[CW] A report for those who are considering 475 kHz

Sun Oct 12 17:33:14 EDT 2014

Gary, there are quite a few websites where the experimental stations describe their setups.  Try a search for "630m experimental" or "600m experimental" to turn them up.

The WSPR mode is described at

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WSPR_%28amateur_radio_software%29
http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/wspr.html
http://wsprnet.org/drupal/

The WSPR software is a free download, and the website where the reports are organized and displayed is free to use.  No cost at all.  It is used on all bands, not just 630 meters.

Matt, sorry for my USA-centric posting - you are correct that lots of countries have authorized 630 meters as a ham band.  It puzzles me why the goverment here hasn't done so yet.  

I received an email asking about my receive antenna...  My best choices are my 75-meter inverted vee dipole (with the transceiver preamp turned on), or my ground mounted 8' whip with a preamp at the base (preamp off in the receiver).  I've been very dilligent about keeping noise sources in my house to a minimum, but neighbors and powerlines do cause noises at times.  I made a 10-foot shielded loop active antenna out of coax inside PVC pipe but it is stored in the garage right now - too unwieldy and has to be turned to peak signals or null noise.

I also had a question about the ground system for my inverted-L antenna.  The ground side of the antenna is just my regular station ground.  The central ground point is along a section of wall where the all the utility service entrances are located. This central ground is a few feet of 1/2" copper pipe with 1" copper straps connecting to the power entrance ground, an 8' rod driven right outside the house, the iron and copper water pipes (before and after water meter), and the metal HVAC ductwork in my house.    To this ground system I have connected to this (with more 1" copper strap) the operating desk star ground, my two Gates BC-1T transmitters, the 630m transmitters, and the shields of all my various antenna feedlines.  

I made no special ground for the 630 meter antenna system - just made sure its ground side was well-attached to my existing station ground.  The outside of the various coaxial cable shields form accidental counterpoises and radials I'm sure. 

Steve WD8DAS

sbjohnston at aol.com
http://www.wd8das.net/
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-----Original Message-----
From: Matt VK2ACL <vk2acl at gmail.com>
To: Gary Smith <wa1tjb at yahoo.com>; CW Reflector <cw at mailman.qth.net>
Cc: sbjohnston <sbjohnston at aol.com>
Sent: Sun, Oct 12, 2014 2:06 pm
Subject: Re: [CW] A report for those who are considering 475 kHz

There is a yahoo group on this topic, which includes a lot of activity in VK and ZL (where 630m is already a ham band):
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/600m/info

73,
Matt VK2ACL

On 13 Oct 2014, at 5:55 am, Gary Smith via CW <cw at mailman.qth.net> wrote:

Hi Steve,

Do you have some websites where we can learn more, and any other data relative to equipment to build/modify and antennas to use?

Sounds fascinating!!

Gary
WA1TJB

  On Sunday, October 12, 2014 1:29 PM, Steve WD8DAS via CW <cw at mailman.qth.net> wrote:

 Here's a report for those who are considering getting active on 475 kHz. 630m isn't a ham band yet but there is already ham-style activity...

Last night I had a lot of fun on 630 meters.  Quite a few experimental-licensed stations were transmitting in the WSPR mode, and even more non-licensed stations were receiving and reporting.

Here's a map showing everyone my station heard, or was heard by, on the WSPR mode...

     http://www.wd8das.net/WSPR-WH2XHY.jpg

Here's a map showing everyone that was active on 630m WSPR last night...

     http://www.wd8das.net/WSPRactivity.jpg

Notice the reports from Europe, Alaska, and Hawaii.  Very cool!

WSPR's S/N reporting is useful to know when propagation is good enough to support normal contacts.  When the S/N ratios are higher then it is time to go to CW... where I made two CW contacts with Pennsylvania and Texas experimental stations.  Conditions seem to be getting better as we move into winter.

Details on my 630m station...

     http://www.wd8das.net/630m.html

Steve WD8DAS / WH2XHY

sbjohnston at aol.com
http://www.wd8das.net/
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