Messages

1

22 Meter Band HiFER Beacons / Re: PVC

« on: December 30, 2023, 2054 UTC »

Thanks!

PVC Changed to regular Morse at 7WPM recently. Partly because I had to restart it in a hurry, and forgot how to set QRSS mode, and partly for a change. The fiddly part is that the keyer has to be programmed in Morse, using a paddle keyer. I'm still a real Morse novice

2

Equipment / Re: Crazy big Magnetic Loop Antenna

« on: December 21, 2023, 2039 UTC »

I know this conversation is a bit old, but small ferrite loop antennas can transmit after a fashion. A few years ago, I cajoled our son into a radio project for the science fair. We made a part 15 transmitter, working at the top of the AM broadcast band, and tested some different antennas. One of these was a ferrrite rod resonated with a variable cap, and a small winding coupling to it from the transmitter. It worked quite well, although not as well as a coil loaded 10ft vertical.  We were trying to stick within the spirit of Part 15 regulations for power and antenna size. Part of this was that with tight coupling, the antenna pulled the transmitter oscillator, so it was hard to get it perfectly on tune for full efficiency.

I mean to test this again one day, just for fun, using some more stable hardware.

3

22 Meter Band HiFER Beacons / Re: PCO

« on: December 19, 2023, 1834 UTC »

Time to check for PCO again - it's been a while since I listened in. Will let you know.

LWCA activity on HiFER beacons waxes and wanes, but the long list indicates there's still quite a lot of interest.

4

22 Meter Band HiFER Beacons / Re: Turkey Day Test 13565 - VUDU

« on: December 18, 2023, 1727 UTC »

VUDU heard at S3-S5 ~ 16:30 PST on 17th December. Very easy copy.

5

22 Meter Band HiFER Beacons / Re: Strong RTTY or similar on 22m

« on: July 15, 2023, 0828 UTC »

Apologies - I miss typed and had meant to say that I would expect encryption, but got myself tangled!

Only brief monitoring has been possible, so my observations aren't comprehensive, but I have heard nothing of this signal while in the UK

6

22 Meter Band HiFER Beacons / Re: Strong RTTY or similar on 22m

« on: July 04, 2023, 1928 UTC »

When I last listened (earlier this week), this signal still pops up, and seems well established. I'm in the UK at the moment, so will take a little time to listen for it here.

Interesting effort on the decode, thanks for that. I suspect it would be unlikely that anything transmitting in this "band" would be encrypted, but it's still interesting to know the mode used.

Ed

7

HF Beacons / Re: 4663 kHz dash/chirp

« on: July 03, 2023, 0437 UTC »

Sorry, was slow to get back to this.  I heard the signal from the SF Peninsula, near Stanford University. 

Not heard again since my initial report - listening opportunities coincided with poor conditions.

Ed

8

HF Beacons / 4663 kHz dash/chirp

« on: June 11, 2023, 2015 UTC »

I'm hearing a rough chirp beacon/marker  at 4553 kHz (USB). This repeats approximately on a 4 sec period. There's a slight descent in th enote, which is also wavery/fluttery. Additionally, the starting pitch seems to vary a little.  Peaking arounf S5 received on the random wire dipole.

9

22 Meter Band HiFER Beacons / Re: What have I got myself into?

« on: April 04, 2023, 2049 UTC »

Welcome to 22m. For such a tiny sliver of HF spectrum, it is rather an interesting place. With the improved propagation over the last couple of years, there's been a lot of activity. Some is sort of formalised, then as you have noted, there are other signals that defy explanation.

Ed (HiFER beacon PVC, 13,555.5xx kHz)

10

22 Meter Band HiFER Beacons / Re: AN HIFER BEACON

« on: April 04, 2023, 2044 UTC »

I heard AN last week (3/30 and 3/31) via the KFS SDR.

11

22 Meter Band HiFER Beacons / Re: Strong RTTY or similar on 22m

« on: March 28, 2023, 2321 UTC »

Thanks folks.

Yes, the KFS SDR is a reliable way to hear these signals. I'm further South but have also heard them while monitoring HiFERs. I can certainly record some audio, and also have a go at decoding.

Ed

12

22 Meter Band HiFER Beacons / Strong RTTY or similar on 22m

« on: March 17, 2023, 1850 UTC »

Hi Folks,

Lately, I've been noticing strong RTTY (or similar FSK mode) signals within the ISM 22m band - at least two sources were apparent last weekend (11/12 March 23). Please add your observations to this thread.

Thanks

Ed

13

22 Meter Band HiFER Beacons / Whooper

« on: October 31, 2022, 1709 UTC »

Observed 30th Oct 22 "Whooper" signal Circa 13,555.200. A rising tone when heard in USB mode. Seems to be on for a short while, 5-10 minutes then disappear, rather than fade in and out.

Ed

14

Equipment / Re: The secret antenna of the Russian Amateur Unlis Radio 27 Oct 2022

« on: October 28, 2022, 2217 UTC »

From what I've read, and understand from my education, it is based on flawed physics. Although the antenna might radiate, it is not because of the theory claimed for it.

Basically, you cannot make EM radiation by creating separate magnetic and electric fields. Radiation is created in the form of linked E and H fields by the fundamental physics of accelerating charge. You can't force that link to happen from separate sources.

A good run down on some of the details here, along with why it appears to work https://www.w8ji.com/e-h_antenna.htm

15

22 Meter Band HiFER Beacons / Re: TSN

« on: October 28, 2022, 2003 UTC »

TSN has been a regular during weekend monitoring here on the Left Coast. Certainly up to 22/23 Oct. Using the Belka DX portable and its 29" telescopic antenna, TSN was audible during during fade-ups on the 23rd, early evening PDT. AZ was also heard during the same session.

EH