follow that qar!

SSB means "10 meters only" for me, so when CQ WPX SSB came during a sunspot dry spell (zero sunspots for 10 days preceding last weekend's contest) I was virtually assured of a poor showing. A dozen tunings up and down the band between 28300 and 28500, spread throughout the daylight hours on Saturday and Sunday, resulted in no signals heard. I opted not to CQ in vain. I think a 10-meter-only WPX entry ought to become a tradition for the next 11 years.

Just in case Liechtenstein is suspected as the source of signals, best remember this: That nation's Frequency Allocations Plan and Specific Assignments (PDF) from 2005 indicates 5450.5 may be used for automatic DTS-Mail and voice, fixed or mobile (page 140, Annex 2). The RAF may be the source of those weather reports . They reportedly make METARish transmissions at 5450.

The WBR Receiver is now pulling in 60m SSB from W3, W4, G1, and elsewhere. Removed a single winding from each side of L1 and a tagalong cap (10 picofarad?) in parallel at C8. Maximum signal was achieved by grounding the antenna center conductor at its entry to the board. (But the signal pot still has little or no influence, so something else may be amiss.) Great to have the "new" ham band in the ears for the first time since privileges were granted. Nice foundation for a 60m band plan . It will be a help while I try to sort out frequencies and tuning range. Edits 2007-03-06 At the top of my tuning range are NPR broadcasts carried on 5446.5 by American Forces Radio. AFR is just below some cross-Atlantic meteorological observations in a female voice. Another useful resource via HFLINK . Alerted by LA3ZA to 7N3WVM regen, which Sverre merged (PDF) with N1BYT's. Makoto suggests a ferrite bar antenna.

The WBR Receiver is now pulling in 60m SSB from W3, W4, G1, and elsewhere. Removed a single winding from each side of L1 and a tagalong cap (10 picofarad?) in parallel at C8. Maximum signal was achieved by grounding the antenna center conductor at its entry to the board. (The signal pot still has little or no influence, so something else may be amiss.) Great to have the "new" ham band in the ears for the first time since privileges were granted. Nice foundation for a 60m band plan . It will be a help while I try to sort out frequencies and tuning range. Edits 2007-03-06 At the top of my tuning range are NPR broadcasts carried on 5446.5 by American Forces Radio. AFR is just below some cross-Atlantic meteorological observations in a female voice. Another useful resource via HFLINK . Alerted by LA3ZA to 7N3WVM regen, which Sverre merged (PDF) with N1BYT's. Makoto suggests a ferrite bar antenna. Edits 2007-03-21 It's screwed to the case, but the case is still open. The...

WCVB Chronicle "Happy Birthday Radio" via Google Video. Almost 20 minutes long.