Post by gbowne1 on Jul 31, 2007 0:54:51 GMT -5
Here is a good way check the propagation and MUF to DX in less than a minute using the Northern California DX Foundation world wide beacon system.
First, you need to put the following frequencies in sequence (low to high) into your radios memory for CW. 14100, 18110, 21150, 24930, 28200. (You may need to enter a slight offset to hear a good CW tone, like 14199.6, 18109.6, 21149.6, etc.)
If you want to check the propagation and Maximum Usable Frequency to New York, tune in 4U1UN (United Nations HQ in NYC) listen at 0:00 on 14100 kHz, then switch to 18110 at 0:10, switch to 21150 at 0:20, switch to 24930 at 0:30, switch to 28200 at 0:40. You can easily tell which frequency has the best propagation in less than a minute.
If you want to check the propagation to San Francisco listen for W6WX at 0:20 past the cycle start time on 14100, Then switch to the next higher band you have stored in your memory bank every 10 seconds and if the next higher band is open you will hear W6WX .
If you have a good Atomic Clock (WWVB) or accurate clock you can identify the beacons without even knowing the morse code.
Each beacon has a 10 second slot, They send their call sign (CW at 22 WPM) followed by 1 Dash at 100w, then 3 dashes at 10W, then 1W then 0.1W. If you can hear all the dashes, the band is really open.
The 14100 kHz cycle starts at 00 at the beginning of the hour and repeats the cycle every 3 minutes: 00, 03, 06, 09, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, 42, 45, 48, 51, 54, 57...minutes past the hour.
The sequence of transmissions on 14100 kHz is:
Call Location
4U1UN U.N. NYC 0:00
VE8AT No.Canada 0:10
W6WX CA, SF 0:20
KH6WO Hawaii 0:30
ZL6B NewZealand 0:40
VK6RBP Perth AU 0:50
JA2IGY Japan 1:00
RR9O Russia 1:10
VR2B Hong Kong 1:20
4S7B Sri Lanka 1:30
ZS6DN S. Africa 1:40
5Z4B Kenya 1:50
4X6TU Israel 2:00
OH2B Finland 2:10
CS3B Madeira 2:20
LU4AA Argentina 2:30
OA4B Peru 2:40
YV5B Venezuela 2:50
For complete information on the NCDXF Beacons go to the NCDXF web site:
www.ncdxf.org/beacons.html
What a great world wide project this is. Please do not transmit on these beacon frequencies.
Greg
First, you need to put the following frequencies in sequence (low to high) into your radios memory for CW. 14100, 18110, 21150, 24930, 28200. (You may need to enter a slight offset to hear a good CW tone, like 14199.6, 18109.6, 21149.6, etc.)
If you want to check the propagation and Maximum Usable Frequency to New York, tune in 4U1UN (United Nations HQ in NYC) listen at 0:00 on 14100 kHz, then switch to 18110 at 0:10, switch to 21150 at 0:20, switch to 24930 at 0:30, switch to 28200 at 0:40. You can easily tell which frequency has the best propagation in less than a minute.
If you want to check the propagation to San Francisco listen for W6WX at 0:20 past the cycle start time on 14100, Then switch to the next higher band you have stored in your memory bank every 10 seconds and if the next higher band is open you will hear W6WX .
If you have a good Atomic Clock (WWVB) or accurate clock you can identify the beacons without even knowing the morse code.
Each beacon has a 10 second slot, They send their call sign (CW at 22 WPM) followed by 1 Dash at 100w, then 3 dashes at 10W, then 1W then 0.1W. If you can hear all the dashes, the band is really open.
The 14100 kHz cycle starts at 00 at the beginning of the hour and repeats the cycle every 3 minutes: 00, 03, 06, 09, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, 42, 45, 48, 51, 54, 57...minutes past the hour.
The sequence of transmissions on 14100 kHz is:
Call Location
4U1UN U.N. NYC 0:00
VE8AT No.Canada 0:10
W6WX CA, SF 0:20
KH6WO Hawaii 0:30
ZL6B NewZealand 0:40
VK6RBP Perth AU 0:50
JA2IGY Japan 1:00
RR9O Russia 1:10
VR2B Hong Kong 1:20
4S7B Sri Lanka 1:30
ZS6DN S. Africa 1:40
5Z4B Kenya 1:50
4X6TU Israel 2:00
OH2B Finland 2:10
CS3B Madeira 2:20
LU4AA Argentina 2:30
OA4B Peru 2:40
YV5B Venezuela 2:50
For complete information on the NCDXF Beacons go to the NCDXF web site:
www.ncdxf.org/beacons.html
What a great world wide project this is. Please do not transmit on these beacon frequencies.
Greg