[Lowfer] 1750 meter frequency for Part 5?

Sat Oct 31 11:48:32 EDT 2009

Lee I use a TS50 kenwood and a 75 meter antenna. Start with NDB aero 
beacons on the 200 to 400 bands. Google TX and LA aeronautical beacons 
and you should find a list. These run 25 watts, there is a powerhouse 
GLS in Galveston on 206 khz. Most of the Kenwood and Icoms of the last 
10 years or so work well on LF. An active antenna such as the pa0rdt 
mini whip or LF engineering products work well. 
Warren Puts in a strong signal here on 137 khz check the LWCA list for 
his freq. 

The rec of choice is the ICOM r75 but many ham tranceivers will work 
well. I also have an Elector SDR software defined rec which shows a lot 
of promise for the lowfer bands. 500 khz is much easier to start you 
should find cw and qrss beacons every night there. There are a few 
Hifer beacons on 13555 to 13565 khz but propagation is not so good up 
there now. 

It took me a few years before I copied my first beacon. My problem was 
technique. I was tuning around hunting for signals. Best way Is to 
calibrate it , set it and forget it. The Lwca list has the correct 
frequencys. Once I figured out what I was doing wrong I set my rec on 
MO beacon set argo to capture and bingo half an hour later I had a 
capture. I repeated the process two days later and found WEB. 
ON www.w3eee.com there were live captures and a gallery of past 
captures on Steve Doves grabber. 
If that site is still there you may pick up a lot of insight.WEB is 
close enough you should copy with no problem. 

Nice thing about this part of the hobby is you can have a lot of fun 
without special equipment , make do with what you have. You might be 
suprised. 

Paul k5wms

Quoting LEE BAHR <pulsarxp at embarqmail.com>:
> Thanks, Paul:
>
> I downloaded ARGO.  Right now I have no decent LOWFER receiving antenna, so
> I can't really use it.  I'll try and calibrate it with WWV as you suggest. 
> I guess I need to build a receiving loop.  What are you using for a receiver
> at your place?  I would imagine a converter of sorts.  Right now I have a
> lot of Ham transceivers going down there, but I am not sure they would be
> sensative enough for this kind of work.  I do have among otheres a Yaesu
> FT-950. 
>
> Lee, w0vt
>
>  . 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Paul Daulton" <k5wms at centurytel.net>
> To: <lowfer at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Friday, October 30, 2009 9:14 PM
> Subject: Re: [Lowfer] 1750 meter frequency for Part 5?
>
>
> > Lee if you live in Houston you should give Bill Bowers a call or email
> > at WilliamE1122 at comcast.net
> > Bill lives in a condo in Stafford TX and operates a beacon , WEB, on
> > 189950hz. Bills beacon is in Rosenburg, Tx nearby. Bill is 82 but very
> > fit and a wealth on information. 
> >
> > Capturing a beacon is easy. A simple cord from your rec to the mic or
> > line input on your computer is all the hardware you need. The bandwidth
> > is critical so one needs to calibrate the computer first. Look up the
> > times and audio frequency of WWV . Under setup at the top there is a
> > window for calibration. 
> > Set rec for Am on wwv then see what freq reads on qrss3 on argo. Enter
> > that into the calibration windows. For example if the tone is 500hz
> > enter 500  in the actual freq window. Then read the freq on argo and
> > enter that, it may be off by a few hz like 505 or some other number. 
> > Click mode down to qrss10 ,20  and 30 until you are on. Now set rec for
> > 500 hz offset from WWV and cw mode like 4.999500 mhz and see if rec is
> > correct. A check of wwvb at 60 hz( use 59.500 khz). Once calibrated you
> > are in business. My computer sound card is off about 20 hz so that step
> > is important. 
> >
> > You are close enough to WEB you should copy well. 
> >
> > I or any of the others on here would be glad to walk you through the
> > proceedure either by email or on the phone. 
> >
> > Warning beacon chasing is contageous. 
> >
> > Paul k5wms
> >
> > Quoting LEE BAHR <pulsarxp at embarqmail.com>:
> >> I know the Norcal DDS VFO is temporarily out of stock.  Check ou the
> >> following URL:
> >>
> >> http://www.pongrance.com/dds.html
> >>
> >> I understand this one is popular and works well and is available.  I'm
> >> thinking of ordering one.  Guys are ordering them for HF QRP and old
> >> Novice
> >> tube rigs as VFOs.  I have a 1 KW AM broadcast station transmitter and
> >> some
> >> guys are using them for BIG IRON  VFOs too.  I'm thinking of using one
> >> there.  When driving a tube you need to wind a step up transformer on
> >> it's
> >> output.  Seems like it would work as well as the NORCAL unit for LOWFER
> >> work. 
> >>
> >> Also, been reading the mail a little closer since I asked about MEDFER
> >> antennas.  I once had a LOWFER beacon on about 25 or 30 years ago back up
> >> in
> >> Kansas City.  I now live in Houston, Texas.  Things have changed a lot. 
> >> I
> >> have no problem with the transmitter part.  Being an old guy, the
> >> stumbling
> >> block for me is the receiving end using a computer for "capturing" the
> >> signal.  I don't have a clue how to do this.  I bet the way to get new
> >> guys
> >> interested is to also include some clearly written instructions on how to
> >> do
> >> this besides just attacking the transmitter issue. 
> >>
> >> Just my thoughts. 
> >>
> >> Lee, w0vt
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> > Even easier, use a DDS VFO with 1hz resolution and some MMIC's. Check
> >> > out
> >> > the FCC-1/FCC-2 MK-II DDS VFO. 1hz to 32mc 50 ohm and 600 ohm outputs. 
> >> > Doesn't drift even 1hz, ever. Neat little gadget. Need to change freq?
> >> > Just spin the encoder. Done deal. 
> >> >
> >> > Mike
> >> > WE0H
> >> >
> >>
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> >>
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> >>
> >
> > Paul Daulton K5WMS
> > beacon WMS 187.492 khz qrss30/slow 24/7
> > Jacksonville,Ar 72076
> > em34wu
> >
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> >
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>

Paul Daulton K5WMS
beacon WMS 187.492 khz qrss30/slow 24/7
Jacksonville,Ar 72076
em34wu