[Lowfer] Lowfer Beacons

Wed, 2 Jan 2002 19:27:09 -0600

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_0016_01C193C3.786EAEF0
Content-Type: text/plain;
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Good evening LW Gurus,=20
I could use a little help.=20

Background:

I have been trying to receive Lowfer/Medfer signals for quite some time =
without any luck. While I listened and watched nothing happen, I built =
up a couple of beacons. One is a Medfer and the other is a Hifer. Both =
are identified as ELVS. (No "I", just ELVS) I live near Memphis, why =
not. No reception reports to date.. Poor me ! (The Hifer is likely to go =
QRT soon, perhaps today.)=20

I really want to receive and ultimately transmit in the Lowfer range.

Here is what I have to work with:

QTH: We live in a house on a relatively small lot in a highly restricted =
city (Germantown, TN). I have 40 and 20 meter dipoles as well as a 60 ft =
random wire up at this time. We have a wooden fence around the back =
yard, therefore, a small loop can be reasonably well hidden from the =
neighbors. I will try to guess what you are thinking.. How will he ever =
get a 50' xmit antenna up in this environment.. I have a plan. I just =
need to be able to receive something first.=20

Receiver: Kenwood TS-850 - I also have an old LF Engineering Receive =
Converter that converts to 80 meters. It seems to also do a nice job.

Preamp: UnBalanced Loop Preamp - Lyle Koehler design.=20

Antenna: ~7' Diameter / 15 turn loop and a 60 foot "Longwire" tuned via =
Lyle's Preamp design. I also own an LF Engineering L-400B Active =
Antenna. An NDB within about 5 miles of this location gives the L-400B =
trouble. I don't use it much at all.

I am having trouble tuning the loop to a specific frequency range. It is =
made from multi-conductor cable much like the Octoloop design. It is not =
shielded. The wire gauge is about 18 and it has 15 conductors. The =
windings are not solenoid wound, therefore I cannot accurately calculate =
the L. I do not have an L meter to help me get close. I end up using the =
longwire and preamp/tuner most of the time.=20

Software: I have all of the monitoring software the internet has to =
offer. Normally, I have (2) sessions open - (1) Argo in QRSS60 and =
Spectrogram running "quickly" to look for possible normal CW signals.

I can receive hundreds of NDB's as well as WWVB rock solid around the =
clock. I know where to tune. The local noise level is quite low. I just =
can't receive anything. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Mark

------=_NextPart_000_0016_01C193C3.786EAEF0
Content-Type: text/html;
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; =
charset=3Diso-8859-1">
<META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2600.0" name=3DGENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV>
<DIV>Good evening LW Gurus,=20
I could use a little help. 
Background:
I have been trying to receive Lowfer/Medfer signals for quite some =
time=20
without any luck. While I listened and watched nothing happen, I built =
up a=20
couple of beacons. One is a Medfer and the other is a Hifer. Both are =
identified=20
as ELVS. (No "I", just ELVS) I live near Memphis, why not. No reception =
reports=20
to date=85. Poor me ! (The Hifer is likely to go QRT soon, perhaps =
today.) 
I really want to receive and ultimately transmit in the Lowfer =
range.
Here is what I have to work with:
QTH: We live in a house on a relatively small lot in a highly =
restricted=20
city (Germantown, TN). I have 40 and 20 meter dipoles as well as a 60 ft =
random=20
wire up at this time. We have a wooden fence around the back yard, =
therefore, a=20
small loop can be reasonably well hidden from the neighbors. I will try =
to guess=20
what you are thinking=85. How will he ever get a 50=92 xmit antenna up =
in this=20
environment=85. I have a plan. I just need to be able to receive =
something first.=20

Receiver: Kenwood TS-850 =96 I also have an old LF =
Engineering=20
Receive Converter that converts to 80 meters. It seems to also do a nice =

job.
Preamp: UnBalanced Loop Preamp - Lyle Koehler =
design.=20

Antenna: ~7=92 Diameter / 15 turn loop and a 60 foot "Longwire" =
tuned via=20
Lyle=92s Preamp design. I also own an LF Engineering L-400B Active =
Antenna. An NDB=20
within about 5 miles of this location gives the L-400B trouble. I =
don=92t use it=20
much at all.
I am having trouble tuning the loop to a specific frequency range. It =
is made=20
from multi-conductor cable much like the Octoloop design. It is not =
shielded.=20
The wire gauge is about 18 and it&nbsp;has 15 conductors. The windings =
are not=20
solenoid wound, therefore I cannot accurately calculate the L. I do not =
have an=20
L meter to help me get close. I end up using the longwire and =
preamp/tuner most=20
of the time. 
Software: I have all of the monitoring software the internet has =
to=20
offer. Normally, I have (2) sessions open =96 (1) Argo in QRSS60 and =
Spectrogram=20
running "quickly" to look for possible normal CW signals.
I can receive hundreds of NDB=92s as well as WWVB rock solid around =
the clock.=20
I know where to tune. The local noise level is quite low. I just can=92t =
receive=20
anything. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Mark</DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>

------=_NextPart_000_0016_01C193C3.786EAEF0--