Return-Path: Received: (qmail 9549 invoked from network); 23 May 2001 15:31:32 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO warrior-inbound.servers.plus.net) (212.159.14.227) by excalibur-qfe1-smtp-plusnet.harl.plus.net with SMTP; 23 May 2001 15:31:32 -0000 Received: (qmail 20166 invoked from network); 23 May 2001 15:31:01 -0000 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Received: from unknown (HELO post.thorcom.com) (212.172.148.70) by warrior with SMTP; 23 May 2001 15:31:01 -0000 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal Received: from majordom by post.thorcom.com with local (Exim 3.16 #2) id 152aW6-00070n-00 for rsgb_lf_group-outgoing@blacksheep.org; Wed, 23 May 2001 16:25:42 +0100 Received: from mail.cc.kuleuven.ac.be ([134.58.10.6]) by post.thorcom.com with esmtp (Exim 3.16 #2) id 152aW2-00070i-00 for rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org; Wed, 23 May 2001 16:25:39 +0100 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1106 Received: from LCBD15.fys.kuleuven.ac.be (LCBD15.fys.kuleuven.ac.be [134.58.80.15]) by mail.cc.kuleuven.ac.be (8.9.3/8.9.0) with SMTP id RAA937344 for ; Wed, 23 May 2001 17:25:04 +0200 Message-ID: <3.0.1.16.20010523162554.44271c70@mail.cc.kuleuven.ac.be> X-Sender: pb623250@mail.cc.kuleuven.ac.be X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Pro Version 3.0.1 (16) Date: Wed, 23 May 2001 16:25:54 To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org From: "Rik Strobbe" Subject: Re: LF: Re: LF activity In-reply-to: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Precedence: bulk Reply-To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org X-Listname: rsgb_lf_group Sender: To be honest I don't understand most of the 'newcomers' problem. Regarding the receiver : 136kHz is CW only (apart from a rare PSK / BPSK signal), so the ability to copy CW is the first need. I assume that most of the HF CW operators have a narrow filter (500Hz or better) in their receiver and that all more or less recent tranceivers start at 100kHz or below. So listening on 136kHz shouldn't be a problem. Regarding the antenna : I have been able to copy the stronger UK, PA and DL stations (eg. G3LDO, G3YXM, M0MBU, G3AQC, PA0SE, DK8KW etc...) using an untuned 10m long wire. Signals were weak, but so was QRM/QRN. With a tuned 10m long wire I can hear alomost as good as with the 'big' TX antenna. All signals are just a few S-points down, but that doesn't matter as QRM/QRN is also down and the SNR is almost the same. Maybe on a very quiet day and with very weak signal the big antenna is a bit better. Making a tuned antenna is a 1 hour job, provided you have a ferrite rod, a 500pF variable capacitor and a few meter of CuL wire (0.5mm or so). If you can lay your hands on an old MW radio you can 'recuperate' all the stuff you need. BTW : if you want to make someone with an SSB filter hear any ham signal on 136kHz you need 1 strong station to transmit. If you have 5 to 10 strong stations transmitting within 2kHz only experienced CW operators will be able to copy any signal out of the QRM (and these experienced CW operators most likely have a decent CW filter). I like the 'activity periods' (saturday / sunday morning) much more that the idea to have a contest. 73, Rik