Author Archive
Upcoming ‘NAVTEX’ CLE
March 20th, 2015 | 
Author:  | |
| http://www.nautelnav.com |
NAVTEX is a one-way bulletin service for maritime vessels that allows them to print out up-to-date weather and navigational warnings. NAVTEX is broadcast in the SITOR / FSK mode (using a 170Hz frequency shift) on 518KHz and 490KHz.
Stations throughout the world, usually located near the coast or large inland waterways such as the Great Lakes, transmit scheduled broadcasts once every four hours. They have a ten-minute 'slot' which is often not fully used. Conversely, some stations consistently run over their allotted time slot with longer then normal bulletins.
Most NAVTEX stations run a minimum of 400W, with most of them in the 1000W or higher range, making for some interesting DX targets around the world. Under good conditions, it is not unusual to log NAVTEX stations from the Far East here on the west coast or from Europe, on the eastern side of North America.
Simple software can be downloaded and used to decode NAVTEX broadcasts but you'll need to feed audio from your receiver into your computer's sound card. Most amateurs already have some method of doing this, usually via the 'mic' or 'line' input on the computer.
Today's CLE 'heads-up' is to give participants extra time to flesh-out their system, especially if you have not tried decoding these transmissions before ... But the learning-curve is not a difficult one.
From CLE organizer, Brian Keyte (G3SIA), comes the follow by way of the Yahoo NDBlist Group:
Hi all
Our seventh Navtex Co-ordinated Listening Event will soon be here.
The sixth Navtex Event (CLE168) was in March 2013.
Many NDB List members have 'discovered' the NAVTEX mode from our
earlier CLEs and found it fascinating. Any NavtexDX members who
haven't taken part in a CLE before can discover the value of comparing
their results with the rest of us - in a constructive, non-competitive way!
Days: Friday 27 March - Tuesday 31 March
Times: Start and end at midday, your local time
QRG: 490kHz and 518 kHz (no other frequencies please)
We are adding the extra 24 hours at the end, to help us to cover
the two frequencies adequately.
Newcomers to Navtex are very welcome to join in - my simple Introduction
to get you started is below. For the much better FULL DETAILS AND ADVICE
go to our info page ( http://www.ndblist.info/ ) and select the box to visit
the Datamodes Section or direct to http://www.ndblist.info/datamodes.htmhttp://www.ndblist.info/datamodes.htm
All the Navtex information is in the lower part there:
Details are given of several good decoders which are freely available
including Dirk's excellent YaND and the SeaTTY decoder which can
be used without charge for a 30-day trial period. Members' Navtex
reports are included in REU/RNA/RWW, also reached via
http://www.ndblist.info/
This advice is a bit early to give extra time to prepare for decoding.
Please look out for the Final Details about three days before the CLE
starts. It will include important advice about log making, etc.
## This Listening Event is for the NDB List AND the NavtexDX List.
The advice is going to both Lists, and so will my 'Final Details' and the
Combined Results after the event, etc.
If you are a Member of NavtexDX, please continue to post to that list.
If you are ONLY a Member of NDB List please post any NAVTEX CLE logs
to NDB List (including any trial sessions before the CLE).
Whichever List(s) you belong to, do give the event a try.
Good Navtexing
Brian
----------------------------------------------------------
From: Brian Keyte G3SIA ndbcle'at'gmail.com
Location: Surrey, SE England (CLE Co-ordinator)
----------------------------------------------------------
NAVTEX - A SIMPLE INTRODUCTION
The worldwide NAVTEX system transmits navigational and meteorological
warnings and forecasts and urgent marine safety information to ships.
It provides a fascinating variation on our hobby, needing all the usual
skills with receivers and aerials and knowledge of different propagation
conditions, but adding some good DX reception, interesting navigational
messages and the ability to leave your receiver and PC 'listening all night'
while you are fast asleep! These short notes are just intended to GET YOU
STARTED, taking some of the initial mystery out of Navtex and Decoding,
explaining as simply as possible how to receive your first stations, how to
identify them and how to report your loggings.
1. TUNING TO A NAVTEX SIGNAL Set your receiver to show 516.30 kHz
on the dial for 518 kHz (or 488.3 for 490 kHz) with USB setting and
a wide filter, such as 2 kHz (Or, with CW setting, set your receiver to
the actual Navtex frequency and the BFO to +1.7 kHz).
You should occasionally hear the background noise replaced by the
warbling sounds of a Navtex signal.
2. GETTING SIGNALS TO YOUR PC Make an audio connection from the
receiver to the PC sound card input. It's best to use the more professional
advice about how to do that, but I just take a length of co-ax from the two
terminals of one side of some primitive headphones direct to the PC's line
input socket. You should be able to hear the signal in the speakers by
adjusting the PC volume control settings (playback and/or recording). If
necessary you could use the microphone input socket, but it is important
to AVOID OVERLOAD which could damage the sound card.
3. INSTALLING A DECODER PROGRAM A decoder program (see the Navtexsection in the Website) is easily installed in your PC - just follow the
advice. When you have succeeded with your first decodes we recommend
using YaND, which has many features designed specially for our needs.
As a very simple 'starter' though, I recommend the free Frisnit decoder.
Go to http://www.frisnit.com/navtex/ and in Downloads select NAVTEX
decoder (PC). Just save the 'navtex.exe' file, then double click on it.
With a 1700 Hz setting on the display, in no time you will see the incoming
messages.
Then move on to Dirk's YaND, which identifies the received Stations for you,
helps you to set up your log in the right format for REU/RNA, etc. and has
many extra features.
Alternatively, SeaTTY is also a very good decoder with some extra features.
It is quite easy to install and use and its 30-day trial is free of charge.
4. RECOGNISING THE STATIONS You will find that most Navtex messages
start with 'ZCZC' and end with NNNN. The ZCZC is followed by two letters
and two numbers - e.g. OA12. The first letter gives you a good idea which
Station you have received and it tells you the times of day, 4 hours apart,
when that station is likely to transmit. Most of the 'O' stations transmit
starting at 02:20, then 06:20, 10:20, etc. The World is split into Navtex
areas and there is often only one Navtex station using each letter in each
area. In North West Europe (Area 01) an 'O' station heard on 518 kHz is
likely to be Portpatrick in Scotland, but it might be from Malta (Area 03)
or even St Johns, Newfoundland (in Area 04). The actual messages should
remove any doubt about which of the possible stations it is - the messages
may include the Station Name (e.g. 'MALTA RADIO'), or the Navtex Area
Number or geographical references, latitude/longitude, etc.
The second letter (A) shows what kind of message it is and the rest
provides a message number.
5. STATION IDENTS We use our own way of identifying each station in our
logs and station lists. It always starts with a '$' which means 'this is a
Navtex Station' and it allows us to include these stations in lists with the
other kinds of beacons in the Rxx database, etc. Immediately after the $
comes the two-digit Area Number (most of the eastern part of N.America is
area 04). Last comes the Station Letter - an important part which provides
the main 'key' to the station sending the message. So the 'O' station above
would be $01O if Portpatrick, $03O if Malta and $04O if St Johns. You can
find lists of the Navtex stations and the times they transmit in Rxx and
from Alan's World Database in the Navtex Section of the Website.
YaND automatically works out for you everything in 4. and 5. above!
### IMPORTANT: However, WHICHEVER decoder you use it is important to
CHECK ALL YOUR LOG ENTRIES. Make sure that each decoded message
shows the as-transmitted Station letter and that each message
contains text confirming the identity of the Station you are showing.
6. OVER TO YOU! You can sit and watch the messages arriving or just leave
your receiver and decoder program running overnight, then look through the
messages afterwards to see what you have caught.
Enjoy!
Our seventh Navtex Co-ordinated Listening Event will soon be here.
The sixth Navtex Event (CLE168) was in March 2013.
Many NDB List members have 'discovered' the NAVTEX mode from our
earlier CLEs and found it fascinating. Any NavtexDX members who
haven't taken part in a CLE before can discover the value of comparing
their results with the rest of us - in a constructive, non-competitive way!
Days: Friday 27 March - Tuesday 31 March
Times: Start and end at midday, your local time
QRG: 490kHz and 518 kHz (no other frequencies please)
We are adding the extra 24 hours at the end, to help us to cover
the two frequencies adequately.
Newcomers to Navtex are very welcome to join in - my simple Introduction
to get you started is below. For the much better FULL DETAILS AND ADVICE
go to our info page ( http://www.ndblist.info/ ) and select the box to visit
the Datamodes Section or direct to http://www.ndblist.info/datamodes.htmhttp://www.ndblist.info/datamodes.htm
All the Navtex information is in the lower part there:
Details are given of several good decoders which are freely available
including Dirk's excellent YaND and the SeaTTY decoder which can
be used without charge for a 30-day trial period. Members' Navtex
reports are included in REU/RNA/RWW, also reached via
http://www.ndblist.info/
This advice is a bit early to give extra time to prepare for decoding.
Please look out for the Final Details about three days before the CLE
starts. It will include important advice about log making, etc.
## This Listening Event is for the NDB List AND the NavtexDX List.
The advice is going to both Lists, and so will my 'Final Details' and the
Combined Results after the event, etc.
If you are a Member of NavtexDX, please continue to post to that list.
If you are ONLY a Member of NDB List please post any NAVTEX CLE logs
to NDB List (including any trial sessions before the CLE).
Whichever List(s) you belong to, do give the event a try.
Good Navtexing
Brian
----------------------------------------------------------
From: Brian Keyte G3SIA ndbcle'at'gmail.com
Location: Surrey, SE England (CLE Co-ordinator)
----------------------------------------------------------
NAVTEX - A SIMPLE INTRODUCTION
The worldwide NAVTEX system transmits navigational and meteorological
warnings and forecasts and urgent marine safety information to ships.
It provides a fascinating variation on our hobby, needing all the usual
skills with receivers and aerials and knowledge of different propagation
conditions, but adding some good DX reception, interesting navigational
messages and the ability to leave your receiver and PC 'listening all night'
while you are fast asleep! These short notes are just intended to GET YOU
STARTED, taking some of the initial mystery out of Navtex and Decoding,
explaining as simply as possible how to receive your first stations, how to
identify them and how to report your loggings.
1. TUNING TO A NAVTEX SIGNAL Set your receiver to show 516.30 kHz
on the dial for 518 kHz (or 488.3 for 490 kHz) with USB setting and
a wide filter, such as 2 kHz (Or, with CW setting, set your receiver to
the actual Navtex frequency and the BFO to +1.7 kHz).
You should occasionally hear the background noise replaced by the
warbling sounds of a Navtex signal.
2. GETTING SIGNALS TO YOUR PC Make an audio connection from the
receiver to the PC sound card input. It's best to use the more professional
advice about how to do that, but I just take a length of co-ax from the two
terminals of one side of some primitive headphones direct to the PC's line
input socket. You should be able to hear the signal in the speakers by
adjusting the PC volume control settings (playback and/or recording). If
necessary you could use the microphone input socket, but it is important
to AVOID OVERLOAD which could damage the sound card.
3. INSTALLING A DECODER PROGRAM A decoder program (see the Navtexsection in the Website) is easily installed in your PC - just follow the
advice. When you have succeeded with your first decodes we recommend
using YaND, which has many features designed specially for our needs.
As a very simple 'starter' though, I recommend the free Frisnit decoder.
Go to http://www.frisnit.com/navtex/ and in Downloads select NAVTEX
decoder (PC). Just save the 'navtex.exe' file, then double click on it.
With a 1700 Hz setting on the display, in no time you will see the incoming
messages.
Then move on to Dirk's YaND, which identifies the received Stations for you,
helps you to set up your log in the right format for REU/RNA, etc. and has
many extra features.
Alternatively, SeaTTY is also a very good decoder with some extra features.
It is quite easy to install and use and its 30-day trial is free of charge.
4. RECOGNISING THE STATIONS You will find that most Navtex messages
start with 'ZCZC' and end with NNNN. The ZCZC is followed by two letters
and two numbers - e.g. OA12. The first letter gives you a good idea which
Station you have received and it tells you the times of day, 4 hours apart,
when that station is likely to transmit. Most of the 'O' stations transmit
starting at 02:20, then 06:20, 10:20, etc. The World is split into Navtex
areas and there is often only one Navtex station using each letter in each
area. In North West Europe (Area 01) an 'O' station heard on 518 kHz is
likely to be Portpatrick in Scotland, but it might be from Malta (Area 03)
or even St Johns, Newfoundland (in Area 04). The actual messages should
remove any doubt about which of the possible stations it is - the messages
may include the Station Name (e.g. 'MALTA RADIO'), or the Navtex Area
Number or geographical references, latitude/longitude, etc.
The second letter (A) shows what kind of message it is and the rest
provides a message number.
5. STATION IDENTS We use our own way of identifying each station in our
logs and station lists. It always starts with a '$' which means 'this is a
Navtex Station' and it allows us to include these stations in lists with the
other kinds of beacons in the Rxx database, etc. Immediately after the $
comes the two-digit Area Number (most of the eastern part of N.America is
area 04). Last comes the Station Letter - an important part which provides
the main 'key' to the station sending the message. So the 'O' station above
would be $01O if Portpatrick, $03O if Malta and $04O if St Johns. You can
find lists of the Navtex stations and the times they transmit in Rxx and
from Alan's World Database in the Navtex Section of the Website.
YaND automatically works out for you everything in 4. and 5. above!
### IMPORTANT: However, WHICHEVER decoder you use it is important to
CHECK ALL YOUR LOG ENTRIES. Make sure that each decoded message
shows the as-transmitted Station letter and that each message
contains text confirming the identity of the Station you are showing.
6. OVER TO YOU! You can sit and watch the messages arriving or just leave
your receiver and decoder program running overnight, then look through the
messages afterwards to see what you have caught.
Enjoy!
A Buzzy Day On The Magic Band
 |
| courtesy: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/ |
A swift-moving Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) arrived earlier than predicted, slamming into the earth's atmosphere shortly after 0430z yesterday morning. What begin as a small K5 disturbance quickly grew to a K8, signalling the strongest geomagnetic storm of Solar Cycle 24.
 |
| courtesy: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/ |
It didn't take long for the VHF bands to start filling up with auroral signals as 6m diehards soon discovered that something was amiss.
Throughout all of the day, strong auroral signals were copied and many stations were worked from here in SW British Columbia. Having the peak conditions in the middle of a working day meant hearing fewer stations than might normally be expected compared with an evening event, yet dozens of stations, including Colorado, made it out west ... even on 2m!
 |
| courtesy: http://www.on4kst.org/chat/index.php |
Strong auroral events like this, especially at the equinox, can trigger swift rises in the F2 MUF as conditions return to normal. Hopefully 6m will unleash some of its F2 magic for what might be one of the cycle's last big hurrahs.
Alaskan Morning On The BCB
Following the recent good LF propagation to Alaska allowing me to hear several low powered NDBs that I haven't heard since early last fall (shows what a dismal DX winter this has been), I decided to check Saturday morning's Perseus recordings made about 30 minutes before local dawn.
I have previously only logged one station from Alaska on the medium wave band but then again, I don't often look for them.
I was surprised to hear the normal KBOI (Boise) powerhouse on 670KHz replaced by another strong signal ... KDLG in Dillingham. It can still be heard weakly under KDLG's strong signal. Listen as they go from a piano interlude to the ID. I just can't make out the short part before the identification when the announcer says, "this is your ?? radio station ...". It sounds like 'Monday" but this was on Saturday morning.
Next heard was KICY, in Nome, all in the clear on 850KHz with a good identification.
KICY was followed by KAGV in Big Lake, near Anchorage, on 1110KHz. This was a lucky catch as KBND in Bend, Oregon had a huge signal at the time but went open mike just long enough for KAGV to be clearly heard. Listen as the strong KBND signal goes quiet only to start up again at the end of the Alaskan's identification ... perfect timing!
A fourth Alaskan, KVNT in Eagle River, was also logged on 1020KHz... not with an ident but with talk of "Eagle River".
All-in-all, a good morning to the north. As the solar cycle draws lower and lower, this type of reception will only get better over the next few years ... something to look forward to for BCB DXers.
All of these signals were heard at 1400Z using the Perseus SDR and my 70' inverted L resonated at 400KHz.
I have previously only logged one station from Alaska on the medium wave band but then again, I don't often look for them.
I was surprised to hear the normal KBOI (Boise) powerhouse on 670KHz replaced by another strong signal ... KDLG in Dillingham. It can still be heard weakly under KDLG's strong signal. Listen as they go from a piano interlude to the ID. I just can't make out the short part before the identification when the announcer says, "this is your ?? radio station ...". It sounds like 'Monday" but this was on Saturday morning.
Next heard was KICY, in Nome, all in the clear on 850KHz with a good identification.
KICY was followed by KAGV in Big Lake, near Anchorage, on 1110KHz. This was a lucky catch as KBND in Bend, Oregon had a huge signal at the time but went open mike just long enough for KAGV to be clearly heard. Listen as the strong KBND signal goes quiet only to start up again at the end of the Alaskan's identification ... perfect timing!
A fourth Alaskan, KVNT in Eagle River, was also logged on 1020KHz... not with an ident but with talk of "Eagle River".
All-in-all, a good morning to the north. As the solar cycle draws lower and lower, this type of reception will only get better over the next few years ... something to look forward to for BCB DXers.
 |
| courtesy: https://www.google.ca/maps |
ET Call Home
Late last week I received an interesting e-mail from Thomas Pell in Winter Haven, Florida.
It seems that Tom has been doing some building after reading my series of blogs about my lightwave adventures and has started his own adventure. As he told me initially:
"... I'm retired with too much time on my hands, and I'm tired of the big gritty hobby projects ... after reading about Harvard U's optical SETI project, which looks for extraterrestrial laser signals with a 48 inch, then 72 inch mirror. I thought it would be fun to build a setup like theirs, but at audio frequencies instead of the RF laser signals ... my purpose was to get light signals from other amateur laser dx experimenters or even ET ... better than watching my wife's TV shows. Also a giant telescope that costs almost nothing is fun too."
Tom built up the PIN diode detector shown in my notes, which was a slight variation of the one developed by Roger, G3XBM (see his great lightwave notes here) and based on an earlier plan by K3PGP.
Along with the receiver, Tom built a substantial optical antenna ... a 48" Mylar-based parabolic mirror!
"... it is a wood structure ... round piece of 1/2 inch plywood, 48" in diameter ... around the perimeter a 4" wide strip of 1/8" plywood is wrapped and glued with epoxy putty. On the upper end of 1/8 ply is another circular plywood flange inside. This flange is to glue mylar sheet. The mylar is then tensioned with tape on the side. It is something like a round guitar in appearance... a box ... you suck the air out ... I use a shop vacuum with 1/4 in rubber tube taped to vacuum hose ... hose barb epoxied to hole inside of mirror ... not ideal but if you seal it up well with epoxy, it works..."
 |
| courtesy: Thomas Pell |
It seems that there is now an active movement amongst some SETI enthusiasts to search for optical beacons rather than radio beacons. When you think about it, it would seem to make just as much sense, if not more, to beacon with a modulated optical signal than with a radio signal ... and the optical signal might be far easier to detect. Some of the papers suggest that an optimum frequency would be in the near IR or deep red part of the spectrum, right where most optical amateur two-way work is presently being done.
During his first few tests of the new mirror, Thomas stumbled upon one signal (the only one) which came from just one single point in the sky ... almost directly overhead in Orion.
"At 9:30 pm 3/5/2015, using the amplifier circuit you use in your optical communication receiver connected to a 48 inch parabolic mirror, I received an apparently modulated optical signal originating in center of Orion constellation. Signal was audio frequency low to high pitch and lasted for more than an hour. I located the signal by moving the mirror back and forth across the sky for nearly an hour until I found a "blip", then focused the mirror exactly on the spot to listen to it, incredible experience."
"Received signal again last night from same location. I am becoming convinced it is information of some kind.Very irregular rapidly pulsed. This was only a test of amplifier ... I never expected this result, was totally unprepared. Meanwhile time is passing and I can't seem to contact anyone to have it confirmed before it disappears from the sky. It seems, no one has a setup like this ... this signal is either very important or it's nothing ... I think. Will let you know about outcome."
At this point, Tom is just trying to figure out what type of signal he has been hearing and will be attempting to get a better recording of it over the next few nights. I have heard his initial recording, just done with an I-pad held close to the amplifier's speaker output and it does sound suspiciously like a data train of clicking pulses. Hopefully Tom will solve the mystery soon!
NDB Band Wakes Up
The LF NDB band was alive with signals from the east on Tuesday evening ... not the best I have heard but one of the better openings this winter. Nothing over the past few years can compare with the unbelievably good propagation of the last Solar Cycle minimum, so there should be some great LF propagation in the upcoming years. Remember also that listening for NDB's in the 400Khz range can be a good test of your 630m receiving system.
My nightly "go to" propagation indicators to the east are YLJ-406, in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan and AA-365, in Fargo, on the ND/MN border. Their reported powers are 15W and 100W respectively.
YLJ's signal was a solid S9 as heard here, while AA, further to the south was also doing well, heard here.
Further to the east, 25W ZHD-399, in Dryden, Ontario, revealed itself here.
From near Montreal, ZHU-407, at 95W, made a rare appearance here, along with YMW-366, a 500-watter from Maniwaki, Quebec here.
By far the highlight of the evening (and a new catch for me) was little OO-391, at the Ottawa Municipal Airport, Ontario ... last reported to be at just 7W output! Listen here carefully for the long dash followed by the 'OO'.
Yahoo Group's NDBlist member, VE3GOP, is the beacon maintenance man for OO and many others, and will check the power tomorrow.
All of these signals were heard at ~ 9PM local time, in a 6Hz filter using the Perseus SDR and my 10' x 20' active loop.
The previous morning had some of the year's best propagation to Alaska so far ... that direction has been dismal ... with the following NDB's heard (mostly 25-watters) in the pre-dawn hours:
03 10 1300 529 SQM Level Island AK CO36
03 10 1300 396 CMJ Ketchikan AK CO45
03 10 1300 391 EEF Sisters Island AK CO28
03 10 1300 372 FPN Fredericks Point AK CO36
03 10 1300 266 ICK Annette Island AK CO45
03 10 1300 414 IME Mt. Edgecumbe AK CO27
03 10 1300 394 RWO Kodiak AK BO37
03 10 1300 209 CYT Yakataga AK BP80
03 10 1300 390 HBT Sand Point AK AO95
03 10 1300 358 SIT Sitka AK CO26
03 10 1300 350 VTR McGrath AK BP22
03 10 1100 338 CMQ Campbell Lake AK BP41
03 10 1100 233 ALJ Johnstone Point AK BP60
03 10 1100 212 CGL Coghlan Island AK CO28
03 10 1100 223 AFE Kake AK CO36
03 10 1100 229 AKW Klawock AK CO35
03 10 1100 283 DUT Dutch Harbor AK AO63
03 10 1100 245 HNS Haines AK CO29
03 10 1300 347 DJN Delta Junction AK BP74
03 10 1100 411 ILI Iliama AK BO29
03 10 1100 277 ACE Homer AK BO49
03 10 1100 355 AUB King Salmon AK BO18
03 10 1100 524 MNL Valdez AK BP61
03 10 1300 382 JNR Unalakleet AK AP93
03 10 1100 281 CRN Cairn Mountain AK BP21
03 10 1100 385 EHM Cape Newenham AK AO88
03 10 1100 385 OCC Yakutat AK CO09
03 10 1300 390 AES Northway AK BP29
03 10 1100 404 GCR Cordova AK BP70
03 10 1100 525 ICW Nenana AK BP54
03 10 1300 251 OSE Bethel AK AP90
03 10 1100 341 ELF Cold Bay AK AO85
03 10 1300 248 GLA Gulkana AK BP72
03 10 1100 379 IWW Kenai AK BP40
03 10 1300 399 SRI St. George AK AO56
03 10 1300 393 TOG Togiak, AK AO99
03 10 1300 429 BTS Dillingham, AK BO08
03 10 1300 227 MHM Minchumina AK BP33
Unfortunately it looks like LF prop will be deteriorating rapidly, with the recent round of flares expecting to stir up absorption levels over the next several days ... however, HF should see the benefits of the increased sunspot activity ... maybe all is not lost after all!
My nightly "go to" propagation indicators to the east are YLJ-406, in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan and AA-365, in Fargo, on the ND/MN border. Their reported powers are 15W and 100W respectively.
YLJ's signal was a solid S9 as heard here, while AA, further to the south was also doing well, heard here.
Further to the east, 25W ZHD-399, in Dryden, Ontario, revealed itself here.
From near Montreal, ZHU-407, at 95W, made a rare appearance here, along with YMW-366, a 500-watter from Maniwaki, Quebec here.
 |
| YMW-366KHz Maniwaki, QC courtesy: http://www.ve3gop.com/pict.htm |
By far the highlight of the evening (and a new catch for me) was little OO-391, at the Ottawa Municipal Airport, Ontario ... last reported to be at just 7W output! Listen here carefully for the long dash followed by the 'OO'.
 | ||
| OO-391KHz Oshawa, ON courtesy: http://www.ve3gop.com/pict.htm |
Yahoo Group's NDBlist member, VE3GOP, is the beacon maintenance man for OO and many others, and will check the power tomorrow.
All of these signals were heard at ~ 9PM local time, in a 6Hz filter using the Perseus SDR and my 10' x 20' active loop.
The previous morning had some of the year's best propagation to Alaska so far ... that direction has been dismal ... with the following NDB's heard (mostly 25-watters) in the pre-dawn hours:
03 10 1300 529 SQM Level Island AK CO36
03 10 1300 396 CMJ Ketchikan AK CO45
03 10 1300 391 EEF Sisters Island AK CO28
03 10 1300 372 FPN Fredericks Point AK CO36
03 10 1300 266 ICK Annette Island AK CO45
03 10 1300 414 IME Mt. Edgecumbe AK CO27
03 10 1300 394 RWO Kodiak AK BO37
03 10 1300 209 CYT Yakataga AK BP80
03 10 1300 390 HBT Sand Point AK AO95
03 10 1300 358 SIT Sitka AK CO26
03 10 1300 350 VTR McGrath AK BP22
03 10 1100 338 CMQ Campbell Lake AK BP41
03 10 1100 233 ALJ Johnstone Point AK BP60
03 10 1100 212 CGL Coghlan Island AK CO28
03 10 1100 223 AFE Kake AK CO36
03 10 1100 229 AKW Klawock AK CO35
03 10 1100 283 DUT Dutch Harbor AK AO63
03 10 1100 245 HNS Haines AK CO29
03 10 1300 347 DJN Delta Junction AK BP74
03 10 1100 411 ILI Iliama AK BO29
03 10 1100 277 ACE Homer AK BO49
03 10 1100 355 AUB King Salmon AK BO18
03 10 1100 524 MNL Valdez AK BP61
03 10 1300 382 JNR Unalakleet AK AP93
03 10 1100 281 CRN Cairn Mountain AK BP21
03 10 1100 385 EHM Cape Newenham AK AO88
03 10 1100 385 OCC Yakutat AK CO09
03 10 1300 390 AES Northway AK BP29
03 10 1100 404 GCR Cordova AK BP70
03 10 1100 525 ICW Nenana AK BP54
03 10 1300 251 OSE Bethel AK AP90
03 10 1100 341 ELF Cold Bay AK AO85
03 10 1300 248 GLA Gulkana AK BP72
03 10 1100 379 IWW Kenai AK BP40
03 10 1300 399 SRI St. George AK AO56
03 10 1300 393 TOG Togiak, AK AO99
03 10 1300 429 BTS Dillingham, AK BO08
03 10 1300 227 MHM Minchumina AK BP33
Unfortunately it looks like LF prop will be deteriorating rapidly, with the recent round of flares expecting to stir up absorption levels over the next several days ... however, HF should see the benefits of the increased sunspot activity ... maybe all is not lost after all!
State #29 On The BCB
 |
| courtesy: https://www.google.com/maps/ |
Their 5 tower array is evidently doing a good job, when propagation favors the eastern path as the antenna pattern has a strong western component while nulling the east.
 |
| courtesy: http://radio-locator.com |
"... all country legends. This is a Taylor Swift-free zone, Willie at 1660 AM".
KQWB was logged at 0300Z (7 PM local time) using the 10' x 20' loop and Perseus SDR.
New 530KHz Catch
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| CIAO Antenna courtesy: https://maps.google.ca/ |
In spite of the high K index, the broadcast band was in good shape Friday night, with a nice signal from CIAO in Brampton, Ontario. Like many of the new stations out on the west coast, this is a multi-lingual broadcaster, with most programming in Punjabi or Hindi.
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| Courtesy: https://maps.google.ca/ |
It is supposedly limited to 250 watts at night but from the sound of their signal, this regulation may not be being followed ... either that or conditions were even better than I thought.
My recording was made at 0600z (10PM local time) while looping E-W with the 10'x20' loop and the Perseus SDR.
See if you can detect the telephone numbers being given. All have an area code assigned to the Toronto region. As well, there is a second station riding beneath. I suspect one of the Cubans, Radio Reloje or Radio Enciclopedia, both on 530. There also appears to be a top-of-hour short time 'pip' ...either from the Cuban or from CIAO.
Perhaps some more experienced readers can help fill-in the blanks for me.
