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600 METERS and DOWNA New ham band?

Sept. 2007

Bob Reif

W1XP

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The Resource

✦ 600 Meters – 500 kHz

✦ 1906 Berlin Convention

✦ Maritime International Distress Frequency

✦ 495 – 510 kHz

✦ Replaced by Global Maritime Distress Signal System GMDSS

✦ By 1990’s most CW activity ended

600 Meter Band Location

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✦ Mid-way between 2200 m and 160 m

✦ Unique noise and propagation

✦ Superior ground wave coverage

Ground Wave VS Sky Wave

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Ground Wave Coverage

✦ 50 Foot Monopole, One Watt

✦ 0.01 S/m Ground

✦ 100 to 300 KM Ground Range (Daylight)

✦ Ionosphere Independent 5

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Proposed 600 Meter Band

✦ 495 to 510 kHz✦ Ultra-reliable Ground wave

Communications✦ Unique Propagation and Noise Environment✦ Experimental Work with Antennas,

Modulation Techniques, and Signal Processing (DSP)

✦ High Efficiency Transmitter Development

Proposed 600 Meter Amateur Band

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WD2XSH: The ARRL Experimental Program

✦ Use a Group Of Part 5 Licensed Stations to Demonstrate– Usefulness Of 600 Meter Amateur Band For

◆ Emergency Communications Potential

◆ Technology Development

– No Interference to Other Services

– Interest in MF Communications

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The WD2XSH Experimental License

✦ 17 Stations Currently Active

✦ 505 to 510 kHz

✦ CW only including QRSS

✦ 20 Watt Max. ERP

✦ Two Year Term (9/06 to 9/08)

✦ Station Activity Reports Required Monthly

✦ Quarterly and Final Report9

WDXSH STATIONS AND LOCATIONS

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Progress to Date

✦ Over 9200 Transmitting Hours

✦ Almost 4000 Reception Reports Filed

✦ About 100 Two Way QSOs

✦ 17 Stations Active

✦ 100 to 300 Mile Radius Ground Wave Coverage Demonstrated

✦ Some Stations Have Been Heard (seen) in Europe and Hawaii and Much Trans Continental DX Recorded or Worked

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Other License Restrictions

✦ Only Contacts With Other Part 5 Stations

✦ No Cross Band Contacts IE to Part 97 Stations– Contacts have been made to other part 5

stations and one to a 2200 meter station.

✦ Fixed Station Operation Only No Portable or Mobil Operation

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Other Developments at 600 Meters

✦ Four European Countries Are Now On◆ UK, Sweden, Germany, Czech Republic

✦ Request For Additional Stations To Be Added to WD2XSH License

✦ Digital Modes Authorization Soon

✦ Request US Stations Be Authorized to Work Other 600 Meter Stations

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What Can You Do To Help?

✦ Listen

✦ Listen

✦ Listen

✦ Send Reports

✦ www.500kc.com

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So What Do You Need

✦ An Antenna

✦ General Coverage Receiver (Most cover 500 kHz)

✦ Pre Amp, Filter, Converter

✦ Computer With Sound Card

✦ Radio to Sound Card Interface

✦ WEB Access to Send Reception Reports

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One 600 M Receiving Antenna

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922’

coax to shack

369’

OK, Let’s Get Serious

✦ Receiving Loops

✦ Active Antennas

✦ EWEs, Flags, Pennants

✦ Long wires

✦ Low Band Dipoles

✦ Anything Else

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600 Meter Band Plan

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What Is QRSS?

✦ Very Slow Speed CW

✦ A Dit May Be between 3 Seconds and 120 Seconds Long

✦ Very Narrow Band Width To Dig Signal Out of the Noise

✦ Uses Computer Software and Sound Card to Process Receiver Audio.

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Argo QRSS Waterfall Plot

✦ WD2XSH/6 MS

✦ WD2XSH/15 AR

✦ WD2XSH/19 IL

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Flash

✦ Six New Stations Licensed

✦ WE2XGR/1 to /6

✦ 505 to 515 kHz

✦ Five Year License Term

✦ NY, CT, MA and NH

✦ 200 Watts ERP

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QUESTIONS?

✦ References

✦ Web < www.500kc.com/

The ARRL 500-kHz Experiment: WD2XSH, QEX, July/August 2007

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GROUND WAVE VS SKYWAVE

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Low MF Spectrum Use

✦ NDB non directional beacon

✦ DGPS, HA-DGPS differential GPS

✦ NT NAVTEX

✦ MT marine telegraph

✦ MTDC marine telegraph distress/calling24

Ground Wave VS Sky Waves

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WD2XSH the ARRL Experimental Program

✦ Part 5 license

✦ What is a part 5 license

Part 5

Part 15

Part 97

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Why 600 Meters?

✦ It’s Available

✦ Unique Propagation via Ground Wave

✦ Close to the Geometric Mean between 2200 meter band and 160 meter band

✦ Night time DX

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