Message-ID: <4715DB99.5020900@sighthound.demon.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 10:53:29 +0100
From: John GM4SLV <gm4slv@sighthound.demon.co.uk>
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To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
Subject: LF: 500 at its best last night...!
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Hello LF,

A good night on 500, with several people making many first class
QSOs on CW - including my first MF QSO with Colin G3VTT, which was a 
great thrill.

I eventually had to retire to bed though!

I sent my "beacon" (or "initial call" - hi!) signal overnight to give
something for others to hear.


In the past few days I've received reports from several stations, 2 of
them have been new to 500 listening, enthusing about hearing something
on 500. Without the "pseudo-beacons" they'd tune right past, assuming
the band was dead.

Now they know that some good work is going on here, will come back to 
hear real QSOs and......might even get involved!

This is a "very good thing"!!



This morning I received a very nice email from a listener
in Scandinavia, extracts of which I'll quote below:-

>> You do a great job guys, keep the good signals coming on 500!

>> NOV licensees can't make QSO's 24/7/365 so that there would be 
>> something on the air to monitor for the others without a key to 
>> grab.


On the overnight "beacons" :

>> I find it great that other people can listen in when they have time
>>  for it and condx happens to show it's shiny side.

>> As opposed to 505.1 one may be rewarded with hearing some real 
>> action too from time to time. It's not just about UK-UK QSO's in 
>> the end. The whole Europe is listening for your signals


This type of message makes it all worthwhile for me. He is typical of
most people... they like to hear real QSOs, but are glad of ANY signal
on the band that may be there when they get a few minutes in the shack. 
It is also a reminder that we are in a very special position in the UK, 
and our use of the band is of great interest to other European countries 
too. Let's give them something to listen out for....!


Another take on "beacons"....

My grabber is used by many people - to see the state of the band, or to
check their own signals. By sending a long "initial call" (or "beacon")
they can follow the signal here as it rises and falls in the QSB. This
allows for near-real time propagation experiments when no QSO partner
can be found.

Of course a QSO would add greatly to the value, as questions can be 
asked and answered and changes to power etc. made, but we can't always 
be as lucky as we were last night!


Real "DX" station in VE and W are also trying to hear us, to see what
the chances of transatlantic working would be given better power and
wider availability of access. A publicized long "initial call" is a 
great assistance to them. They can listen at the best time for 
propagation (ie when we're all in bed!) and will know what frequency to 
concentrate on.



We can all argue over the legal niceties of "beacons", as applied to our 
activities, but where there's good and valuable work to be done and 
enthusiastic people to do it there's always a way, within the confines 
of the current rules. It just depends on how you interpret them ;-)



A great night on 500.

QSOs galore and beneficial effects from the "beacons" too.

The best of both worlds surely?

I'll end with this...

One email received this morning from another new 500 listener in
GM-land, reporting my "beacon" said:

>> Good luck, true Amateur Radio.

What more can I say?

Keep up the good work guys.

Best regards,

John GM4SLV