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Beacon StatusVK4RTT 50.285 & 144.440 MHz on air running barefoot beaming South from QG62mo. Alternates between FSK and PI4 modes. Reports here and/or vkspotter appreciated.

ALL VK4RBB@ (EDANS LANDING ARE ON AIR, as listed below) 

 

Please check VK Spotter under Beacons for the latest information and  spots.

Our Club Beacon List:

Club Beacons VK4RTT @ QG62MO

6m      50.286MHz  (JT65A)

2m    144.440 MHz  (Q6515B)

Club Beacons VK4RBB @ Edans Landing QG62NH (GPS Locked with ident)

All Beacons (70-24GHz) Under repair.

70cm 432.144 MHz   (JT4D)

23cm 1296.440 MHz  (JT4F)

13cm 2403.440 MHz  (JT4F)

9cm   3398.440 MHz  (JT4F)

6cm    5760.440 MHz  (JT4F)

3cm   10368.440 MHz  (JT4F)

1.2cm  24048.440 MHz  (JT4F)

Just in case your looking for further Bands, neither our Club nor any other group in this country have licensed beacons above 24 GHz.

Some operators have been having issues in calibrating your transceiver mainly older radio’s to decode beacons and digital software. Some of the older brands have TCXO’s, some adjustable, newer SDR models such as (Icom IC7300,7610,9700 etc., Elecraft K series) will include High Resolution local Oscillator, some have 10Mhz reference input, which offers a varying degree of stability. Brands also offer self-aligning with the introduction of a carrier frequency.

Other’s like Yaesu FT series have a +/-0.5PPM High Resolution DDS/PLL local Oscillator included as part of the standard package. Although most HF users would not be limited by any slight shifting frequency in their day to day SSB/AM and digital work (FT8, WSPR etc), maybe timing on the PC software only.

Will all this is great for the above framework a small issue arises with 2/70/23 cm and above (Microwave frequencies) as 10mHz references are great, they are a momentary solution when using digital software like WSJT-X (JT4,Q65 etc), for weak signal work. A lot has been written, and products have been built to offer great results here:

Our primary task here is to offer and easy way to align your radio with all the above knowledge.

Please feel free to offer other ideas here:

1. Depending on your signal source ie. local beacon or portable, say 70cm.

2. Turn VFO to 432.XXX Mhz

3. run WSJT-X, adjust CPU timing. Note your Frequency.

4. Adjust the TCXO to read 1000MHz on the waterfall.

 

 

 

 

5. Happy days.

 

Also during a MAD / hilltop event an old Club member suggested a maybe lost technic as follows:

Understanding Reverse CW to Prove Frequency

In amateur radio, CW (Continuous Wave) is a mode where a single radio frequency is keyed on and off to send Morse code. Reverse CW (often labeled CW-R on radios) simply flips the sideband used for demodulation — from upper sideband (USB) to lower sideband (LSB) or vice versa.

Here’s how it helps in proving or checking frequency:

1. Normal CW Mode

• Your radio offsets the receive frequency by the sidetone pitch (e.g., 600–800 Hz) from the actual carrier.

• If you tune to a station in CW mode, you’re hearing the tone created by that offset.

2. Reverse CW Mode

• Switching to CW-R changes the offset direction.

• If you’re exactly on the station’s carrier frequency, the tone pitch will be the same in both CW and CW-R.

• If the pitch changes, you’re slightly off frequency.

3. Proving Frequency

• Tune until the tone pitch is identical in both CW and CW-R.

• At that point, your displayed frequency matches the station’s actual carrier frequency (within your rig’s accuracy).

Quick Tip:

This method is especially useful when logging contacts or calibrating your transceiver, since CW offsets can otherwise make your displayed frequency appear slightly off.

 

Please feel free to offer other Methods.

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