[600MRG] It's a start but improvements coming

Sat Nov 23 13:10:25 EST 2024

Hi Paul. It is really neat to monitor LF and VLF conditions esp at times 
of solar max.

I don't know how long it will last but I have found conditions on LWBC, 
LOWFERS, and VLF (MSK military signals) propagation to be very good esp 
given it is still November.  Below is a report I posted to different 
group alerting NA stations to have a listen last night. I have not 
listened on 630m or 2200m so I cannot comment on activity but 
propagation wise I found conditions hot. Also I enclosed a LOWFER decode 
from last night near 185 kHz.....TAG is near you up in Maine. That's a 
nice DX to me in Indiana given he run QRP EIRP.

Surprising LWBC & VLF propagation this evening in Indiana. Local time is 
10:30 PM local EST and 171 kHz Morocco is easy listening. Currently 
playing traditional music. 153 kHz Algeria is being a big tease, same as 
last year. Very strong carrier but no modulation (what a shame). 198 kHz 
(BBC4) has light audio, 162 kHz France (TDF) is VERY, VERY strong, over 
55 dB S/N (louder here than WWVB). DC77 is also very loud, DCF-39 & 
HGA-32 loud and clear, DHO38 and NWC from VK6 land both 30 dB S/N. All 
MSK VLF stations from Europe quite loud. If you are in North America you 
will want to have a listen tonight.

Gedas, W8BYA EN70JT
Light travels faster than sound.....
This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

On 11/23/2024 12:59 PM, Paul N1BUG FN55mf wrote:
> Thanks for confirming solar activity does play a role. I'll get a better
> feel for things with station improvements and more recent experience. I
> may need a couple of years to get fully back equipment-wise anyway. :)
>
> 73,
> Paul
>
>
> On 11/23/2024 12:45 PM, Brian Pease wrote:
>> Yes indeed, band conditions are way down from the sunspot minimum where
>> I would be routinely heard by dozens of Europeans many winter nights.
>> Now that we are near the sunspot peak, I assume that this will reduce
>> interest for the next few years.
>>
>>
>> On 11/23/2024 12:27 PM, Paul N1BUG FN55mf wrote:
>>> Hey folks,
>>>
>>> Some of you may have noticed I monitored WSPR and FST4W on 630m night
>>> before last. The SNR reports from my station might seem a little
>>> discouraging, but they will improve. Two factors contributed:
>>>
>>> 1. The receiver needs a preamp and is deaf by some unknown number of 
>>> dB.
>>>  there is NO increase in noise with the antenna vs. nothing or a 50 ohm
>>> termination. That is not good! I am building a preamp for it.
>>>
>>> 2. The big K9AY loop was pointed northeast. That is some unknown but
>>> non-trivial number of dB gone for those to my west and southwest. I 
>>> will
>>> soon be building hardware to make the antenna switchable so I can
>>> properly listen to the south and west. This is what those toroids I
>>> asked about will be used for.
>>>
>>> Things will get better. I am just starting to rebuild using different
>>> receiving hardware from my past activities. Having learned some hard
>>> lessons last time, I am taking a different and more modular approach to
>>> building this time around.
>>>
>>> One disheartening thing for me, having not been around the band in 
>>> three
>>> and a half years, is that activity seems way down from what it was 
>>> then.
>>> Am I wrong? Maybe I'm just not hearing what is out there. I don't know
>>> to what extent solar activity has affected the band. It certainly takes
>>> a big bite out of 160m but that may be a very different thing.
>>>
>>> Similarly, my recent 2200m reports have beem less than optimum, at 
>>> least
>>> for stations to my west and south. I do have a preamp there (internally
>>> bandpass filtered so it won't work on 630m) but the loop was northeast.
>>> I am CERTAIN activity on that band is way down.
>>>
>>> 73,
>>> Paul N1BUG FN55mf
>>>
>>>
>>>
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