LF: Dreaming (on a small scale)

[Roger Lapthorn <rogerlapthorn@gmail.com>]

Hi All,

My little grandson has now returned to mum and dad, so I've got my radio shack back.  If you want to be amused, see this 2.5yr old having fun with my audio oscillator and 'scope on this YouTube clip taken over the weekend: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRwaT9s6ZHM . Look out for when he says, "can fix this" and "it's too louder" and also "never mind" at the very end. He knows how to alter the frequency and change the level whilst looking at the pattern on the scope - not bad for 2.5yrs old!  

Now he's back home I've a bit more time to VLF experiment again, so I hope to increase my 4W earth-mode DX to around 1km this week by switching to QRSS and using a PC based VLF receiver for the first time. Also, I've still to compare an "in air" loop with my 2 electrode "loop in the ground".  It's becoming clear to me that there really is a big gulf between "small scale" local experimentation by conduction/induction and the quest for real radiated DX that needs big power and big antennas. I'm more interested in the former here, although I hope to be able to participate by looking for Stefan and others later in the year. My modest goal is still to reach the next village 3kms away on sub-9kHz frequencies.

After this weeks' tests, I may take a break to concentrate on 6m whilst the DX is about. A few years ago my 2.5W ERP CW was enough to work K1TOL on 50MHz by multi-hop Es. As Mal says, it is wide open some days. 
 
73s
Roger G3XBM
 

http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/
http://www.g3xbm.co.uk
http://www.youtube.com/user/g3xbm
G3XBM    GQRP 1678      ISWL G11088