Aero Beacons and pirates, my new obsessions.

[scott123]

I clicked on a YT video (which I'll include) the other day and unexpectedly became fascinated with it. It just seems like fun .. I know these beacons are on the decline, but I'd love to find some. Anyone have experience doing what this guy is doing? … The other thing that caught my interest was those Brazilian pirates using military satcoms for communication ... another thing that would be fun to catch (even though that is UHF, I believe). Here's the video on the beacons … please share any experiences. Thanks!

 

[mmckenna]

NDB hunting can be enjoyable. I haven't done it in a year or so, been too busy.
If you are not proficient at Morse code, it takes a little bit of extra work to figure out what you are listening to, but you can pick it up pretty quick.
I used to map out the beacons I was hearing. From my location on the west coast, I'd pick up beacons from Hawaii, and all up and down the west coast.

I've got a couple of different radios I use,
I've got an old RDF set like in the video. Works OK, not a very selective receiver, but the analog tuning can be useful for finding them. The big ferrite antenna can work well.
I've got a remote receiver at work that happens to cover down to 40KHz, and it's connected to an end fed wire. Works pretty well.
I've got an old Sangean 803 that covers down to 150KHz, works well.
A couple of years back, I picked up a used Rycom frequency selective voltmeter that will cover from 0 to about 3.5MHz. I built a 3 foot square loop antenna. I've played with it a bit, but my ideal goal is to get it out into some remote areas away from power lines and manmade noise.

 

[n1nte]

You can also play on other people's receivers. Go to SDR.hu for online KiwiSDR receivers. Some have better antennas than others so keep that in mind. There are a lot of HF pirates on the air recently. Check out http://hfunderground.com for more info.

 

[spongella]

scott123. Good move on listening for radiobeacons, have been doing this for decades and always is fun. First off, best time of the year is winter as the QRN is low and propagation on the LF band (150 -530 kHz) is optimal. The radio in that video is one of those "RDF" or radio direction finders that mariners used for navigation back in the days prior to GPS. The top has a revolving ferrite antenna and a compass heading graticule, along with a signal level meter to read the signal from a particular radio beacon. Many different models were manufactured over 40+ years and usually included other bands depending on the era. Some even had the CB band when that was popular. Here is a short article about these radios: https://www.radioworld.com/columns-and-views/rdf-radios-nautical-gems-of-the-past

You don't need one of those particularly but you'll need a receiver that picks up longwave. A good outdoor antenna or loop antenna will help to hear distant radiobeacons. I use a FRG-100 and a 43 foot vertical and receive beacons from the US, Canada, and Caribbean. Best time to listen is after dark as LF signals do no propagate well at other times. Set your receiver to LSB or USB as it'll be easier to hear the coded ID's of the beacons.

Canadian beacons have a continuous tone between morse code ID's while those from the US do not. Years back (20+) there were lots more beacons, especially in the US but lots were decommissioned over time. There are plenty from Canada though. Best thing is to tune slowly from about 200 kHz up to 530 kHz. Interestingly there is one from Canada just below the AM broadcast band around 528 kHz.

While listening, check 518 kHz for NAVTEX transmissions, which can be decoded using a laptop and YAND software connected to your receiver.

I use this list to get info on beacons: http://www.dxinfocentre.com/ndb.htm

The great on-line magazine The Spectrum Monitor has a monthly column on longwave : The Spectrum Monitor - Powered by Network Solutions.

Have fun as this is the time to hear beacons. Let us know how you are doing.

 

[ka3jjz]

If the radio you are using hears 518 Khz, you're halfway home. Unfortunately many radios reduce their sensitivity when you get outside the MW band, but sometimes this can be remedied. You're right on the edge of the lowest MW frequency (generally considered to be 530 khz), so it's possible that even a portable will work. Keep in mind that this mode is used in the HF spectrum, too.

While YAND is one package that covers NAVTEX, there are quite a few others. The SigIDWiki has a list of these under their SITOR-B article, which is the protocol upon which NAVTEX is based, and it can be found here...

SITOR-B - Signal Identification Wiki

Mike

 

[pjxii]

Beacon hunting is a blast, its become my favorite radio activity in the past few years as well. The demise of airport beacons has not happened as was expected, although they may all shut down some time in the future.

This list of beacons would come in handy:

http://www.dxinfocentre.com/ndb.htm

 

[ka3jjz]

If you're big into this stuff, consider joining the Longwave Club of America, which as the name suggests, specializes in this band (and lower)...

Longwave Home Page

Mike

 

[spongella]

Between 285 and 325 kHz you can hear the warbling of DGPS signals and can decode them. I use MultiPSK for that, but I heard DGPS will eventually cease.

And Mike you are correct, you can use a SitorB decoder for NAVTEX. The other NAVTEX frequency is 489 kHz but at this QTH it's hardly receivable.

 

[pjxii]

I sure hope DGPS ceases. It interferes with all the slow morse code AM
signals I'm looking for...

On a related note, does anyone farther north or west of Florida hear the CODAR signals between 4-5 MHz? There are several along the Gulf coast and the one centered around 4990 kHz is especially troublesome here when scanning the 60 meter band.

 

[k9wkj]

dont forget the new 630M amateur allocation 472 to 479 kHz
youll find WSPR,JT9 and a bit of CW there
and if you really want to stretch it, the 2200M allocation 135.7–137.8 kHz
there wont be much but WSPR and QRSS cw

 

[spongella]

There used to be "lowfers" from 160 - 180 kHz but I have not heard one in years, due to the very low power they use.

As for CODAR, I can hear it at this location, around 4.5 mHz.

 

[WA8ZTZ]

Scott,
What receiver and antenna are you using for longwave beacon reception ?
Do you have a RDF set as in the vid ?

 

[jay427]

Thanks for the couple of people that posted the Beacon List, much appreciated.

 

[Boombox]

Beacons are cool, and so is DGPS -- even if you don't decode it. Those DGPS signals go a long way. It's too bad they're being taken off the air. Because once the airport beacons go, without DGPS or some other modern digital format, a vast swath of the LW band will be a band full of static and nothing else.

 

[WA8ZTZ]

For anyone interested in monitoring longwave beacons, now (winter) is the time.
Some NDBs have been decommissioned but still plenty out there.
Have received NDBs in 32 States from my QTH.
Lots and lots of Canadian beacons on the air.
Logged just over 100 U.S. and Canadian beacons during one recent 90 minute listening session .

 

[Ryangn]

Logged just over 100 U.S. and Canadian beacons during one recent 90 minute listening session .

What is your antenna setup?

 

[WA8ZTZ]

What is your antenna setup?

PAR EF-SWL which has been extended an additional 50'.
Should work great with your R-71 or R-75.

 

[Ryangn]

PAR EF-SWL which has been extended an additional 50'

I currently have this up in my backyard. I see a project coming on. Thanks.

 

[spongella]

If you listen from just above the AM broadcast band to 2 MHz you might also hear radio buoys, used by fisherman to "mark" their nets. ID is in CW with no specific callsign, just a self-assigned one. They are also present in the 160m ham band. Some identify in CW every few minutes, then go silent for a while. Generally run from 3 - 5 watts so you have to listen carefully.

 

[Boombox]

^^^^^ I've heard of those fisherman's buoys. Have never heard one yet. But thank you for the reminder.