Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2000 02:23:40 -0500
From: "Holger 'Geri', DK8KW" <DK8KW@compuserve.com>
Subject: LF: DCF39 in the US - Bingo!
To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
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Hello Lowfers,

Dick,  WA3USG has made another recording last night after 22.00 UTC. This
time it is a five minute recording with very little disturbance or QRN. 

I had a brief look at the file this morning before leaving to my office and
I clearly recognized the typical pattern of the DCF39 (for reason of
simplicity I continue to use that callsign) transmissions: a short
interruption in the carrier every 11 to 15 seconds, the length of the
interruption (which is the data burst) is approximately 1/2 second.

I will do further analysis of the signal tonight, additionally Dick has
also made a recording of the other FSK frequency 139.170 kHz, on which I
will try to identify the data burst signals. 

Anyhow, I am almost hundert percent sure that Dick (and other stations in
the vicinity of Washington DC) received the proper station!
Congratulations!
 
Well, from the file and the Spectrogram I can tell you: crossing the
Atlantic with 1 W ERP instead of 50 kW will be tough, but I think it is not
impossible (considering that Washington DC is fairly South and the Burg
transmitter is in the middle of Germany, several hundert kilometers away
from the sea).

Keep on trying, it will work out!


Geri, DK8KW (W1KW)
http://www.qru.de

P.S.: I will post some spectrogram pictures of the DCF39 reception in the
US probably next weekend.