Low frequency radio reception - VK3XU on 137 kHz

Receiving VK3XU's CW beacon on 137kHz from about 50km away just after noon on a Saturday.

Despite the milliwatts of ERP the signal is fully readable, even when using just the ferrite rod on the converter. A larger antenna loosly coupled to the ferrite rod improves signals further and suprisingly does not introduce too much more noise.

While many amateur transceivers can receive down to 100 kHz, reception is often poor if it is just used with a random wire antenna. Instead it is better to use a selective up-converter with some sort of tuned antenna. This converter, also designed by VK3XU, uses an NE602 and converts signals to a 4 MHz tunable IF.

More info including frequencies and times: http://www.wia.org.au/newsevents/news/2009/20090827-1/index.php

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• LF
• reception
• VK3XU
• 137kHz
• 2200
• metres
• amateur
• radio
• CW
• low
• frequency
• long
• wave
• converter
• receiving