....... 
But on a serious note I see on the NEWS the TX's are going off air tonight but the NZ hams have to wait a week before they can go on 50Mhz, correct.
Roger.
As of 06/12/2013 all of ZL has full access 50-51Mhz
Re: As of 06/12/2013 all of ZL has full access 50-51Mhz
....... But on a serious note I see on the NEWS the TX's are going off air tonight but the NZ hams have to wait a week before they can go on 50Mhz, correct.
Roger.
Re: As of 06/12/2013 all of ZL has full access 50-51Mhz
Yes correct Roger...a bit silly yes!!!! To be honest if the North Island boys went on air tomorrow who would they cause issues with???ZL3THQ wrote:
But on a serious note I see on the NEWS the TX's are going off air tonight but the NZ hams have to wait a week before they can go on 50Mhz, correct.
Roger.
Re: As of 06/12/2013 all of ZL has full access 50-51Mhz
Recorded while monitoring ZL2WHO/b as the Hikurangi TV Transmitter on 45.2603 was switched off.
http://www.qsl.net/zl1rs/sounds/zltv_off.mp3
... ahhhhhh
http://www.qsl.net/zl1rs/sounds/zltv_off.mp3
... ahhhhhh
Bob, ZL1RS in the Bay of Islands at RF64vs
Re: As of 06/12/2013 all of ZL has full access 50-51Mhz
... and the difference as seen on Spectrum Lab.
http://www.qsl.net/zl1rs/images/zltv_off.jpg
... ahhhhhh
http://www.qsl.net/zl1rs/images/zltv_off.jpg
... ahhhhhh
Bob, ZL1RS in the Bay of Islands at RF64vs
Re: As of 06/12/2013 all of ZL has full access 50-51Mhz
Hi,
Well... Mmmmmm
Yes, the TV crud is gone, but the base noise is still around -120 dBm ssb B/w on two systems with different antennas Moxon and verticalU . Tried switching off lights SMPS, etc . Noise not beamable...
So what is normal band noise level?
Well... Mmmmmm
Yes, the TV crud is gone, but the base noise is still around -120 dBm ssb B/w on two systems with different antennas Moxon and verticalU . Tried switching off lights SMPS, etc . Noise not beamable...
So what is normal band noise level?
Re: As of 06/12/2013 all of ZL has full access 50-51Mhz
Hi Kevin,
I can't make accurate measurements, but using Spectrum Lab: a 0.1uV EMF signal from my signal generator pushes a spike about 23 dB above the grass level that was present when the RX is switched the antenna pointed in the quietest direction. (IC-7600, preamp 2 on, 7 element Yagi at 35 feet via about 20m of LMR400, very quiet country location 15km from the nearest town). By comparison, a SINADDER on the RX audio output indicates a 9dB SINAD ratio with the 0.1uV signal from the sig gen.
Under the same antenna/sig gen conditions, the FT-817ND shows a 24dB spike. This is in keeping with other measurements I have made that indicates my FT-817ND is slightly more sensitive than my IC-7600 on 6m.
Setting the grass level from the receiver when plugged into the sig gen (50 ohm RX termination) to an arbitrary level of around "-45" (+- jumping readings), then switching to the antenna pointed to my quietest direction (west), the grass level goes up to "-40" (+-) i.e. about a 5dB increase. It used to be a 12-15dB rise when Hikurangi was on-air ... and worse when I had antennas with poor side/back lobe rejection (I went through five different 6m antennas to arrive at the present one which was the "quietest" of them all when Hikurangi was on the air).
Pointing in the direction of the sun, the SpecLab grass level goes to "-32" (+-) i.e. about a 13dB increase over the grass from the sig gen termination. FWIW (not much), presently the sun is at 95 az, 33 ele ... depending on solar activity, I would expect a higher "sun grass" level if the sun was at 2 or 3 degrees which seems to be the main ground gain lobe of my Yagi over the sloping ground in that direction.
I cannot turn the AGC off, but I believe there is no AGC action taking place because at these "signal" levels the guess-meter is still a long way from coming off the zero stop (s-meter indication starts to rise with a 1.6uV EMF signal from the sig gen).
73,
I can't make accurate measurements, but using Spectrum Lab: a 0.1uV EMF signal from my signal generator pushes a spike about 23 dB above the grass level that was present when the RX is switched the antenna pointed in the quietest direction. (IC-7600, preamp 2 on, 7 element Yagi at 35 feet via about 20m of LMR400, very quiet country location 15km from the nearest town). By comparison, a SINADDER on the RX audio output indicates a 9dB SINAD ratio with the 0.1uV signal from the sig gen.
Under the same antenna/sig gen conditions, the FT-817ND shows a 24dB spike. This is in keeping with other measurements I have made that indicates my FT-817ND is slightly more sensitive than my IC-7600 on 6m.
Setting the grass level from the receiver when plugged into the sig gen (50 ohm RX termination) to an arbitrary level of around "-45" (+- jumping readings), then switching to the antenna pointed to my quietest direction (west), the grass level goes up to "-40" (+-) i.e. about a 5dB increase. It used to be a 12-15dB rise when Hikurangi was on-air ... and worse when I had antennas with poor side/back lobe rejection (I went through five different 6m antennas to arrive at the present one which was the "quietest" of them all when Hikurangi was on the air).
Pointing in the direction of the sun, the SpecLab grass level goes to "-32" (+-) i.e. about a 13dB increase over the grass from the sig gen termination. FWIW (not much), presently the sun is at 95 az, 33 ele ... depending on solar activity, I would expect a higher "sun grass" level if the sun was at 2 or 3 degrees which seems to be the main ground gain lobe of my Yagi over the sloping ground in that direction.
I cannot turn the AGC off, but I believe there is no AGC action taking place because at these "signal" levels the guess-meter is still a long way from coming off the zero stop (s-meter indication starts to rise with a 1.6uV EMF signal from the sig gen).
73,
Bob, ZL1RS in the Bay of Islands at RF64vs
Re: As of 06/12/2013 all of ZL has full access 50-51Mhz
Hi Kevin, can you give us an audio sample please, from my esperance things like cell phone chargers, burglar alarms and the low energy light bulbs in particular the LED ones they have switch mode power supplies built into them and boy can they radiate crap!!! I have a problem from my QTH beaming north have what sounds like a washing machine running 24/7 still have not tracked it down!!ZL1UJG wrote:Hi,
Well... Mmmmmm
Yes, the TV crud is gone, but the base noise is still around -120 dBm ssb B/w on two systems with different antennas Moxon and verticalU . Tried switching off lights SMPS, etc . Noise not beamable...
So what is normal band noise level?
Have you got access to a 12v source like a car battery etc, my suggestion would be to run your radio off the 12v battery then turn the mains off to your house and see if the noise drops (remember if you have a burglar alarm it will be running off its own 12v back-up battery so you will need to disconnect that as well.
Good luck
Mike ZL3MF
Re: As of 06/12/2013 all of ZL has full access 50-51Mhz
Very interesting Bob, the difference it made here in Christchurch was massive, will now be interesting how many ZL's take up 6m, As Roger ZL3THQ has already said very strange how the hams have to wait one week to get full access.....ZL1RS wrote:Recorded while monitoring ZL2WHO/b as the Hikurangi TV Transmitter on 45.2603 was switched off.
http://www.qsl.net/zl1rs/sounds/zltv_off.mp3
... ahhhhhh
You should now hear the ZL3SIX/B more now!!!
Re: As of 06/12/2013 all of ZL has full access 50-51Mhz
Because Kevin is in an urban location eliminating general noise will probably be a lost cause due to emissions from surrounding neighbourhood houses?ZL3MF wrote: ... turn the mains off to your house and see if the noise drops ...
There are several reasons why people live in the country side, a quiet location for ham radio is one of them ...
73,
Bob, ZL1RS in the Bay of Islands at RF64vs
Re: As of 06/12/2013 all of ZL has full access 50-51Mhz
But eliminating his own house first would be a good start...called "prosses of ilimination"ZL1RS wrote:Because Kevin is in an urban location eliminating general noise will probably be a lost cause due to emissions from surrounding neighbourhood houses?ZL3MF wrote: ... turn the mains off to your house and see if the noise drops ...
There are several reasons why people live in the country side, a quiet location for ham radio is one of them ...
73,
ZL3MF
Re: As of 06/12/2013 all of ZL has full access 50-51Mhz
Off to get some ferrites. Found some shack noises and the washing machine, telephones cordless, etc. Perhaps get some off you Bob.. 
I already had some for 2m but the sources aeem to be worse at 50 MHz...
I already had some for 2m but the sources aeem to be worse at 50 MHz...
Re: As of 06/12/2013 all of ZL has full access 50-51Mhz
Minister turns off the last anoglue TV Transmitter in ZL
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1312/S ... signal.htm
We bet OZ on this 73 Murray ZL3MH
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1312/S ... signal.htm
We bet OZ on this 73 Murray ZL3MH
Re: As of 06/12/2013 all of ZL has full access 50-51Mhz
OK, fair point ... then what to do about the 20+ neighbours within 10 wavelengths on 6m of Kevin's house?ZL3MF wrote: ... But eliminating his own house first would be a good start...called "prosses of ilimination" ...
Call in "The Terminator" to eliminate them??
Cheers,
Bob, ZL1RS in the Bay of Islands at RF64vs
Re: As of 06/12/2013 all of ZL has full access 50-51Mhz
End of an era Murray....ZL3MH wrote:Minister turns off the last anoglue TV Transmitter in ZL
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1312/S ... signal.htm
We bet OZ on this 73 Murray ZL3MH
Hey can someone in VK confirm are there any remaining AUS analouge TV transmitters running on AU CH1,2 and 3? is the Early Warning DATA base current??
Re: As of 06/12/2013 all of ZL has full access 50-51Mhz
Might have to look at an ANC-4....
Got a boatload of ferrites for a start...
Got a boatload of ferrites for a start...
Re: As of 06/12/2013 all of ZL has full access 50-51Mhz
Hopefully that will quiet things down...ZL1UJG wrote:Might have to look at an ANC-4....
Got a boatload of ferrites for a start...
Re: As of 06/12/2013 all of ZL has full access 50-51Mhz
I did some tests with the transverter setup. This is a modified Tentec 1209 6 to 2m transverter, into a Yaesu FT290 Mk2
(Noise figure is about 5 dB)
Connecting the antenna through an attenuator switched to 12 dB gives about 5 dB increase in noise level, which translates to about 15 dB noise level above transverter noise.
This noise level is equal to about -120 dBm in a SSB bandwidth, which is similar to that found with the Flex1500.
I have added some IF attenuation with the Transverter setup so that the IF transceiver isnt into AGC as much, so that when tuning around I can hear noise sources.
I notice that the HeatPump has some noise eminating from it.
I think comparing the results to Bob ZL1RS tests, he says about 5 dB increase above Rx noise, while my results are of the order of 15 dB. Hopefully I can gain something with the ferrites.
I will also plot noise around the compass
Kevin
(Noise figure is about 5 dB)
Connecting the antenna through an attenuator switched to 12 dB gives about 5 dB increase in noise level, which translates to about 15 dB noise level above transverter noise.
This noise level is equal to about -120 dBm in a SSB bandwidth, which is similar to that found with the Flex1500.
I have added some IF attenuation with the Transverter setup so that the IF transceiver isnt into AGC as much, so that when tuning around I can hear noise sources.
I notice that the HeatPump has some noise eminating from it.
I think comparing the results to Bob ZL1RS tests, he says about 5 dB increase above Rx noise, while my results are of the order of 15 dB. Hopefully I can gain something with the ferrites.
I will also plot noise around the compass
Kevin
Re: As of 06/12/2013 all of ZL has full access 50-51Mhz
Hi Kevin can you hear the ZL2WHO/B and ZL3SIX/B (M/S)ZL1UJG wrote:I did some tests with the transverter setup. This is a modified Tentec 1209 6 to 2m transverter, into a Yaesu FT290 Mk2
(Noise figure is about 5 dB)
Connecting the antenna through an attenuator switched to 12 dB gives about 5 dB increase in noise level, which translates to about 15 dB noise level above transverter noise.
This noise level is equal to about -120 dBm in a SSB bandwidth, which is similar to that found with the Flex1500.
I have added some IF attenuation with the Transverter setup so that the IF transceiver isnt into AGC as much, so that when tuning around I can hear noise sources.
I notice that the HeatPump has some noise eminating from it.
I think comparing the results to Bob ZL1RS tests, he says about 5 dB increase above Rx noise, while my results are of the order of 15 dB. Hopefully I can gain something with the ferrites.
I will also plot noise around the compass
Kevin
Cheers
Mike ZL3MF
Re: As of 06/12/2013 all of ZL has full access 50-51Mhz
I can hear the ZL2WHO/B on 2m and 6 both direct and with Meteor Scatter. I havent heard ZL3SIX, but will have a wander out to the shack and have a listen now.
Some enhancement on ZL2WHO/B 6m, maybe up to S7 or so, but nothing on ZL3SIX. Even looking on waterfall display. I think I heard MS pings this morning while also listening during MS skeds on 6m.
Kevin
Some enhancement on ZL2WHO/B 6m, maybe up to S7 or so, but nothing on ZL3SIX. Even looking on waterfall display. I think I heard MS pings this morning while also listening during MS skeds on 6m.
Kevin