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HF Beacons / Re: 6 MHz Western USA Beacons
« on: December 28, 2018, 2341 UTC »Nice catches and screenshots, Exo. I have been trying for the 6 MHz beacons for years. I will have to live vicariously through your loggings
I do remember quite a few years ago hearing some of the west coast beacons like OR and S (which I think are gone now). Looking back at the old logs here, I was hearing the 4096 beacons back in 2009, and I think a few years after that, but no more.
Hi Chris,
Probably, HexY2k offers the best chance to catch.
On 6700.46 kHz CW, the HexY2k dasher beacon is by far the stronger signal among the 6 MHz beacons.
Rainy and Rocky are very elusive, even here on the west coast; they look and sound like RFI; and they change their modulation characteristics frequently, perhaps due to temperature or voltage
Rocky is especially rare, because one can tune right past it, thinking it is just RFI carrier crud.
They are never logged here at western USA night; perhaps all 3 of them require solar sunlight?
Or maybe it is just due to the nature of propagation.
If they are solar-only, and one is trying to predict a possible opening, remember that many of the western USA sites have sunsets that are shadowed due to the mountains or very high trees.
So, plan to watch at least 1 hour or more before official local sunset at the beacon site.