NEW LF record. SV8CS to UA0SNV and W1VD OP32

My Opera 32 transmittion captured by W1VD on 136 KHz. QRB 7602 Km!

 

Here the same date OP-32 transmittion captured by UA0SNV- QRB 6081 Km.

My signal captured also by GW0EZY and DF6NM.

DF6NM

73, Spiros/SV8CS

 

NEW LF personal record - SV8CS to JA7NI

Yesterday evening local time my LF (136.171 KHz) transmittion captured by JA7NI LF grabber.
That is  my first decoded from a Japanese station.
QRB : 9450 KM !!!!!

 

http://pub.ne.jp/ja7ni/

Thank you dear KUNI, JA7NI and I hope for a 2 way QSO as soon as posible.

 

73, Spiros/SV8CS

SV8CS new 136KHz Grabber

SV8CS LF - 136 KHz Grabber  in KM07JR.
http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/213645899/LFgrabber/SV8CS_LF_Grabber.html

With the help of my friend Stefan, DK7FC now I have installed and running a new LF grabber. The receiver is a Japanese SDR receiver IDC-136-BLT 136KHz.
http://icas.to/e/
The antenna is a Mini Whip by PA0RDT made for my grabber by my friend SV3DVO, Manolis.
http://dl1dbc.net/SAQ/miniwhip.html
For the grabber I am using the fine program by DL4YHF (spectrum Lab).
http://www.qsl.net/dl4yhf/

The Grabber location is  KM07JR, at 560m a.s.l. powered by solar panels and bateries.
The antenna is at the top of a plastic water pipe 8,50m above ground and modified by adding a 50 cm external Whip.

The SV8CS LF Grabber has 3 windows:
1) 136.169 to 136.176 KHz European QRSS-60.
2) 137.775 to 137.781 Khz  Transatlantic QRSS-60.
3) Wide 135.00 to 139.00 KHz.
http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/213645899/LFgrabber/SV8CS_LF_Grabber.html

The system also decodes all WSPR-15 transmittions on LF.
In the near future I will add also decodings of OP-8 and OP-32 transmittions.
I am active every evening on QRSS-60 (136.171KHz) and/or Opera-8 & Opera-32.
Last night I capture VO1NA transmitting in Opera-32.

04:18    136 VO1NA de F5WK Op32  -28 dB in JN18HP

04:18    136 VO1NA de G3XDV Op32  -35 dB in Welwyn, IO91VT

04:18    136 VO1NA de W1TAG Op32  -38 dB in Holden, MA

04:18    136 VO1NA de G8HUH Op32  -33 dB in Somerset IO81mg

04:18    136 VO1NA de F6CNI Op32  -35 dB in JN19QB

04:18    136 VO1NA de SV8CS Op32  -39 dB in KM07JR

The distance between SV8CS and VO1NA is  ~5900 KM

 

73 and see you on LF bands soon.
SV8CS. Spiros

 

136KHz portable operation- RX only.

SV3DVO/p, Manolis was for family holydays on KM08xk, 16 Aug 2013, in Monastiraki beach with his 136KHz portable RXing set-up. Manolis had an FT-100 with Mini Whip antenna intalled close to his car and very close to the beach  at about 2,50m above ground. SV3DVO/p captured my 136KHz Opera-8 transmittions with his portable set-up at a distance of about 130 KM (KM07js - KM08xk).

SV3DVO's portable 136KHz set-up at KM08xk.

He had also a home made 70cm 2 elements beam for back-up connections with me.

FT-100 dial at 136 KHz.

SV3DVO at the operating position, in the meantime all the others was in the beach swimming.No power there, no inetrnet, no noise.

136 KHz portable RXing (KM07js - KM08xk) - QRB about 130Km.

 

Screen foto with the RXing results, on 136KHz portable operation.

 

Thank you Manolis for this FIRST ever portable LF operation and I wish next time to have the capability to TX also from your mobile!!! in 136KHz.

TNX and 73, Spiros/ SV8CS  (16/08/2013).



First ever SV to SV 136KHz (LF) qso.

Saturday 10 Aug, 2013 at 15.00z me and Manolis SV3DVO we had the first ever LF qso on 136 KHz with QRB 95 KM - (KM07>KM08).
The qso made in cross mode at the same QRG because my set-up has not the capability to TX audio, but only CW (QRSS) and Opera.
Manolis, SV3DVO has a completely home made transverter from 10MHz to 136 KHz with about 25 W output on dummy load.

SV3DVO's 136 KHz transverter.

SV3DVO's antenna Marconi "T" type. Consist of 4 X 18m parallel wires with 9,00m vertical wire, attached to loading coil, variometer etc.
TNX Manolis for the help and nice SV, 1st QSO in  LF band (136KHz).
During the qso I was TXing in QRSS-3 with YUMA TX136 transmitter running 40w, captured by SV3DVO with spectran and RXing in JT-9 program by K1JT.
My antenna is also Marconi "T" type with 3X28m parallel wires and 40m vertical, installed between 2 HF towers.

Latter on we had nice copy between us also in other modes like normal CW, WSPR, Opera-8 and Opera-32, PSK31, JT9.

My QRSS-3 signal received on SV3DVO receiver.
TNX ,73
Spiros/SV8CS


 

First ever SV signal captured in USA on 136.171KHz

My signal captured by W1TAG, DF6NM, G4WGT, RN3AGC, EW6BN

Last night 29/04/2013 my QRSS-60 transmittion on 136.171KHz captured by W1TAG at FN42CH.

Also I see very good signal in the G4WGT grabber.

And as every evening at DF6NM and YO/4X1RF grabbers:

QRB with W1TAG is 7491 Km !!!

QRB with G4WGT is 2512 Km.

QRB with DF6NM  is 1506 Km.

QRB with YO/4X1RF is 865 Km.

I see also my signal in the DK7FC grabber, under his transmittion (QRB 1617 KM).

Received reports from RN3AGC, Andrey in Moscow:

 

and EW6BN, Yuri:

 My signal is the weak one under the strong DFC signal produced by Stefan, DK7FC.

TNX to all captured my signal and specialy to W1TAG for transatlantic report.

73, Spiros/SV8CS

Opera 32 rcvd by RX3DHR (2330Km)

Last night my signal captured by a new station RX3DHR near MOSCOW 2330 KM.
Best QRB last night GW0EZY at 2488Km.

04:54 136 SV8CS de G3XDV Op32 2260 km -36 dB in Welwyn, IO91VT with 0.3w
03:15 136 SV8CS de G3XDV Op32 2260 km -35 dB in Welwyn, IO91VT with 0.3w 03:14 136 SV8CS de GW0EZY Op32 2488 km -38 dB in Welshpool IO82HO with 0.3w
03:14 136 SV8CS de YO/4X1RF Op32 865 km -35 dB in Bucharest KN34AL with 0.3w
01:35 136 SV8CS de G3XDV Op32 2260 km -33 dB in Welwyn, IO91VT with 0.3w
01:35 136 SV8CS de YO/4X1RF Op32 865 km -35 dB in Bucharest KN34AL with 0.3w 23:55 136 SV8CS de RX3DHR Op32 2330 km -36 dB in Zaraysk . with 0.3w
23:55 136 SV8CS de RX3DHR Op32 2330 km -36 dB in Zaraysk . with 0.3w
23:55 136 SV8CS de YO/4X1RF Op32 865 km -34 dB in Bucharest KN34AL with 0.3w
22:15 136 SV8CS de GW0EZY Op32 2488 km -37 dB in Welshpool IO82HO with 0.3w
22:15 136 SV8CS de RX3DHR Op32 2330 km -33 dB in Zaraysk . with 0.3w


73, Spiros
SV8CS

New QRB 2388 Km by G8HUH

 

NEW QRB 2388 Km.
 I had a new QRB of my 137.540 OP32 signal.
G8HUH captured my OP32 transmittion at his QTH loc IO81mg.
Also PA3FNY at QRB 2005 Km and 4X1RF at 1398 Km.
Stations list:
 

04:19 136 SV8CS de 4X1RF Op32 1398 km -37 dB in Haifa KM72LS

04:19 136 SV8CS de G8HUH Op32 2388 km -37 dB in Somerset IO81mg

02:39 136 SV8CS de 4X1RF Op32 1398 km -36 dB in Haifa KM72LS

23:19 136 SV8CS de 4X1RF Op32 1398 km -39 dB in Haifa KM72LS

23:19 136 SV8CS de YO/4X1RF Op32 865 km -35 dB in Bucharest KN34AL

21:40 136 SV8CS de DL-SWL/RX1 Op32 1830 km -38 dB in nr Wolfsburg

21:39 136 SV8CS de PA3FNY Op32 2005 km -37 dB in Utrecht.

Now the main loading coil installed outside off the shack but the variometer still inside the shack with the RF A-meter, (spend 4 hours to retune the system HI HI).
Next days I will start to  build a new loading coil with 33 cm diameter and the variometer intergrated in the main coil.

 My LF station is in experimental situation and always is changing.
After the installation of loading coil at 10.00z (12.00 local time) with full day light started to TX in QRSS-60 to see if any grabber can copy my signal. Looking at the DF6NM grabber with big surprise I see very clear my transmittion (with day light). Also my signal received by DK7FC (who suggested to me to put the coil outside) grabber.

I hope to see you on LF and of course to make some qso's.
73, Spiros/SV8CS

OP32 decode from G3XDV (2260Km)

Last night, my signal captured by G3XDV at 2260 Km in Opera 32 mode on 137.550 KHz.

Power here is 0,5W on Marconi "T" type antenna. (3X28m horizontal/40m Vertical).
Thank you Mike.
Also had a very nice QRSS-30 qso on 136.170 with HB9ASB (my 4th dxcc on LF).
73, Spiros/SV8CS

1st Opera 32 decodes at 1830Km on 137KHz

At 00:02z 10/02/2013 I had my first decodes on 137.550KHz using Opera program in OP32.
DL-SWL near Wolfsburg at 1830Km and R7NT in KN97LF at 1815Km.

Here the map of R7NT qth:

 

And the DL-SWL qth:

 

To set my YUMA TX136 transmitter to TX in opera, Graham G0NBD help me a lot. TNX Graham. Also last night I had again very nice captures on the DK7FC and YO/4F1RF grabbers sending (the traditional) QRSS-60  CW mode. My output power is estimated to be less than 0.5W.

YUMA transmitter has not a good stability when TX in qrss-60. I added a 12v Fan to cooling the "box" and the stability was very good.

I hope for a QSO on 136KHz band.

73,Spiros/SV8CS

First qso on 137 Khz - SV 1sts.

After finishing the antenna for 472 and 137 KHZ started to construct the loading coil and the Variometer for LF (137KHZ).

The 472 - 137 KHZ antenna placed between the two towers. Consists from 3 wires 28,00m long spaced 50cm each other. The antenna is a Marconi "T" type. The left side is at 30m height and the right side at 20m height. The center wire 40m long come directly to the shack. Ground system consists of about 150m wire with 4 poles in the ground and then connected to old galvanize tube water supply pipes.

The antenna on 137KHz has efficiency 1,77% and gain -17,50dbi. On 472 KHz has efficiency 17,7% and gain -7,50 dbi.

LOADING COIL AND VARIOMETER

The loading coil for 137KHz has a diameter 40cm, with 70 turns,coil lenght 20cm and about 100m wire 1,5mm2. The variometer consists of 2 coils. The external coil has diameter 16cm and the internal 5cm. Needed inductance for this type and size of antenna for 472KHz is 175 μH and for 137KHz 3mH. Both variometer coils give a tunning range between 270 to 390 μH.

Using as transmitter YUMA TX136KHz I have in the output 50w. To test the antenna current I build a RF-ameter with a toroid coil 25:1 and a 100mA full scale meter. With 50w I can read 60mA in the RF-ameter. The antenna tunned on 137KHz has SWR 1,1:1.

 TXing on 137.710KHz QRSS-10 cw I can see very often my signal in some EU's grabbers.
1) YO/4X1RF grabber : http://qsl.net/4x1rf/yo/lfgrabber.htm
2) DK7FC grabber : http://www.iup.uni-heidelberg.de/schaefer_vlf/DK7FC_LF_Grabber.html
Finished so far 2 QSOs in 137.710 KHz in QRSS-10 CW mode.
1)  27/01/2013  at 19:11z YO2IS   QRSS-10 CW.
2)  27/01/2013 at  19:40  UW8SM QRSS-10 CW.
3) Heard DK7FC (wspr-15 strong) - DF6NM (wspr-15) - IK1HSS (wspr and qrss-10) - G8HUH (wspr-15) - UW8SM (wspr-15).
My first transmitions captured by my local radioamateurs neihbors SV8DOU (50m !!!) - SV8RX (8 KM) - SV8YM (12 KM).

Here is my QRSS-10 CW signal captured by YO/4X1RF grabber in Bucharest 03 Feb 2013 at 18:20z on 137.710 KHz.

In the R7NT  DXCC 136 KHz list you can see GREECE for first time on 136 number DXCC country 50.

http://136.73.ru/h_history/dxcc.htm 

I would like to thanks Stefan, DK7FC - Marco IK1HSS for big help and ON7YD for his nice LF web page : http://www.strobbe.org/on7yd/136ant/

I hope to see you on LF band soon. For skeds or reports please e-mail me  : sv8cs at otenet dot gr

73, Spiros

SV8CS

 

WE6XGR 474.2 Khz wspr report

Tonight we had another very good Transatlantic propagation on MF (474.20 Khz).

Here on WSPR screen you can see WE6XGR, from FN12lp, captured on my QTH, Zante Island Western Greece, (KM07js), at a distance of  7840 Km. The experimental call is WE2XGR/6 issued to W2ZM, but he is using for WSPR tests the call WE6XGR to fit into WSPR format.

 



2013-01-13 04:46

WE6XGR

0.475606

-28

0

FN12

+47

50.119

SV8CS

KM07jr

7840

4872

 

 

Earlier I had also nice WSPR capture on 136 Khz from DK7FC and IK1HSS.

 

2036 -13 -0.7 0.137460 0 DK7FC JN49 30

2040 -19 0.0 0.137490 0 IK1HSS JN35 23

2042 -13 -0.7 0.137460 0 DK7FC JN49 30

2044 -20 0.1 0.137490 0 IK1HSS JN35 23

2048 -16 -0.7 0.137460 0 DK7FC JN49 30

2052 -18 0.2 0.137490 0 IK1HSS JN35 23

2058 -16 0.1 0.137490 0 IK1HSS JN35 23

2100 -19 -0.8 0.137460 0 DK7FC JN49 30

2106 -15 -0.7 0.137460 0 DK7FC JN49 30

2106 -21 0.1 0.137490 0 IK1HSS JN35 23

73, Spiros/SV8CS

136,30 KHZ beacon

136 Khz new band in GREECE.

Yesterday 05/01/2012 started for 1st time to TX on 136Khz in beacon style, temporary, just for testing the equipment and the antenna..

For the moment the antenna is a delta loop with total lenght 80m and a toroidal transformer. The results are not good but my signal was heard at about 10 Km far from QTH. Next days I will change the antenna with an INV "L"  25m vertical and 50m horizontal , or better with a "T" type Marconi and adding the loading coil  with variometer.

A very interesting site for LF antennas is here:

http://www.strobbe.org/on7yd/136ant/

 

The transceiver (transmitter with converter in 10 Mhz) is a YUMA  TX136.

http://www.nikkemedia.fi/juma-tx136/

Hope to see you soon on 136 Khz.

73, Spiros/SV8CS