[IRCA] QRRe: A idea for future DX Tests.....

["Les Rayburn" <les@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm all for Brandon's suggestion. This technique is called QRSS (Slow Speed 
CW) and
is commonly used by LF experimenters on both the 160-190khz band (Lowfers) 
as
well as amateur radio operators operating on the 136khz range. The Atlantic
was first bridged on LF using very low power levels (less than 1 watt EIRP)
using this technique.

A couple of years ago, KFI in Los Angeles had a "wavering" carrier which was 
clearly
visible world-wide using this software.

The only missing part of the program is software that can generate a .wav or 
.mp3 file
of Morse Code from text at these slow speeds. I've used CMOS chips to do 
this
in the past for LF work, but have seen nothing like the "WinMorse" software 
that
we use to generate Morse Code for the tests now.

If anyone knows of a utility to do this easily, I'd be happy to add them to 
the
files that we send out to stations. Typical "speed range" for QRSS is
in the range of 1/2 word per minute, or even slower.

But as Brandon points out, it really works. If stations would agree to it 
the
technique, it would almost guarantee coast to coast reception of most tests.

On the station side, they would basically be transmitting a steady tone 
(1khz or so)
for very long periods of time. Several minutes perhaps. To the average 
listener, it would
just sound like a steady test tone.

The disadvantage is that DX'ers would need accurate receivers with TXCO's if 
possible,
good quality soundcards, and computers...and the knowledge to use it all. 
But I've long
preached that we need to adapt and adopt new techniques.

Imagine a reception in a lot of the lower 48 of Alaska or Hawaii---it's 
possible
using QRSS during a maintenance test. Anyone know a source for the software,
or care to try writing it?

73,

Les Rayburn, N1LF
NRC/IRCA Broadcast Test Coordinator
Please call anytime 24/7 if your transmitter
will be off the air for maintenance.
(205) 253-4867



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Brandon Jordan" <brandon@xxxxxxxx>
To: <irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, March 19, 2007 12:36 PM
Subject: [IRCA] A idea for future DX Tests.....


>I sent a suggestion to Les for the next round of tests that I think
> would be pretty awesome, and that is very slow morse. I thought I would
> bring it up here to get other folks opinions. Lets say a station sent
> out a few 1 kHz tone-generated CW IDs during the DX Tests,  say with 2
> second-long dots and 6 second-long dashes. Maybe even switch between 1
> kHz and 2 kHz tone CW. This would allow DXers, with minimal equipment,
> to run their receiver audio through a program such as Spectrum Lab and
> actually see the morse code in the waterfall display. Here is a dump
> that I took from Spectrum Lab from this mornings KTMI DX Test:
>
> http://www.dxtests.info/KTMI.jpg
>
> I had my receiver set to 649 kHz, USB mode with 3 kHz bandwidth. You can
> plainly see the traces 1 kHz above the carriers on 650 kHz, these are
> the CW ID's KTMI ran during the test. These traces were even visible
> when I could not audibly hear the morse code. Now imagine if the morse
> code was really slow, per my suggestion above. The long dots and dashes
> of the "DE KTMI KTMI KTMI" would easily be visible on the waterfall even
> if too weak/QRM'd to get by ear.
>
> Seems like this would also do wonders for foreign DXers monitoring these
> tests. I really think it is something worth considering that would
> provide a lot of 'bang for the buck' for DXers with minimal effort on
> either the BTC or the station to implement.
>
> 73,
> Brandon Jordan
> Memphis, TN
> www.bcdx.org
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