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Mar 1974 VUD VHF Utility DX Column
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                                    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)
      ------------------------------------------------------------------------
      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, Pat Signature, 1,689 bytes WA5IYX

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