500 kHz Receive Operation With the KX1

[John Harper AE5X]

With band conditions being poor so often lately, I've been using my KX1 for receive-only on LF using a newly-built converter kit. Performance has been better than expected given the time of year and the high amount of QRN in this freq range. For $14 I've added a new receive band to any of my 30m QRP rigs and it's kinda fun to tinker and explore what's down in that range. I was unaware of the fact that several stateside stations are operating at 500 kHz.

Kit description: http://www.ae5x.com/blog/

John Harper AE5X




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[WE0H]

Hi John,

I use that Jackson Harbor receive converter in my 2200m thru 600m
transverter. It has worked very well for many years. The buffer amp is
not needed for those bands as there is plenty of received signal using a
resonant antenna down there. hi hi...Lots of signal...I did have to add
in back to back 1N4148 diodes on the input of the mixer so it doesn't
get clobbered if I mess up with the T/R switch. I also use a 7 pole LP
filter tuned for 520kc in place of the original LP filter.

Info on our 600 meter Experimental Band is at www.500kc.com

Mike
WE0H
WD2XSH/16


John H wrote:
> With band conditions being poor so often lately, I've been using my KX1 for receive-only on LF using a newly-built converter kit. Performance has been better than expected given the time of year and the high amount of QRN in this freq range. For $14 I've added a new receive band to any of my 30m QRP rigs and it's kinda fun to tinker and explore what's down in that range. I was unaware of the fact that several stateside stations are operating at 500 kHz.
>
> Kit description: http://www.ae5x.com/blog/
>
> John Harper AE5X


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[Gary W. Marklund]

This may be old to you old-timers, but I find this fascinating.

http://www.radiomarine.org/

73
Gary  KJ7RT


John Harper wrote:

> With band conditions being poor so often lately, I've been using my KX1 for receive-only on LF using a newly-built converter kit. Performance has been better than expected given the time of year and the high amount of QRN in this freq range. For $14 I've added a new receive band to any of my 30m QRP rigs and it's kinda fun to tinker and explore what's down in that range. I was unaware of the fact that several stateside stations are operating at 500 kHz.
>
> Kit description: http://www.ae5x.com/blog/
>
> John Harper AE5X
>
>
>
>
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[John Harper AE5X]

Gary, if you like reading about the old maritime stations, take a listen to this MP3 file of shipping traffic (6MB):
http://www.ae5x.com/sounds.html

Whole lotta chirpin' goin' on.....!

John Harper
http://www.ae5x.com



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[Doug Faunt N6TQS [phone]]

   From: "Ron D'Eau Claire" <[hidden email]>
   Date: Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:25:49 -0700
   Content-Language: en-us

   That's a great recording, John! It's a great service to those who want to
   hear what sort of chaos reigned at the height of CW on the high seas. That
   was in the 60's and 70's when maritime trade was really booming in the
   Post-War world.  

   Wonder how many Hams today who sweat filters to clear out all the QRM can
   copy all of them at once? (IMHO, all the different tones and keying make it
   a lot easier than listening to the sterile sigs on the bands today.)

   Trivia question for you CW buffs (except John. He knows the answer!)

   What transmission mode was used for all emergency calls on 500 kHz?

   Hint. It was *not* A1 (CW).

   Ans: The MF transmitters were amplitude modulated (A2 or MCW) so their
   signals could be read on a receiver lacking a BFO. Lacking a BFO? Well, up
   until after WWII, it wasn't uncommon to find the "backup" or emergency
   receiver on a ship was a common crystal set! MCW was only required for
   emergency communications, but many Radio Officers fired up the modulator
   anyway for a more 'distinctive' sound when received with a BFO.

   You may now retune your ears for modern, pristine, clean keyed, CW with
   dulcet tones. (Sort of like swapping distilled water for a fine wine to me,
   but that's progress ;-)

Actually, until the late 60's, in an emergency, "Mode B" was still
legal on 600 meters, at least internationally.  Mode B is spark.  

And that crystal set was REQUIRED by some authorities.

73, doug
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[John Harper AE5X]

>That's a great recording, John! It's a great service to those who want to
>hear what sort of chaos reigned at the height of CW on the high seas.



Just for the record, I didn't make that recording and that's not me narrating it. I think someone posted it on QRP-L a few years ago and I downloaded it from there.
73,

John Harper
http://www.ae5x.com



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