[Lowfer] EMP et al in NE IL

[Garry Hess]

After tuning around for NDBs in the evening, shifted to 184.2 kHz WSPR 
and managed some decodes around midnight of Andy, XR4TN. SNR was on par 
with those of Dick, WA3USG who was also about the same distance from Andy.

Next, listened for TAG on 185.8 kHz with Wolf and got good decodes after 
about 20 minutes:

2010-12-28 07:40:18 >WOLF10  -r 11099.7735 -f 400 -t 1.0 -w 0.0000 -ut
07:40:42 f: 0.001 a: 0.2 dp: 77.1 ci: 6 cj:363 QBTE9NY07CS30N7 ?
...
07:56:18 f: 0.020 pm:13.07 jm:420 q: -4.1 -8.0 TAG RAYMONW84A7 ?
07:57:54 f: 0.020 pm:15.39 jm:420 q: -3.5 -8.7 0MUDQ99T0N6915V ?
07:59:30 f: 0.020 pm:19.52 jm:420 q: -2.4 -5.6 TAG RAYMON1HME  -
08:01:06 f: 0.020 pm:24.05 jm:420 q: -1.7 -4.4 TAG RAYMOND ME  -
08:02:42 f: 0.020 pm:24.95 jm:420 q: -1.6 -4.5 TAG RAYMOND ME  -
...

Then it was on to 187.2 kHz looking for PBO. Unlike Doug, I didn't see 
even a hint of signal. But I did notice something going on around 185.6 
kHz.

There was a fairly continuous signal for a minute, then blips spaced by 
about 7.5 seconds for the next minute, then the cycle repeated. As soon 
as I looked closely at 185.624 kHz and turned on the speaker I heard 
"EMP" in Morse code. Lucky I normally run Spectrum Laboratory with a 5 
Hz brick-wall filter because there were two carriers 24 and 28 Hz lower 
that would have masked the CW otherwise. Never tried to hear the SSB but 
because of those close carriers I doubt anything would have come 
through. Andy, KU4XR reported reception of Darwin's CW/SSB beacon to 
this list back on Dec 1. I looked around then but never noticed 
anything. Last night though it was booming in here on a path of 1637 km 
until 1230Z, a bit before local sunrise.

Never know what might be around the corner at LF/VLF.

73, Garry, K3SIW, EN52ta, Elgin, IL