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Author Topic: Nondirectional beacon challenge  (Read 1779 times)

Offline MDK2

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Nondirectional beacon challenge
« on: January 04, 2017, 1723 UTC »
So far, with my meager antenna setup, the only thing I can ever get on LW is the "AP" beacon, a mere 16 miles from my home. (If the band on the Satellit 750 receiver went below 100 kW, I could try for WWVB, but it doesn't.) It's doubtful I could ever hope to set up the kind of antenna for real LW DX that most of you are using, but it occurred to me that I don't know which among you has heard AP, and of those who have, which of you are the furthest away. I don't read these posts very often since I'm kind of left out of the fun, but this seems like it can be interesting.

So my challenge is to see who hear can get (or already has copied) AP (at 260 kHz) and for whom it's the greatest DX.
Denver, CO.
SDRPlay RSPdx & RSP2pro, Airspy Discovery HF+, Icom IC-7100, Grundig Satellit 750, Realistic DX-300, Tecsun PL-600.
MLA-30 active loop, G5RV dipole.
eQSLs appreciated wickerjennie at gmail

Offline Fred Smith

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Re: Nondirectional beacon challenge
« Reply #1 on: January 04, 2017, 1751 UTC »
Once you get the mini whip you should be able to hear a lot more beacons.

Here is where to find the info you seek, http://www.classaxe.com/dx/ndb/rna/signal_list

And more specifically here, http://www.classaxe.com/dx/ndb/rna/signal_map_na/586

Located in Maryland I've never heard AP 260 regardless of the antenna used.
FT-920, SDR Play and others. 80 meter doublet/openwire feed, 80/10 OCFD, 400 BOG  NE/SW unterminated

Offline jFarley

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Re: Nondirectional beacon challenge
« Reply #2 on: January 04, 2017, 1857 UTC »
MDK2;

Fred Smith is right; once you get the mini whip up, you should be able to hear a lot more.  That, with an SDR, would allow you to log hundreds of beacons, and you are located in a good area to hear much of the USA and Canada.

Be forewarned that NDB DXing is highly contagious; I DXed them in the 80's and 90's, and resumed a few years ago.  With a solar minimum a couple of years off, LW props will most likely get better and better.  It's a good time to start getting ready.

AP is a regular here in Chicago at 1451 km.  I have had the good fortune to hear all 8 active NDBs in CO this season.

Joe Farley, Near Chicago
SDR-IQ / R8 / R7
Remote Resonant Loops for HF and LF / ALA 1530
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