Messages

211

Part 15 AM and FM Station Operation / A revisit to Part #15 media coverage? It's winter, so yeah!

« on: January 29, 2022, 1810 UTC »

Huh... Heard our local LPFM WSTQ-LP 88.1FM, https://wtsq.org/ , replay the Radio Survivor podcast with that interview from that dude from https://www.hobbybroadcaster.net/    . So, that is a good show to get Part #15 info from, and to even air on your Part #15 stations. Download from here,   http://www.radiosurvivor.com/2017/12/podcast-120-tiny-radio-station/

212

Huh? / Re: SWL'ing covers, WBCQ TESTS 4790 KHZ IN FEBRUARY! 3265kHz explained.

« on: January 28, 2022, 0749 UTC »

From Cosmik Debris:

    Quote
    What I find a little strange is the push for this new FREQ, when they still have 3265kHz down...


The main transmitter for the 3265 service is offline. It is the same model as the original 7415/7490 transmitter that burnt up because a long-term degradation of the plenum system. They aren't going to put this rig back online until a new plenum can be built. So, anything done on 3265 is using an auxiliary transmitter and is only used for experimental and test transmissions at this time.

There is also some antenna work that needs to be done for optimal operations down as low as 3265.

4790 is the transmitter that was formerly on 5130 and is ready to go.


THANKS Cosmik!!!!!

213

Huh? / SWL'ing covers, WBCQ TESTS 4790 KHZ IN FEBRUARY!

« on: January 26, 2022, 1907 UTC »

https://swling.com/blog/2022/01/wbcq-tests-4790-khz-in-february/     Cool!!!! I'm buying a couple hours on this myself. What I find a little strange is the push for this new FREQ, when they still have 3265kHz down. Eh... Whatever... Should have very similar propagation characteristics as WWV's 5MHz, and the 5-Channel 60M Amateur Radio Band, nice regional daytime coverage, and Coast to Coast coverage at night. Hey, I welcome that.  http://www.wbcq.com/

214

Amateur Radio / Winter Field Day, January 29/30, 2022!

« on: January 23, 2022, 1916 UTC »

https://www.winterfieldday.com/     Yeah... At the time of this writing, there a North American Sprint going on, (1/22-23/2022), but I heard several 75M SSB'ers sating that they were gearing up for this years Winter Field Day. Well, good! Any station that they contact, via non-repeater mode, is a point to them. Oh yeah... The AM Rally the weekend after that.

215

North American MW Pirate Radio / UNID 1710 AM 0255 UTC 23 JAN 2022

« on: January 23, 2022, 0530 UTC »

In battling with 1710kHz TIS, Hudson Co. (The Pest), was audio of Tucker Carlson talking about the Ukraine / Russian debacle. Was only in there for a couple of quick fades. UNID. It was certainly different.

216

Weather / Bitter cold makes for interesting LF, MW, and HF, signal enhancements? Uh-huh...

« on: January 21, 2022, 1903 UTC »

Reaching single digits Saturday morning 1/22/2022, this might be a neat time to check-out lower FREQ signal enhancements. And, not just the lower FREQ's, but possible Tropo from VHF / UHF stations, especially if you are up by the Great Lakes. And, if you have a Part #15 AM station, see how much further that's going to reach. If we're going to get stuck with being frigid, might as well have some fun with it. Right???

217

Part 15 AM and FM Station Operation / An AM Carrier-Current station from your livingroom? This dude does. And, gear???

« on: January 19, 2022, 1956 UTC »

Huh... Most folks doing a station either do it from the den, basement, attic, garage, or even a bedroom closet. This dude set-up in his living room. Eh... Why not???   https://www.radioworld.com/columns-and-views/workbench/workbench-retirement-starts-in-your-living-room

218

Amateur Radio / Re: ARRL January VHF / UHF Contest Weekend 1/15 - 16/2022.

« on: January 16, 2022, 2040 UTC »

Well, a good time to do this contest is 3hrs, before the close at 11PM EST, or 04:00UTC. Seasoned contesters are usually burnt-out hearing and working the regulars, but when they hear someone new then, they'll try and grab them for the points. Since I work most Saturdays, Sundays, near the end, are when I try this contest. Difference this time being is the freezing rain I'm getting now. Kind of throws-out the match on antennas on all bands. (Uh...)

219

The RF Workbench / Re: Boxes for HF beacon?

« on: January 11, 2022, 2012 UTC »

I've seen where someone used a trashed cooler. All plastic, and easy to drill through. Especially, small drip holes on the bottom. Paint that all white, and the reflected radiation will keep it cooler in the summer.

220

10/11 meters / Re: Late night "E" on 10M to 06:00UTC! And, again last night on 11M.

« on: January 11, 2022, 2004 UTC »

Huh... CB CH38LSB was jammin' with GA stations past 2AM EST last night. Nothing, heard on 10M though.

221

Huh? / Re: Time to Come Clean on AM Quality? Well, yeah!

« on: January 09, 2022, 2007 UTC »

Actually, don't you still have an AM Stereo station in your area?    https://radio-locator.com/info/WXYG-AM?loc=44.96446%2C-93.26820&locn=Minneapolis%2C%20Minnesota   How's that one sound?

222

Amateur Radio / Re: Xiegu G90. On AM??? Some AM'ers say it's good.

« on: January 09, 2022, 1934 UTC »

Listening to the 40M AM'ers on 7290kHz, I heard one station talk about the Xiegu G90, where he commented on that for AM Mode, it was the best low powered, near QRP, rig out there to sound nice on AM that he's stumbled on. Now, I have listened to mine on another rig, in headphones, and for what I have, the 'sweet-spot' settings there seem to be to set te MIC Gain on "5", (From the scale of 1 - 20.), and to have the COMP "ON". I've yet to try a QSO with just the rig's 5W carrier, but I know that it can be done, if the Bob Heil Pine-Board Projects proved anything. And, 10M 29.00000AM should be had at 5W. Most amps will take 5W nicely and bump that from 30W - 50W. Worth a try? Why not???

223

10/11 meters / Late night "E" on 10M to 06:00UTC!

« on: January 09, 2022, 1922 UTC »

Glad to hear 11M and 10M jamming last night, when I got back home from work. Heard MN and WI, but worked three friends in the same town in MO, doing a round table, just after 04:30UTC on call FREQ 28.400USB. Then, seen a nice spike of a signal on 28.405USB, with a Texas station working Philadelphia, PA. When the Texas station later called CQ, I jumped-in with just 20W and worked him to 06:00UTC, when we signed. He worked with 100W, with signals from S3 - S9, and must have had that direct pipeline from WV to TX. NICE!!!!!

224

Amateur Radio / ARRL January VHF / UHF Contest Weekend 1/15 - 16/2022.

« on: January 08, 2022, 1925 UTC »

Sporadic E rarely rocks for this, but some Tropo by coastal areas and the lack of foliage absorption usually makes this contest decent for 222MHz and 432MHz.    http://www.arrl.org/january-vhf   Now... When's that AM Heavy Metal Rally?

225

Huh? / Time to Come Clean on AM Quality? Well, yeah!

« on: January 08, 2022, 1845 UTC »

Article from an ENG to Radio World,   https://www.radioworld.com/columns-and-views/guest-commentaries/time-to-come-clean-on-am-quality

My $0.02 worth was that I believe that the noise levels are like X10 of what they were, even 30-some years ago, when I wrote back to him.