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Message-ID: <007f01c14648$14784320$36b21bca@xtr743187>
From: "Vernall" <vernall@xtra.co.nz>
To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
References: <E15lszr-00036f-00@gemini.herts.ac.uk>
Subject: LF: VE7SL receives ZL6QH, again
Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2001 16:59:05 +1200
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi all,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Following is the text of an announcement to the 
amateur radio media.&nbsp; I will email the Argo file to&nbsp;personal 
addresses, on request.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>73, Bob ZL2CA</FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>&nbsp;<B><SPAN 
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">A SECOND CLAIM OF ZL TO VE 
AMATEUR LF DX</SPAN></B><SPAN 
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><SPAN 
style="mso-tab-count: 1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN 
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">26 September 
2001<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" 
/><o:p></o:p></SPAN>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">On 
Saturday 22 September ZL6QH, ZL3PN, ZL3JE, ZL4OL and AX2TAR (VK7ZAL) transmitted 
test signals in the 165 - 190 kHz band, for so-called trans-Pacific tests.<SPAN 
style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Various DX listeners had prior knowledge 
of the schedule of individual test frequency and coding used by each 
station.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">As 
occurred in the 30 June trans-Pacific tests, Steve VE7SL managed to receive 
signals from ZL6QH before VE7 dawn.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; 
</SPAN>This time VE7SL obtained an Argo capture of both frequencies of the DFCW 
transmission.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>The path length is 
estimated to be 11,709 km.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN 
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Refer to the associated Argo 
graphic.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>The ZL6QH signal is in the 
lower half of the screen.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>The 
transmitted signal used dual frequency keying, with 0.4 Hz frequency shift.<SPAN 
style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>The uniquely coded transmission 
consisted of repetitive sending of QQQQQ&#8230; sent as 184.4001, 184.4001, 184.3997, 
184.4001 kHz and then a gap, with all elements being of 120 seconds (2 minutes) 
duration.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>This means sending a 
single Q took ten minutes.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The 
Argo graphic of the VE7SL reception shows inverted audio FSK , but otherwise 
agrees with the dot length, sequence and frequency shift of the ZL6QH 
transmission.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>The explanation for 
the inversion is that the Icom IC-R75 receiver used by VE7SL happens to give 
inverted FSK in the audio output when used in the normal CW mode.<SPAN 
style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>VE7SL used an RF signal generator to 
subsequently verify that an Argo trace (showing receiver audio output) went 
lower in frequency when the RF frequency went higher.<SPAN 
style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>Note that the parallel vertical red 
lines in the centre of the Argo graphic are a software option for selecting 
either short or long "ticks" and once selected, a tick stays on the screen.<SPAN 
style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>The left side of the long tick is close 
to 40 minutes before the 1401 UTC sunrise at VE7SL.<SPAN 
style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>The signal faded rapidly about 3 minutes 
after sunrise.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>It was still dark in 
New Zealand at VE7 sunrise.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN 
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN><SPAN 
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The ZL6QH LF signal was 
generated using a modified TS-850SAT, in SSB mode, fed with audio from a lap top 
PC, using soundcard software developed by Steve VK2ZTO.<SPAN 
style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>TS-850 frequency control was by means of 
a high performance TCXO master oscillator.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; 
</SPAN>The low level LF signal from the TS-850 transverter port was fed to an 
external LF power amplifier, and the output power was around 500 watts.<SPAN 
style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>The radiated power is estimated to be 5 
watts.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>The antenna was a long wire 
at the Quartz Hill club station, which is run by the Wellington Amateur Radio 
Club.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>The ZL6QH operators were 
Andrew ZL2BBJ and Bob ZL2CA.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; 
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN 
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">ZL6QH is seeking permission 
to transmit in the 136 kHz band, which could widen the scope of testing beyond 
"trans-Pacific", and give European listeners a better chance at receiving 
amateur LF DX from down-under.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; 
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN 
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN>&nbsp;</P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Bob 
Vernall ZL2CA</SPAN><SPAN 
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN 
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">Organiser 
of the Trans-Pacific tests</SPAN></FONT></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>