MARCH 1974
Hank Holbrook, 7211 Chestnut St., Chevy Chase, MD 20015 QSLed, GMT
6-10: 1451, KAL 561 37.10 Dyersville, IA (police, 100 watts)
14: 0107, KIK 393 37.30 Quincy, FL (sheriff or police)
0109, KIA 621 37.30 Marianna, FL (sheriff, 60 watts)
8-18: 2201, G-ARVF 134.4 ov Atlantic City,NJ(BOAC Flt 500;VC-10;25w)
Richard T. Colgan, 1605 Mearns Meadow Blvd., Austin, TX 78758 final
San Antonio loggings (total of 1802 stations, 46 states); Realistic
PRO-2; Midland 13-920; Petersen HL-44; A/S Mon-8 at 40 feet; GMT used
11-24: 1859, KBT 569 33.78 Houston, DE (fire) (F2, rest are Es)
12-10: 0059, KSB 432 42.38 Minocqua, WI (state police)
0117, KQW 459 42.46 Beatrice, NE (state police)
0207, KQC 884 35.58 Detroit, MI (A2 pager)
0214, KKD 300 37.26 Longview, TX (local government)
29: 0249, KDN 407 35.22 Colorado Springs, CO (A2 pager)
0350, KQC 877 35. Cincinnati, OH (A2 pager)
0402, KKP 998 45.10 Laurel, MS (sheriff)
0423, KIC 897 39.92 Eustis, FL (police)
1-1: 1726, KAH 661 35.22 Minneapolis, MN (A2 pager)
1817, KAJ 780 42.82 Duluth, MN (state police)
1844, KAL 561 37.10 Dyersville, IA (police)
1857, KSD 246 42.38 Menomonee, WI (state police)
1906, KIB 819 44.64 Frankfort, KY (state police)
2027, KQF 851 45.02 London, OH (state police)
2102, KQA 925 39.46 Monroe, OH (police)
2107, KSA 837 42.42 Connersville, IN (state police)
2117, KLD 826 45.10 Pittsboro, MS (sheriff)
2219, KJU 858 42.64 Mankato, MN (state police)
2229, KSA 939 39.50 Salem, IL (sheriff)
2328, KIM 905 35.22 Charlotte, NC (A2 pager with A3 ID)
2: 0018, KAA 494 39.58 Abilene, KS (sheriff)
0221, KAB 904 39.90 Beatrice, NE (sheriff)
3: 0251, KAB 464 39.94 Norfolk, NE (police)
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Now, my loggings. Hallicrafters SX-62 with 50' wire @ 12' nw-se run; all
are Es unless noted (* F2, with daily MUF and Latin American peak MUF
given if over 30 MHz)- GMT used
1-14: 0100, L Beach 27: 0110, Los Ang. 31: 2221, KME 438
16: 1824, KFL 943 29: 1825, KSC 645 2-2: 0045, L Beach
18: 1631, KSJ 815 1849, KSJ 815 0050, KMA 829
1735, L Beach KQD 609 0052, OK City
1737, KMA 829 1905, KQC 884 0125, KFL 943
1800, KME 438 1925, KQA 459 3: 2209, KFL 943
1825, 35.3-Sp.* 30: 1728, KSC 645 4: 0228, KME 438
19: 1915, KIY 508 1730, KGA 805 0231, KMA 829
23: 0000, L Beach 1747, Pittsburgh 0646, KDN 402
0315, KME 438 1748, KQD 609 1531, KMA 829
25: 1820, 33.5-US * 1847, KQD 313 1544, KFL 943
1835, 36.1-Sp.* 1849, KQC 877 1753, KAQ 606
27: 0043, L Beach 2045, KSJ 815 12: 1700, 36.45-Sp.*
As current solar activity is about the lowest since early 1966 or late
1965, it is not known just how much 30-50 MHz F2 will emerge from the
Latin America region this spring. The use of a frequency counter (from
Dec 1972 QST magazine) is going to enable better frequency measurements
of what does come through.
VHF UTILITY DX MARCH 1974 KAQ 606 35.58 Denver, CO KQD 313 35.50 Dayton, OH KDN 402 35.54 Omaha, NE KQD 609 35.22 Lansing, MI KFL 936 35.58 (west) KSC 645 35.58 Chicago, IL KFL 943 35.58 Las Vegas, NM ** KSJ 815 35.22 Fort Wayne, IN KGA 805 35 - Pittsburgh, PA - 35.58 Long Beach, CA * KIY 508 35.22 Orlando, FL * - 35.38 Los Angeles, CA-mp KMA 829 35.58 San Diego, CA - 35.58 OK City, OK * KME 438 35.22 Orange, CA - 43.58 Pittsburgh, PA * KQA 459 35 - OH ? mp-mobile phone; rest are A2 tone pagers, except * voice and ** tone messages with voice ID ----------------------------------------------------------------------- National Bureau of Standards radio station WWV (on 2.5, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 MHz) provides several services of interest to the VHF DXer. Propagation Forecasts - these are given by voice at 14 minutes after the hour (revised at 0100, 0700, 1300, and 1900 GMT) and consist of a forecast of radio conditions and a statement of current geomagnetic field conditions (i.e., quiet, unsettled, or distrubed) with the same information then in a letter-number code (e.g., fair-quiet-N5; poor-disturbed-W3; etc.) Prior to July 1971 these letter-number forecast codes were sent every 5 minutes in A2 Morse, instead of the once-an-hour format now. Geophysical Alerts - given by voice at 18 minutes after the hour (revised daily at 0400 GMT or whenever sudden condition changes warrant a modification) give the solar-terrestrial conditions for the previous day (i.e., solar flux, magnetic A-Index; solar activity (major flares etc.); magnetic storms - if any) and a forecast of the expected solar activity for the coming day along with magnetic field expectations (storms, etc.) Prior to July 1971 this used to be given once an hour in a rather cumbersome code (see Bob Cooper's March 1968 QST article) Though these forecasts are primarily aimed at the h.f. user (e.g., shortwave broadcasts, point-to-point telephone circuits etc.) the VHFer can take notice of unsettled or disturbed condition announcements and act accordingly (look for F2 or aurora, depending where you are). However, many a good unexpected F2 opening in 30-50 MHz has been the result of a WWV-classed "minor" storm. For additional information on the WWV services, write to: National Bureau of Standards, Time and Frequency Division, Boulder, CO 80302. The WWV signals themselves can be of use to VHF DXers. For instance, the 2nd harmonic of the 25 MHz transmitter must radiate several milli- watts as it is often heard on Es here on 50 MHz (providing a good beacon and calibration spot). Depending on your distance from Fort Collins (the antenna site) good estimates of the Es and F2 MUF's can be made by noting the 15, 20, and 25 MHz outlets. From here, by theory at least, WWV-25 on F2 implys a transcontinental MUF of 50 MHz. At night (after all F2 has gone) they provide excellent Es beacons for that area. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A detailed look at Solar Cycle 20 and it's VHF F2 effects are scheduled to appear in the June or July issue of ham radio magazine. A future announcement will appear when my article's publishing date becomes finalized. 73,
WA5IYX