[Lowfer] Good Propagation ??

[Bill Ashlock]

>do the beacon keepers regularly check their strength about a mile or so out?? 

 

Funny you should mention this, Alan, because I am adding a collapsible rod antenna to my portable SVM right now. I normally check my signal using the mag mount car antenna at 1.8 miles, here in Andover, but up north you can't get the car to most of the open areas where signal measurements are possible. On the other hand, I am darn sure my loop antennas are putting out the same signal month after month because I've found that the input current to the final (measureable inside the shack) tells it all - and that doesn't change, except slightly dropping, when the ground and trees are wet.

 

Bill
 
> From: alan.melia at btinternet.com
> To: lowfer at mailman.qth.net
> Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:30:14 +0100
> Subject: [Lowfer] Good Propagation ??
> 
> Hi all, having stirred it all up and had some fun :-)) there are possibly a
> few "features" about present conditions that could be valid.
> 
> One is that my local domestic noise has increased at LF and MF a great deal
> even in the last 6 or 7 years. Much os this is poorly designed domestic
> electrical and entertainment equipment. This must have some effect on the
> subjective feel of the bands.
> 
> It is also possible that at night max range signals are not degraded as much
> as short range signals. the reason is that on relatively short paths (say
> less than 1000km ~700miles) the signals enteres the E-region at a larger
> angle and penetrates further as a result (most of the D-region goes at
> night). Now the E-region is ionised from many sources and is a 24 hour
> "layer" however I suspect (and I have no support) that in a very quiet
> period (Kp<2) there is not enough ionisation to keep up the electron
> density. That is it does benefit somewhat from coronal-hole particles. If
> the ionisation were to drop slightly in a quiet periond then it is possible
> that the E-layer might leak signal to space.
> 
> Another aspect is that in a very quiet period the higher order modes (2 hop
> etc) are less attenuated that in active periods and thus react more
> vigourously in multipath fades. However, what goes down can go up again and
> occasionally you should hit the jackpot with a 6dB enhancement when the
> paths add in phase.
> 
> Last do the beacon keepers regularly check they strength about a mile or so
> out?? It is very easy of a year or two to lose some ERP to corrosion and
> drift. I guess this is answered by the fact that well there are a number
> which are being occasionally refurbished so big changes should show up in
> the averages. I started my investigation of LF propagation by carefully
> reading many pages of Mike Mideke's lowfer column and was as frustrated as
> he seemed to be that there were few actual measurements being logged. on a
> regular basis, despite a very wide and well populated network of listeners.
> 
> Keep on listening !! You know its good for you.
> 
> Best wishes and thanks for all the "Reports"
> 
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