[Lowfer] LF QSOs

[Bill Ashlock]

Dex,

Encouraged by your comments on the old time DX but there's two other factors 
that haven't been discussed. That's the increase in LF noise over the years 
from light dimmers, computers, electronic dog fences, increased power grid 
usage, etc. It's not only the local neighborhood noise hitting our antennas 
directly but the skywave noise resulting from these sources all over the US. 
The second factor is the cyclic nature of LF propagation that encompasses 
many years. Any feel for what we are currently experiencing relative to 
highs and lows in the cycle? I think Carl (TH) indicated to me some time ago 
that we were headed for a major low.

Bill A

PS: It's more than just a single source that the over-power claims 
originated from. I know of three admitted offenders. Some guys justified the 
over-power to compensate for their less-than-competitive antenna current.


>From: Dexter McIntyre W4DEX <dmcintyre@att.net>
>Reply-To: lowfer@mailman.qth.net
>To: lowfer@mailman.qth.net
>Subject: Re: [Lowfer] LF QSOs
>Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2003 18:17:02 -0400
>
>Eric Smith wrote:
> > On Wed, 10 Sep 2003, Bill Ashlock wrote:
> >
> > > [disappointing news]
> >
> >  :(
> >
> > Eric, KD5UWL
>
>Eric,
>
>I had many Lowfer QSOs before the days of computer signal processing and
>the internet.  There was a fellow in Ohio who ran beacon LXJ during the
>mid 90s.  I had a nightly sked with him for several months during one
>winter.  We had Q5 copy at least 50% of the time.  He was the only
>Lowfer I ever suspected of running high power because his signal
>strength.  However I was convinced he was running 1 watt because when I
>could barley copy him he had about the same signal from me.  Later I
>found that the several comments I heard about some Lowfers running high
>power could be traced back to one source so I discounted them.   JDH and
>I had several QSOs during that time.  Both of these stations were in the
>300 to 400 mile range.  Very often I had good Q5 copy on TH in New
>Jersey.  Carl and I could have easily made two way contact at these
>times but his location was very noisy and it was seldom that he could
>copy my beacon.  So we had a few cross band contacts, LF to 160 meters.
>There are several other stations that I copied Q5 frequently, like BOB
>and KRY.  I'll have to find my old Lowfer log book to remember the
>others.
>
>The main problem making a DX lowfer QSO is timing.  I have heard Lyle's
>LEK Q5 a time or two and he has heard NC.  Look at Lyle's page for .wav
>files of the many beacons he has copied Q5 by ear:
>
>http://www.cpinternet.com/~lyle/listen2/listn2.htm#Recordings%20of%20LowFER
>
>The problem is that when the signal is heard it is usually early morning
>hours when the other fellow isn't available.  If he were available
>during this time he probably would be in receive mode so you would have
>never heard his beacon to start with.
>
>I, like most other Lowfers, have spent the last several years
>concentrating on QRSS receptions.  This has been both fun and
>productive. Now my old LF receiving station serves only as a beacon
>transmitting location.  I now sit in a nice heated shack watching the
>computer do the work.  Maybe we should have a weekly CW only night.
>Sure would be nice to actually hear those signals again.
>
>Dex
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