Return-Path: Received: (qmail 24713 invoked from network); 20 Dec 1999 20:45:11 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO post.thorcom.com) (212.172.148.70) by 212.159.2.35 with SMTP; 20 Dec 1999 20:45:11 -0000 Received: from majordom by post.thorcom.com with local (Exim 3.02 #1) id 1209zv-0002oz-00 for rsgb_lf_group-outgoing@blacksheep.org; Mon, 20 Dec 1999 21:05:39 +0000 Received: from as-img-6.compuserve.com ([149.174.217.151] helo=spamgaaf.compuserve.com) by post.thorcom.com with esmtp (Exim 3.02 #1) id 1209zu-0002ot-00 for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Mon, 20 Dec 1999 21:05:38 +0000 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal Received: (from mailgate@localhost) by spamgaaf.compuserve.com (8.9.3/8.9.3/SUN-1.7) id PAA04077 for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Mon, 20 Dec 1999 15:33:23 -0500 (EST) Date: Mon, 20 Dec 1999 15:32:24 -0500 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1106 From: "'Geri' Kinzel, DK8KW" Subject: LF: qrss To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org Message-ID: <199912201532_MC2-91D7-FE0A@compuserve.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Disposition: inline Precedence: bulk Reply-To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org X-Listname: rsgb_lf_group Sender: Mal, you and me are putting good signals in the air, for various reasons. However, there are several others who are far below the noise level. If you have look on my homepage (http:/www.qru.de/signals.htm), you will see a graph, that shows the signal strenght in dBu vs. the distance in km. Most of the German stations for example suffer from both: low power (20 Watt due to the German regulations ... ) and bad antennas. The noise level at my qth typically is in the -110 dBu range, sometimes moch worse (-90 to -100 dBu): I had several contacts with stations on 136 kHz, that I could not hear aurally, because their signals were 10 to 20 db below the current noise level. With an "M", we still were able to manage a good QSO. Also on my page you find a list of stations that I have worked so far on LF (http://www.qru.de/stnhrd.htm). In the column "max . signal strength" you find several stations without a signal report. Most of those stations were far below the noise level, but readable in Slow-CW. For example, I would not have been able to contact IK5ZPV in normal CW. I made some experiement, injecting a signal generator into the normal day-to-day noise. With my 25+ years of CW experiencs, I believe I can hear CW signals well below the noise level. But with spectrogram in Slow-CW, I am able to see (and read) signals that are 10 to 20 dB the lowest level my ear is even able to detect the signal. Maybe it is a matter of the Spectrogram settings. I am sure, if we ever have a successful 2-way transatlantic QSO, it will be in Slow CW! Best 73 Geri, DK8KW (W1KW) homepage: http://www.qru.de "Longwave enthusiasts do it extremely slow!"