Emergency radio kit

The terrible Japanese earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis has reminded us all that modern 1st world technology cannot always be relied upon. The UK Foreign Office and the BBC have webpages suggesting essential items as an emergency "grab bag" to have ready in such circumstances. One of the attractions of simple QRP gear is its ability to work when nothing else may, for example using a small battery or solar cells with a compact CW rig that can be taken anywhere with a throw-out HF antenna. In the event of a sudden and unexpected disaster, would you and I be able to communicate still?

8.97kHz very sensitive spectrogram online

Paul Nicholson in Todmorden, Yorkshire UK has put on line his steerable and highly sensitive spectrogram for the VLF Dreamer's Band around 8.97kHz. Paul's system is super sensitive and detects just about anything going. His new spectrogram can be "steered" to a specific direction and the display clicked to show exact frequency and S/N levels. There is also a roll back function so that records from a few hours to days back can also be checked. Marvellous! See http://abelian.org/vlf/fbins.shtml

Great care needed when IDing VLF stations

A word of caution to those of us looking for very weak signals around 8-9kHz. DJ8WX was copied here overnight on 8.970022kHz without any doubt and my grabber was clearly able to see his close-down around 0700 today. The frequency and the trace timing corresponded perfectly. Likewise with G3XIZ and DK7FC/P some weeks ago.

This evening I was looking very carefully again at the Spectrum Lab screen from the last 24 hours in 424uHz BW and readjusting audio gain ranges, screen colour saturation and contrast. Out of the noise appeared another very very faint line, not at 8.970022 but at 8.96998kHz. I've attached the screen shot here (I have overlaid it with the time for clarity).

My immediate reaction was this must be Ossi OE5ODL as this is the frequency he uses. Then I checked his grabber and saw he was not operational overnight last night! So, what looked like a trace on his frequency cannot be him. It must instead be some artefact of SL or something else. We have to be very careful when seeing traces at very specific VLF frequencies: it may be an indication of a given VLF amateur station, but without some modulation or turning on/off of the carrier a doubt remains.

Sadly I don't think I did see Ossi today after all, but I shall keep looking.

New Sub-9kHz Amateur Radio website

For some time I've wanted to tidy up the pages on my website that dealt with the various aspects of VLF amateur radio below 9kHz. So, today I've launched a new site entitled Sub 9kHz Amateur Radio bringing together my information more accessibly. The original pages just grew and grew as activity at VLF just took off. It is almost 1 year to the day since DK7FC made his first historic DX on 8.97kHz. Since then we've come a VERY long way!

The new site has a table showing the VLF DX records. This is not fully populated or correct yet, so I need everyone's help to get this up to date in the next couple of days please. If you are aware of errors or omissions please let me know right away.

Another addition - to be much expanded - is a page on TX stations and their equipment. Please let me have photos, schematics of antennas, transmitters, loading coils etc.  Another page deals with the kit needed to receive on the Dreamer's Band. It is easy stuff that can be built by anyone. Also a page linking the various software packages available freely. Yet another page lists the VLF grabbers (incomplete still - tell me of others!) which are such a vital resource. 

Also included on the page is more data on earth mode (through the ground) communication which is a very accessible way of starting out on VLF as much of the kit is re-usable for experiments with radiated VLF tests (same loops, probes and pre-amps can be used).

Please let me have constructive feedback so I can make this as good as possible. I hope you enjoy the site.

The end fed halfwave antenna (EFHW)

Steve G0KYA has a nice pdf document he's created describing how to make simple end fed half wave antennas (EFHQ). These band specific antennas can be very effective and simple when mounted either vertically or horizontally. They can be made with PVC covered wire, fishing poles or aluminium rod. See http://www.infotechcomms.net/downloads/Endfed_halfwave_dipoles.pdf.  Many years ago we experimented with these on VHF handhelds and achieved results some 6dB better than with a standard 1/4 wave whip, but on 2m they were on the long side! On HF they are capable of low angle radiation good for DX.

4m QRP success - 229km today in the contest

Using my small 1W QRP 4m transverter recently built into my loft dipole I've just managed a QSO with G4RFR 229km away in Dorset (IO90AS) using CW in the RSGB Cumulative contest. He was on SSB and it was hard work, but in the end a full exchange was made.  Also heard G3EDD, G4ASR, G3BCU, G3TCT, G4DEZ, G1EHF on the band on SSB and G4ZTR on CW.

DJ8WX copied again on VLF (645km)

Uwe DJ8WX is currently transmitting a long dash on 8.90022kHz and his signal was copied well on my VLF grabber overnight in a 424uHz bandwidth. Also visible is a mystery signal around 8.9701kHz that most people think is some sort of local noise source but it is very repeatable every night.

Monitoring 8.976607kHz for G3XIZ

Just back from a few days with our grandson and family and the PC is on looking for the latest VLF test from G3XIZ. Whilst I've been away I hear that OK2BVG has been received in the UK too on VLF. Activity on the Dreamer's Band (8-9khz VLF) is going from strength to strength with new stations getting active on RX and TX almost daily now in Europe.

10m WSPR - reports from Australia today

WSPR reports 10.3.11 morning

This morning my 5W WSPR signal on 28MHz reached Australia with reports from VK5ZK and VK6DZ. Best DX is 16275km, a new WSPR record for me on the band. In the last 3 months I've had WSPR reports from 6 continents. Not bad with 5W to a small wire halo antenna at this stage of the sunspot cycle. At 1100z I'd been received by no less than 4 different Australian stations plus Israel, the Faroes and UK.

DJ8WX on 8.970022kHz again

Just weak a very weak trace overnight (you have to look hard!) from DJ8WX on VLF. Compared with his signals a few days ago he is at least 10dB weaker. Not sure why as nothing has been changed here. G3ZJO also copied Uwe weaker than before, although Eddie was getting him slightly better than me using his E-field probe antenna. By the way, this small trace (in blue/white) covers a period of 8 hours and is looking for the signal in an incredibly narrow 424uHz (yes you read it correctly - microhertz) bandwidth.