Below 100khz

[NO2A]

Does anyone know what is broadcast below 100khz,and from 100-500khz? I know there`s vlf activity for unlicensed,but what about the rest? Do ships at sea still use those frequencies?

[K0OD]

You can listen to some of that range for yourself for free:
http://www.eham.net/ehamforum/smf/index.php/topic,87234.0.html

DC to 500 KHz covers a ton of stuff:

<15 KHz  earth sound things
11-59 KHz   submarine digital communications. Digital but often really loud.
60 KHz WWVB (digital time/frequency)
160-200 European Longwave AM broadcast... can be heard in most of the U.S. sometimes
285-325 KHZ Differential GPS
200-529 KHz Nondirectional air beacons (NDBs)
472-478 Experimentally licensed hams on various modes. CW, PSK others
506-7 KHz More ham
518 Navtex ship weather beacons
530 Highway Info stations

I don't know of any two way communication between ships still being done in the 500 KHz range. Almost everything is now digital. Hams have been known to use SSB on longwave but very rarely.

[NO2A]

Thanks! Sending a doughnut to your qth...:-)

[VE5EIS]

Any secrets to picking up European LW in North America?  My little Grundigs have had no luck so far hearing anything below 530 kHz except for local airport beacons.

[K0OD]

"Any secrets to picking up European LW in North America?"

It looks like you're in VE5-land so Europe longwave may be tough. Wintertime around European sunrise is often a good time. Was surprised to hear France Inter on 162 kHz very nicely a few night ago around 0300z which is quite early. There have been a few nights lately where I haven't been able to hear the longwave broadcasters at all.

A good approach might be to plant your receiver on 162 KHz from 0300z until 0600z. The German station (which transmits in French language) on 183 is sometimes nearly as loud.

Try taking your Grundig for a car ride to see if it works better in different and quieter locations. You certainly should hear lots of aircraft beacons (not just local ones) most nights. I'm not a NDB chaser but I did happen upon one a few months ago from Prince Edward Island.

See:
http://www.eham.net/ehamforum/smf/index.php/topic,80404.0.html
 

[RENTON481]

Any secrets to picking up European LW in North America?  My little Grundigs have had no luck so far hearing anything below 530 kHz except for local airport beacons.

Try building (or buying) a tunable, passive loop antenna for Longwave, to couple to your Grundig inductively.