[Lowfer] Signals from the west

[Garry]

Began monitoring 518 kHz Navtex last night but moved to 490 kHz in 
disgust when area 4 station N failed to shut down around 0300Z and 
instead sent continuous idle tones. It's frustrating how often US Navtex 
stations transmit well beyond their allotted 10 minute windows, thus 
making reception of more distant stations impossible. But it's really 
ridiculous how often US Navtex stations fail by not shutting down at 
all. Is this rocket science?

Moved to 490 kHz and decoded Canadian stations D and V in French. Don't 
think station S is active in the winter but expected to copy station J 
and didn't. Perhaps it's OTA.

NDB signals from BC to an eprobe were the best they've been for quite 
awhile. Examples are XC and ZT on 242 kHz, XX on 344 kHz, and SX and ZP 
on 368 kHz. Despite that good propagation 474.2 kHz WSPR signals via a 
loop aimed west from VE7BDQ (-16 dB best snr) and WH2XGP (-13 dB best 
snr) weren't much different than the night before.

Lowfer WM continues to put out a great signal. It's been solid all night 
and also through daylight today.
-- 
Garry, K3SIW, EN52ta, Elgin, IL