I had similar experience with the 0830/0845 Z transmission.
I set up out in an isolated field using a battery operated Wandel
Goltermann AT463 selective voltmeter for a receiver set for high impedance
input and a 30 foot length of wire.
I could clearly hear GBR at 16 kHz and occasional snippets of signal were
heard at 18.3 kHz. The system seemed fine but the density of sferic crashes
left no holes to hear SAQ through. Not even a shred of a snippet.
Since 0830 Z is 4:30 AM I was running out of energy and decided to hit the
sack and decided not to get up to make the 30 minute drive for the 1230Z
session. I doubt I would have done any better than earlier.
I will have to join Sandy and wait for next time. We sure appreciate the
efforts by the Alexander club to keep SAQ on the air and make these
transmissions. It is a real challenge for us and demonstrates how
effective the receive end on Long Island had to be to make a reliable
link. I understand the Long Island receive site had a very long wire which
acted as a directive Beverage. This LF and VLF stuff they did back then
(day in and day out) seems even more impressive when you try to do
something like this. Our modern whiz bang technology does not give us
much of an advantage here.
Frank K0BRA
At 03:10 PM 7/1/01 -0400, Nan and Sandy Sanders wrote:
Listened for the 08:30 transmission on a tuned loop and on the vertical we
use for one of the AMRAD 136 beacons feeding a tuned preamp. No luck. QRN
very high plus 60HZ based noise.
For the 12:30 transmission moved I moved to my office and used the E-field
probe on the roof. Had no 60HZ noise but still no SAQ even on a waterfall
display.
Hope to have better luck next time.
Sandy
WB5MMB
Frank Gentges KØBRA
[email protected]
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