June, 2006

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European Hams Hear Signals from the Edge of Space
Hams in Germany received signals from American spacecraft Voyager 1 March 31 using a 20 meter parabolic antenna of a radio telescope on a frequency of 8.4 GHz. Voyager 1 transmits on 8415 MHz nominal. A team of hams at AMSAT-DL/IUZ Bochum (The Institute for Environmental and Future Research at Bochum Observatory) using Doppler shift and sky positioning, received the signal from a distance of 8.82 billion miles (14.7 billion km). That's roughly 98 AUs, or 98 times the distance from the Sun to Earth. This is the first recorded reception of signals from Voyager 1 by radio amateurs. Members of the AMSAT-DL /IUZ team include Freddy de Guchteneire, ON6UG, James Miller, G3RUH, Hartmut Paesler, DL1YDD, and Achim Vollhardt, DH2VA/HB9DUN. Also helping out were Theo Elsner, DJ5YM (IUZ Bochum), and Roger Ludwig of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, as well as the Deep Space Network Tracking Station in Madrid, Spain. Voyager 1 was launched in September 1977 to conduct close-up studies of Jupiter and Saturn, Saturn's rings and the larger moons of the two planets. Originally built to last only five years, the probe will continue to send back astronomical information to NASA and the JPL until at least 2020.

German experimental stations on 440 kHz
Geri Holger, DK8KW/W1KW, in Peine near Hannover, reports that German telecommunication authorities have issued him an experimental license to operate on the "medium wave" frequency of 440 kHz using the call sign DI2BO. He joins Walter Staubach, DJ2LF, in Dormitz near Nuernberg, who's been operating experimental station DI2AG on 440 kHz. Tests have been under way on that frequency since January 2005, Holger says, "to study the special propagation conditions on medium wave." Holger says CW beacon transmissions (which include call sign and grid square) will be sent on 440 kHz (±100 Hz), maximum 200 Hz bandwidth at a maximum power of 9 W ERP. "Both beacon transmissions will be coordinated in a way so that they can be observed simultaneously to study the propagation from both locations at the same time," Holger explained. "Also, two-way contacts between both experimental stations are planned." DI2BO is using a marine radio transmitter running about 130 W output into a top-loaded 18-meter umbrella antenna. He calculates the ERP is around 5 W. Further information is on the DK8KW Longwave Information Web site.

Canadian Team Tries Again to Contact New Zealand on 2200 Meters
NEWINGTON, CT, April 26, 2006 -- Earlier this month, Scott Tilley, VE7TIL, and I led a team of Canadian hams in trying to make the first two-way contact between North America and New Zealand on 2200 meters. Using the call VA7LF (in honor of our mission using low frequency), we attempted the contact from South Pender Island, British Columbia, Canada between April 3 and 5.
Assisting in this project were Martin McGregor, VE7MM, and John Gibbs, VE7BDQ. Using an aluminum tower 40 feet high, we added two 20-foot aluminum sections to the top of the tower, as well as a large 150-foot two wire top hat spaced 10 feet across. Another 25 feet of wire was extended from the base of the antenna over the cliffside, ending just above the beach, where it was matched and fed with 50 ohm coax, for a total of 105 feet. The entire antenna system was brought into resonance on 137 kHz; the big vertical required 1.9 mH of inductance to bring it down to 2200 meters. Murphy's Law of propagation was evident all three nights of the test, as the A and K indices were highly elevated. In addition, there were strong geomagnetic storms and aurora displays so intense they could be seen in the central USA.
Even with the poor propagation, VA7LF and ZM2E (Quartz Hill, New Zealand) managed to exchange signals on 2200 meters. Using slow speed DFCW90 and DFCW60 (this is frequency shift keyed Morse: a "dot" is sent by having the transmitter send on frequency_1 and a dash by having the transmitter send on frequency_2; the difference between frequency_1 and frequency_2 is typically 0.1 Hz to 0.5 Hz), signals from both ends were copied on all three nights. The third morning had the best results: ZM2E's signal suddenly elevated 25 dB over the noise and acknowledged our call as a perfect copy of the beacon signal. This was an invitation to begin a formal contact sequence, but as the sun was starting to rise on South Pender Island, the darkness disappeared before full calls could be exchanged. On the third night just prior to sunset, VA7LF took advantage of the strong groundwave signal and made a number of crossband contacts, using 160-2200 meters, to Washington, Oregon and British Columbia. VA7LF has attempted to make this contact since 2004. Although not reaching the goal of a valid contact, we will try again. -- Steve McDonald, VE7SL

New 'Parlez Vous QSO' site
Ever wondered what lingo foreign hams use? Well, now you can find out, thanks to a new website. The newly- launched Parlez Vous QSO website features more than 100 common English QSO phrases translated into German, Spanish, French, Italian, Czech, Dutch and Polish. The site also provides information on etiquette, special characters, links to on-line dictionaries and more. Site author Steve, M0ECS, said: "This really is a work of mutual co-operation in the true spirit of amateur radio. Over a dozen amateurs from eight countries worked together to produce the language files.

June, 2006

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