[NLRS] Status of 2m beacons?

[David Palm]

I'm glad this issue of beacons came up.

I'll preface this by saying that I have a lot more ambition than I have
time.  So too often my ideas don't see the light of day.  That being said, I
have a really nice QTH for VHF-UHF beacons here in EN43.  Our farm sits at
about 1250 ft asl and I have a silo on the property with the dome at 70 ft.
above ground.  It's a commanding view from up there.  I intend eventually to
plant an antenna farm up there and it seems like a pretty great place for
beacons.  If I knew that it would serve a real purpose, that they would
really be used, I would have additional motivation to get something done.

I've had it in mind to place at least 144 and 432 transverters up there just
under the dome and run IF cables back to the house (have the hardline
already.)  If those transverters were used, say, 99% of the time as beacons
and the other 1% of the time to operate in nets, contests, etc. is that
acceptable to most?  Is 99% of a loaf better than none?  Or is it too
frustrating not to be able to count on a beacon 24-7?

I'm wondering in general how many people on this list actually utilize
beacons on a regular basis?  What would you like to see band-wise,
power-wise, etc.?  And if a guy was going to do this on a budget, what would
be the recommended equipment set-up?

As always, I've learned a lot by the expertise on this group.

Thanks and 73,

David  W9HQ



On 6/15/10, Bill Davis Jr <cqbilld at msn.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>   Does anyone know anything about the current status of the EN43 and the
> EN53 beacons? Bruce was asking me at Aurora and I didn't know anything about
> them. I know after Jerry HCZ passed away that his son was going to continue
> with the EN43 beacon. I in the past heard both of these beacons in the
> summer reliably. Not strong all the time, but I would hear them if I set on
> the freq for a few min. Often the EN53 beacon was heard as well as the EN43
> beacon. Now for many months I have heard very little from either of them.
> With "summer" close at hand, I would think prop would be "back".
>
> I think it was W9GM that said that he thought the EN53 beacon had been on
> and off quite a bit recently. Anyone know anything more?
>
> As near as I can tell, things are "ok" here, but we all know slow changes
> in equipment performance is difficult to detect. The rotator loop has been
> on the tower MANY years.
>
> TNX and 73  Bill  K0AWU  EN37ed
>
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