Ron
17.2 KHz is well within the working range of the Jackson Harbor Press
kit. The main issues are a good receiving antenna and local noise.
I can hear German and French LF stations (200 b/s encrypted GMSK) in the
20 KHz range a few dB above the noise most of the time with my
experimental active antenna, SAQ may be detectable with narrow band
techniques such as the ARGO QRSS program.
Back in the day, I used to listen to the long wave CW from the public
coast stations and ships up and down the East Coast--quite a collection
of signal quality could be found, not to mention operator fists.
Jack K8ZOA
Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
Nice write-up Jack!
One of the things CW buffs can do with such a converter is catch the Marine
CW stations that are still active. Station KPH on the California Coast is
very active, and the last I saw there are several others around North
America warming the 600 meter (400-500 kHz) airwaves regularly now. Very few
ships are still using CW, but a number of licenses for coastal stations have
been maintained, and even a few new ones issued to individuals unwilling to
let 600 meter CW die.
When active, one will hear the "CQ Wheel" calling for anyone with traffic,
traffic lists being send, press (news) sent, etc.
More information about KPH with ties to other stations available is located
at
http://www.radiomarine.org/kph-proj.html
Just don't try to hear them between 15 and 18 minutes past the hour or
between 45 and 48 minutes past the hour. They still observe the traditional
two 3-minute "silent periods" when all stations stop routine activities and
listen for distress calls on 500 kHz.
And for some real "DX" fun, check out the occasional transmissions from SAQ
at Grimeton (Sweden) on 17.2 kHz! That would require some modification of
the input filter, I suspect. SAQ runs a Alexander Alternator: a big
specially-designed rotary alternating current generator hooked to an
antenna. See:
http://www.alexander.n.se/startsida_e.htm
Ron AC7AC
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