Hunting For NDBs in CLE195

'YPM' - 274kHz courtesy: Alex - VE3GOP
It's CLE time once again! For you low-frequency buffs, another challenge awaits. This month's frequency range covers the mid-band, 270.0 - 319.9 kHz.

A list of all of the North American  targets in this range can be found in the RNA database, while targets for European DXers will be found here... specify the frequency range wanted and check 'show all results'.

An excellent target for this CLE is  'YPM' in Pikangikum, Ontario, on 274kHz. Its 25 watts and big antenna are heard well throughout North America

From CLE coordinator Brian Keyte (G3SIA) comes the following reminder:

Hi all.

Have you tried one of our Co-ordinated Listening Events yet?

CLEs are NOT contests - they allow us to share the same listening
challenge and in the process to learn more about our great hobby.
Short logs or long ones, everyone who enjoys taking part is a winner!
Since early in 2001 over 250 different NDB List members have taken
part in a CLE for the first time - and over four in every five came back
for more.
Fourteen members have come back over 100 times, 44 over 50 times.

Our 195th Co-ordinated Listening Event, coming in a few days, will be
rather a challenge (we like those, don't we?)!

Days: Friday 19 June - Monday 22 June (a week early)
Times: Start and end at midday, your LOCAL time
Range: 270.0 - 319.9 kHz (NOT DGPS beacons)

Yes - it does include most of the DGPS frequencies, but it is 50 kHz wide,
about three times more than usual. We shall be listening only for the
'NORMAL' NDBs.
We last searched for NDBs on these frequencies in CLE180 (March 2014).

We shall all have at least one end of the range for some comfortable
listening, but the main challenge will be to find the Morse signals among
all the DGPS noises. REU and RNA show that, since the start of last year,
about 270 and 200 normal NDBs respectively have been reported there.
There are several to be heard by our members 'down under' as well.

Please look out for the 'Final Details', which as usual will follow about
two days before the start.

73
Brian
----------------------------------------------------------
From: Brian Keyte G3SIA ndbcle'at'gmail.com
Location: Surrey, SE England (CLE co-ordinator)
---------------------------------------------------------- 


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

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. 'First-time' logs are always VERY welcome!

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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