From: "Mike Dennison" <mike.dennison@rsgb.org.uk>
Organization: Radio Society of Great Britain
To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
Date: Thu, 5 Aug 1999 09:59:55 +0100
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Subject: Re: LF: eclipse
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G3YMC wrote:
> The RSGB's programme for studying propogation on the eclipse was in April
> 99 RadComm.  This suggested various monitoring programmes for 73 and 128
> (sic!) kHz.
> 

Oops - our trusty proof readers didn't spot that one until too late!

One of things the article said was that the effects of the eclipse 
may last a while, especially as the zone of totality changes with 
the Earth moving. The thing to do it to monitor something 
consistent (obviously regular amateur skeds would be best, but 
commercial signals would do) over a period of days, and LF is 
especially useful for that is under normal conditions the signal 
strengths are remarkably consistent. So although most of us will 
either be at work, or enjoying the eclipse away from home, 
information on DCF's signal in the mornings and evenings will still 
be useful - even if it does not reveal any changes.

Because the totality region moves south-south-east from the UK, I 
imagine that HBG on 75kHz and the Greek RTTY on 135.8kHz 
would be more useful than DCF which is too far north. Similarly, 
observations across the line of totality are thought to be useful, so 
monitoring DCF from Italy could be the thing to do.

That is my understanding of the recommendations - feel free to 
correct me if I have it wrong.

I shall probably arrange to ask my wife to run Spectrogram on 
135.8kHz for an hour  around eclipse time. I will then record 
morning and evening signal strengths on as many DX signals 
(amateur and professional) as I can hear.

It would be useful for as many stations as possible to put out a call 
whenever possible from Monday morning to Thursday morning. It 
may be especially helpful if anyone can transmit on 73kHz (I will 
try to do so, despite needing to work most of the weekend - see 
this group and my web site for an announcement).


Mike, G3XDV (IO91VT)
http://www.dennison.demon.co.uk/activity.htm