AUGUST 1974 In the June VUD (p. 3) some comments from members concerning this column were printed. It would be better for all concerned if those with any specific suggestions would communicate them to me directly where they would receive more speedy attention. As to the matter of new product information...I am reluctant to review equipment that I have not personally worked with (the manufacturers do not bestow me with models to check out etc.) There is such a glut of 30-50, 148-175, UHF etc equipment now available it wouldn't be practical to comment on each new Radio Shack, Midland, Heath, etc that came out. In 1967, when I started serious 30-50 MHz DXing, the then scarcity of such equipment would be unimaginable to anyone who has just recently arrived on the VHF-UHF monitoring scene. My first rcvr was a $25 Radio Shack Patrolman, at a time when the only other things around were $200. Perhaps if more of the members out there with scanners etc. would send in some reports then this wouldn't always be "..a little one-page column". Some might wish to examine the more expansive columns of late 1970 and early 1971 (when there was more F2 DX available). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hank Holbrook, 7211 Chestnut St., Chevy Chase, MD 20015 QSLed, GMT used (6-13-73, 0111, WSA 89 37.30 Chipley, FL (sheriff)) 1-2: 2011, KKQ 927 37.04 Weiner, AR (sheriff) 2-15: 2027, N7831U 119.7 Balt. Friendship Arpt. (T.S.S. Flying Club, Inc.; Cessna 172, Skyhawk) 3-17: 0106, N8733 128.7 over Boston, MA (TWA 756; Boeing 707; 25 w) 4-12: 1703, N5203G 119.7 15 mi e Balt. (V&F Aviation, Inc.; Beech B-35, single-engine, 4-seat) 13: 1221, N8936E 128.3 30 min s LaGuardia(Eastern 584;DC-9; 25 w) 1412, N8852E 131.0 20 min " (Eastern 892; B 727; 25 watts) 27: 1903, N7973N 122.8 nr Easton, MD (Ches.Bay Fly.Club;Chero.180D) 28: 1548, N8205P 122.8 nr Bay Br. Arpt, MD (Sheldon L. Shealer; Comanche PA-24; 1-eng, 4-seat; 4000 feet) 5-12: 1000, KGE 795 45.9 Carlisle, PA (police net) 1104, KGD 556 46.06 Shippensburg, PA (county fire) KGD 611 46.06 Chambersburg, PA (county fire) 18: 0130, KDV 793 46.42 La Plata, MD (county fire; 330 watts) 25: 1752, N9976L 119.7 5 mi s Balt. (Friendship Flying Associates, Inc.; Grumman AA1B) 26: 1621, N6698U 119.7 ov Pasadena Inter., MD (Michael Snyder; Mooney MK-21; 2500 feet; 10 watts) 1953, N6442G 122.8 vic Easton, MD (Brinckerhoff Flying Service, Inc.; Cessna 150; 800 feet) 27: 1840, N7574Y 122.8 vic Cambridge, MD (Phil Gardener Aircraft Sales; Twin Comanche) 29: 2217, KCK 545 39.50 Raceland, LA (state police, Troop C; 500 w) 31: 1903, KAG 793 42.58 Belmond, IA (Dept. of Public Safety; 3 kw) 6-1: 1906, N34404 122.6 ov Crofton, MD (Richard Z. Seron; Cessna Cardinal 177B; 9 watts) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Now, my loggings (rather meager as most time spent with TV & FM Es). Hallicrafters SX-62/Allied A-2586 with two 30' wires at 12' (n.e.-s.w. and n.w.-s.e. runs). All are Es, with solar noise bursts those matching weekly data bulletin from Boulder; GMT used 6-13: 1540, KQD 607 16: 1525, L Beach 17: 2142, KIF 651 14: 0012, KQC 884 1535, KIE 953 19: 1438, KMA 829 0031, KQD 313 17: 0028, KIN 645 21: 0736, KFL 943
VHF UTILITY DX AUGUST 1974 21: 0809, KSC 645 1: 2147, Sol. noise 6: 2218, KMA 829 24: 2046, L Beach 5: 1510, " 2224, L Beach 27: 2340, KFL 943 6: 1659, KIE 953 7: 0025, L Beach 28: 0008, KME 438 1902, Sol. noise 8: 0620, KME 438 0400, KMA 829 1935, KSJ 815 9: 0630, KQD 313 2209, KQD 600 2217, San Diego J1: 1613, Sol. noise 2218, KME 438 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- KFL 943 35.58 Las Vegas, NV ** KQD 313 35.50 Dayton, OH KIE 953 35.58 Atlanta, GA KQD 600 35.22 Mansfield, OH KIF 651 35.58 Ft. Lauderdale,FL KQD 607 35.50 Grand Rapids, MI KIN 645 43.22 Miami, FL KSC 645 35.58 Chicago, IL KMA 829 35.58 San Diego, CA KSJ 815 35.22 Fort Wayne, IN KME 438 35.22 Orange, CA - 35.58 Long Beach, CA * KQC 884 35 + Detroit, MI - 35.38 San Diego, CA-mp mp-mobile phone; rest are pagers, tone, except * voice & ** tone message with voice ID ----------------------------------------------------------------------- The first week of July brought forth the most active solar region since August of 1972. Numerous 30-50 MHz (and even TV and FM) solar noise bursts (caused by flare activity) were readily observed incidental to regular monitoring. The ionospheric D layer, usually ignored in VHF considerations, becomes an item of concern at the time of such flare activity. Being some 40 miles up, signals must pass thru the D region before they arrive at the Es (or F2) layers. With the strong ultra-violet radiation from solar flares (principally the Lyman alpha line at 1216 Ångstroms), D layer ionization is increased to the point that large absorption will take place in the h.f. bands (i.e., short-wave fadeout or a blackout). The high density of neutral (unionized) particles in the D region compared to electrons results in frequent collision, and thus loss of signal energy. When a h.f. blackout does occur with VHF Es in progress, it will often create the weird situation of no signals coming thru below 30 MHz while those above 30 MHz appear virtually unaffected. Along with this solar activity, the largest geomagnetic storm in almost 2 years (with large auroral effects up north) hit on July 5-6. Here on Jul 5 the F2 and Es MUF's did not appear to rise over 21 MHz for the day. The evening of Jul 4, (Jul 5 GMT) when storm onset beginning, it is high- ly likely that the F2 reached above 30 MHz to Latin America, but lack of signals at that late hour probably prevented any loggings.* If the active solar region returns (late July) similar events will be probable. 1f these high solar fluxes (130 units at 10.7 cm) and A-Indices (over 100) had occurred at a more F2-prone time of year (i.e., not mid summer) it would have been very possible for MUF's to be shot close to the TV region. In spite of the recent activity, smoothed sunspot and solar flux data show a steady decline in Cycle 20 continuing. However, this doesn't rule out isolated periods of high activity before the end of the cycle (now set for August 1975). Since the "setting" of region #433 (as the sunspot region was known), the solar flux has resumed a more common level (80 or below) of low activity. *For a general discussion of geomagnetic storms, see the January 1974 column p. 22. 73, WA5IYX