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Author Topic: Ham Receivers on Longwave. How's your's?  (Read 78010 times)

K0OD

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RE: Ham Receivers on Longwave. How's your's?
« Reply #15 on: November 26, 2017, 11:18:00 AM »

Speaking of SAQ, I presume it will broadcast again this year on Christmas eve.

In most of the US it's not so easy to hear, but I'll try again next month:

"SAQ traditionally broadcasts at Christmas with the 1920s-era electro-mechanical transmitter that operates on 17.2 kHz. SAQ has released a report that summarizes the success and a map that shows the locations of those who heard SAQ. The vast majority of reports came from listeners — many of them radio amateurs — in Europe, but several hams in the US and Canada were among those able to hear the 17.2 kHz transmission."

"Dave Riley, AA1A, at historic Brant Rock in Massachusetts reported “very good” copy, with the SAQ signal at 10 dB above the noise. SAQ was even heard in Alaska, by Laurence Howell, KL7L, in Wasilla, who gave SAQ a 449 signal report. "

Only a handful of USA stations (all hams BTW) are known to have copied it last Christmas as this report shows:
http://alexander.n.se/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/SUMMARY-REPORT-ON-SAQ-TRANSMISSION-CHRISTMAS-2016-12-24-1.pdf

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VA3VF

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RE: Ham Receivers on Longwave. How's your's?
« Reply #16 on: November 26, 2017, 11:31:00 AM »

Speaking of SAQ, I presume it will broadcast again this year on Christmas eve.

In most of the US it's not so easy to hear, but I'll try again next month:

"SAQ traditionally broadcasts at Christmas with the 1920s-era electro-mechanical transmitter that operates on 17.2 kHz. SAQ has released a report that summarizes the success and a map that shows the locations of those who heard SAQ. The vast majority of reports came from listeners — many of them radio amateurs — in Europe, but several hams in the US and Canada were among those able to hear the 17.2 kHz transmission."

"Dave Riley, AA1A, at historic Brant Rock in Massachusetts reported “very good” copy, with the SAQ signal at 10 dB above the noise. SAQ was even heard in Alaska, by Laurence Howell, KL7L, in Wasilla, who gave SAQ a 449 signal report. "

Only a handful of USA stations (all hams BTW) are known to have copied it last Christmas as this report shows:
http://alexander.n.se/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/SUMMARY-REPORT-ON-SAQ-TRANSMISSION-CHRISTMAS-2016-12-24-1.pdf



No TX this Christmas:

http://alexander.n.se/christmas-transmission-with-saq-radio-cancelled/?lang=en
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K0OD

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RE: Ham Receivers on Longwave. How's your's?
« Reply #17 on: November 26, 2017, 08:35:39 PM »

That's sad. I was looking forward to hearing SAQ for the first time.

"Christmas transmission with SAQ radio cancelled

...Unfortunately we have to inform you that also the traditional Christmas transmission will be cancelled this year since we haven’t been able to finish the maintenance work as planned. Which sometimes can be the case when maintaining an almost 100 year old longwave station.

We deeply regret this and hope for understanding of the situation and also your continued support for the station. We are doing everything we can to get our “old lady” up in the air again!"
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WA9CFK

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RE: Ham Receivers on Longwave. How's your's?
« Reply #18 on: November 27, 2017, 08:22:39 PM »

I have been listening with a Yaesu 747 and a 160 inverted L.

I hear enough signals to tweak my interests in 630 m. I have heard nothing on 137 KHz.


Interesting enough my newer Yaesu switches in  20 db attenuation below 1.7 KHz.

I am looking at a long wire next.
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AD4U

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RE: Ham Receivers on Longwave. How's your's?
« Reply #19 on: February 13, 2018, 05:38:57 AM »

Sorry I got to this "party" late. My ICOM 9000 receiver will go down to something like 60 KHz or lower. I have never used it down there. Last night I connected the ICOM 9000 to my 160M dipole that is up around 90 feet. I started listening at 500 KHz and went down. I was amazed with what I could hear. Apparently the ICOM 9000 does not have atenuators below 1.8 MHz like most HAM receivers have.

I copied many LW airport beacon between 200 - 400 KHz. I could even hear a signal at 60 KHz that I assumed to be WWV.

I used the signal generator my IFR 1200 service monitor. I could hear a 1.0 uV signal from the signal generator all the way down to 60 KHz.

I guess the ICOM 9000 would be a good receiver on the 630M and the 2200M bands. I wonder if anyone else tried the ICOM 9000 receiver on LW.

Dick AD4U

PS: I wish my 100% Collins R-390A receiver (restored by Chuck Rippel) would go below 500 KHz. Now THAT IS A RECEIVER!
« Last Edit: February 13, 2018, 05:53:17 AM by AD4U »
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AA2UK

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RE: Ham Receivers on Longwave. How's your's?
« Reply #20 on: February 13, 2018, 10:35:59 AM »

Dick, I saw an article by Jay W1VD he used an SDR dongle with an R-390A to tune the 630 meter band.
He had excellent results by doing so. It's just an idea maybe this could work for you?
90% of the contacts between 472 and 479kHz are done with WSJTX either JT9 or FT8 modes (2 way contacts) or WSPR (beacon mode).
Bill, AA2UK
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K0SBV

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RE: Ham Receivers on Longwave. How's your's?
« Reply #21 on: February 14, 2018, 04:13:58 PM »

Using an Icom R75 and a 400' Beverage on the Ground in the desert wash behind my house in NW Tucson, just last night I listened to LW Stations: Allouis, France on 162, Nador, Morocco on 171, Europe 1 in Felsberg, Germany on 183, BBC in Droitwich, England on 198, Radio MonteCarlo on 216, and Tipaza, Algeria on 251. With the same set up, I have been able to build an NDB logs of nearly 750 from this location.
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K0OD

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RE: Ham Receivers on Longwave. How's your's?
« Reply #22 on: February 14, 2018, 07:42:34 PM »

Carl, that's fantastic from Tucson. Took a quick tune just now and heard most of those LW broadcasters. The station on 198 kHz (BBC?) was especially loud and should strengthen later tonight. Great longwave propagation the past two days.

Also N1BUG in Maine on the 600 meter Yahoo Group wrote

">> > Wow! This was my best ever night on 630m.
>> >
>> > On WSPR I heard 34 stations including IW4DXW which I believe is my
>> > first time hearing Italy. I was heard by 123 stations including
>> > SM2DJK, SP5XSB, OK2BVG, 9A3KB. I believe it was my first time being
>> > heard in each of those countries. I was heard on four continents
>> > (EU, AF, NA, SA).

>> > 73,
>> > Paul N1BUG FN55mf"
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G8YMW

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RE: Ham Receivers on Longwave. How's your's?
« Reply #23 on: February 15, 2018, 05:52:33 AM »

Yup, 198kHz is BBC Radio 4. Gives the shipping forecast for areas around the Uk and a little further afield
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73 de Tony

KM1H

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RE: Ham Receivers on Longwave. How's your's?
« Reply #24 on: February 25, 2018, 05:22:39 PM »

Quote
Dick, I saw an article by Jay W1VD he used an SDR dongle with an R-390A to tune the 630 meter band.
He had excellent results by doing so. It's just an idea maybe this could work for you?
90% of the contacts between 472 and 479kHz are done with WSJTX either JT9 or FT8 modes (2 way contacts) or WSPR (beacon mode).
Bill, AA2UK



Bill, while the R-390A is an excellent receiver it was primarily designed as a point to point and intercept radio on poor antennas such as short verticals with several receivers thru a multicoupler. With that said it overloads easy on a real good antenna; no surprise there considering the late 40's tubes used.
Mine, fully overhauled by me with a few mods, is a 1956 all Collins model with close module and mainframe serials. It is used on a home brew 90' T2FD that closely follows the original 1949-50 CQ and QST articles. It does very well on the full receiver range and without the suckouts/dead spots common other antennas. A tuneable SS low noise preamp is often used above 14 mHz even on a 3-4el yagi to improve the MDS and open new layers of signals.

Yes, I have strong wrists ;D

Carl
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KF3F

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RE: Ham Receivers on Longwave. How's your's?
« Reply #25 on: February 26, 2018, 03:22:53 PM »

My TS-850 and TS-440 are both excellent on LW. I also have an SDRplay with a low pass filter inline that does well. Interested to hear how the new Flex 6400/6600 perform below 500 kHz.
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N2RDQ

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RE: Ham Receivers on Longwave. How's your's?
« Reply #26 on: March 07, 2018, 04:32:36 AM »

Receivers that work very well under 540khz that I use:

Premium: Cubic cdr-3250  (it's late 90's US Government contracted receiver for us military/US allies) very sensitive and selective (dsp if) and rock solid stable. tunes down to below 1 Hz but practical receive lower limit is around 10khz.

SDR: AirspyHF+ with the R3 (which is a cap actually ) bypassed with a 200nf cap. (there are many write-ups on this) use it for digital mode receive on 2200m and 630m  very sensitive and selective. sensitivity start to drop off around 100khz with the mod but I can easily pick up the 60khz time signal. many people just jumper r3 for even lower freq. sensitivity, depends on how low you wanna go.

Tube: Hammarlund BC-779 but not stable enough for digital modes. it has two lf bands 100-200khz 200-400khz very sensitive low noise, and just fun to drive :)
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SWL, HAM and electronics enthusiast
SWL: AirspyHF+, Cubic CRD-3250, Hammarlund BC-779 / SP-210LX, DX-394, RTL-SDR dongles and upconverters, dx440 (needs work), pro2004. nc-190(needs work)
Ham: IC-7300 baofeng uv-5r, ts-830
Test: full lab.. o'scopes, HP8650a SA, hp 3582 DSA, VP-8132A SG, more

KM1H

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RE: Ham Receivers on Longwave. How's your's?
« Reply #27 on: March 11, 2018, 02:50:09 PM »

You might find this page interesting:

https://www.radioblvd.com/LW%20RCVRS.html

Carl
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KD8IIC

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RE: Ham Receivers on Longwave. How's your's?
« Reply #28 on: March 27, 2018, 05:36:44 AM »

   Drake R7....  Hard to find but hard to find better.
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AA4HA

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RE: Ham Receivers on Longwave. How's your's?
« Reply #29 on: March 27, 2018, 06:33:34 AM »

I do not have a pure "ham" receiver that works below the AM BCB that is not deaf as a post. As one other poster indicated for their choice, I too have a Cubic CDR-3250 that works quite well but for the last few months I have been using an HP 3586b Selective Level Meter.
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Ms. Tisha Hayes, AA4HA
Lookout Mountain, Alabama
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