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Author Topic: Longwave Aero Beacon Fun  (Read 3089 times)

Offline LanceLovejoy

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Longwave Aero Beacon Fun
« on: December 26, 2011, 0638 UTC »
Well, nothing much happening on HF tonight, so I dusted off the old LF Engineering LF Active Antenna hook-up. The ol antenna itself has been nobly languishing unused at the top of our treehouse for years, but lo and behold, once fired up the ol boy still worked like a charm and with conditions apparently being favorable for good Dx, I was soon pummeled with more signals than I coud shake a stick at, good for a few hrs fun.  Maybe some Longwaver  out there can explain why the Canadian beacons come in so much better than their American cousins, made for some good Dx.  I'll have to try DGPS before I disconnect the old antenna again.  Seems like a lot of these great beacons are getting decomissioned, enjoy em while you can!

198     DIW     Dixon, NC
216     CLB      Wilmington, NC
218     RL         Red Lake, ON
219     YMG      Monitouwadge, ON
223     YYW       Armstrong, ON
227     FZ         Eaves, MO
233     QN        Nakima ON
241     HF         Hearst Fontaine, ON
244     TH         Thompson Manitoba(55N, 97W!)
245     YZE      Gore Bay, ON
248    WG        Winnipeg MAN
248    FRt         Spartenberg, SC
258    ZSJ        Sandy Lake, ON
260     YAT       Attawapiskat, ON
269    FES        Festus, MO (home of the Bottle-Rockets!)
274    YPM        Pikangikum, ON
275    DY           KC, MO
278,   NM         Matagami, QC
332    FIS         Fish Hook, FL
338    LM          Stl, MO
335    YLD         Chapleau, ON
346    YBL        Sioux Lookout, ON
350    CP          Cahokia, IL
362     SB         Sudbury, ON
366    YMW       Maniwaki, ON
382     YPL         Pickle Lake, ON
385     JD          Belleville, IL
382     SP          Springfield, IL
404     ST           Stl, MO
407     ZHU        Montreal, QC
407     YTA          Pembrooke, ON
413     YHD        Dryden, ON
414     RPB        Belville, KS
420     FQ          Fairmont, MN
425     SYW       Greenville, TX
431      IZN        Lincolnton, NC
434     SLB         Strom Lake, ON
512     HMY        Lexington, OK
Icom R75-wellbrook 330s
St. Louis MO
lancelvj@gmail.com

cmradio

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Re: Longwave Aero Beacon Fun
« Reply #1 on: December 26, 2011, 0807 UTC »
LW NDB is fun!

The low sunspots have sure helped the past few winters, too :)

Peace!

Offline ChrisSmolinski

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Re: Longwave Aero Beacon Fun
« Reply #2 on: December 26, 2011, 2117 UTC »
Well, nothing much happening on HF tonight, so I dusted off the old LF Engineering LF Active Antenna hook-up. The ol antenna itself has been nobly languishing unused at the top of our treehouse for years, but lo and behold, once fired up the ol boy still worked like a charm and with conditions apparently being favorable for good Dx, I was soon pummeled with more signals than I coud shake a stick at, good for a few hrs fun.  Maybe some Longwaver  out there can explain why the Canadian beacons come in so much better than their American cousins, made for some good Dx.  I'll have to try DGPS before I disconnect the old antenna again.  Seems like a lot of these great beacons are getting decomissioned, enjoy em while you can!

I was just trying for some longwave beacons the other day, and noticed that there did not seem to be as many as the last time I tried (which was probably 5 or 10 years ago). I didn't realize they were being decommissioned.

I remember back in the late 70s when TUK (194 kHz?) used to do voice weather reports.
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 LanceLovejoy

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Re: Longwave Aero Beacon Fun
« Reply #3 on: December 27, 2011, 0022 UTC »
Sad but true about the longwave NDB's becoming an ever rarer species. :'(    according to William Hepburn's beacon page:
http://www.dxinfocentre.com/ndb.htm

The following is his list of just the recently decomissioned beacons:

Beacons Recently Decommissioned
201  ZDV  Montreal, QC
218  DRM  Drummond Island, MI
232  MIG  Millington, TN
233  EY   Norfolk, VA
233  HLM  Holland, MI
236  DEH  Decorah, IA
241  VBW  Bridgewater, VA
242  EDJ  Bellefontaine, OH
249  RK   Suffolk, VA
251  OEA  Vincennes, IN
251  PRO  Perry, IA
257  FFF  Plymouth, MA
260  BYN  Bryan, OH
269  TOF  Beverly, MA
270  TPF  Tampa, FL
278  XWY  West Union, IA
284  DPG  Dugway Proving Ground, UT
284  ZMT  Montreal, QC
290  TVK  Centreville, IA
308  BTI  Barter Island, ALS
320  HTN  Miles City, MT
338  GFZ  Greenfield, IA
339  LQX  Lehighton, PA
341  MYZ  Marysville, KS
346  PCM  Plant City, FL
347  PNJ  Paterson, NJ
348  DKG  Columbus, OH
348  ZUL  Montreal, QC
359  UES  Waukesha, WI
362  RZL  Rensselaer, IN
363  IOM  McCall, ID
366  CYO  Circleville, OH
368  GDE  Beaumont, TX
371  ACQ  Waseca, MN (AWOS)
373  PMH  Portsmouth, OH
375  SPH  Springhill, LA
382  PCZ  Waupaca, WI
382  VCY  Valley City, ND
388  DT   Detroit, MI
388  ISZ  Cincinnati, OH
388  OYD  Rome, GA
391  RZO  Demopolis, AL
397  CIN  Carroll, IA
407  BNW  Boone, IA
407  RV   Reedsville, PA
428  POH  Pocahontas, IA
518  GCT  Guthrie Center, IA
Icom R75-wellbrook 330s
St. Louis MO
lancelvj@gmail.com

Offline skeezix

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Re: Longwave Aero Beacon Fun
« Reply #4 on: December 30, 2011, 0107 UTC »
I've been listening to 365 AA Fargo, ND (KENIE) for 20+ years. Used to use that fella when flying around back then, but haven't flown in years. Still tune it in today... listening to it right now on an old Collins ADF in the basement. AA is like an old friend.

Hope they don't decommission too many of them. On the other hand... if they clear out the lower part of the band, perhaps the FCC will allocate some LW broadcasting? Would love to have a 2MW transmitter. However, can't afford the electric bill.




Minneapolis, MN