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Author Topic: Beacon Project "Common and Precious II" (OFF air, 6.398.5kHz, 30W)  (Read 113904 times)

Offline Zazzle

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Re: Beacon Project "Common and Precious II" (on air, 6.398.5kHz, 30W)
« Reply #15 on: July 04, 2016, 0959 UTC »
Heyho,

Eh! Noticed a bug in the firmware. It sends "52W" instead of "25W". Lucky me, that I kept the TX-Box hidden on the ground this time. The controller is fittet into a socket, so I can replace it without big trouble.

Also the first reports came in. Made my day. :)

I wonder when the first oversea reports will arrive.

Greetings,
Zazzle,
Trans-/Receivers: JRC NRD-525,  ICOM IC-R72,  YAESU VR-5000,  YAESU FT-897D
Antennas: 80M Halfwave Dipole,  40m Inverted-V,  5/8λ Groundplane,  20M Longwire,  misc. UHF/VHF Scanner Antennas.

Offline ChrisSmolinski

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Re: Beacon Project "Common and Precious II" (on air, 6.398.5kHz, 30W)
« Reply #16 on: July 11, 2016, 1023 UTC »
I wonder when the first oversea reports will arrive.

Hi Zazzle,

I was able to receive the beacon the other day. I sent you a message with a link to some recorded audio.
Chris Smolinski
Westminster, MD
eQSLs appreciated! csmolinski@blackcatsystems.com
netSDR / AFE822x / AirSpy HF+ / KiwiSDR / 900 ft Horz skyloop / 500 ft NE beverage / 250 ft V Beam / 58 ft T2FD / 120 ft T2FD / 400 ft south beverage / 43m, 20m, 10m  dipoles / Crossed Parallel Loop / Discone in a tree

Offline DimBulb

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Re: Beacon Project "Common and Precious II" (on air, 6.398.5kHz, 30W)
« Reply #17 on: August 27, 2016, 0106 UTC »

Hello Zazzle, ULX2 let me know about your beacon.

I'm located in New Hampshire, USA and was listening to your beacon starting about an hour before local sunset and your signal was always there but battling with the thunderstorm static. Typically I could copy 30% to 50% of the CW. I have a 200m beverage antenna pointed at Europe (built for 160m but works very well on 48m).

August 25, 2016

2240z s3, noise peaks s7
2315z s4, noise peaks s7 (sun nearly set)
2330z s2, noise s5
Location: New Hampshire  eMail: dimbulb999@gmail.com

Offline Zazzle

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Re: Beacon Project "Common and Precious II" (on air, 6.398.5kHz, 30W)
« Reply #18 on: September 08, 2016, 1152 UTC »
Hi there!

Summertime... always full of activities and I somehow lost track of checking for reports. Mea Culpa.

I was able to receive the beacon the other day. I sent you a message with a link to some recorded audio.

Thank you a lot! I read your mail today. A QSL card will be send out within the next couple of days.


I'm located in New Hampshire, USA and was listening to your beacon starting about an hour before local sunset and your signal was always there but battling with the thunderstorm static. Typically I could copy 30% to 50% of the CW. I have a 200m beverage antenna pointed at Europe (built for 160m but works very well on 48m).

Also big thanks to you. I send you a mail, asking about details and whether you'd like to receive a QSL card as well. :)

Kind greetings,
~Zazzle..
Trans-/Receivers: JRC NRD-525,  ICOM IC-R72,  YAESU VR-5000,  YAESU FT-897D
Antennas: 80M Halfwave Dipole,  40m Inverted-V,  5/8λ Groundplane,  20M Longwire,  misc. UHF/VHF Scanner Antennas.

Offline Zazzle

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Trans-/Receivers: JRC NRD-525,  ICOM IC-R72,  YAESU VR-5000,  YAESU FT-897D
Antennas: 80M Halfwave Dipole,  40m Inverted-V,  5/8λ Groundplane,  20M Longwire,  misc. UHF/VHF Scanner Antennas.

Offline ChrisSmolinski

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Re: Beacon Project "Common and Precious II" (on air, 6.398.5kHz, 30W)
« Reply #20 on: September 08, 2016, 1552 UTC »
Nice pictures, Zazzle, thanks for sharing!
Chris Smolinski
Westminster, MD
eQSLs appreciated! csmolinski@blackcatsystems.com
netSDR / AFE822x / AirSpy HF+ / KiwiSDR / 900 ft Horz skyloop / 500 ft NE beverage / 250 ft V Beam / 58 ft T2FD / 120 ft T2FD / 400 ft south beverage / 43m, 20m, 10m  dipoles / Crossed Parallel Loop / Discone in a tree

Offline PirateSWL

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Re: Beacon Project "Common and Precious II" (on air, 6.398.5kHz, 30W)
« Reply #21 on: September 08, 2016, 1715 UTC »
Is the beacon on 24/7 or specific times ? Will keep an ear out for it. Would be my first beacon to listen for. Guess I should expand my SWL hobbies ; )
Brian D. - PirateSWL
Pirate Radio Shortwave Enthusiast from NY
RX: ICOM 7300 / 40m dipole
Not embarrassed to admit I often use Shazam ; )
eQSL greatly appreciated to PirateSWL@aol.com

Offline Zazzle

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Re: Beacon Project "Common and Precious II" (on air, 6.398.5kHz, 30W)
« Reply #22 on: September 09, 2016, 0832 UTC »
Hey!

Is the beacon on 24/7 or specific times ? Will keep an ear out for it. Would be my first beacon to listen for. Guess I should expand my SWL hobbies ; )

It runs 24/7. And with you being in the area of NY you have a good chance to pick a signal, even if somewhat noisy and weak. From the reports I got so far mostly in the morning hours.

Also, try your luck with the 30M-Band Beacon at 10.237.800Hz. :)

Greetings!
~Zazzle
Trans-/Receivers: JRC NRD-525,  ICOM IC-R72,  YAESU VR-5000,  YAESU FT-897D
Antennas: 80M Halfwave Dipole,  40m Inverted-V,  5/8λ Groundplane,  20M Longwire,  misc. UHF/VHF Scanner Antennas.

Offline Gino Italy

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Rx R&S ESH3,Collins HF 2050,  R&S EK 56, Hallicrafters R45 ARR7, Hallicrafters SX 42, Racal 1778,Teletron TE 712 S, R&S EK 47, R1051 URR, Teletron TE 704, SDR RSP2,  antenna folded dipole B&W -Delta loop for 20mt  and vertical antenna 12mt, dipole 40/ 80 mt, loop magnetic 2mt diameter , 3,5-14,5 Mhz

Offline ulx2

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Re: Beacon Project "Common and Precious II" (on air, 6.398.5kHz, 30W)
« Reply #24 on: April 27, 2017, 2349 UTC »
Hello Zazzle!

The beacon on 6398.5 kHz seems to be silent. No reception of it for months here.
LOC: Kyiv, Ukraine
RX1: Degen DE-1103 portable
RX2: Xhdata D-808 portable
RX3: Airspy Mini SDR + Spyverter
ANT1: 80 mb dipole
ANT2: Long wire (10 meters)
ANT3: Homemade M0AYF active loop
ACC: Homemade passive preselector & phasing device

https://udxb.blogspot.com/

Offline Zazzle

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Re: Beacon Project "Common and Precious II" (on air, 6.398.5kHz, 30W)
« Reply #25 on: June 16, 2017, 1415 UTC »
Hello Zazzle!
The beacon on 6398.5 kHz seems to be silent. No reception of it for months here.

I knooooooow. And I'm sooooory. :)

But I really felt not for fixing in. The weather was cold and wet until a few weeks ago and I really felt not for it. My worst fear was that the Beacons go stolen or seriously damanaged. Which added to my lack of motivation. The idea of facing time consuming repairs was not appealing at all. Looks like it has been dead since beginning of March.

But I checked last weekend. The mains cable, that runs over the steal beams under the roof is broken in two places. Cut into half. Looks like bite marks. I guess a rat (or other animal) had it's fun with the cable.

Verything else looks fine. Dunno when I'll have time to fix that. Likely at the beginning of next month.

I keep you posted.

~Zazzle
Trans-/Receivers: JRC NRD-525,  ICOM IC-R72,  YAESU VR-5000,  YAESU FT-897D
Antennas: 80M Halfwave Dipole,  40m Inverted-V,  5/8λ Groundplane,  20M Longwire,  misc. UHF/VHF Scanner Antennas.

Offline ChrisSmolinski

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Re: Beacon Project "Common and Precious II" (on air, 6.398.5kHz, 30W)
« Reply #26 on: June 19, 2017, 0015 UTC »
Hearing your beacon on 6398.46 at 0014z on 19 Jun 2017.
Chris Smolinski
Westminster, MD
eQSLs appreciated! csmolinski@blackcatsystems.com
netSDR / AFE822x / AirSpy HF+ / KiwiSDR / 900 ft Horz skyloop / 500 ft NE beverage / 250 ft V Beam / 58 ft T2FD / 120 ft T2FD / 400 ft south beverage / 43m, 20m, 10m  dipoles / Crossed Parallel Loop / Discone in a tree

Offline Zazzle

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Re: Beacon Project "Common and Precious II" (on air, 6.398.5kHz, 30W)
« Reply #27 on: June 19, 2017, 1154 UTC »
Hey everyone,

HA! Motivation struck and I fixed everything yesterday. What a beautiful evening. Lovely warm, no clouds and the sunset was just beautiful to watch. I love the look of ruins, flooded with the warm light of sunset.. and "mejestic "Antennas. Feels like reaching out from a secret, hidden world. Ah~ I'm getting romantic!. :)

Anyway. Fixing everything went smooth. I replaced most of the broken cables and renewed the joints with modern conenctors. Looks all nice and ready for some years to come.

In short: this beacon is up again. :)

Kind greetings,
Zazzle,



Trans-/Receivers: JRC NRD-525,  ICOM IC-R72,  YAESU VR-5000,  YAESU FT-897D
Antennas: 80M Halfwave Dipole,  40m Inverted-V,  5/8λ Groundplane,  20M Longwire,  misc. UHF/VHF Scanner Antennas.

Offline Zazzle

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Hi,

Status Update: This one is off air. Since about 10 days.

It died along with the 30m band Beacon.

I took the transmitter box with me. Looks like the PA is fried. The Keying works. I suspect that the stray field of a nearby lightning strike fried it.

Kind greetings,
Zazzle
Trans-/Receivers: JRC NRD-525,  ICOM IC-R72,  YAESU VR-5000,  YAESU FT-897D
Antennas: 80M Halfwave Dipole,  40m Inverted-V,  5/8λ Groundplane,  20M Longwire,  misc. UHF/VHF Scanner Antennas.

Offline syfr

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Re: Beacon Project "Common and Precious II" (OFF air, 6.398.5kHz, 30W)
« Reply #29 on: August 19, 2017, 1301 UTC »
May they rise again before the fall DX season. They're always fun targets here in the US

I really enjoy reading (and seeing pix of) your stations.  Abandoned buildings with power are hard to find!
Kiwsdr x 2. TenTec Paragon/NRD535