21. April 2010 by admin.

Tango India 2 November Alpha: TI2NA CW Beacon being spotted on 50.080 Mhz

http://www.qrz.com/db/ti2na

6M BEACON

50.080

IRAZU VOLCANO,

Costa Rica

TI2NA and other towers in Costa Rica

TI5KD current maintainer of TI2NA CW Beacon on 6 Meters / 50 Mhz

—

Erik, TI2NA, now a silent key, was an amateur radio pioneer in Costa Rica and in Latinamerica. One of the first experimenters in the satellite modes and in many other VHF/UHF activities, he put in operation, the first Central America 6M radio beacon on 50.080, in the 1960’s. Homebrewing most of his equipment, he went through two different designs for the beacon which he kept and maintained on his family farm in Eastern San Jose.

Some years ago, a new bulletproof beacon was designed and built by George, W1XE and pressed into service soon after. Since Erik’s death, the beacon has been maintained by myself, Keko, TI5KD. I have relocated it to our 440 Group repeater site on the top of IRAZU volcano at 3432 meters (11,200ft) in grid EJ89bx. It transmits a CW message once every 20 seconds or so and puts out 30 W into a vertical dipole. Being in the best location it has ever been, it will be heard earlier than stations located in the Central Valley where we are surrounded by mountains.

Erik’s callsign has now been permanently assigned to the beacon through the Costa Rica Radio Club

If you hear the beacon, please report it on the internet clusters so others can be alerted of the opening.

Best 6M DX,

Keko, TI5KD




Video of reception on the TI2NA/B CW Beacon today, and my attempts at CW contact on a nearby frequency. Noone seems to be around either on CW or SSB from that area…

—

So far no 6 Meter contact has been landed by KA4UDX from these reports. There are,  however, 4 reports of hearing the Morse Code, CW beacon, on or around 50.080 Mhz.

73 de KA4UDX - http://www.qrz.com/db/ka4udx

—

Alan Spicer

http://www.marinetelecom.net

communications (at) marinetelecom.net

Posted in Main | No Comments »

21. April 2010 by admin.

Waterway Radio and Cruising Club - Emblem - Image

The WRCC - Waterway Radio and Cruising Club - on the air this morning since 07:45 Eastern Time, as every morning. A good place to check in if you have a General Class or higher Amateur Radio License (anyone can listen with an HF/SSB Radio). Position Reports taken and plotted, non-commercial traffic is often handled. Emergencies and Safety situations can be handled - and it’s a great group of people, from the Control Operators of the Net, The Fleet Captain(s), and the other Shore Stations (like myself) and Boats that check in.

This is a good place to warm up your SSB radio, even if it’s normally dormant or off these days. It’s a good place to practice using your SSB radio … you never know when one day you may have to use it. It would be good to be familiar with the radio gear and know how to operate it in case you ever need it! Smaller vessels - SSB radio may be the only, or one of a precious few communications methods that you have when you are out of range of everything else. HF - SSB radio never goes down. It might be good to be familiar with this net on 7.268 Mhz, and the other Maritime Service Net on 14.300 Mhz. If anyone needs further information on these nets - please do not hesitate to contact me via Email, etc.

—

73 de KA4UDX

http://www.qrz.com/db/ka4udx

Alan Spicer Marine Telecom: http://www.marinetelecom.net

communications (at) marinetelecom.net

+1 954 683 3426

Posted in Main | No Comments »

21. April 2010 by admin.

Sporadic E Image from http://www.df5ai.net/Material/articles.html

     John Cougar Mellencamp sings about “Rain on the Scarecrow Blood on the Plow” - tonight we will sing about rare long distance “DX” conditions on 6 Meters, a VHF band at 50 Mhz, normally with very short range and not useable for much. But tonight with rain coming down and some unique weather patterns through Florida and the Caribbean areas … It looks like what this has caused might be what they call “Sporadic-E” … a condition where the clouds or other parts of the lower atmosphere form a sort of temporary “Information SuperHighway” or at least a voice radio super highway for some short periods of time.

I’ve made 5 contacts with Puerto Rico, and one with the Dominican Republic. Here’s my log:

KP4EIT

HI3TEJ

KP4YI

WP4LUU

KP4BAI

NP3CW

Weather ConDX during 6m Sporadic E

Puerto Rico Contacts in Sporadic-E on 6-Meters

Dominican Republic Contacts in Sporadic-E on 6-Meters

Also of note, many of the stations in Puerto Rico, as I am doing also, are running only around 100 watts power - with not much in the way of fancy antennas. It was a very brave showing of Puerto Rican Radio Amateurs in this Band Opening.

I am running Hustler 6BTV Antenna (10, 15, 20, 30, 40, and 80 meter bands antenna). This antenna not even made to work on 6 Meters! But apparently it is working somewhat ok.




Video #1 - Puerto Rico Contact - KP4YI - His name is Ed




Video #2 - Puerto Rico Contact - KP4EIT - His name is Jose




Video #3 - Dominican Republic Contact - HI3TEJ - His name is TED

Note: I didn’t record and upload video of all 6 contacts, so this what I have other than my log.

—
73 de KA4UDX
—
Alan Spicer

DBA Alan Spicer Telcom / Alan Spicer Marine Telecom
Computer Services, Wired/Wireless Networking,
Cell/Sat/Landline Communications, General Consulting…
Marine, Business, Small Office and Home Office (SOHO)

* Cost Savings and Integration of Multiple Internet Technologies
on board Sail and Motor Yachts * Documentation, Operating
Instructions, and Support after the Sale *

* http://www.marinetelecom.net/
* http://www.internetforyachts.net/
* http://www.wifiyacht.net/
* 954-683-3426

Mobile Internet! Step up to the HSPA 3G Fast Internet!

Ericsson W35 released in the USA. This you’ve gotta SEE!!
Better looking presentation than W25 (you might not want to
hide this one in the Doghouse!) + High Speed Upload which
the W25 did not have.
http://www.marinetelecom.net/Ericsson_W35/

Livewire: Access Controller (Service Selector):
http://www.marinetelecom.net/Livewire_Service_Selector/

Posted in Main | No Comments »