[Lowfer] MM lowfer beacon update

[Douglas Williams]

What kind of antenna are you using, Mike?

On Thu, Sep 8, 2016 at 10:10 AM, Michael Sapp <wa3tts at verizon.net> wrote:

> Garry: I heard CFH on 76.2 last night but nothing from XND.  Noise level
> was about constant S6 from a local source when I checked this AM daylight.
> Not much chance of hearing XND through that kind of noise wall... now and
> then the local noise turns off and I have S1 or so noise level when no
> lightning static is around, but even that lower background noise seems like
> an order of magnitude higher than what I have on 137 kHz. I did the AC
> voltage measurement on the speaker output the other day on 75 kHz with a
> trusted analog meter with the ALC off and pretty much confirmed that 10 dB
> "by ear" perceived noise difference between 75 kHz and 137 kHz.  Seems like
> I have broadband noise sources 10~15 kHz wide either side of 37 kHz,
> 60kHz, and 75 kHz....  This noise source or sources is coming in on the
> antenna as my converter is dead quiet with no antenna signal input.  My
> common mode coaxial chokes are around 12mH or so, perhaps not enough to
> suppress much VLF energy. The noise level is much lower on the NW direction
> versus SW but still too high for weak signal detection.  I added a 2 x 3 ft
> aluminum earth capacitor plate at the feed line midpoint ground but that
> did not help much. I suppose I should be grateful with being able to hear
> reasonably well on 137, 185, 485 kHz and most of the LW BC and NDB
> bands...but it would be nice the solve the VLF noise issue...
>
> I did not check for MM or WM overnight, I'll have to give that another
> shot some evening when the QRN is low...
>
> 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: Thursday, September 08, 2016 9:08 AM
> Subject: Re: [Lowfer] MM lowfer beacon update
>
>
> Garry, Thanks for the capture and report. I just looked at a weather
>> forecast, and maybe the storms will stay North of here.  It is fairly dry
>> here, so some rain would be welcome.
>>
>> I have removed the "umbrella" style tophat/guywire that I used last
>> winter on the vertical, and put back to the Marconi style flattop which is
>> supported by taller trees. I am thinking the top 3rd of the vertical was
>> shielded too much with the droopy umbrella wires. I am not sure if my new
>> supports will survive the winter winds. Time will tell.
>>
>> In the next week or so I will move WM to the vertical, and get it back to
>> normal operation.
>>
>> 73   de   N8OOU - Mike Meek
>>
>> On 09/08/2016 07:13 AM, Garry wrote:
>>
>>> Mike, noticeable boost in SNR for lowfer MM this morning here so the
>>> higher power is showing up at more than just your local receiver. The
>>> higher power particularly helps since storms are all around. See no sign
>>> of WM so far.
>>>
>>> Got a late start looking for WH2XND on 75 kHz WSPR-2 but because of
>>> storm racket that probably didn't matter much. Had to depend on the
>>> usual near-sunrise enhancement to get a few, minimal SNR decodes.
>>> Interestingly, found wideband source CKN on 76.2 kHz from BC active.
>>> Don't see that one too often. Usually CFH is running on 73.6 kHz from NS
>>> but it's been off the air for quite awhile now. Neither one bothers
>>> reception of WH2XHR, at least not here.
>>>
>>> 73, Garry, K3SIW, EN52ta, Elgin, IL
>>>
>>>
>>>
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