1 <h1>AMRAD Low Frequency Web Page</h1>
3 <ul style='margin-top:0in'>
4 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l6 level1 lfo3;tab-stops:list .5in'><b><span
5 style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Arial'>NEW ITEMS TO CHECK OUT:</span></b>
7 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l6 level1 lfo3;tab-stops:list .5in'><a
8 href="ImpedanceMeter.pdf">AMRAD Presentation on LF Impedance Measurement,
9 HFC2002, London England, 12 OCT 2002</a> (pdf)</li>
10 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l6 level1 lfo3;tab-stops:list .5in'><a
11 href="amradio.pdf">AMRAD Remote Receiver Paper</a>(pdf)</li>
12 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l6 level1 lfo3;tab-stops:list .5in'><a
13 href="PIC8_4B.ASM">Larry Kayser’s,, PIC Program .ASM file</a> </li>
16 <ul style='margin-top:0in'>
17 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l8 level1 lfo6;tab-stops:list .5in'><b><a
18 href="NPRMComments.pdf">AMRAD Comments on FCC LF Allocation Notice of
19 Proposed Rule Making RM-9404</a> (pdf)</b><b><span style='font-family:
20 Arial'> </span></b></li>
21 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l8 level1 lfo6;tab-stops:list .5in'><b><span
22 style='font-family:Arial'><a href="CEPT-LF.pdf">CEPT draft recommendation
23 on LF allocation to Radio Amateurs</a></span></b></li>
26 <ul style='margin-top:0in'>
27 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l8 level1 lfo6;tab-stops:list .5in'><b><a
28 href="UPERR.pdf">AMRAD LF Upconverter makes April, 2002 QST, Errata Note</a>
30 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l8 level1 lfo6;tab-stops:list .5in'><b><span
31 style='font-family:Arial'><a href="actant/">AMRAD Active LF
32 Antenna</a>,</span></b><b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Arial'>
33 </span></b><b><span style='font-family:Arial'>September 2001 QST, Notes.</span></b></li>
36 <ul style='margin-top:0in'>
37 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l8 level1 lfo6;tab-stops:list .5in'><b><a
38 href="DIGITALMODULATOR.PDF">Digital Modulator</a></b><b><span
39 style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Arial'> </span></b><b><span
40 style='font-family:Arial'>(pdf) Future LF Design?</span></b></li>
41 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l8 level1 lfo6;tab-stops:list .5in'><b><a
42 href="DIGITALAMPLIFIER.PDF">Digital Amplifier</a></b><b><span
43 style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Arial'> </span></b><b><span
44 style='font-family:Arial'>(pdf) Future LF Design?</span></b></li>
47 <p class=MsoNormal><img width=573 height=4 src=line2.gif alt="Line"></p>
49 <h2><span style='font-family:Arial'>WHAT IS LF?</span></h2>
51 <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>LF stands for Low Frequency,
52 that portion of the RF spectrum extending from 30 through 300 kHz. In Europe,
53 where there are numerous broadcast transmitters between 150 and 250 kHz, it is
54 often called ``Long Wave''. Under ideal conditions in mid-winter the high power
55 European broadcast transmitters can be heard on the U.S. East coast.</span> </p>
57 <p><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>In the United States, users of the LF band
58 include the US Navy, WWVB, LowFERs between 160 and 190 kHz (<a
59 href="http://www.lwca.org/">Longwave Home Page</a> and <a
60 href="http://www.anarc.org/lwca">Longwave Club of America Home Page</a>)
61 LowFERs are limited to one watt and a 15 meter antenna under FCC part 15. They
62 have demonstrated some amazing ranges under what would appear to be very
63 restrictive rules. Check out these web pages to see what they are able to do.
64 The Longwave Club of America publishes an interesting and informative
65 newsletter LOWDOWN. A serious LF person should subscribe to be sure not to miss
66 new and important information on the LF scene.</span> </p>
68 <p><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>The electric power companies also transmit
69 signals on the power lines at those frequencies. Their signals are called Power
70 Line Carriers (PLC) and use the power lines to conduct the signals. Some
71 unintended radiation occurs and when listening at the noise threshold of LF
72 these can be heard as modulated and unmodulated carriers. When using a mobile
73 LF receiving setup you can hear these PLCs come way up in strength as you pass
74 near or under long distance power transmission lines. The power companies never
75 applied for or received FCC licenses for this operation. Now with the potential
76 for amateur allocations, power companies are voicing some concern on the
77 potential for interference with their systems.</span> </p>
79 <p><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>Starting at 200 kHz up to around 420 kHz
80 Non-Directional Beacons (NDB) dot the North American continent. NDBs are
81 located at or near many airports to aid navigation using direction finders on
82 the aircraft. These signals are a good first test of LF receiving systems and
83 can challenge listeners to see how far away they can be heard. Inland NDBs run
84 around 200 watts with a simple Marconi antenna. NDBs on the end of a chain at
85 the coastal edge can run 2.5 kW to reach further out to sea.</span> </p>
87 <p style='text-align:center'><img width=573 height=5
88 src=line2.gif alt="Line"></p>
90 <h2><span style='font-family:Arial'>WHY LF?</span></h2>
92 <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>Operation on LF presents
93 unusual challenges (read ``problems''). The wavelength at 187 kHz is 1 mile,
94 and a quarter wave is 1,320 feet! It gets worse. At 137 kHz where the
95 wavelength becomes 1.3 miles and a quarter wave vertical would reach up 1800
96 feet. Worse yet at 76 kHz the wavelength is 2.46 miles.</span> </p>
98 <p><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>Hence for those of you interested in building
99 your own equipment, getting the maximum out of necessarily inefficient
100 antennas, using DSP to fight man-made noise, LF is a wonderful place to
101 experiment. If you wonder why LF we can argue the need for a pool of trained LF
102 engineers and listeners for "national" needs such as was needed at HF
103 in WW2. <b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Very Interesting
104 indeed. </b></span><b>Who will build LF systems in the future? You, perhaps.</b>
107 <p style='text-align:center'><img width=573 height=4
108 src=line2.gif alt="Line"></p>
110 <h2><span style='font-family:Arial'>LF TRANSMITTING ANTENNAS:</span></h2>
113 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
114 mso-list:l2 level1 lfo11;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>At
115 LF frequencies, traditional antennas of acceptable length exhibit
116 efficiencies well below 0.1% (yes, one tenth of 1%); hence the search is
117 on for improving traditional antennas, and finding possibly new
118 configurations that may yield better efficiency. AMRAD is looking for ways
119 to build efficient antennas with common materials on a typical radio
120 amateur suburban/urban lot. The search continues.</span></li>
121 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
122 mso-list:l2 level1 lfo11;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>AMRAD
123 has built a 1500 foot long bipole antenna. This is a wire that goes
124 through the woods and is connected on one end to a 300 foot steel well
125 casing and a ground rod in lake on the other. It is tuned to resonance
126 with two large coils near the ends and a ferrite toroid transformer gets
127 it all to 50 ohms for the transmitter. Initially it was not strong back
128 here in the Washington DC area. But now it looks like the signal is pretty
129 good further out. It may favor sky wave to ground wave. Recent results
130 have been good with reception into London, Ontario Canada by Mitch Powell
131 VE3OT. His zipped .wav file can be downloaded </span><a href="wa2.zip">here</a><span
132 style='font-size:13.5pt'>. Note that it is almost 750k. This reception is
133 about 324 miles or 521 km. Closer in we have reception confirmed from
134 Steve Dove W3EEE/G3YDV at Mt. Gretna PA.</span></li>
135 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
136 mso-list:l2 level1 lfo11;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>AMRAD
137 built a small Marconi antenna with only a single wire in the top hat. It
138 is 30 feet high with a 50 foot long top hat. It does not work real well.
139 We will look at adding more top hat wires. The tuner is built with
140 Walmart/Kmart plastic storage boxes as the coil forms.</span></li>
141 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
142 mso-list:l2 level1 lfo11;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>AMRAD
143 built a vertical loop with mixed results. More refinement to reduce
144 resistance losses are being contemplated. "Zip wire ain't efficient
145 here!"</span></li>
146 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
147 mso-list:l2 level1 lfo11;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>If
148 you need a field strength meter to measure and adjust LF antennas take a
149 look here: <a href="fs\index.html">PA0SE Field strength meter for the 137
150 kHz band</a></span></li>
153 <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:center'><img width=573 height=5 src=line2.gif alt="Line"></p>
155 <h2><span style='font-family:Arial'>LF RECEIVING ANTENNAS:</span></h2>
157 <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>Many people use active
158 antennas, while others prefer ferrite bars, or remotely tuned whips.</span> </p>
161 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
162 mso-list:l4 level1 lfo14;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>Bill,
163 W3CSW has been building some attic loops antennas rotated with syncros and
164 remotely tuned with a capacitor decade box. You can read about it <a
165 href="attic.html">here.</a></span></li>
166 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
167 mso-list:l4 level1 lfo14;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>The
168 simplest and quite effective LF antenna is the E-Field probe. It is
169 essentially a short whip with a very high impedance amplifier at the base
170 to convert the signal impedance to the coaxial cable impedance. To this
171 day Ralph Burhans wrote the best information. It appeared in the magazine
172 Radio-Electronics over the months of March, April, May and June of 1983.
173 Our local library central library in Fairfax Virginia has these on
174 microfilm. Other large public and university libraries as well as
175 old-timer basements should also have these magazines. The effort to find
176 them is well worth it. These antennas work well today and Ralph Burhans
177 imparts a lot of good wisdom on the whys and wherefores of LF receiving
178 antenna design.</span></li>
179 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
180 mso-list:l4 level1 lfo14;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>AMRAD
181 member Andre' N4ICK has a nifty design that combines an E-Field probe and
182 varactor tuned preamp to limit overload by strong stations. You can see
183 his work here. <a href="lfpreamp.html">N4ICK LF preamp</a></span></li>
184 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
185 mso-list:l4 level1 lfo14;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>In
186 addition, an isolation transformer between the LF receiving antenna and
187 the shack with the receiver is needed to limit the AC powerline currents
188 flowing into the antenna ground system. If powerline noise and trash are
189 made to flow in the antenna ground they will couple into the electric
190 field around the antenna and thusly into the antenna signal. Once
191 corrupted, it is difficult to remove and can reduce receiving sensitivity
192 by may decibels. No good LF receiving station should be without one. AMRAD
193 has built some and a description of how to build one is <a
194 href="isolationxfmr.html">here</a></span>.</li>
197 <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:center'><img width=573 height=4 src=line2.gif alt="Line"></p>
199 <h2><span style='font-family:Arial'>LF TRANSMITTERS:</span></h2>
201 <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>Transmitters can be either
202 very efficient switchers or audio amplifiers with bandwidth extending to 200
203 Khz or beyond. Glenn KA0ESA and Andr� N4ICK are busy building such
204 contraptions. AMRAD purchased and has tested a commercial transmitter made in
205 Holland. See a review <a href="FirstRvw.html">here</a>.</span> </p>
207 <p style='text-align:center'><img width=573 height=5
208 src=line2.gif alt="Line"></p>
211 <h2><span style='font-family:Arial'>LF SIGNAL PROPAGATION:</span></h2>
213 <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>LF signals can propagate by
214 ground wave or by sky wave. Most studies on LF propagation have concentrated on
215 the ground wave mode and little data and analysis exist on sky wave
216 propagation. J.S. Belrose et al presented data on LF skywave propagation in the
217 Proceedings of the IEEE in May of 1959. This paper seems to be the best source
218 of data on the subject. AMRAD is looking at acquiring data on European LF
219 broadcast stations to help engineer the system necessary to achieve a
220 transatlantic QSO on LF. Some early data has been collected by Sandy, WB5MMB
221 and is shown <a href="162.jpg">here.</a></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt'> </span><span
222 style='font-size:13.5pt'>Note the abrupt drop in signal level around 0700 GMT
223 which corresponds with sunrise in the area of the transmitter. We are curious
224 to know what other phenomena might be exploited to achieve a transatlantic QSO.</span>
227 <p style='text-align:center'><img width=573 height=5
228 src=line2.gif alt="Line"></p>
230 <p style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt'><a
231 href="rx/index.htm">LF RECEIVERS:</a></span></b> </p>
233 <p style='text-align:center'><img width=573 height=5
234 src=line2.gif alt="Line"></p>
236 <h2><span style='font-family:Arial'>DSP SOFTWARE:</span></h2>
239 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
240 mso-list:l7 level1 lfo17;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>Weak
241 signals can be copied using narrower bandwidths than customary on HF.</span></li>
242 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
243 mso-list:l7 level1 lfo17;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>While
244 500 Hz is considered narrow on HF we could copy really weak signals on LF
245 with bandwidths well below 100 Hz and even below 10 Hz under some
246 conditions.</span></li>
247 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
248 mso-list:l7 level1 lfo17;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>European
249 LF hams have been using slow CW (QRS) with speeds like 3 seconds for a dot
250 which would result in 9 seconds for a dash.</span></li>
251 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
252 mso-list:l7 level1 lfo17;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>LowFERs
253 in the United States have perfected narrowband forms of binary phase shift
254 keying (BPSK) and have demonstrated automated detection sometimes taking
255 all night to recover a weak signal.</span></li>
258 <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>All these narrowband modes
259 can make good use of computer signal processing. This can use either a general
260 purpose PC with sound card software or a more special purpose Digital Signal
261 Processor (DSP). The DSP chips are much simpler than a PC while being much more
262 powerful having been optimized from the ground up for signal processing.
263 Several AMRAD members are working on DSP to include Bob WA3WDR and Dave K8MMO.
264 Bob provided some insight in his fine AMRAD article <a href="DSPIntro.html">here</a>.</span>
267 <p><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>For an excellent example of DSP reception see
268 <a href="Dbf39.jpg">image of frequency vs. time plot for commercial LF station
269 DBF39.</a> (From <a href="mailto:spin@inrete.it">Marco Bruno - IK1ODO</a></span>
270 ) <span style='font-size:13.5pt'>Also check out our trip to </span><b><a
271 href="jan2000\index.html">Nags Head NC</a></b><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>
272 and some of the spectrograms we got there.</span> </p>
274 <p style='text-align:center'><img width=573 height=5
275 src=line2.gif alt="Line"></p>
277 <p><a name=DspIntregration></a><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:
278 Arial'>DSP INTEGRATION:</span></b> </p>
280 <p><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>Work by AMRAD Members Bill Farmer W3CSW (with
281 Frank Gentges K0BRA and Andre N4ICK looking over his shoulder) on using the
282 RX320 along with a DSP program has resulted in a calibrated frequency accuracy
283 of about 1 hertz on the DSP spectrogram. This work has combined the use of Gerd
284 Neiphaus' program </span><b><a href="http://www.weaksignals.com/">GNRX320</a></b><span
285 style='font-size:13.5pt'> and the PADEN DSP program <b><a
286 href="http://www.weaksignals.com/">Spectran</a></b>. This has turned out to be
287 a powerful LF weak signal monitoring set up. Bill was able to discriminate
288 between two beacons running on almost the same frequencies. A screen capture
289 can be seen <a href="AMRADdec.jpg">here.</a></span> <span style='font-size:
290 13.5pt'>The procedure for getting this accuracy is provided <a href="cal.html">here.</a></span><span
291 style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><b><span style='font-size:13.5pt'><a
292 href="http://www.weaksignals.com/">Argo/Spectran/Jason</a></span></b><span
293 style='font-size:18.0pt'> </span><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>Authors Alberto
294 di Bene, I2PHD and Vittorio De Tomasi. IK2CZL have a lot of further
295 improvements planned so stay tuned to their web site as these changes start
296 showing up so we have seen nothing yet. See our journey to </span><b><a
297 href="jan2000\index.html">Nags Head NC</a></b><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>
298 where we used this setup extensively and it was a delight.</span> <br>
302 <p><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>References: must reading, from cover to
303 cover, the RSGB's ``The LF Sourcebook'' and Ken Cornell W2IMB's <b>The Low and
304 Medium Frequency Radio Scrapbook. </b>Ken Cornell passed away recently and the
305 availability of his book is limited.</span> </p>
307 <p style='text-align:center'><img width=573 height=5 src=line2.gif alt="Line"></p>
309 <h2><span style='font-family:Arial'>WHAT IS AMRAD DOING?</span></h2>
311 <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>Click on these links for
312 images of early AMRAD LF experiments:</span> </p>
315 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
316 mso-list:l0 level1 lfo20;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'><a
317 href="lf1.jpg">238664 byte image</a></span></li>
318 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
319 mso-list:l0 level1 lfo20;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'><a
320 href="lf2.jpg">226692 byte image</a></span></li>
321 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
322 mso-list:l0 level1 lfo20;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'><a
323 href="lf3.jpg">174610 byte image</a></span></li>
326 <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>More recently:</span> </p>
329 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
330 mso-list:l3 level1 lfo23;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>AMRAD
331 members Sandy, WB5MMB and Hal, WB3KDU went to the mountains to see if they
332 could copy the New Years day transmission from SAQ at Grimeton Sweden. SAQ
333 uses the last existing Alexanderson alternator to generate the VLF signal
334 at 17.2 kHz. They copied the signal with a 40 foot mast and 4 40 foot
335 ground radials for an antenna. A hombrew upconverter was used ahead of an
336 Icom R71A with a 500 Hz CW filter. The transmission was logged at 1:00 AM
337 EST on 2 January. The location was N38-59-06 W78-00-00 on ridge about
338 1000' above the valley and 1/4 or more miles from nearest house or power line.
339 You can hear how they did </span><a href="SAQWAV.zip">here</a><span
340 style='font-size:13.5pt'> with their 700k zipped .wav file.</span></li>
341 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
342 mso-list:l3 level1 lfo23;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>AMRAD
343 has been coordinating with European Radio Amateurs on LF and is
344 co-sponsoring the LF Transatlantic Challenge with the <a href="bobek.html">Bobek
345 award</a>.</span></li>
346 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
347 mso-list:l3 level1 lfo23;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>AMRAD
348 applied for and received an experimental FCC Part 5 license to operate at
349 1 watt EIRP on 136.750 Khz. Details are announced at <a href="AMRADpr.html">WA2XTF
350 LF transmissions</a></span></li>
351 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
352 mso-list:l3 level1 lfo23;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>AMRAD
353 LF transmissions continue. See our recent DSP Integration work above.</span></li>
354 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
355 mso-list:l3 level1 lfo23;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>AMRAD
356 went to Nags Head, NC to see how LF listening might be right on the beach.
357 See <a href="LFTest1999.html">Field test in January 1999</a> for more
358 information.</span></li>
359 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
360 mso-list:l3 level1 lfo23;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>AMRAD
361 returned to Nags Head NC over the weekend of January 16, 2000</span><b><span
362 style='font-size:18.0pt'>. </span><a href="jan2000\index.html">See our
363 Nags Head 2000 web page for more information.</a></b></li>
364 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
365 mso-list:l3 level1 lfo23;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>AMRAD
366 returned still again to Nags Head NC and Burke Lake Park VA over 12-15
367 January, 2001</span><span style='font-size:18.0pt'>. </span><a
368 href="JAN2001\JAN01.htm">See our Nags Head 2001 web page for more
369 information.</a></li>
370 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
371 mso-list:l3 level1 lfo23;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>AMRAD
372 had the opportunity to connect to an unused Navy LF Marconi antenna at
373 Annapolis MD. See our <a href="March1999NSS\index.html">Photos from trip
374 to NSS Annapolis</a>. These Navy antennas were no longer needed so they
375 were demolished with high explosives. Some sad pictures were taken. See <a
376 href="Nov1999NSS\index.html">Demolition of three antennas</a> November 13,
380 <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:center'><img
381 width=573 height=5 src=line2.gif alt="Line"></p>
383 <h2><span style='font-family:Arial'>WHAT ARE THE EUROPEANS AND AUSTRALIANS
387 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
388 mso-list:l1 level1 lfo26;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>The
389 British, <a href="http://www.rsgb.org.uk/">The Radio Society of Great
390 Britain</a>.</span></li>
391 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
392 mso-list:l1 level1 lfo26;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>the
393 Germans, the Swiss and the Australians, to name but a few, are doing great
394 things on LF.</span></li>
395 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
396 mso-list:l1 level1 lfo26;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>The
397 European countries have been authorizing radio amateur allocations on LF.
398 QSOs spanning 1,000 miles have taken place recently in Europe with
399 transmitter powers of between 250 and 700 watts, yielding ERPs around 500
400 milliwatts!</span></li>
401 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
402 mso-list:l1 level1 lfo26;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>For
403 an example of a European radio amateur QSO on LF see a DSP display <a
404 href="3yxm9-1.gif">of a European amateur contact in progress</a></span></li>
407 <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:center'><img
408 width=573 height=5 src=line2.gif alt="Line"></p>
410 <p><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:Arial'>JOIN AMRAD'S EFFORTS</span></b>
413 <p><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>Americans have been extremely creative to extract
414 the last drop of energy available to them within the harsh limitations of the
415 Part 15 rules. Now with higher power radio amateurs have the potential to open
416 up new applications and to exploit propagation phenomena that Part 15 rules
417 would not allow. How about you?</span> </p>
419 <p><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>Me, the reader of this page? Moi? Yes, You !</span>
422 <p><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>Why not getting involved in LF? Instead of
423 using your 2-meter hand-held to discuss the road traffic that you encountered
424 on the way home, how about helping on the LF scene? If you can distinguish what
425 is the business end of a soldering iron, or if you are good at writing in
426 Pascal or C, how about sending us a short e-mail telling us about your
427 capabilities? We need help in converters, receivers, transmitters, baluns, DSP,
428 receiving and transmitting antennas and new ideas and concepts in general.</span>
431 <p>Write to us at <a href="mailto:tacos@amrad.org">tacos@amrad.org</a> and we promise we will write
434 <p>You can also write to each of us individually
435 by using our individual <i>callsign@amrad.org</i> for example <a href="mailto:n4ick@amrad.org">n4ick@amrad.org</a></p>
437 <p style='text-align:center'><img width=573 height=5
438 src=line2.gif alt="Line"></p>
440 <p><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:Arial'>OTHER LINKS OF INTEREST</span></b>
444 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
445 mso-list:l5 level1 lfo29;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'><a
446 href="http://www.wireless.org.uk/index.htm">The World of LF..</a></span></li>
447 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
448 mso-list:l5 level1 lfo29;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'><a
449 href="http://www.qru.de/">DK8KW Longwave Information</a></span></li>
450 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
451 mso-list:l5 level1 lfo29;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'><a
452 href="http://members.aol.com/bmgenginc/AntPath0.html">DF and propagation
453 effects</a></span></li>
454 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
455 mso-list:l5 level1 lfo29;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'><a
456 href="http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/stp/IONO/ionontro.html">NOAA</a> and <a
457 href="http://server5550.itd.nrl.navy.mil/projects/HAARP/ion1.html">NRL</a>
458 both regarding ionosphere, built up, disturbances etc.</span></li>
459 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
460 mso-list:l5 level1 lfo29;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'><a
461 href="gopher://sec.noaa.gov/11/lists/geomag">Ionospheric geomagnetic Ak,
462 Ap data</a></span></li>
463 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
464 mso-list:l5 level1 lfo29;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'><a
465 href="http://www.g0mrf.freeserve.co.uk/">G0MRF Projects</a></span></li>
466 <li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
467 mso-list:l5 level1 lfo29;tab-stops:list .5in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'><a
468 href="http://www.qsl.net/df3lp/projects.html">short descriptions of the
469 DF3LP (Peter W. Schnoor) LF transmitter and RX loop antenna</a></span></li>
472 <p><a href="http://www.qsl.net/df3lp/">DF3LP</a> Main Page</p>
474 <p style='text-align:center'><a href="http://www.qsl.net/df3lp/"><span
475 style='text-decoration:none;text-underline:none'><img width=573
476 height=4 src=line2.gif alt="Line"></span></a></p>
478 <p style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><br>
483 <p><span style='font-size:13.5pt'><a href="mailto:k0bra@amrad.org">Frank K0BRA</a></span>
486 <p><span style='font-size:13.5pt'><a href="mailto:n4ick@amrad.org">Andre' N4ICK</a></span>