[ARC5] Radio Beacon DXing

[Bill Stewart]

Hello Roy,
Good to see your questions/interest in NDB chasing. I have been into that part of
the radio hobby since mid 2017. It is addictive. So far I have made over 1350 log
entries, with 450 unique beacons. I continue to be amazed at the distances some of
these beacons are from me. I snagged one a few days ago in the Azores. Have also
logged beacons from South America, British Columbia. Many of these beacons only
run 25 watts and of course some run a KW or more. The propagation is interesting 
and also the QSB can bring a signal up out of the mud and then take it away again.
I use a Ten Tec RX340 rcvr (which was headed for the dumpster and saved). The antenna
is a remarkable active antenna...the PA0RDT Mini-Whip. It is hard to believe that 
such a small antenna/amp (size of your thumb) can hear sigs all the way down to 40kc
and up to 30mc with the sensitivity of a well made outside antenna. If interested
I can give you links to the NDB List and a web site with all kinds of info on 
individual beacons, etc, plus more info on the receiving antenna. The info on the
NDB List site is updated almost daily as listeners send in their loggings. Let me
know if I can answer any questions or clarify what is in this post. Come join the
fun....73 de Bill K4JYS in NC


----- Original Message -----
From: "Roy Morgan" <k1lky68 at gmail.com>
To: "arc5" <arc5 at mailman.qth.net>
Cc: "Steve Fick" <n3te at arrl.net>
Sent: Saturday, February 15, 2020 10:51:22 AM
Subject: [ARC5] Radio Beacon DXing

I recently tuned the aviation radio beacon band and heard about 10 beacons. All were in British  Columbia as I learned from:
http://www.dxinfocentre.com/ndb.htm

-I'm in western Mass and wonder if that was unusual propagation. 

-The antenna was a makeshift center fed flat top with water pipe ground. I do have a homemade loop I can do more work on, hoping it will pick up less noise.

? Is such propagation common for beacons ?
? What antennas do others of you use ?

Roy


Roy Morgan
K1LKY Western Mass
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