Hunting For NDB’s In CLE190

LU-214KHz - Abbotsford, BC
Once again it's time for the monthly Co-ordinted Listening Event (CLE) for NDB hunters....the 190th event. These always interesting and popular affairs take place over three nights, with this one starting on Friday, January 23rd, at local noon and running until Monday, January 26th, local noon.

These listening events serve several purposes. They:
  • determine, worldwide, which beacons are actually in service and on-the-air so the online database can be kept up-to-date
  • determine, worldwide, which beacons are out-of-service or have gone silent since the last CLE covering this range
  • will indicate the state of propagation conditions at the various participant locations
  • will give you an indication of how well your LF/MF receiving system is working
  • give participants a fun yet challenging activity to keep their listening skills honed
This time, it's a normal event, focusing on a small (~ 15kHz) section of the NDB band. Here are the details from event organizer, Brian Keyte (G3SIA):


Our 190th Co-ordinated Listening Event is already less than a week away. 

Do join in if you can. First-time CLE logs will also be very welcome.

Days: Fri. 23 - Mon. 26 January, Midday-Midday, your local time


Frequencies: NDBs from 190 - 239.9 kHz


PLUS Normal NDBs on 'half-way' frequencies nnn.5 kHz
(from 190.5 - 999.5 kHz)

Both halves are for everyone to try.

Away from Europe the frequencies below 240 kHz are mostly busy with
NDBs. In Europe there are very few but some DX ones might be heard
from North America and maybe a few other places.

The normal NDBs (no DGPS please) which have carriers on the 'half-way'
frequencies (e.g. 284.5 DY, 333.5 VOG, 359.5 CDN, 370.5 LB, 403.5 LNL)
are scattered across Europe but there are very few of them elsewhere.
Some 'hot spots' are ENG, FRA, ITA and XOE.
These half-frequencies give comfortable QRM-free listening and probably
some good catches as a result.
America has only one or two (e.g. 381.5 SJX) but East and West coasters
might hear some DX ones.

We last used these 'rules' for CLE174 in September 2013.


Good listening - enjoy the CLE
Brian
----------------------------------------------------------
From: Brian Keyte G3SIA ndbcle'at'gmail.com
Location: Surrey, SE England (CLE co-ordinator)
----------------------------------------------------------

(If you wish you could use any one remote receiver for your loggings,
stating the location and owner - with their permission if required.
A remote listener may NOT also use another receiver, local or remote,
to make further loggings for the same CLE).


Final details can be found at the NDB List website, and worldwide results, for every participant, will be posted there a few days after the event. If you are a member of the ndblist Group, results will also be e-mailed and posted there.

The very active Yahoo ndblist Group is a great place to learn more about the 'Art of NDB DXing' or to meet other listeners in your region. There is a lot of good information available there and new members are always very welcome.

If you are contemplating getting started on 630m, listening for NDBs  is an excellent way to test out your receive capabilities as there are several NDBs located near this part of the spectrum.

You need not be an ndblist member to participate in the CLEs and all reports, no matter how small, are of much value to the organizers. 

Reports may be sent to the ndblist or e-mailed to either myself or CLE co- ordinator, Brian Keyte (G3SIA), whose address appears above.

Please...do give the CLE a try....then let us know what NDB's can be heard from your location! Your report can then be added to the worldwide database to help keep it up-to-date.
Steve McDonald, VE7SL, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from British Columbia, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].

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