ZL2WHO Beacon on JT4D

[VK4REX]

The beacon is back in JT4D mode - and now getting constant decodes. Thanks Mark and crew

Rex

[VK4CZ]

Great work guys.... CW and JT4B heard here. Perfect timing

[ZL2BKC]

Mark and I have been texting and calling throughout the day. Last I knew he wired in a kids musical keyboard in circuit with the exciter and what a result

Joking aside the exciter has actually been running since last summer DX season but Mark was not keen to add any new unknown variables into the site (if it ain't broke don't fix it )

The missing ingredient has always been a key-click free driver stage that takes the 10mW from a ZLPLL and produces around 20W to drive the 2m final PA at full power. This was completed and tested 6 weeks ago on my bench and sent to Mark who managed to install it with very little assistance.

Enjoy the new capability - and I encourage everyone to monitor 144.271 for as long and often as they can (it is a perfect unattended mode) to help profile the propagation. Time is running out to get the WSPR plans running so that will likely be next summers upgrade.

Thanks Rex for starting the post. Mark may have more to add in the next day or two.

73,
Wayne ZL2BKC

[VK4REX]

Hi Wayne

Whats the status of the 432 and 1296 beacons do they have JT modes running yet

I am testing some automated logging software I have written so I can constantly monitor and record the WHO beacons.

Rex

[ZL2BKC]

Hi Wayne

Whats the status of the 432 and 1296 beacons do they have JT modes running yet

I am testing some automated logging software I have written so I can constantly monitor and record the WHO beacons.

Rex

Yes 2m, 70cm and 23cm are all running JT Modes (JT4D/JT4D and JT4F respectively). The odd one out at present is the 6m beacon.

Note that the power supply for the 70cm beacon was replaced which means it is now running QRO again (around 100W), and the antenna has been reconfigured to point towards VK in prep for summer. The 70cm beacon has been heard in VK but the 23cm is oriented ZL only so it will be a big ask if you manage to receive this. Mark and I are talking about options on how to do QRO on 23cm towards VK to increase the odds on the higher bands.

--
Wayne

[ZL2BKC]

Following up from my previous post, the 23cm beacon was received by Rex VK4REX today. Only a matter of days after me saying it would be a big ask it would be received in VK - I now stand corrected!

I have checked the radiation pattern from the NEC2 design files. 0 deg is the main beam pointing at the Auckland CBD,with lobes to benefit Tauranga and Bay of Islands for the other active 23cm users with ~200W EIRP.

Radiation Pattern

Rex's bearing works out at the -70 degree lobe which is ~-5dBi. With 9W at the antenna (18W split into a north and south panel) by rough calculation this equates to around 2.5Watts EIRP. Sydney is close to 90 degrees, which explains why it was not heard in VK2.
If the panel was only 30 degrees different we might have had more reports from the other stations which ultimately worked Steve ZL1TPH.

As a result Mark and I have reignited our discussions about adding a west facing antenna.

Here is a photo of the panel antenna taken in February this year:

ZL2WHO/b 23cm panel antenna - North Facing

73,
Wayne

[VK4REX]

A dropbox video of the 432 and 1296 beacons from Wednesday morning

Rex


https://www.dropbox.com/s/7arsg5rmmishi ... 7.3gp?dl=0

[VK2DVZ]

Attached below is a part screen grab of the zl2who 23cm beacon signal on JT4F during this mornings opening, 6-10-2015 utc.

I hadn't 'zeroed' out the RX noise setting at time of capture, but excellent copy.

The beacon later peaked at -11 dB on JT4F

And yes, I am located approximately 90 degrees off the side of the antenna nulls, so propagation was exceptional for that to occur.

My best SSB contact was 5/7 report to Steve ZL1TPH/P and received 5/9 in reply.