Topband: Bottom End Beacons

[Mark van Wijk]

And just tonight they are loud again: 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pa5mw/39676032834/in/dateposted/

Signal level:  25dB above bandnoise

RX antenna: 60mtr  BOG in a ditch QTF 30


73
Mark, PA5MW


On 2/20/2018 10:41 AM, Roger Kennedy wrote:
> Yes, upon searching, I came across Alan Cordwell's web pages that he wrote
> about the old Decca HiFix navigation beacons that used to be VERY strong
> here in Britain, but closed down during the 90s.
>
> I emailed him about these, as they sound very similar.
>
> He confirmed that they are a Russian system that works in much the same way,
> and have low power transmitter around the Baltic.
>
> As Mark posted, here's a link to Alan's webpage which shows you how they
> sound:
>
> http://alancordwell.co.uk/Legacy/radionavigation/russian/bras.html
>
> They are used by fishermen to pinpoint their position so they can locate
> fish stocks - that's why I referred to them as fishing beacons.
>
> I'm amazed some of you can hear them in the US, as they're rarely very
> strong here - typically between S2 and S9, but generally around S5.
>
> But the thing to remember is that there are about 15 of them spaced evenly
> between 1800 and 1820 kHz . . and they are quite wide.  So these will often
> block out weak DX signals here in Europe.  So worth avoiding that part of
> the band.
>
> Hopefully they will turn them off soon, and just use GPS !
>
> 73 Roger G3YRO
>
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