LW band?

[AlmostHandy]

I was wondering if anyone listens to anything in the LW range. My little radio says it receives LW from 150 to 519 kHz

I was only able to find one station at 251. It was some boring bourgeoisie intellectual discourse about the economy in the US, and both the person broadcasting and the caller had indistinct American Voices. I tried some searches, but couldn't really find anything to identify the station.

I'm only using the telescopic antenna that is built in, but I have it fully extended to around 50 inches. It's still probably not long enough to gather any 150kHz signal.

The radio has, what looks like, a little 1/8" mono jack on the side labeled "AM EXT ANT". Would a simple long wire work? Should I attach the wire to the tip or the sleeve of the plug?

Anyways, I was just wondering if anyone else listens to this band. You guys probably have some really cool equipment for these low frequencies.

 

[joe_disco_electronics]

Try this link.

http://www.radioreference.com/forums/showthread.php?t=129822

 

[AlmostHandy]

Oh far out! Thank you!

You know, I actually tried searching for LW but, of course, it was to short a string.

Duh, I should have just tried Longwave.


Could a mod close this please? I'll repost in that thread. Thanks!

 

[joe_disco_electronics]

Good luck in longwave dxing. Maybe Im wrong but I dont think there are any broadcast stations in the USA on 251 khz. Just beacons.

 

[AlmostHandy]

Good luck in longwave dxing. Maybe Im wrong but I dont think there are any broadcast stations in the USA on 251 khz. Just beacons.

Well, it was actually probably 252, but seemed to come in better on 251 or 250. I looked at this site, and it seems to allude to very specific steps in the frequencies on the band.

It sounded like some kind of news, but they just kept yammering on, and I never heard the dude say what station it was or anything.

 

[zz0468]

I was wondering if anyone listens to anything in the LW range. My little radio says it receives LW from 150 to 519 kHz

I spend FAR more time listing to LW than I do public safety stuff - outside of work anyway. What is this "little radio"? Just because it says it receives 150-519 KHz, doesn't mean it does it well.

I was only able to find one station at 251. It was some boring bourgeoisie intellectual discourse about the economy in the US, and both the person broadcasting and the caller had indistinct American Voices. I tried some searches, but couldn't really find anything to identify the station.

Probably overload from a local AM station. You may want to listen to it, and then see if you can find that program on the regular AM dial.

I'm only using the telescopic antenna that is built in, but I have it fully extended to around 50 inches. It's still probably not long enough to gather any 150kHz signal.

That's not going to work well. If the manufacturer had their wits about them, they would have provided a loopstick antenna, like what portable AM radios use. Are you sure that's not what it is? If the radio appears directional, depending on how it's oriented, it's probably using a loopstick.

The radio has, what looks like, a little 1/8" mono jack on the side labeled "AM EXT ANT". Would a simple long wire work? Should I attach the wire to the tip or the sleeve of the plug?

It'll bring in some signal, but it'll mostly bring in noise. Listening to that part of the spectrum takes some considerable effort to do well. Most of what's there are low power beacon signals, identifying in morse code. There are also GPS reference stations transmitting data, centered around 300 KHz, and up and down the band a bit from that. Foreign broadcasting in that range is going to be EXTREMELY difficult to hear with the best of equipment, and probably impossible with a "little radio".

Anyways, I was just wondering if anyone else listens to this band. You guys probably have some really cool equipment for these low frequencies.

Yes. Just for a little chest thumping, I'm running an ITT Mackay Marine 3041A receiver, modified to phase lock with an external GPS/LORAN disciplined rubidium oscillator for frequency control. This is so I can take precise frequency measurements of incoming signals, and I know exactly what I'm listening to. I use a non-resonant shielded loop on a rotator, and DSP software for visual display of signals that aren't audible below the noise floor. The LORAN receiver is an Austron 2100F on a shielded loop. So... some of us take our LW listening pretty seriously. =)

 

[AlmostHandy]

Wow. Just wow. That is so cool. This little thing is a realistic DX-390. It's kind of a cool radio, but I don't think SW/LW is my thing. I've only recently gotten into the hobby, and my Pro-97 keeps me very entertained here in the city.

Of course, eventually, I'd like to expand my listening horizons, but this isn't the radio I'll be doing it with. I was actually just testing the radio to make sure it was in tip-top shape. I've planned to trade it to another board member for a load of antenna making parts (rg-6 connectors, adapters, etc.) which is a field I'm really interested in. I'm really glad someone will be getting some good use out of it.

Anyway, LW was interesting for a minute, but I don't think it's my cup 'o tea. I can tell that some people are into it. There are a lot of cool websites with listening guides and such. Just makes me want a really good radio. lol

Oh, and you're right about that channel being spillover from AM. It was a local news talk station that came in really clear on 570AM.

 

[SCPD]

Heh, the RS DX390 was my first SW radio that got me into the hobby. Granted, even just 10 years ago, there was far more SW activity - the fact is, there just isn't much to listen to these days - except for the obvious amateur radio.

If you like the city scanner scene, then stick with that because the SW scene takes a lot of patience. Also, the city is about the worst place to listen to SW.

If you ever get out to the mountains - take your 390 with you and you'll likely catch some good voice traffic on HF. (Primarily between 3500-9000khz at night and 8000-15000khz during the day.) You'll have to use the "BFO" knob on the DX390 which how you can receive SSB voice activity. But since the radio can only get 5khz resolution, you may not hear it very well. You can buy newer "portable" SW receivers that do have offer USB/LSB modes and do offer 1khz resolution - that won't break the bank.

There is still "some" interesting military HF, USCG and airways traffic to listen to, but it's not everyone cup of tea. I've been listening to the USCG for the past 15 years and I've only caught a handful of "live" events happening. Heck, I even managed to catch Air Force One a few times on HF - but those days are long gone.


-Nick

 

[James_Bond_007]

Just FYI,

There is a License Free band from 160-190khz and you are allowed 1 Watt Input to Final RF and a 50 Ft Antenna.

From what i understand there is a whole group of people down there doing all kinds of Communications experiments.

might be worth a listen

it will require a good receiver and antenna.

here is a google search for "lowfer"
http://tinyurl.com/96t5g7 (tinyurl)

 

[gccengineering]

Re : 251 kHz

There is no such thing as 251 kHz, there is 252 kHz which you could be hearing a station from Ireland or Algeria during the night via ground wave. Use a long wave loop antenna or a long wire antenna with a ferrite coupler to pull in more stations. Great catch that you just made. If it's just 251 kHz then it could be a pirate station or a 900 kHz intermod signal which is a local station on 1150 kHz. Where are you located? Most receivers do not do this, but the cheap ones do, My best bet is get a real LW receiver called the G4000A or ATS-909, Satellit 750 which covers from 144 kHz to 353 kHz and you will not have that problem with intermodulation. A communications receiver is good if you can afford it. They cover from 10 kHz to 520 kHz.

Adam Ebel
Virginia Beach, VA
LW DXer since 1992

 

[ridgescan]

I concur with the guys about adjacent interference. If I dont kill the preamps in the LW range I will get tons of intermod all across the band.
Meanwhile I am still cruising the LW now and then in search of the phantom catch

 

[k8krh]

LONGWAVE sounds interesting..the longwave club puts out a good paper and have a web page, When cooler weather comes along will give it a try for beacons, the qsl return for am bcst stns isn't much, shortwave is a lot better and I have read beacon owners are good.

DOCTOR/795

 

[MaximumVerbosity]

LW is fun.

I'm in Minneapolis, MN and often try to hear the beacon KENIE (AA) on 365 kHz up in Fargo. When I was flying years ago, I'd often navigate with it. It was a great beacon. Got me to where I was going and got me home.

When I hear AA down here in Mpls at night, I get all warm & fuzzy.

Have tried for some of the European LW BC sta's, but never was able to get one here with the stuff I have. Could try harder, but as with anything else, get distracted by chasing MWBC, SWBC, pirates, UTEs, WEFAX, mil, etc. Plus at times, have overpowering RFI from neighbors with cheap electronic equipment.

Miss the old data bursts from GWEN.

Was lucky enough to pick up the LORAN-C site on 100kHz in Baudette, MN before it went dark. Also can grab WWVB on 60kHz on my Kenwood TS-690S with G5RV.


MV