Stefan,
I have experience as a "former" user of 500kHz.
Under certain conditions there are "ducts" which enables you with low power to cover large distances.
One of my favourites was EU to Brazil. Mostly in the last watch Northsea traffic was loud and clear audible off coast Rio.
This condition could last for hours. You could contact the EU coaststation rather easy on their working channels  with 250W shipstx.
However high QRN in Brazil is rather problematic but sometimes the condx coincided with low QRN.
Offshore,  QRN can be considerable less.
I experienced these "tunnels" also between LA & Hawaii and LA & New Zealand.
Leaving Red Sea Indian Ocean to Perth radio was also a nice link. (7000km!)
At that time I consider it as "normal" not realising that nowadays these are remarkable events if you put in hamradio perspective.

BTW understand that Monaco seems to be 1st official country on 472kHz as from 18/5-2012.
http://www.iaru-r1.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=993:claude-passet&catid=53:spectrum

Hopefully all EU countries implement  this new QRG at the same time, otherwise you must keep a database in order to know were to listen for which country.
Somewhere from 439-510kHz.
EU and making decisions together worries me.
Jan/pa3abk


On 7-6-2012 12:45, Stefan Schäfer wrote:
> Hi Joe, LF,
>
> Yes, we're here of course :-)
> Unfortunately i still cannot receive on MF. My RX is home made and vy narrow band. But i'm going to have a suitable RX in some time.
> BTW, what about all the 500 kHz allocations. What happens to them when the new 475 kHz band becomes permitted? Will you have an extended frequency range then or will you have to QSY?
> And what about the chances of this band? How easy is a TA detection? Would it be possible to have a CW QSO over that 4400 km distance?
> It would be possible for me to radiate 1 kW ERP on that band, however with a 1W (EIRP of course) limitation, this may become a problem...
>
> 73, Stefan/DK7FC
>
>
> Am 07.06.2012 02:15, schrieb [email protected]:
>>
>> Hopefully someone will read this on Baa Baa....
>>
>> The beacon is running on a new frequency with a CW ID and
>> a 10 second carrier.  Reports most welcomed.
>>
>> 73
>> Joe VO1NA
>>
>> This electronic communication is governed by the terms and conditions at
>> http://www.mun.ca/cc/policies/electronic_communications_disclaimer_2012.php
>
>


-- pa3abk<->  dordrecht jo21it