NCDXF/IARU Beacon Project

NCDXF/IARU Beacon Project

-  System of worldwide; GPS-timing synchronized; 5 band beacons with known timing sequence and calibrated/stepped power levels transmitting 24/7/365

-  Developed by Northern California DX Foundation

-  Each location xmits on (MHz) 14.100; 18.110; 21.150; 24.930; 28.200 in GPS-timed 3-minute sequence

o  NEVER xmit on these freqs.

o  CW ID at 22 wpm (100w) then the following sequence in order:

o  1 second tone at 100w

o  1 second tone at 10w

o  1 second tone at 1w

o  1 second tone at 1/10w

-  See attached schedule (following page)

o  You can tell which beacon is xmiting by its timing sequence/freq even without knowing CW

o  You do need accurate timing (WWV/GPS)

-  Hardware:

o  Kenwood TS-50/specially built controller/GPS for timing/vertical antenna

o  NCDXF does accept donations

o  Web site lists beacon status: http://www.ncdxf.org/beacon/BeaconSchedule.html

-  Uses:

o  Pick a band and listen OR pick a location and step through the bands

o  Check for propagation (decreasing power levels in sequence)

o  Prepare for contests

o  Get a good spot, post it on the DX Cluster

o  Can also use monitoring software tools (see web site above for details)

-  How can I help?

o  NEVER xmit on the IARU beacon freqs

o  Join NCDXF or donate

o  Volunteer to help

o  Join the Automatic Beacon Monitoring Project (see web site above for more info)

§  Your station will automatically monitor the beacon freqs and post to the web

§  Only one US station listed so far (Michigan)

o  Publicize the beacons on the air and at meetings

-  Hints:

o  Keep an accurate clock set to WWV time (or just use GPS time)

o  Put the beacon freqs in successive memories so you can just step up to the next band to hear the beacon’s transmission on that freq (moves to the next band every 10 seconds)

o  Keep the beacon schedule handy in your shack for reference

NCDXF/IARU Beacon Transmission Schedule

Each beacon transmits every three minutes, day and night. This table gives the minute and second of the start of the first transmission within the hour for each beacon on each frequency. A transmission consists of the callsign of the beacon sent at 22 words per minute followed by four one-second dashes. The callsign and the first dash are sent at 100 watts. The remaining dashes are sent at 10 watts, 1 watt and 100 milliwatts.
Click the callsign to see recent reception reports via DX Summit.
If you can hear a beacon now, send a report to DX Summit.
Call / Location / 14.100 / 18.110 / 21.150 / 24.930 / 28.200 / Operator / Status
4U1UN / UnitedNations / 00:00 / 00:10 / 00:20 / 00:30 / 00:40 / UNRC / OK
VE8AT / Canada / 00:10 / 00:20 / 00:30 / 00:40 / 00:50 / RAC/NARC / OK1
W6WX / UnitedStates / 00:20 / 00:30 / 00:40 / 00:50 / 01:00 / NCDXF / OK
KH6WO / Hawaii / 00:30 / 00:40 / 00:50 / 01:00 / 01:10 / KH6BYU / OK
ZL6B / NewZealand / 00:40 / 00:50 / 01:00 / 01:10 / 01:20 / NZART / OK
VK6RBP / Australia / 00:50 / 01:00 / 01:10 / 01:20 / 01:30 / WIA / OK
JA2IGY / Japan / 01:00 / 01:10 / 01:20 / 01:30 / 01:40 / JARL / OK
RR9O / Russia / 01:10 / 01:20 / 01:30 / 01:40 / 01:50 / SRR / OK
VR2B / HongKong / 01:20 / 01:30 / 01:40 / 01:50 / 02:00 / HARTS / OK
4S7B / SriLanka / 01:30 / 01:40 / 01:50 / 02:00 / 02:10 / RSSL / OK
ZS6DN / SouthAfrica / 01:40 / 01:50 / 02:00 / 02:10 / 02:20 / ZS6DN / OFF7
5Z4B / Kenya / 01:50 / 02:00 / 02:10 / 02:20 / 02:30 / ARSK / OK6
4X6TU / Israel / 02:00 / 02:10 / 02:20 / 02:30 / 02:40 / IARC / OK3
OH2B / Finland / 02:10 / 02:20 / 02:30 / 02:40 / 02:50 / SRAL / OK
CS3B / Madeira / 02:20 / 02:30 / 02:40 / 02:50 / 00:00 / ARRM / OK
LU4AA / Argentina / 02:30 / 02:40 / 02:50 / 00:00 / 00:10 / RCA / OFF2
OA4B / Peru / 02:40 / 02:50 / 00:00 / 00:10 / 00:20 / RCP / OK
YV5B / Venezuela / 02:50 / 00:00 / 00:10 / 00:20 / 00:30 / RCV / OK
Top of Form

1750m Band Operations (LowFers)

-  Covers 160kHz-190kHz

-  No License required (but watch the restrictions)

-  Restrictions:

o  Only 1 watt MAX INPUT power

o  Only 15m (~50 ft) antenna and feedline COMBINED

§  ½ wave dipole is 2674 feet at this freq (about ½ mile)

o  No limit on RECEIVE antenna length

-  Band is just below aeronautical/marine beacons (~200kHz-400kHz band)

-  Lots of noise down here

-  LongWave Club of America (LWCA) at: http://www.lwca.org/

o  They also have info on Medium freq ops (MEDFERS) and High freq ops (HIFERS)

-  May use CW or various digitally enhanced modes

o  QRSS (1-60 second DITS)

-  Best to use various (FREE!) software programs to decode (http://www.weaksignals.com/ )

o  ARGO: http://www.dxzone.com/cgi-bin/dir/jump2.cgi?ID=9139

o 

-  SPECTRAN

-  Signals will SLOWLY scroll across the screen
o  Get some coffee – takes a while.
o  Some of these programs can also decode CW on aeronautical beacons
-  Good area to experiment/homebrew
o  Xmtr/Rcvr
o  Transverters
o  Antennas