Worldwide Radio Beacon question.
 

I have a wire dipole antenna mounted between two maple trees in my
yard.

This allows me to pick up The BBC World Service on 5975 VERY loud,
along with the Atomic Clock on 10000, and 5000.

However I can't seem to pick up any of the NCDXF/IARU Beacons.

http://www.ncdxf.org/beacons.html

I don't know if it is my antenna, interference, the atmosphere, or a
combination that is giving me trouble.

Can anybody else pick these up?

Thanks.

Thanks for the link, never heard of the project 'till now.

I used MedFER's and HiFER's for propagation beacons.

--
Gregg
*Perhaps it's useful, even if it can't be SPICE'd*
Visit the GeeK Zone - http://geek.scorpiorising.ca

Walter -- Here in So Cal -- I hear 14.100 just fine -- also 18.110, but
nothing on the higher bands.

Since the SFI and A and k index are pretty bad --- SFI: 126 A-index: 16
K-Index: 4
not surprising

"Walter" wrote in message
om...
I have a wire dipole antenna mounted between two maple trees in my
yard.

This allows me to pick up The BBC World Service on 5975 VERY loud,
along with the Atomic Clock on 10000, and 5000.

However I can't seem to pick up any of the NCDXF/IARU Beacons.

http://www.ncdxf.org/beacons.html

I don't know if it is my antenna, interference, the atmosphere, or a
combination that is giving me trouble.

Can anybody else pick these up?

Thanks.

Any SW Receiver with SSB detection --- will receive CW (morse code) by
setting the mode to USB or LSB

The Beacons transmit in fast Morse code -- 22 words per minute

So an aid to figuring out where they are coming from is Beacon See -- URL:
http://sapp.telepac.pt/coaa/

But ur computer clock must be accurate to within a second

Here are some handy programs to set your computer clock automatically when
you turn on your computer
http://ac6v.com/opaids.htm#CLOCK

The NCDXF/IARU Beacon System is a great way to determine propagation to
various parts of the world --- see URL:
http://www.ncdxf.org/beacons.html

A transmission consists of the callsign of the beacon sent at 22 words per
minute followed by four one-second dashes. The callsign and the first dash
are sent at 100 watts. The remaining dashes are sent at 10 watts, 1 watt and
100 milliwatts.

Beacon See will decipher all of this if you don't copy morse. Just be sure
your computer clock is accurate.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------



"Burr" wrote in message
...
Question, stupid!

Should I be able to tune to these freq.'s on my Sat800?

Signal In The Noise wrote:
Walter -- Here in So Cal -- I hear 14.100 just fine -- also 18.110, but
nothing on the higher bands.

I'm using a Radio shack Dx-394 and it has AM, LSB, USB, CW1, and CW2.
I've been using AM.

What should I be using?

thanks.

(Walter) wrote in message . com...
I have a wire dipole antenna mounted between two maple trees in my
yard.

This allows me to pick up The BBC World Service on 5975 VERY loud,
along with the Atomic Clock on 10000, and 5000.

However I can't seem to pick up any of the NCDXF/IARU Beacons.

http://www.ncdxf.org/beacons.html

I don't know if it is my antenna, interference, the atmosphere, or a
combination that is giving me trouble.

Can anybody else pick these up?

Thanks.

The beacons ID's are sent in morse code. The entire format is:
The beacons transmit every three minutes, day and night. This table gives
the minute and second of the start of the first transmission within the hour
for each beacon on each frequency. A transmission consists of the callsign
of the beacon sent at 22 words per minute followed by four one-second
dashes. The callsign and the first dash are sent at 100 watts. The remaining
dashes are sent at 10 watts, 1 watt and 100 milliwatts.

See URL:
http://www.ncdxf.org/Beacon/BeaconSchedule.html

Tune to 14.100 MHz use CW mode

If you can't copy 22 wpm, use BeaconSee Program
http://sapp.telepac.pt/coaa/

And make sure your computer clock is accurate to within a second or less

Programs for setting ur computer clock
http://ac6v.com/opaids.htm#CLOCK
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Walter" wrote in message
om...
I'm using a Radio shack Dx-394 and it has AM, LSB, USB, CW1, and CW2.
I've been using AM.

What should I be using?

thanks.

(Walter) wrote in message
. com...
I have a wire dipole antenna mounted between two maple trees in my
yard.

This allows me to pick up The BBC World Service on 5975 VERY loud,
along with the Atomic Clock on 10000, and 5000.

However I can't seem to pick up any of the NCDXF/IARU Beacons.

http://www.ncdxf.org/beacons.html

I don't know if it is my antenna, interference, the atmosphere, or a
combination that is giving me trouble.

Can anybody else pick these up?

Thanks.

PocketBeacon at URL:

http://www.searat.com/pocketbeacon/



"Eric Ferguson" wrote in message
m...
And if anyone is interested, there is a program for Palm/Clie's called
PocketBeacon in which you put your Latitude and Longitude plus time zone,
and it'll tell you distance (in Km) and heading plus Call of the beacon.
It
also covers all 5 frequencies as well. It's a freebie, but I don't know
where I downloaded mine (maybe a Google search?). Still haven't heard a
beacon yet, but then I haven't really tried that had (yet). Eric KA6USJ

Thanks AAA for posting the URL. That's the version (1.03) that I have on
both my Palm and Clie. Site explains it better than I can.....Eric

It's conditions. I haven't been able to pick them up for some time. BTW,
this is good software for identifying beacons :
http://www.w6nek.com/hfbt804_001.htm
"Walter" wrote in message
om...
I have a wire dipole antenna mounted between two maple trees in my
yard.

This allows me to pick up The BBC World Service on 5975 VERY loud,
along with the Atomic Clock on 10000, and 5000.

However I can't seem to pick up any of the NCDXF/IARU Beacons.

http://www.ncdxf.org/beacons.html

I don't know if it is my antenna, interference, the atmosphere, or a
combination that is giving me trouble.

Can anybody else pick these up?

Thanks.

Either of the CW settings, whichever covers that frequency range.
"Walter" wrote in message
om...
I'm using a Radio shack Dx-394 and it has AM, LSB, USB, CW1, and CW2.
I've been using AM.

What should I be using?

thanks.

(Walter) wrote in message
. com...
I have a wire dipole antenna mounted between two maple trees in my
yard.

This allows me to pick up The BBC World Service on 5975 VERY loud,
along with the Atomic Clock on 10000, and 5000.

However I can't seem to pick up any of the NCDXF/IARU Beacons.

http://www.ncdxf.org/beacons.html

I don't know if it is my antenna, interference, the atmosphere, or a
combination that is giving me trouble.

Can anybody else pick these up?

Thanks.

Yes, I'm listening to the 14.100 Mhz.

The digtal traffic explains alot.

I guess It will be better in a few months, and I will have something
to measure it by.

I am getting better reception using 14.099.3 on USB than 14.100 on
CW1. any reason for this?

thanks.



Leigh Marrin/KM6JE wrote in message ...
Walter wrote:
I am getting some sort of osculating interference at about 1 second
intervals. It sounds like a cricket chirping. Also something that
sounds like a cell phone ringing, but is this comes and goes. I don't
know if this is normal, or something in my house is generating this..

Lemme guess, Walter: you're listening to the 14.100 mHz beacon, right?
This frequency is in the 20 meter "digital" sub-band, and the racket
you're hearing is probably 300 baud "Packet", or another digital mode like
AMTOR or PACTOR.

If you've got the time, there are several shareware decoding programs that
will decode at least some of this digital racket, using the sound card in
your PC.

--Leigh Marrin/KM6JE in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Considering you are using a DX 394, I am amazed that it is that close. The
readout on the 394 is well known to be rather out of calibration. Doesn't
really matter. Just tune it by ear.
"Walter" wrote in message
om...
Yes, I'm listening to the 14.100 Mhz.

The digtal traffic explains alot.

I guess It will be better in a few months, and I will have something
to measure it by.

I am getting better reception using 14.099.3 on USB than 14.100 on
CW1. any reason for this?

thanks.



Leigh Marrin/KM6JE wrote in message
...
Walter wrote:
I am getting some sort of osculating interference at about 1 second
intervals. It sounds like a cricket chirping. Also something that
sounds like a cell phone ringing, but is this comes and goes. I don't
know if this is normal, or something in my house is generating this..

Lemme guess, Walter: you're listening to the 14.100 mHz beacon, right?
This frequency is in the 20 meter "digital" sub-band, and the racket
you're hearing is probably 300 baud "Packet", or another digital mode
like
AMTOR or PACTOR.

If you've got the time, there are several shareware decoding programs
that
will decode at least some of this digital racket, using the sound card
in
your PC.

--Leigh Marrin/KM6JE in Santa Barbara, Calif.

"Walter" wrote in message
om...
Yes, I'm listening to the 14.100 Mhz.

The digtal traffic explains alot.

I guess It will be better in a few months, and I will have something
to measure it by.

I am getting better reception using 14.099.3 on USB than 14.100 on
CW1. any reason for this?

thanks.

Probably a wider filter in the USB mode. When there is little or no
interference, the signal will sound better with the wide filter.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE

The DX-394 can be very accurate but factory or post-sale alignment can
be out and component aging can be a factor. LSB and CW1 use one BFO
and switching between these modes produces no change in the beat
frequency. USB and CW2 use another BFO with the same consistent pitch
between modes. But the the two BFO's may not both be correctly
aligned. If they were, then switching between LSB/CW1 and USB/CW2
should produce no change in pitch, only a significant change in
amplitude of the desired signal and the nearby interference. When
tuned, say, 1kHz lower than the desired frequency, the resulting 1kHz
beat note should be stronger using USB/CW2; tune high by 1 kHz,
LSB/CW1 should provide a stronger beat note. If badly misaligned, it's
anybody's guess.

The only difference between the SSB and CW modes is the insertion of a
fairly sharp audio filter centred around 0.8kHz (800 Hz) in the CW
mode. This helps suppress some of the adjacent interference.

For more info on the DX-394, join the 450 strong user group at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RADIOSHACKDX394 .

73, Tom

"CW" wrote in message news:5S74b.233755$Oz4.63743@rwcrnsc54...
Considering you are using a DX 394, I am amazed that it is that close. The
readout on the 394 is well known to be rather out of calibration. Doesn't
really matter. Just tune it by ear.
"Walter" wrote in message
om...
Yes, I'm listening to the 14.100 Mhz.

The digtal traffic explains alot.

I guess It will be better in a few months, and I will have something
to measure it by.

I am getting better reception using 14.099.3 on USB than 14.100 on
CW1. any reason for this?

thanks.

tom Holden wrote:

The DX-394 can be very accurate but factory or post-sale alignment can
be out and component aging can be a factor. LSB and CW1 use one BFO
and switching between these modes produces no change in the beat
frequency. USB and CW2 use another BFO with the same consistent pitch
between modes. But the the two BFO's may not both be correctly
aligned. If they were, then switching between LSB/CW1 and USB/CW2
should produce no change in pitch, only a significant change in
amplitude of the desired signal and the nearby interference. When
tuned, say, 1kHz lower than the desired frequency, the resulting 1kHz
beat note should be stronger using USB/CW2; tune high by 1 kHz,
LSB/CW1 should provide a stronger beat note. If badly misaligned, it's
anybody's guess.

The only difference between the SSB and CW modes is the insertion of a
fairly sharp audio filter centred around 0.8kHz (800 Hz) in the CW
mode. This helps suppress some of the adjacent interference.

One of the strangest methods for generating USB and LSB reception that
many of us have ever seen.


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tom Holden wrote:

starman wrote in message ...
tom Holden wrote:

The DX-394 can be very accurate but factory or post-sale alignment can
be out and component aging can be a factor. LSB and CW1 use one BFO
and switching between these modes produces no change in the beat
frequency. USB and CW2 use another BFO with the same consistent pitch
between modes. [snip]

One of the strangest methods for generating USB and LSB reception that
many of us have ever seen.

What's strange about it? Seems economical by using the same filter for
both USB and LSB. Are there no other radios that take the same
approach?

I've never seen any but there probably is at least one more.


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For thos of you that have WinXP and an always on internet connection e.g.
cable/dsl modem.

WindowsXP is probably already syncing your computer's RTC to one of two
time standards. By default I believe it uses time.windows.com and has
available time.nist.gov

Double click on the time in the lower right hand corener of your screen.
Select the Internet Time tab. For this to be working,the "Automatically
synchronize with an Internet time server" box must be checked and you must
be connected to the internet. Synchronization will only occur when you are
connected. This will also show you which of the two listed above is the
current time standard and allow you to change to the other, or you can
manually enter the address of a different server if you wish. Be sure to
clck Apply if you do so :) It will also show you the last time the syncing
was done and when the next one is due and you can also click the Update
Now button to force a manual update if you like.

BTW you can get a list of public time servers at:

http://www.eecis.udel.edu/~mills/ntp/servers.html

--
Panzer