[Lowfer] WM in EN90xn overnite

Fri Feb 6 12:22:10 EST 2015

Thanks for the explain Mike. I have never received multiple stations at 
once on LF like that to observe that kind of fading.

Yes time will tell about signal improvements, but I still have a few 
more ideas to try.  So more change to come as time and weather allow.

73   de   N8OOU - Mike Meek

On 02/06/2015 10:45 AM, Michael Sapp wrote:
> Mike (&All)
>> Thanks for watching Wm. On your three captures, am I seeing Wm fade in
>> and out in a pattern different than SIW?   If I am, is there a flaw in
>> thinking that the two should be in some sync because of our close
>> proximity.  Have you noticed that before with other stations?
>
>     From my limited experience over the past few years of longwave
> listening I
> have observed such fading of alternate stations on or near the same
> frequency to
> be fairly common. I have observed such fading on NDB stations a few
> hundred to 1,000
> miles away on/about the same frequency as well as see the EU longwave
> broadcast stations
> peak and fade at slightly different times and frequencies.  I might hear
> Medi1 (171khz) strong for 10 minutes
> then it fades and Radio France International (162kHz) is suddenly
> stronger. Similar observations with Iceland broadcasting
> on 189kHz or Euro1 on 183 kHz.  WSPR2 spots on 630m are all over the SNR
> range on a given night and I am fortunate enough to be close to XJM to
> compare Part5 signal receptions to what Eric receives with his Circle 8
> array.
>
> In a simplistic way I can compare the ionosphere to a Swiss Cheese
> methaphor with varying density and one might
> assume it does not necessarily rotate at the same velocity as
> terra-firma. That being the case one puts up the best antenna
> possible at the local back yard quiet zone and hopes for the best.  An
> engineer at the local broadcasting station once told
> me there are little quiet zone eddies in every storm, it's your job to
> go find one of those quiet zones in your back yard if you want to hear
> as well as possible at a given  station location at LF.  Toying around
> here with antennas, transformers, feedlines, chokes, receiver
> converters, and computer sound cards I'd have to agree with him ~:)
>
>     Getting back to last nite's reception I should add that my EWE main
> lobe is pretty much pointed right at WM, and SIW is more WNW, so SIW is
> a few (2~3 or more dB) down the pattern of the forward broad cardio
> pattern lobe of hte EWE.   TAG comes in off the back of the antenna
> quite well at times, and 10~13 dB F/B ratio is a realistic situation
> here, sometimes higher than that depending on the incoming angle into
> the null of the cardio pattern.
>
> Not having toyed with an RF amp meter at LF, I may not have useful input
> on your latest mod, but it
> sounds like you may have made an improvement. Perhaps the next month of
> LF listening will tell us if
> your field strength has actually improved...
>
> Thatks for the LF beaconing Mike, always neat to see a few microwatts
> span a +400 mile path at any frequency.....
>
> 73, Mike wa3tts
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "N8OOU" <n8oou at meekfarm.us>
> To: "Discussion of the Lowfer (US, European, & UK) and MedFer bands"
> <lowfer at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Friday, February 06, 2015 9:49 AM
> Subject: Re: [Lowfer] WM in EN90xn overnite
>
>
>> Mike - TTS;  Thanks for watching Wm. On your three captures, am I
>> seeing Wm fade in and out in a pattern different than SIW?   If I am,
>> is there a flaw in thinking that the two should be in some sync
>> because of our close proximity.  Have you noticed that before with
>> other stations?
>>
>> I revised the inline RF Ammeter circuit yesterday. The meter/circuit I
>> have been using has all ways had a low reading. I switched to a higher
>> current meter, and used different components on the rectifier board.
>> The new meter now reads a number closer to what one would expect.
>> What was not expected, when I removed the old meter I had a
>> significant drop in current to the P.A. (I had no current change with
>> either just old meter or both inline) After boosting the P.A. back to
>> 1 watt I have a VooDoo Magic number of 90 on the new meter as compared
>> to 15 on the old meter.
>>
>> Along with that change, night before last we received a light cover of
>> snow here. There is still some left on the ground this morning.
>>
>> OK, so was my old meter flawed and restricting my signal, or did the
>> snow improve coverage, or both, or.....
>>
>> 73   de   N8OOU - Mike Meek
>>
>> On 02/06/2015 07:34 AM, Michael Sapp wrote:
>>> Mike & All: The artic breeze seemed to usher in WM this morning....
>>>
>>> https://www.dropbox.com/s/68yohmxhatgm6yp/capt00011.jpg?dl=0
>>>
>>> https://www.dropbox.com/s/vk032o08loyg10r/capt00012.jpg?dl=0
>>>
>>> https://www.dropbox.com/s/lsfe9rcyjh606r5/capt00013.jpg?dl=0
>>>
>>>
>>> WM still visible currently. I may let the PC run all day and see what
>>> develops....
>>>
>>> 73 Mike wa3tts
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