Hi Mike and Group
I very much appreciate the suggestions of QSYing the EU DX window but
that appears rather aggressive to deal with my RX limitations and would
involve many others having to change their operations. My grabber is a
'frontier' operation and it would be unfair to expect wide spread change
to established practice to accommodate hardware limitations here.
I would imagine by next winter when the DX window opens again between EU
and VE7 that I will have resolved the RX problem by the use of a SDR of
some sort.
More pressing in my mind is a rethink of the global 2200m band planning
situation. The Pacific region is likely going to be the next hotspot of
DX activity with the recent allocation of the band in Japan and Canada.
With Russian interest and the ZLs we could be having some fun here.
The main reason I have left my often lonely grabber on is to let the
powers that be know there is interest here and to encourage anyone
anywhere to experiment on the path to VE7. The other main reason was to
use the time after our experimental program ended to refine my receiving
techniques to be prepared for real DX when the time comes.
I hope next winter sees a real influx new activity that is focused on
more than trans Atlantic testing.
73 Scott
Mike Dennison wrote:
Scott,
I do not have direct experience of running a grabber, but it seems to
me that your main difficulty is that, even with a SSB bandwidth on
your LF receiver, you cannot cover DCF39 and the Eu DX window at the
same time.
The window at 136.318kHz was chosen to facilitate transatlantic tests
and two-way QSOs so that the west-east traffic around 137.777kHz did
not clash with east-west traffic. As I recall, there were QRM issues
in Canada or the USA which meant that this was optimum. I do not know
whether these are still relevant.
I suggest an alternative west-east DX window just below the QRSS3
part of the band, ie around 137.650kHz. Provided this is not used for
daytime transmissions when QRSS3 activity is expected, it should not
cause QRM to other users. I would still suggest using the lower part
of the band for skeds.
This would enable you and others to add an Argo window that is within
the receiver's passband, but avoids the need for Eu stations to QRM
the 137.777 area in order to check reception on most grabbers.
Does this help?
What to other users of 137kHz think?
Mike
====
If you or anyone can assist me in getting the equipment or expertise
to get this setup I can commit to have it operational from a low noise
site for the next DX season.
I just welcomed my first child within the last year to the world so
time is limited but my passion for LF is GREAT ;-)
73 Scott
Mike Dennison wrote:
OK, all understood. Thanks for considering the idea.
73 de Mike
========
Unfortunately as the main LF RX is tuned to allow reception of the
upper end of the band 137778ish and DCF39 the EU DX window is not
within my passband.
I hope to have a SDR online sometime in the future which would
resolve this.
73,
Scott
Mike Dennison wrote:
This is good news, Scott. Is there any chance of one of your
grabbers being tuned to the EU DX Tx window of 136.318kHz?
Mike. G3XDV
==========
I'm pleased to report the noise problem has been resolved and
most of the renovations here are complete. The 2200m grabber and
DCF39 monitor are back online.
73 Scott
VE7TIL
http://www3.telus.net/sthed/argo/
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