We seek to understand and document all radio transmissions, legal and otherwise, as part of the radio listening hobby. We do not encourage any radio operations contrary to regulations. Always consult with the appropriate authorities if you have questions concerning what is permissible in your locale.

Author Topic: Longwave  (Read 12427 times)

Offline ratroo

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 11
  • Shenandoah Valley Virginia
    • View Profile
Longwave
« on: December 23, 2012, 0516 UTC »
 I scan longwave every so often and besides some very faint morse code, I've heard absolutley nothing.  The morse code was on freq. 202 at about 430utc on 12-22.  Anybody ever hear anything on the longwaves??

Offline skeezix

  • Global Moderator
  • Marconi Class DXer
  • *****
  • Posts: 5544
  • Minneapolis, MN
  • What does 'RNO stand for?
    • View Profile
Re: Longwave
« Reply #1 on: December 23, 2012, 0520 UTC »
Yeah, hear a lot of NDBs from around 200 to 420 or so, then a few more from 510-529, including NAVTEX on 518.
Minneapolis, MN

Offline ratroo

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 11
  • Shenandoah Valley Virginia
    • View Profile
Re: Longwave
« Reply #2 on: December 23, 2012, 0535 UTC »
Yeah. Not much going on there.  Not even worth scanning, unless you know Morse code.

cmradio

  • Guest
Re: Longwave
« Reply #3 on: December 23, 2012, 0621 UTC »
Yeah. Not much going on there.  Not even worth scanning, unless you know Morse code.

*gasp*

HERETIC! >:(

*beats silly with NERF bat*

http://www.lwca.org has info on experimenters down there :)

Peace!

Offline Kilokat7

  • Global Moderator
  • DX Legend
  • *****
  • Posts: 1450
  • West Michigan
    • View Profile
    • Kilokat7 DX
Re: Longwave
« Reply #4 on: December 23, 2012, 0658 UTC »
Conditions were decent earlier when I checked.  I heard European broadcasters on 162, 171 & 183 KHz.  On the best nights I've had audio on most of the Euro broadcast channels.
PLS QSL kilokat7(at)gmail.com
Location: Western Michigan
Perseus SDR / DKAZ loops
1980s pirate off-air archive
West Michigan DX

Offline refmo

  • Marconi Class DXer
  • ********
  • Posts: 7812
  • Northeast Kentucky
    • View Profile
Re: Longwave
« Reply #5 on: December 23, 2012, 1343 UTC »
I forgot to check the LW euro broadcasts last night :(
Generally only a handful of nights per year that I can hear them.

Also, Algiers on 153,  and BBC on 198.  198 has a powerful NDB in North Carolina (DIW) that makes things difficult for me.
Northeast Kentucky
Please eQSL to refmo[at]outlook[dot]com
Radios: Afedri AFE822x, Airspy HF+, RX-888, RSPdx, Tecsun PL880
Antennas: 700' Loop Skywire, Wellbrook ALA1530LN Loop, 400' Beverage, 34' Vertical, low dipoles on upper bands.

Offline skeezix

  • Global Moderator
  • Marconi Class DXer
  • *****
  • Posts: 5544
  • Minneapolis, MN
  • What does 'RNO stand for?
    • View Profile
Re: Longwave
« Reply #6 on: December 23, 2012, 1621 UTC »
I've looked for LW & MW Euro stations, but the most I get is an occasional weak carrier in the waterfall on MW. Never strong enough for audio. Have yet to see anything on LW from there.

And there is also http://www.500kc.com
« Last Edit: December 23, 2012, 1622 UTC by skeezix »
Minneapolis, MN

Offline ratroo

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 11
  • Shenandoah Valley Virginia
    • View Profile
Re: Longwave
« Reply #7 on: December 23, 2012, 1654 UTC »
I'm very new to all of this so I'm still trying to get the hang of things.  I'm using a Tecsun pl 660.  Refmo I bet that NDB you are talking about is what I heard though, around the 195-205 range.  Was strongest for me at 202.  So I'm guessing if its a non directional beacon, that its not for aircraft?  What would the purpose of it be then??

Offline refmo

  • Marconi Class DXer
  • ********
  • Posts: 7812
  • Northeast Kentucky
    • View Profile
Re: Longwave
« Reply #8 on: December 23, 2012, 1717 UTC »
NDB's are for aviation navigation.  The signal has no inherent directional info.  The aircraft has a specialized antenna/receiver to determine the direction to the signal.
More info here:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-directional_beacon
Aircraft also often tune to AM broadcast stations with their NDB receiver for use in navigation.
Northeast Kentucky
Please eQSL to refmo[at]outlook[dot]com
Radios: Afedri AFE822x, Airspy HF+, RX-888, RSPdx, Tecsun PL880
Antennas: 700' Loop Skywire, Wellbrook ALA1530LN Loop, 400' Beverage, 34' Vertical, low dipoles on upper bands.

Offline ratroo

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 11
  • Shenandoah Valley Virginia
    • View Profile
Re: Longwave
« Reply #9 on: December 23, 2012, 1724 UTC »
Thanks for the info refmo.  The one you were saying was in North Carolina I bet is what I heard.

Offline skeezix

  • Global Moderator
  • Marconi Class DXer
  • *****
  • Posts: 5544
  • Minneapolis, MN
  • What does 'RNO stand for?
    • View Profile
Re: Longwave
« Reply #10 on: December 23, 2012, 1741 UTC »
Used to fly and used the ADF for listening to AM broadcast stations all the time. Even used the AM broadcast stations for navigation (unofficially).

One beacon I used a lot was Kenie (AA) on 365 kHz. To this day (20+ years later), still tune in to hear the ol' friend sending AA out to the world.

Interesting thing... listened for our two local beacons, Hopey (PPI) on 400 kHz and Vagey (AP) on 338. Found Hopey going strong, but only thing I hear on 338 is SHL. Its in Sheldon, SD.

Looks like Vagey went away, as don't see it on the sectional.

Minneapolis, MN

Offline ratroo

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 11
  • Shenandoah Valley Virginia
    • View Profile
Re: Longwave
« Reply #11 on: December 23, 2012, 1751 UTC »
Ill take a look at that sectional map and start printing and logging.  LW is the band that I really know the least about.  I did do some graveyard dxing on MW for a short bit around 0500utc this morning.  Got KMOX out of St. Louis.  That's a good distance from here.  That was interesting.

Offline Chanter

  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 553
  • Madison, WI, U.S.
    • View Profile
Re: Longwave
« Reply #12 on: December 23, 2012, 1908 UTC »
I actually started learning Morse code for the purpose of logging beacons, mainly NDB's!  Overnight around here, I get tons of them on LW, mainly Quebecois and Ontarian signals, but quite a few locals as well.  When I'm home, Monah "MS" in Madison blasts in, for good reason, and "UNU" out of Juneau and "RYV" in Watertown are pretty clear.  Here, Kooky "AQ" out of Appleton can be loud, but isn't always.  I've only managed one Iowan and one Michigan NDB each so far, and amazingly caught a Tennessee one on the extreme low end of MW one night in the recent past. 

I would absolutely love to be able to catch a Euro or African broadcaster on LW, but haven't managed it yet.  Much of what I hear as far as broadcast stations go are either harmonics or unintentional LW broadcasts of local stations.  An-noy-ing! 
Madison, WI, U.S.A. 
Tecsun PL-660, Yaesu FT60R handheld, and Realistic DX-398 (back up and running!) 
QSL's appreciated 

There's a geeklady turning that dial!
SWLer, MWLer, LW and HF beaconeer, technician class ham, DXer of all bands and program listener. 
RNW forever.

Offline skeezix

  • Global Moderator
  • Marconi Class DXer
  • *****
  • Posts: 5544
  • Minneapolis, MN
  • What does 'RNO stand for?
    • View Profile
Re: Longwave
« Reply #13 on: December 23, 2012, 2117 UTC »
As of late have been spending more time down there seeing what's going on.

Down around 200-220, heard a couple of NDBs deep into Canada (hundreds of miles north of here) and they were coming in better than the local beacon.

On 518 kHz are NAVTEX stations. Bunch from around the US & Canada and I've been able to get Bermuda & Greenland.

Down in VLF, can easily hear a very strong USN station in LaMoure, ND on 25.2 kHz. A couple of other USN stations from Washington (state) and Maine on 24.0 & 24.8 kHz. There's another on 40 kHz. Plus the venerable WWVB on 60 kHz.

SAQ, a very old transmitter over in Sweden will be pumpin' out the dits on 17.2 kHz starting at 0800Z on 12/24/2012. They'll fire up the ol' fella at 0730Z to get it warmed up.

More info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grimeton_VLF_transmitter
http://www.alexander.n.se/transmissions.htm


There's a whole world beneath the AM broadcast band.

Minneapolis, MN

Offline ratroo

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 11
  • Shenandoah Valley Virginia
    • View Profile
Re: Longwave
« Reply #14 on: December 23, 2012, 2210 UTC »
I've thought about learning Morse code, I think it would be beneficial.  I'm going to try to fire up the Tecsun tonight and scan some.  I hate cold weather and I'm not standing outside to do it, even tho I know it would be better lol.  Everybodies comments have been helpful and I appreciate it.  Looking forward to learning more and sharing my interests with people who have the same interests.