Congratulations on #1000, G3XIZ!
I chair the Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) LF/MF/HF Band
Planning Committee, and several of us are interested in participating in the
recently-authorized Canadian Developmental Service experiments on 500 kHz. We
are receiving active support on this effort from the Regulatory Affairs wing of
RAC, who are Industry Canada’s gatekeepers. This period is preliminary to
the coming world meeting where this will be discussed. We hope to get several stations
transmitting 25% of the time and a lot more across Canada receiving, so it
should add to WSPR’s activity and spotting at this frequency.
I’m not sure what you were saying about hand-sent CW
vs. WSPR; I also love CW but am amazed what WSPR can offer. Other authorized
Canadian participants in this program are already using CW, and most of my 100,000+
QSOs over 53+ years have been CW, but we are expecting our little group to propose
two frequencies (we must be specific) and use 503.9 WSPR beacon mode, break in
using the WSJT WSPR mode, and QSY to our “working frequency”, where
we can use any mode within the 1 kHz permissible bandwidth. Contenders for
working frequency QSOs might vary from some of the JT modes to OLIVIA to CW
depending on what signal levels we are experiencing with feasible antennas and
our power limitations. The purpose of all this will be able to understand
whether 600M can offer utility for ham radio-scale stations for emergency, and
how its usability varies with conditions including aurora.
Last night, using my 160M 1/2w sloper aimed at the Pacific
Rim, I spotted SM6BHZ over 40 times on 502.4+.
We are looking for info on successful approaches to
generating WSPR and other modes on 500 kHz. I’m presently thinking of a
transverter with my transceiver’s transverter output, but I’m open
and others in our group may want to try other approaches.
73,
Jim, VE1JF
