[R-390] What do we listen to?

[Don Reaves]

Indeed, listening targets are fewer on the short wave bands but we do have
our moments.  And many R-390 owners are avid BCB Dxers.  

Here are a couple of upcoming listening events and an on-going one for your
listening pleasure.  
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1. SAQ GRIMETON RADIO/SAQ TRANSMISSION

There will be a transmission with the Alexanderson alternator on 17,2 kHz on
December 6 2008 at 10:45 UTC.  The reason for the extra transmission is the
opening of a new "Alexanderson Institute" at Campus Learning Centre in
Varberg, the near-by city.  

The annual transmission is planned for 24 December 2008.
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OK, you must use a VLF converter with your R-390 to listen for SAQ, unless
you have an R-389 at the ready.  I use a Palomar that shifts the band of
interest to 3.5 to 4 MHZ.  Copying the historic SAQ is the Holy Grail for
lowfer listeners.  For more info, http://www.alexander.n.se/  Click the
English flag, then click SAQ transmissions for the schedules.

2.  ARRL Straight Key Night.  

Hams fire up their rigs on CW, New Year's Eve, and try their hand (no pun
intended) at using basic manual mechanical keys to make contacts.  Starts at
7pm EST Dec. 31.  Runs for 24 hours.  It should be named the J-38 Night.

Details at http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2008/skn.html


3.  ARRL Experimental 600 Meter Group

For the past 2 years, a few dozen US participants have been authorized to
conduct transmissions and contacts on the 505-510 KHZ band.  There are
propagation beacons, CW, QRSS, PSK, SSB transmissions with callsigns of
WD2XSH and WE2XGR.  I have a beacon up on 505.7 24x7 at the moment.
WD2XSH/15, running QRSS3, which is VERY slow CW speed with a 10wpm CW id
every 10 minutes or so.  The group seeks reception reports to be entered at
www.500kc.com.  Note:  The 500kc site is having some technical troubles and
may be off line at times.  Propagation favors winter, nightime, as the time
for listening for these stations.  There are a few European stations coming
on line as well.
We have 'grabbers' - on line receivers that help us with finding signals.
 
http://eshop1.chem.buffalo.edu/Buf-Grab.html
http://www.w5jgv.com/argocaps/index.htm
http://www.lowfer.us/mograb.htm  (off line at the moment)