, communication-type, quality audio, that works fine. In fact, that might help you in a pile-up, especially when W1AW gets in there. The good news is that most SDR rigs coming out sound super in AM TX mode right out-of-the-box. So, there's hope there. Regardless, have fun!!!!

111

Propagation / Re: Winter Sporadic "E" is back! Well, it was last night for 11M / 10M. Again.

« on: January 09, 2025, 1645 UTC »

Wow... Some intense "E" openings heard on 10M and especially 11M, from 05:00 - 07:30UTC, from WNY & Buffalo area, S. Ontario, Canada, Long Island, NY, (Later, after midnight.), CT, MA, E. PA, and NJ. Channels 38LSB, AM CH28, and especially the Superbowl CH6, all hopping. Stations heard were working well past me in WV, like IA, WI, and MI. Nice opening.

112

Part 15 AM and FM Station Operation / Re: Ye Poor Man's AM Carrier-Current Coupling Unit! DIY'ers, run with it?

« on: January 03, 2025, 1906 UTC »

Hello Dave: What you are asking about is the plague of having Ground-Loop-Hum coming through the transmitter. There are techniques to help curve that, a lot. (1) - Do not use switching, non-transformered, power supplies, but use linear power supplies that use a total isolation step-down transformer. (2) - The other place to use 'Isolation Transformers' is at the audio stages. Mine, is at the STL to Audio-IN of the AM610 Carrier-Current transmitter. I bought the Radio Shack ones, while they were available. They are very effective. (3) - Have your transmitter and Coupler Unit grounded to its own independent Earth Ground, not the house wiring ground, or the indoor plumbing. If, you use the house wiring, and, or plumbing, then that can lead to two problems, Ground-Loop-Hum, where the components are the lesser path to a grounding potential, and also can lead to RF feedback into the transmitter. These techniques will help a lot to tame Ground-Loop-Hum. Now, walking through the house, with a portable in your house, you may notice some hum & distortion in various places inside from your AM Carrier-Current Station. Why??? Multipath of signals coming to your receiver from everywhere. You take your radio outside and your station's signal cleans right up. Less other signal path sources of your signal coming to your radio, and outside you want it that way anyway. Signal going to the power lines and radiating mainly from those. I hope that this INFO helps. Believe me, I didn't just learn this overnight. And, I'm still learning.  Oh yeah!!!! Boomer, of WAG AM690 found on the MBCF.net blogs someone thinking of trying Ye Poor Man's Carrier-Current Coupling Unit. (Scroll down a ways there.) https://mbcf.boards.net/thread/3143/carrier-current-coupler-construction COOL!!!! That's the idea.

113

Part 15 AM and FM Station Operation / Ye Poor Man's AM Carrier-Current Coupling Unit! DIY'ers, run with it!

« on: January 01, 2025, 1811 UTC »

https://archive.org/details/ye-poor-mans-am-carrier-current-coupler-10-5-2024-experimental       Experimental Medium Wave Band Carrier-Current Coupling Unit for Broadcasting via FCC Part 15 Rules permissibly. I have had very limited time to work on this project, therefore, I am leaving it to the Open-Source DIY'ers out there to go ahead and run with this. There is no physical, electrical, connection from a transmitter's RF Output to the power lines, but it is all LC, (Inductively & Capacitively.), done to couple Radio Frequency signal to the AC power line. This will help alleviate the hazards and fear of electrical AC shock. That said, care and safety still needs to be observed. Power levels tested were as low as 2 milliwatts. VSWR stayed below 1.5:1 from 530kHz to 1710kHz. However, best coupling effectiveness seemed to be around 1200kHz. One possible problem with this method of coupling is that there is little, to no, Harmonic Suppression. Therefore, it is suggested to use a well filtered transmitter with this method of Experimental Coupling. Components are all listed on the crudely drawn schematic, and should be readily available. Try this and permissibly broadcast around your neighborhood, or just up and down the street. Ranges will very with power lines locations. You may get a few hundred feet, or even a few thousand. Go to it, and good luck!
BTW, while you are there, on Archive, check out the whole page for schematics, interviews, construction projects, manuals, etc., download and use. https://archive.org/details/@thadood   That page is growing, when I have time to add to it.

114

Amateur Radio / Heads-up on AM Marathon and The Heavy Metal Rally this NYD's? And, more...

« on: December 28, 2024, 1700 UTC »

I blew off C2C AM and woke-up listening to the AM'ers on 3885kHz. Anyway, I heard them talk about an AM Marathon for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Then, the annual AM Heavy Metal Rally, for the weekend of 1/4 - 1/5/2025. (Called that since the idea is to use older tube Amateur and military gear, but anyone can get-in on this.) Where to monitor, and, or, talk?

160M - Centered around 1885kHz.

75M - From 3873 - 3885kHz. However, there is AM activity down near 3700kHz, in the Extra Portion of the band.

40M - From 7285 - 7295kHz. (Albeit, later in the day SW Broadcasters still crash this on 40M.)

20M - Call FREQ has been 14.286kHz. However, due to lots of SSB'er there, Timtron, WA1HLR suggested using from 14.320 - 14.345MHz. (I tend to agree with that practice.)

17M - Upper portion of that WARC band.

15M - Suggested 21.420 - 21.445MHz.

12M - Upper portion of that WARC band.

10M - Centered around 29.0000MHz (Calling FREQ.), with activity about every 10kHz up.

6M - Centered around 50.400MHz (Calling FREQ.), with activity about every 10kHz up.

2M - This has been considered a 'Local Option' upon where to operate. However, a suggested Calling FREQ could be 144.300MHz.

222MHz, 902MHz, 1.2Ghz, and up? Well, you could always experiment with AM where the band calls for 'Mixed Modes'.

Regardless, the idea is to have fun on AM. Hear you on? Hope so. OH yeah!!! The AM Rally starts on February 1st, 2025.  http://www.amrally.com/    This page is from this year, but could answer some questions.  https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/heavy-metal-am-rally.895916/

Hear ya on-air AM? Hope so!!!!

115

North American MW Pirate Radio / UNID 1620 AM 0230 UTC 27 DEC 2024

« on: December 27, 2024, 1632 UTC »

EDM music, battling it out with Pensa Cola, FL's 1620kHz, and Cuba. In between tracks, no ID, but a double blast of a siren, then start of next track. Heard on the truck stereo on the way back from work. Nothing, on 1710kHz, thus far.

116

General Radio Discussion / Re: Best places to sell radios? Well, I've done it here.

« on: December 26, 2024, 1854 UTC »

I haven't sold any gear on The HFU, but I've bought stuff here.  https://www.hfunderground.com/board/index.php/board,26.0.html   Passing contemplation. Good luck!!!!

117

VHF/UHF Logs, including satellites and radiosondes / In my area, it looks like VHF MURS, take #2?

« on: December 26, 2024, 1842 UTC »

My scanners not only include HAM FREQ's, but also all five VHF High Band MURS channels, as well as GMRS / FRS. About a decade ago, local CB'ers were trying out the MURS Band, and I joined them, so that they could get away from the Cycle 24 F2 Skip then. What killed that? When Cycle 24 died-out, and the locals thought that they could talk further back on 27MHz CB. And, due to the fact that the terrain here sucks for VHF, and especially UHF, in West Virginia, I could certainly see that. Last week, I was hearing the scanner stop on a QSO on MURS CH2, 151.880MHz FM, and recognized a CB friend of mine. So, I joined-in and asked what's up. Whelp, a bag of douche is trashing the CB locally. So, since some of these dudes still had MURS rigs, they're trying it again. How long will this last? I duh-know... But, it's neat to hear them on again, and get newer folks to try the band with cheap Chinese commercial HT's. Hey... Antennas are easy enough to build for that band. So, what are you hearing on MURS out there?

118

Part 15 AM and FM Station Operation / Re: MICROPOWER AM BROADCASTING – A SCRATCH-BUILT SSTRAN AMT3000?

« on: December 26, 2024, 1827 UTC »

I've got to say, that puts my work to shame. All, very well done and nicely documented.

119

Propagation / Winter Sporadic "E" is back! Well, it was last night for 11M / 10M.

« on: December 21, 2024, 2013 UTC »

Had the CB on at 11PM, EST last night, on CH38 LSB, only to find short-skip Sporadic "E" PROP popping in there from WNY, WI, N. IL, MI, MN, then later moving West to NE, MO, KS, AR, and then Dallas, TX, around 1AM. On 10M, KF0JAY, was just picking them out in pile-ups. (Even I was heard in there with the WV mention.). I didn't check 6M, but now I kind of wish that I did. So, a neat night for 11M and 10M. More to come? Hope so... https://www.dxmaps.com/spots/mapg.php?Lan=E&Frec=50&ML=M&Map=W2LN&HF=N&DXC=ING2&GL=S

120

Propagation / RW write-ups on FM DX'ing Meteor Scatter.

« on: December 10, 2024, 1810 UTC »

https://www.radioworld.com/global/the-geminids-on-fm-a-celestial-symphony-you-can-hear     Huh... The longest FM burst that I've heard was about 2sec. Not exactly good to station ID'ing. However, there were, and still are, FM DX Freaks, out there, that leave-on for like +24hrs a slow recorder to try and catch a Meteor Burst with an ID. In the 70's and 80's, slow Open-Reel decks did that, then those C Crane slowed-down cassette recorders in the 90's. Today, a low bitrate MP3 recorder. So, if you can't see meteors, due to cloud cover, you could still listen for them.