[NLRS] W0AUS/b ??

[WA2VOI, Donn]

'Morning, Paul

I've been more than lax in publicizing the beacon as its still somewhat a work in 
progress.
Basics:
10,368.202, GPSDTCXO.  Running 2 W to a >~10dB waveguide-slot (omni) antenna about 30' 
above ground level.  Base is about 1100'ASL.  The antenna places the beam on the horizon 
(no up- or down-tilt) and was measured at about 10° BW.  It operates true CW, not FSK. 
Sequence is 1-minute KEY DN, ~20 sec ID/location; repeat.  (ID is: 'DE W0AUS/B EN34QT') 
There is no telemetry.

I asked NLRS to use the club call sign basically for continuity (and to avoid confusion ! 
I didn't want to cause heart attacks when people heard WA2VOI/B, etc.) and the officers 
said "OK."

The delay in getting the general word out as to the availability of the beacon was my 
fault.  I've done some signal measurements since it was first installed and have been 
somewhat disappointed.  Without scatter propagation it looks as if the range is about 30 
miles, with at least one exception: K0KFC.  Jim has been monitoring the beacon for me from 
the start at 40 miles.  Typically, S2-3.  We raised the beacon about 2' 2 weeks+ ago and 
that helped.  Jim reports S4+ now most of the time.

At 31 miles (EN35ja) I can't hear it at all.  I CAN hear it off the tops of the downtown 
buildings from Ridgeway Parkway, though at S- but SSB quality signals.  AT the Cannon 
Falls rover site its a consistent S8-9 and at the Vasa site S7-9.  (25 and 20 mi, 
respectively).  To the east and northeast I measured at I-94/WI128 S7-8 at 23 miles and 
I-94/Baldwin exit S3-4 with a hill at 1-1/2 miles on the bearing.

I tried to get measurements in the Red Wing area but had no luck.  Nada.  Basic problem, I 
think (hope ?) was local blockage.  The lookout at Soldier's Memorial Park was closed for 
the winter but that should be a really good shot (come spring).

With the two recent storms and snow scatter reports of the beacon I guess its working a 
little better than I had thought.  Bill, K0AWU copied it at 168 mi so....  It just may not 
be as good locally as I had hoped.

73 Donn
WA2VOI/0


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Paul Husby" <husby002 at gmail.com>
To: "NLRS Reflector" <nlrs at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 30, 2020 4:36 AM
Subject: Re: [NLRS] W0AUS/b ??


> Could someone educate us on the details of the beacon? - W0UC
>
> On 12/29/2020 10:15 PM, Bill Davis via NLRS wrote:
>> Beacon running 4 to 9db above the noise on snow scatter.
>> W0AUS/b EN34qt is 168miles and 163deg from my location
>> de K0AWU
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