Digital
Beacons Seen Using WSJT-X at IO83NI
Perhaps like me you
are not so keen on endless QSOs. Or perhaps you want to try some
of the modes contained within WSJT-X without breaking cover just
yet. Or perhaps you are just curious. Well some kind souls run
beacons with digital signals you can, if propagation permits,
watch on screen. Here are some of those I have seen. I will add
others when/if they appear at my QTH. One thing about beacons,
once you have spotted them at least, that on days when you cannot
hear them still you learn something ;)
GB3VHF
If you
click the link above you can see how to receive this JT65B beacon.
Except you might not actually find it works. Let me explain. This
is a 2m beacon. That means your radio needs to be accurately
calibrated. There are ways and means to check this which I may get
onto one day. Assuming you have an accurate radio set it up as per
instructions for frequency and then load up your WSJT-X software.
When first I did this I managed to select JT65 easily enough, but
this did not decode the beacon. I was stumped. There was no JT65B
selectable from the Mode menu. After a day (oh yes!) of fiddling
about I discovered the submode menu just above 'sync'.
[Note: in later versions of WSJT-X you must have enabled
'VHF/UHF/Microwave features' in Settings-->General
tab to have this option]
When mode B was selected all became clear... well almost. I then
set the F Tol to 1000 to give the best chance of having the beacon
within my receiver's window. My PC had no problem with this
setting. I have heard of issues with processing power, in which
case you might have to reduce this value.
Here is the beacon. I was very pleased to see it. Also it made me
wonder... why don't more amateurs use this (SUB) mode and why does
it not upload to PSKReporter? How nice it would be to have this
upload to Wspr-Net! If you use MSHV and right click on the text
you can upload the spot to cluster: here.
GB3UHF
As above GB3UHF uses JT65B. So you can follow the same reasoning
employed for GB3VHF. Of course there is the possibility of greater
frequency error at UHF. But with a little patience you might be
rewarded as was I. I would guess this beacon, on this frequency,
is at about the limit for my loft mounted 15 element antenna. I
did acquire a very neat LNA
and inserted it right at the feed point of the antenna. It really
helped, 10db or better - possibly as it compensated for losses in
10m of cheap coax at 432mhz. Great price and with RF switching
(QRP I suspect) - oh and lest I am accused: I have no connection
with this company beyond gratitude. It really helped as the
antenna gain is much reduced by roof tiles etc.Spots on cluster:
here.
Update Here!
GB3ORK
'GB3ORK was repaired and upgraded in July-2017 and now adds
JT9A to its transmission' RSGB Website
This one is a little different in that it employs JT9 as part
of a sequence of 'events'. The JT9 beacon deploys every 15 minutes
(03,18,33,48). Also it is a HF beacon utilising the 60m band. This
is generally always audible here in Liverpool, located as it is in
The Orkney Isles I believe. No problems with frequency accuracy on
HF. But you have to wait...
GB3NGI
Another JT65B beacon. This one across the Irish Sea. Cluster spots
here
- right click on the text in MSHV to upload
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