G8JNJ

Hi All,

Details of my 'Loop on the ground' (or technically just above it) can be found on this webpage.

https://www.g8jnj.net/loop-on-the-ground

Treat the page as a preview as it's more of a working notebook and not really fit for publication yet.

It may also contain some errors and content that will eventually be removed if I decide it's not really worthy of inclusion.

I hope it may encourage other KiWi owners to experiment, as I've found it to be about 10dB more sensitive than typical 1m diameter loops. Although it's still about 5dB below the sensitivity required to hear galactic noise throughout the 20-30MHz frequency range.

The S/N stats on http://rx.linkfanel.net/ (although not very accurate) currently show my KiWi and LOG to have a value of just under 32dB, which is probably amongst the best of all KiWi's worldwide.

For comparison purposes most Kiwi's using 1m loops shown on the site typically manage around 20dB and most E-Probes achieve about 15dB.

You can take a listen to my KiWi using a 10ft per side loop and pre-amplifier on this url http://southwest.ddns.net:8073

Regards,

Martin - G8JNJ

Hi All,

The Russian RSDN-20 beacons on 11.9, 12.65 & 14.9KHz are active once again after quite a long absence.

They must have found some more coins for the electricity meter down the back of their sofa.

Signals are about 8-10dB above the noise floor on my Kernow KiWi SDR in the SW of the UK.

If you use this URL it will provide enhanced contrast on the waterfall display.

http://kernow.hopto.org:8073/?sqrt=2

The signal on 14.9KHz seems to have a second weaker transmission slotted in between the stronger 'pips', which you can just about see in the screen grab.



Regards,

Martin - G8JNJ

All India Radio 15030KHz heard in UK at 13:14

IF Level: -10.9 dB
SNR: 6.7 dB
DRM mode B
Chan 10kHz
ILV L
SDC 16
MSC 64 QAM
Protect: A=0 B=1
Services: A=2 D=0
Medium range use, multipath resistant

Services:
1 AAC (1) CHINESE EEP Audio 10.48 kbps
2 AAC (2) VB / TIBETAN EEP Audio 10.48 kbps

All India Radio 15030KHz heard in UK at 13:14

IF Level: -10.9 dB
SNR: 6.7 dB
DRM mode B
Chan 10kHz
ILV L
SDC 16
MSC 64 QAM
Protect: A=0 B=1
Services: A=2 D=0
Medium range use, multipath resistant

Services:
1 AAC (1) CHINESE EEP Audio 10.48 kbps
2 AAC (2) VB / TIBETAN EEP Audio 10.48 kbps

The issue was not associated with just the KiWi or cookies and I subsequently found that it affected other websites with audio enabled too.

After a lot of messing around I discovered that the problem was associated with the settings in Windows 10 App volume and device preferences.

Google had somehow got a different soundcard defined as the default, but for some reason the first browser session to be opened used the default device and any subsequent sessions opened the device defined for that application.

Reverting all back to the default fixed the problem (until the next time).

There are many different ways of defining the soundcard to be used in Win 10 and associated applications, so I'm not surprised they occasionally get out of sync with each other.

I'm not sure what caused it on this occasion, although it could have been associated with connecting a USB headset I occasionally use for Skype.

Regards,

Martin - G8JNJ

The issue was not associated with just the KiWi or cookies and I subsequently found that it affected other websites with audio enabled too.

After a lot of messing around I discovered that the problem was associated with the settings in Windows 10 App volume and device preferences.

Google had somehow got a different soundcard defined as the default, but for some reason the first browser session to be opened used the default device and any subsequent sessions opened the device defined for that application.

Reverting all back to the default fixed the problem (until the next time).

There are many different ways of defining the soundcard to be used in Win 10 and associated applications, so I'm not surprised they occasionally get out of sync with each other.

I'm not sure what caused it on this occasion, although it could have been associated with connecting a USB headset I occasionally use for Skype.

Regards,

Martin - G8JNJ

Modern electric fence energisers have 'pulse shaping' which minimises noise from the energiser itself, so most problems are associated with arcing or insulation breakdown.

One quick test is to disconnect the energiser and measure the resistance between the ground spike and the fence. This will usually indicate if there is any general degradation of the insulation to ground due to muck or moisture on the insulators. However it will not show up voltage breakdown or arcing when the normal high voltage pulses are applied, but you can often hear this acoustically (or sometimes see it) if you walk the length of the fence.

The ARRL have some notes but other references can be found on-line.

https://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/Electric_Fence/Electric_Fence_Procedure.pdf

http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/tis/info/pdf/9604062.pdf

Regards,

Martin - G8JNJ

Modern electric fence energisers have 'pulse shaping' which minimises noise from the energiser itself, so most problems are associated with arcing or insulation breakdown.

One quick test is to disconnect the energiser and measure the resistance between the ground spike and the fence. This will usually indicate if there is any general degradation of the insulation to ground due to muck or moisture on the insulators. However it will not show up voltage breakdown or arcing when the normal high voltage pulses are applied, but you can often hear this acoustically (or sometimes see it) if you walk the length of the fence.

The ARRL have some notes but other references can be found on-line.

https://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/Electric_Fence/Electric_Fence_Procedure.pdf

http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/tis/info/pdf/9604062.pdf

Regards,

Martin - G8JNJ

Hi John & All Happy New Year to everyone.

Even if it's not possible to decode DRM because the KiWI is occupied, could it be made so that you can still open up the DRM schedule screen so that you can select and tune to stations to see if they are transmitting DRM, even if it's not possible to decode it at the time ?

Also if the DRM extension is selected but the KiWi is occupied, could the DRM extension wait and reserve a slot, but start working when the KiWi has become clear for use ?

Regards,

Martin - G8JNJ

It's Over The Horizon Radar (OTHR)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over-the-horizon_radar

There are Six 'usual suspects'

These four tend to sit on specific frequencies for long periods of time.

Cyprus (Pluto)
China
Russia (Kontayner)
Iran (Ghadir)

What you are seeing is probably either Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN) from Australia or Superdarn

These move around to track propagation, but tends to operate on frequencies close to each other.

JORN also tends to change the sweep rate on a specific frequency, typically switching between three different rates in sequence.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jindalee_Operational_Radar_Network

https://www.sigidwiki.com/wiki/Jindalee_Operational_Radar_Network_(JORN)



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Dual_Auroral_Radar_Network

https://www.sigidwiki.com/wiki/SuperDARN_(Super_Dual_Auroral_Radar_Network)

https://superdarn.ca/real-time



https://www.sigidwiki.com/wiki/PLUTO_II_OTH_Radar

http://www.chinatopix.com/articles/112419/20170314/radar-thaad-over-the-horizon-radar-oth-radar-intercontinental-ballistic-missile.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Container_radar

https://www.sigidwiki.com/wiki/29B6_'Kontayner'_OTH_Radar

https://www.sigidwiki.com/wiki/'Ghadir'_OTH_Radar



In addition there are many surface wave radars, but these tend to be a lot weaker and have a slower sweep rate.

http://www.codar.com/intro_hf_radar.shtml

https://cordc.ucsd.edu/projects/mapping/maps/

https://www.sigidwiki.com/wiki/CODAR


Regards,

Martin - G8JNJ