Hi All,
Ed, RU6LA, received the following Email from YL3DW and since it will be yet
another country on LF, with what looks like a potentially big signal, he has
asked me to translate it and post it to the web. It is a little lengthy but
interesting. I will leave comments to others. The translation follows.
John, G4CNN
Good day Vlad,
I was not really a fan of LF, in fact I didn't really believe in the
possibility of long distance reception at this wavelength in the situation in
which the majority of hams find themselves.
From all the information about what is happening on this band, I have only seen
one article in the Shortwave/Ultra Shortwave by UA9OBA and an article by a G3
in QST. Nevertheless in response to a call from a colleague on the NZ
Reflector, I decided to try to follow the work of your group.
An attempt to hear RU6LWZ at the time of the first expedition proved
fruitless, that is apart from a mass of 50Hz lines nothing was heard. My
IC775DSP was working against a high level of interference on this band, with an
unmatched antenna, in short everything was wrong and so there was nothing to
hear.
Somehow I didn't feel up to diving into this transceiver to make it work on
this band like the Kenwood TS-850. Nevertheless for the sake of curiosity, I
thought I would see what would happen if I simply improved the selectivity of
the receiver by putting a preselector ahead of it. I was too lazy to read up
and get out the soldering iron, so I took a multiband measurement filter F1 (so
called, which can be used with the GSS to obtain a pure sine wave and has 10
bands from 0.1 to 10MHz) and simply connected it between my 160 dipole and the
receiver.
It turned out that this filter not only filtered but considerably improved the
matching of the antenna to the receiver especially in the range 135 - 138 kHz,
and the level of signals on the scale of my S meter increased by
20dB.Encouraged by this result, I decided to undertake a second attempt to hear
RU6LWZ on the following saturday. And in fact, in the region of 137.7 kHz heard
an almost imperceptible signal which didn't look like a harmonic of 50 Hz. But
what or who it was I could not dare to say. I became quite sad. Furthermore a
lot of european sources in the cluster were heartily lamenting the fact that
RU6LWZ was breaking through everywhere. And I was quite destroyed by Sergei's,
UR5MID, communication to the NZ reflector that he could hear RU6LWZ at home,
God knows by what means (he didn't say).
I would have spat at this LF DXing and signed myself into a lunatic asylum if
the same Sergei with the usual surprised Oh's and Ah's had not also sent in
screenshots in which the call-sign could be seen in the form of dots and
dashes .Having looked at all this for quite a while I called myself a fool for
having ignored the fact that the great mass of QSOs on this band take place in
QRSS. Carefully looking at the image sent in by UR5MID, I saw that it was
received using Argo version beta 1 build 128. Straight away I got into GOOGLE
and found I2PHD's site, the existence of which I hadn't even suspected. I
quickly downloaded and started the program.
I looked at the screen and Oh...like a bolt out of the blue, in the region of
137.7 kHz a pile of stations calling separated from one another by 10 - 20 Hz.
I was clearly able to read M0BMU, OH5UFO, OM2TW, IK2DED, HA6PC, DF6NM, OH1TN,
and right in the middle of this pile-up the bright fat line of RU6LWZ.
The Finns didn't surprise me, Yura YL2DX had told me that he had heard a CQ
from OZ1KTR on 137.
But the others ..... after my 27 years on the ether, I thought I had seen and
heard everything, but such a feeling of euphoria. I shook from excitement. It
was like when you first see that a whole new field is opening before you.
I really got keen on Ham radio in 1975 when I made my very first QSO. For the
very first time in my life no longer was I just an observer. I sat all night
till the very next morning. After which feeling just as after a very
successfully worked contest.
I almost fell of my chair, when about 2200z in the headphones I heard CQ RU6LWZ
with RST 559-579, I thought I was imagining it. Just before dawn about 0600z I
again heard a CW CQ, but much weaker about 539-549. A clean clear signal
without QSB, about 6dB above the background according to the S meter.
Concerning QRSS, if one can believe the level shown by ARGO the picture
according to the level of signals looks like this:
background noise level -55 dB
50Hz harmonic level -40 dB
RU6LWZ/RU6LA -20db
M0BMU -24db
OM2TW -26db
OH1TN -30dB
IK2DED -35db
HA6PC -40db
IK5ZPV -45db
These were the very strongest stations. There were other weaker stations, but I
won't list them all.
Of course the relative strength of the signals changed with time, but I can
definitely say that RU6LWZ was very much the strongest at all times.
These were all measured with an unaltered IC775DSP, sloping dipole for 160m
connected by 75 ohm cable to form a dipole and not a T antenna.
One end of the dipole is raised to a height of 80 metres and the other to 50
metres above ground. The dipole runs parallel to a high-voltage power line 300
metres distant and at a height of 50 metres.
All this has caused me to think hard about how to work on 137 and about a
transmitter.
In principle it is possible to set up a large loop with a side of 100 metres
and a height of 50-70 metres above ground. However there is one problem - wire.
If I can find enough, then I will try it. This is from home. If there is enough
time and I can manage to encourage some others, then in the summer we will try
to work seriously on LF, it so happens we bought a 200 metre mast, but we have
not yet managed to raise it.
73 and success with LF experiments,
Oleg YL3DW/YL9W/YL4U captain of YL4HQ.
--- On Wed 04/10, Ed Lesnichy wrote:
Hello John!
Onkswhkh l{ nwem| hmrepeqmne h nam`defhb`~yee dk Ebpno{ ohq|ln
nr YL3DW!
M`dn m`der|q, wrn lncsr onbhr|q m` LF h YL-qr`mvhh ...
Lnfmn h b LF-petkejrnp oepebeqrh...
------------------------------------------------------
Dnap{i dem| Bk`d!
Bnnaye-rn me nrmnxsq| j t`m`r`l LF, onqjnk|js, weqrmn cnbnp, j`j-rn
me nwem| bephk b bnglnfmnqr| d`k|mecn opnund`(ophel` m` }rnl )
dh`o`gnme, b sqknbhu, jnrnp{lh nak`d`er nqmnbm` l`qq` ham'ob.
Hg bqei hmtnpl`vhh, n rnl wrn opnhqundhr m` }rnl dh`o`gnme,
jrn h wel r`l g`mhl`erq, m` ck`g` ono`khq| rnk|jn ndm` qr`r| UA9OBA
b JB/SJB. h G3.... (call vekhjnl me onlm~) b QST Rel me lemee, bmb
ophg{b`l jnkkec hg HZ-petkejrnp`, pexhk ono{r`rq onm`ak~d`r| g` p`anrni
b`xei jnl`md{.
Ono{rj` sqk{x`r| RU6LWZ b lnlemr 1-i }jqoedhvhh g`jnmwhk`q| mhwel,
r.e. mhwecn, jpnle onleu nr 50cv khmhh opnqrn me sqk{x`k.
Qohq`k }rn bqe m` ank|xni spnbem| onleu, mhgjne wsr|e lnecn IC775DSP m`
}rnl
dh`o`gnme, meqnck`qnb`mmnqr| `mremm{, jnpnwe, bhmnb`r{ bqe bnglnfm{e
naqrnrek|qrb`, ` p`g r`j, rn h knbhr| lme m` }rnl bande mewecn.
G`mhl`r|q
p`gbexhb`mhel dkhmm{u qnokei, h g`keg`r| b rp`mqhbep, m` opedler
oepedekjh
ecn dk p`anr{ m` }rnl bande j`j TS-850 Kenwood, lme wrn-rn me nwem| rn
h g`unreknq|. Rel me lemee, k~ano{rqrb` p`dh, d`i dsl`~
onqlnrp~ wrn onkswhrq, eqkh opnqrn skswxhr| qekejrhbmnqr| ophelmhj`,
onqr`bhb m` bund dno.opeqekejrnp. Qwhr`r| h o`r| a{kn kemhbn, on}rnls
bgk lmncndh`o`gnmm{i hglephrek|m{i thk|rp T1 (r`j h m`g{b`erq,
ondjk~w`erq j CQQ dk onkswemh whqrncn qhmsq`, h hleer 10 dh`o`gnmnb nr
0.1 dn 10 Lcv) h opnqrn bjk~whk ecn lefds dhonkel m` 160 h rp`mqhbepnl.
Nj`g`knq|, wrn }rn thk|rp, jpnle, thk|rp`vhh pegjn skswxhk qnck`qnb`mhe
`mremm{ q ophelmhjnl, hlemmn b opedek`u 135-138 jcv, h spnbmh qhcm`knb
ophondmkhq| m` 20 da on xj`ke S-lerp`. Nap`dnb`bxhq| }rnls t`jrs
pexhk opedophmr| brnps~ ono{rjs sqk{x`r| RU6LWZ b opnxedxs~
qsaanrs. H b q`lnl deke, b p`inme 137.7 Jcv sqk{x`k eye j`js~-rn
meqsys~, meonunfs~ m` c`plnmhjs nr 50 Cv. Mn bnr wrn }rn hkh jrn
}rn qj`g`r| a{ me nrb`fhkq. H qr`kn lme qnbqel cpsqrmn.@ rsr
eye rnko` ebpnoeiveb hqrnxmn cnknqhr b jk`qrepe n rnl, wrn
RU6LWZ knlrq s mhu begde cde. H qnbqel lem a{kn dnjnm`k Qepcei
UR5MID qbnhlh qnnayemhlh b HZ-petkejrnp n rnl, wrn qk{xhr nm, r`jh
RU6LWZ s qea dnl`, anc gm`er m` j`jnl qsppnc`re (` m` j`jnl, r`j h me
qj`g`k).
_ a{ r`j h ok~msk m` beq| }rnr LF DXing, p`qohq`bxhq| b qnaqrbemmnl
aeqqhkhh, eqkh a{ me rnr fe Qepcei UR5MID, ophqk`bxhi bleqre q nwepedm{l
bnqrnpfemm{l `unl-nunl b petkejrnp h qjphmxnr q }jp`m`, m` jnrnpnl b bhde
rnwej-rhpe a{k m`phqnb`m ong{bmni. Sbhdeb }rn bqe, dnkcn m`g{b`k qea
qeplfm{l opnbhmvh`k|m{l k`orel, m`opnw| m`okeb`bxhl m` rnr t`jr,wrn
nqmnbm` l`qq` QSO m` }rnl dh`o`gnme, bnnaye-rn opnundhr b QRSS pefhle.
Bmhl`rek|mn p`qqlnrpeb j`prhmjs, ophqk`mms~ UR5MID, sqr`mnbhk, wrn }rn
bqe ophmhl`knq| opncp`llni Argo bepqhei beta 1 build 128. Rsr fe g`keg
b GOOGLE, h on m`gb`mh~ h bepqhh opncp`ll{ m`xek q`ir I2PHD, n
qsyeqrbnb`mhh jnrnpncn d`fe h me ondngpeb`k. A{qrpem|jn qj`w`k
opncp`lljs,
g`osqrhk ee. Ckmsk m` }jp`m h n...a`kdek: b p`inme 137.7Jcv jsw`
gnbsyhu qr`mvhi nrqrnyhu dpsc nr dpsc` m` 10-20cv.
Werjn whr`khq| qhcm`k{ M0BMU, OH5UFO, OM2TW, IK2DED, HA6PC, DF6NM,
OH1TN, h rnwmn onqepedhme }rni jswh pjhe fhpm{e khmhh RU6LWZ.
Thmm{ lem j`j-rn me sdhbhkh. ^p` YL2DX lme j`j-rn cnbnphk, wrn qk{x`k,
j`j m` 137 d`b`k CQ OZ1KTR. Mn bnr bqe nqr`k|m{e...... G` qbnh 27 ker
p`anr{ b }thpe bhdek h qk{x`k bqjne, mn r`jni ondzel, }itnph, l`mdp`f
wrn kh, me gm`~ j`j nohq`r| }rn nysyemhe, jncd` bhdhx|, j`j oeped rnani
nrjp{b`erq mewrn, b ham radio lem onqey`kn p`gbe wrn b 1975 cnds, jncd`
opnbek qbne 1-e b fhgmh QSO. Nrpndq| me g`mhl`kq m`ad~d`rek|qrbnl, `
rsr opnqhdek dn q`lncn srp`, onqke wecn eye h m`qrpnemhe a{kn, j`j onqke
nwem| sd`wmn nrp`anr`mmncn contesta.
Wsr| qn qrsk` me so`k, jncd` njnkn 2200z b dhm`lhje sqk{x`k CQ RU6LWZ q
RST 559-579, ondsl`k ck~jh. Ond srpn b p`inme 06z nor| qk{x`k CQ
rekecp`tnl, mn gm`whrek|mn qk`aee, cde-rn 539-549. Qhcm`k werjhi whqr{i,
aeg QSB b{xe spnbm onleu cde-rn m` 6 da on S-lerps. Wrn j`q`erq QRSS rn
eqkh bephr| rel spnbml, jnrnp{e d`er opncp`ll` ARGO, j`prhmj` on spnbml
qhcm`knb b{ckdhr r`j: spnbem| onleu -55db
spnbem| c`plnmhj 50cv -40db
RU6LWZ/RU6LA -20db
M0BMU -24db
OM2TW -26db
OH1TN -30dB
IK2DED -35db
HA6PC -40db
IK5ZPV -45db
]rn q`l{e qhk|m{e qr`mvhh. A{kh h ankee qk`a{e qr`mvhh, mn bqeu
oepewhqkr| me asds.
Jnmewmn, nrmnqhrek|m{e spnbmh qhcm`knb lemkhq| qn bpelemel, mn lncs
ndmngm`wmn qj`g`r|, wrn qhcm`k RU6LWZ ndmngm`mn a{k q`l{l cpnljhl hg
bqeu ophmr{u, meg`bhqhln nr bpelemh ophel`.
Qksx`knq| }rn bqe m` meoepedek`mm{i IC775DSP, m`jknmm{i dhonk| dk 160l,
jnrnp{i bjk~w`kq wepeg 75 nlm{i j`aek| j`j dhonk| ` me r-nap`gm`
`mremm`.
Ndmn okewn dhonk ondbexemn m` b{qnre 80 lerpnb, brnpne m` b{qnre 50
lerpnb m`d
gelkei.
Dhonk| ondbexem o`p`kkek|mn b{qnjnbnk|rmni K]O, m`undyeiq nr mecn b 300
lerp`u m` b{qnre 50 lerpnb.
Bqe }rn g`qr`bhkn g`dsl`rq m` opedler onp`anr`r| m` 137 h m` oeped`ws. B
ophmvhoe, eqr| bnglnmnqr| p`gleqrhr| cnphgnmr`k|ms~ p`ljs, qn qrnpnmni
100
lerpnb m` b{qnre 70-50 lerpnb m`d gelkei. Onj` ndm` opnakel` - ahler`kk.
Eqkh m`ids msfmne jnkkhweqrbn, rn onopnas~. ]rn hg dnl`. Eqkh asder bpel
h sd`qrq g`beqrh m`pnd, onopnasel kernl onp`anr`r| bqep|eg m` LF, ` rn
ophjsohkh rsr on qksw`~ l`wrs b{qnrni b 200 lerpnb, mn onj` mer bpelemh
ee
nafhr|.
73 h sd`wh b LF }jqoephlemr`u.
Nkec YL3DW/YL9W/YL4U j`ohr`m YL4HQ
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73! Ed RU6LA mailto:[email protected]
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