Re: [IRCA] [NRC-AM] Building a "state of the art" MW DX station
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Re: [IRCA] [NRC-AM] Building a "state of the art" MW DX station

And this is why I have resisted SDR's. I can manage a couple of frequencies on overnight TOH recordings - although I run :58 - :07 as I find enough ID's coming out of news between "04 and "07 to be worth the effort. During FM Es season last summer I was running six radios/tuners simultaneously for the duration of each event. It takes forever to review even 6 frequencies !


Russ Edmunds
15 mi NNW of Philadelphia  
Grid FN20id
<wb2bjh@xxxxxxxxx>
FM: Yamaha T-80 & Onkyo T-450RDS w/ APS9B @15'; Grundig G8
AM:  Modified Sony ICF 2010's barefoot


--- On Mon, 1/2/12, Jim Renfrew <jrenfrew@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> From: Jim Renfrew <jrenfrew@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: [IRCA] [NRC-AM]  Building a "state of the art" MW DX station
> To: les@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Mailing list for the International Radio Club of America" <irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, am@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Date: Monday, January 2, 2012, 10:44 PM
> Yes, you can schedule a two minute
> segment across the entire band at xx59-xx01 through the
> night.  I typically center the Perseus on 950, which
> gives me the capture range of 150 - 1750 kHz.  In
> Newfoundland we typically program for 5 minutes, because the
> "top of the hour" (and bootom of thoe hour) seems loosely
> adhered to in much of the world.  However, reviewing
> one night of such recordings has taken me six weeks to
> complete.  You may wish to hire servants to review your
> recordings, or, perhaps, clone yourself.
> 
> Jim Renfrew, Holley NY
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Les Rayburn" <les@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 10:33 PM
> Subject: Re: [IRCA] [NRC-AM] Building a "state of the art"
> MW DX station
> 
> 
> > Understood. I'm thinking of investing in some DX
> Engineering "Receive Feedline Current Chokes" DXE-RFCC-1
> which retail for $64.95 each. I'm hoping this will eliminate
> any common-mode noise along the feedline. Plan is to place
> one near the antenna, and another near the receiver.
> > 
> > Any other accessories that I might find useful?
> > 
> > Assuming that I invest in a Perseus SDR receiver, is
> it possible to "schedule" the radio to record the raw I/O
> data for most of the MW band overnight? Ideally, I'd like to
> record about 2 minutes before and after each TOH to catch
> the maximum number of ID's.
> > 
> > Does the SDR-IQ that I'm currently using have any real
> value? I know it records only 180 Khz of data, and it's
> dynamic range is limited compared to both the Perseus and
> the new WinRadio.
> > 
> > Thanks for the advice. Please keep it coming!
> > 
> > 73,
> > 
> > Les Rayburn, N1LF
> > 
> > 
> > Les Rayburn, Director
> > High Noon Film
> > 130 1st Avenue West
> > Alabaster, AL 35007-8536
> > (205) 621-7500
> > (205) 621-7505 FAX
> > (205) 253-4867 CELL
> > http://www.highnoonfilm.com
> > 
> > 
> > On 1/2/2012 8:11 PM, Mark Durenberger wrote:
> >> Russ is a very smart fellow and
> well-experienced.  To add to his thoughts, noise is not
> ALL vertically-polarized.  Ground-wave noise seems to
> be...but most other noise seems to be randomly-polarized.
> >> 
> >> Another source of noise that can't be ignored is
> noise induced along the lead-in.  That noise usually
> starts at the receive end and makes its back back toward the
> antenna.  Unless that noise is controlled, it might be
> hard to make the case for one polarity over another. 
> The one thing a vertical has going for it is that it's
> approximately non-directional.
> >> 
> >> Regards,
> >> 
> >> Mark Durenberger
> >> 
> >>
> --------------------------------------------------
> >> From: "Russ Edmunds" <wb2bjh@xxxxxxxxx>
> >> Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 7:24 PM
> >> To: <am@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> >> Cc: "Mailing list for the International Radio Club
> of America" <irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >> Subject: Re: [IRCA] [NRC-AM]  Building a
> "state of the art" MW DX station
> >> 
> >>> 
> >>> Les, you may want to consider a "stealth"
> antenna of another sort - a flag.
> >>> 
> >>> It can be mounted in a rectangular array on an
> outer wall or an interior wall or between trees if they're
> situated properly. Since the wire used can be fairly small,
> it hides well.
> >>> 
> >>> That also requires a matching transformer.
> Details can be found amongst some of Conelly's articles or
> Bruce Conti's.
> >>> 
> >>> I'm just not sold on a vertical in a high
> noise location. Most man-made electrical noise is vertically
> polarized, and the use of a vertical frequently increases
> the signal/noise ratio.
> >>> 
> >>> 
> >>> Russ Edmunds
> >>> 15 mi NNW of Philadelphia
> >>> Grid FN20id
> >>> <wb2bjh@xxxxxxxxx>
> >>> FM: Yamaha T-80 & Onkyo T-450RDS w/ APS9B
> @15'; Grundig G8
> >>> AM:  Modified Sony ICF 2010's barefoot
> >>> 
> >>> 
> >>> --- On Mon, 1/2/12, Mark Durenberger <Mark4@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
> >>> 
> >>>> From: Mark Durenberger <Mark4@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >>>> Subject: Re: [NRC-AM] [IRCA] Building a
> "state of the art" MW DX station
> >>>> To: am@xxxxxxxxxxx
> >>>> Cc: "Mailing list for the International
> Radio Club of America" <irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >>>> Date: Monday, January 2, 2012, 8:19 PM
> >>>> About 4:1 ratio should work.
> >>>> Most folks like to roll their own but you
> can
> >>>> also try:
> >>>> 
> >>>> http://www.minicircuits.com/products/Transformers.shtml
> >>>> 
> >>>> Should work if you're not near any high RF
> fields
> >>>> 
> >>>> Regards,
> >>>> 
> >>>> Mark Durenberger
> >>>> 
> >>>>
> --------------------------------------------------
> >>>> From: "Les Rayburn" <les@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >>>> Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 6:39 PM
> >>>> To: "Mark Durenberger" <Mark4@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >>>> Cc: "DX @NRC" <am@xxxxxxxxxxx>;
> >>>> "Mailing list for the International Radio
> >>>> Club of America" <irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >>>> Subject: Re: [NRC-AM] [IRCA] Building a
> "state of the art"
> >>>> MW DX station
> >>>> 
> >>>> > Mark,
> >>>> >
> >>>> > Excellent points regarding the change
> in "mindset"
> >>>> when using a SDR
> >>>> > receiver. Hadn't really thought it
> about it that way.
> >>>> >
> >>>> > I might be able to erect a "fold
> over" vertical
> >>>> antenna that I could
> >>>> > deploy only during listening
> sessions. Assuming
> >>>> something like 30 feet
> >>>> > in length, what would I need for a
> matching
> >>>> transformer?
> >>>> >
> >>>> >
> >>>> > Les Rayburn, Director
> >>>> > High Noon Film
> >>>> > 130 1st Avenue West
> >>>> > Alabaster, AL 35007-8536
> >>>> > (205) 621-7500
> >>>> > (205) 621-7505 FAX
> >>>> > (205) 253-4867 CELL
> >>>> > http://www.highnoonfilm.com
> >>>> >
> >>>> >
> >>>> > On 1/2/2012 6:23 PM, Mark Durenberger
> wrote:
> >>>> >> Hi Les...good for you!
> >>>> >>
> >>>> >> As a general comment addressing
> two of your
> >>>> questions:  The "real" SDR
> >>>> >> is a tool you'll fall in love
> with.
> >>>> However...you'll have to make
> >>>> >> somewhat of a tradeoff from the
> original way of
> >>>> thinking.  We've all
> >>>> >> used loops to pinpoint and tune a
> specific
> >>>> frequency.  That's sort of
> >>>> >> counter-productive when you're
> using an SDR to
> >>>> capture the entire band
> >>>> >> because you usually don't want to
> favor a unique
> >>>> channel.
> >>>> >>
> >>>> >> So if you're doing wideband with
> SDR you're
> >>>> probably going to want to
> >>>> >> do a Beverage or a
> vertical.  Sounds like a
> >>>> Beverage is out for you.
> >>>> >> I've had tremendous luck with a
> 30-foot vertical
> >>>> and a Perseus SDR.
> >>>> >> No amplification needed; just a
> matching
> >>>> transformer.
> >>>> >>
> >>>> >> It also sounds like you expect a
> lot of local
> >>>> noise.  So you'll
> >>>> >> probably want to look at a real
> noise-cancelling
> >>>> antenna.
> >>>> >>
> >>>> >> Google Dallas Lankford's vertical
> antennas and
> >>>> some of Mark Connelly's
> >>>> >> work.
> >>>> >>
> >>>> >> Regards,
> >>>> >>
> >>>> >> Mark Durenberger
> >>>> >>
> >>>> >>
> >>>>
> --------------------------------------------------
> >>>> >> From: "Les Rayburn" <les@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >>>> >> Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012
> 6:02 PM
> >>>> >> To: <am@xxxxxxxxxxx>;
> >>>> <irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>;
> >>>> <Tvfmdx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >>>> >> Subject: [IRCA] Building a "state
> of the art" MW
> >>>> DX station
> >>>> >>
> >>>> >>> iAfter an absence from medium
> wave dxing due
> >>>> to a move to a new
> >>>> >>> deed-restricted QTH, I find
> myself itching to
> >>>> get serious again.
> >>>> >>> While my present home is far
> from idea (HOA,
> >>>> and high local noise
> >>>> >>> levels), I'm determined to
> make the best of
> >>>> it.
> >>>> >>>
> >>>> >>> Presently, I have the
> following equipment
> >>>> available for us:
> >>>> >>>
> >>>> >>> Icom 746 Pro transceiver
> >>>> >>> RF Space SDR-IQ receiver
> >>>> >>> Wellbrook AL-1530 Loop
> antenna
> >>>> >>> Radio Plus Quantum Phaser
> >>>> >>> LF Engineering M-601C Active
> Whip antenna
> >>>> >>> LF Engineering H-800 Active
> Whip antenna
> >>>> >>> LF Engineering N-300 Group
> loop isolator
> >>>> >>>
> >>>> >>> My questions are numerous,
> but here are the
> >>>> general ones:
> >>>> >>>
> >>>> >>> 1.) To build a state of the
> art system, would
> >>>> you recommend
> >>>> >>> up-grading the SDR-IQ to the
> Perseus or new
> >>>> WinRadio SDR?
> >>>> >>>
> >>>> >>> 2.) Are there active whip
> antennas that
> >>>> perform better than the LF
> >>>> >>> Engineering models? (I have
> mounted these to
> >>>> my roof vents, painted
> >>>> >>> them black--and so far, no
> complaints from the
> >>>> neighbors.
> >>>> >>>
> >>>> >>> 3.) I have a undeveloped
> drainage ditch next
> >>>> to my home that offers
> >>>> >>> the possibility of a beverage
> on the ground
> >>>> antenna that would run
> >>>> >>> N/S for 500-800 feet. What
> couplers would you
> >>>> recommend for this use?
> >>>> >>>
> >>>> >>> 4.) Anyone tried the LF
> Engineering M-607
> >>>> Active Loop antenna? Pricey
> >>>> >>> at $390 but perhaps worth
> it?
> >>>> >>>
> >>>> >>> 5.) Any other station
> accessories that would
> >>>> improve things for me?
> >>>> >>>
> >>>> >>> Primary interest is in
> domestic MW DXing,
> >>>> though I don't mind logging
> >>>> >>> TA signals when they "in"
> (rare here). Love to
> >>>> DX stations in the
> >>>> >>> Western part of the country
> most of all.
> >>>> >>>
> >>>> >>> Thanks for the advice, and
> 73,
> >>>> >>>
> >>>> >>> Les Rayburn, N1LF
> >>>> >>> Alabaster, AL (Near
> Birmingham)
> >>>> >>>
> >>>> >>>
> >>>> >>>
> >>>> >>>
> >>>> >>>
> >>>> >>> -- >>> Les Rayburn,
> Director
> >>>> >>> High Noon Film
> >>>> >>> 130 1st Avenue West
> >>>> >>> Alabaster, AL 35007-8536
> >>>> >>> (205) 621-7500
> >>>> >>> (205) 621-7505 FAX
> >>>> >>> (205) 253-4867 CELL
> >>>> >>> http://www.highnoonfilm.com
> >>>> >>>
> >>>> >>>
> >>>>
> _______________________________________________
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> >>>> officers
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> >>>> >>>
> >>>> >>>
> >>>> >>
> >>>> >>
> >>>> >
> _______________________________________________
> >>>> > The NRC AM mailing list
> >>>> > Now accepting pre-orders for the 32nd
> AM Radio Log
> >>>> > Questions? owner@xxxxxxxxxxx
> >>>> > Latest DX Tests are found at
> >>>> > http://www.nrcdxas.org
> >>>> >
> >>>> 
> >>>>
> _______________________________________________
> >>>> The NRC AM mailing list
> >>>> Now accepting pre-orders for the 32nd AM
> Radio Log
> >>>> Questions? owner@xxxxxxxxxxx
> >>>> Latest DX Tests are found at
> >>>> http://www.nrcdxas.org
> >>>> 
> >>> 
> >>>
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> >>> 
> >>> 
> >> 
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> >> 
> >> 
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> > 
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