W D 2 X S H

THE ARRL 600 METER EXPERIMENTAL GROUP

This web site was updated on December 23 2011 at 2030 CDT

Quick Links

The W0RPK 600 Meter Activity Report September 2011 Status Report

Enter a Reception Report View or Download Reception Report Files

The "Grabbers" Station Location Map Station Operating Status

Stations by Call Stations by Frequency USA 600 Meter Stations

Other US Experimental Stations Non-USA Experimental Stations

Mailing Lists News Archive File Downloads 600 Meter Band Viewer

600 Meter Project Rules & Information

Current Band Plans and Frequency Assignments for WD2XSH Stations

Band Plan and Station Frequency Assignments for the "High Band" of 495 - 515 KHz - 17 DEC 2010

Station Frequency Authorizations for the entire band of 465 - 515 KHz - 1 JAN 2011

Band Plan and Station Frequency Assignments for the "Low Band" of 465 - 478 KHz - 15 OCT 2011

About the WD2XSH Stations - Pictures, web sites, etc.

Latest News

- QST - SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT - QST -

In Honor of Fessenden and Heising
Brian Justin, WA1ZMS/4

W F 9 X I H

The early history of wireless contains the names of many great pioneers. While Marconi’s name is most well known, the names of Fessenden and Heising are only rarely mentioned. As early as 1900 Reginald Fessenden was experimenting with the direct transmission of human speech. While during WW1, Raymond Heising was developing a method of constant-current modulation that was one of the earliest forms of AM. Since I have been one of the active CW 600m stations as part of the ARRL’s Experimental License project for some time now, I decided to take a step or two further into the realm of early radio transmissions. One of the transmitters I have used for 600m CW and QRSS work has been a vintage homebrew design that could support traditional CW and Heising AM. Since the ARRL’s Part 5 license only supports CW and narrow-band digital modes, the Heising modulator went unused until a new idea came to mind.

Fessenden’s early work includes a very unique 1906 Christmas Eve transmission of him playing the violin, a recording of a “Ombra mai fu”, and him reading a Bible verse. An idea was thus born to apply for an FCC STA (Special Temporary Authorization) for 600m operation that is for amplitude modulation, in particular the Heising modulation. With the cooperation of commercial coastal CW station WNE and the FCC’s OET (Office of Engineering Technology) the STA with call sign WF9XIH was granted for AM transmissions until March 1st, 2012 with a center carrier frequency of 472.5kHz. The plan is to begin a series of evening test transmissions the week of December 18th, 2011 with a special recreation of Fessenden’s Christmas Eve transmission at 0200z on Dec 25th. (That would be 9pm EST Dec 24th, 2011).

Since the likelihood of a 5w AM signal being heard much beyond a few 10’s of miles, a 500W solid state linear PA will be used for best DX. WF9XIH is licensed for up to 20wERP (just like the WD2XSH stations) and every effort will be made to run as close to that ERP as possible. The same antenna (a 160m dipole feed as a Marconi-T against ground) that has been used for WD2XSH/31 will be used for WF9XIH.

Commercial station WNE is currently running CW marine weather transmissions at 2200z & 0100z daily. So you can sharpen your 25WPM CW skills at those times too. WF9XIH transmissions are being coordinated with WNE and any changes to the WNE schedule will alter the WF9XIH operating times. The current plan is to at least make a Heising AM transmission most evenings at 0200z. Audio loops of speech and a series of stepped audio tones will be used most of the time. The stepped audio tones will make it easier for DX listeners to demodulate in CW or SSB mode even when they are well beyond the range of the AM signal.

General information about WD2XSH/31 can be found at: http://w4dex.com/500khz/wd2xsh31.htm

If you copy any of the transmissions, please be sure to log them at www.500kc.com

Extra effort will be made to try and be QRV in the evenings the week before and after the Christmas weekend.

73, Brian Justin, WA1ZMS/4 & WD2XSH/31 & WF9XIH

(Editor's note: Due to illness, I was late in posting this information.)

For photos of Brian's WF9XIH setup, please see this page.

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New Files Available for Download:
M11-5.pdf - The Band Plan for the 461 - 475 KHz band for WD2XSH and other stations.
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M11-6.pdf - The September Status Report for the WD2XSH Stations covering June 1 through August 31, 2010.
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RN11-1.pdf - Summary Report of the Ground Wave Tests run during the Summer of 2010.
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RN11-16.pdf - Summary Report of the Ground Wave Tests run during the Winter of 2010 through the Spring of 2011.

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Juan Granados, K4LCD, has been granted FCC Experimental License WF2XXQ to operate on 130 KHz and 500 KHz. His web site for 600 Meters is at:
https://sites.google.com/site/k4lcdars/home/my-600m-experimental-proyect
Congratulations, Juan!

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Check out the 600 Meter Band Viewer. This allows you to watch signals on the 600 Meter Band between 495 and 510 KHz in 5 minute segments in near real time

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FCC GRANTS MODIFIED LICENSE FOR THE ARRL WD2XSH 600 METER EXPERIMENT

On July 28, 2009, the FCC granted the ARRL a modified license for WD2XSH. This modified license allows the experiment to operate with 45 stations across the continental USA, Alaska, and Hawaii.

Click HERE for a PDF copy of the grant.

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Location map of the authorized stations for the 600 Meter Experiment. 07 July 2011

( Click on the map for a larger image. )

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The following stations are currently authorized to operate on the air under the terms of the FCC grant and the conditions specified by Fritz Raab, W1FR, who is the ARRL Coordinator for the project.

Note that most stations will be operating in the range of 495 - 499 and 501 - 510 KHz. See the conditions for more information.

W1NZR - WD2XSH/1

W5TVW -WD2XSH/2

KW1I -WD2XSH/5

W5THT - WD2XSH/6

W5JGV -WD2XSH/7

N4ICK -WD2XSH/8

W2ILA -WD2XSH/9

W4DEX -WD2XSH/10

WS4S -WD2XSH/11

AI8Z -WD2XSH/12

K0JO - WD2XSH/13

W1FR -WD2XSH/14

W5OR -WD2XSH/15

WEOH -WD2XSH/16

AA1A -WD2XSH/17

N1EA -WD2XSH/18

K9EUI -WD2XSH/19

N6LF -WD2XSH/20

WB2FCN - WD2XSH/22

K2ORS -WD2XSH/23

W7EKB -WD2XSH/24

W7OUI -WD2XSH/25

W7WKR - WD2XSH/26

KL7AJ -WD2XSH/27

KL7Q -WD2XSH/28

KN8AZN - WD2XSH/29

W0AD -WD2XSH/30

WA1ZMS - WD2XSH/31

K9WRU -WD2XSH/32

W1FR/0 -WD2XSH/33

W0RPK -WD2XSH/34

K0HW -WD2XSH/35

W5GHZ -WD2XSH/36

W1XP -WD2XSH/37

KN1H -WD2XSH/38

KM1H -WD2XSH/39

WA1OMI -WD2XSH/40

W1HK -WD2XSH/41

K2LRE -WD2XSH/42

KH6B -WD2XSH/43

AC6QV - WD2XSH/44

KL7UW - WD2XSH/45

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Please check the NEWS ARCHIVE for all previous happenings.

RECEPTION REPORTS

You do not have to be a member of this group to send us a reception report.

Reception reports are welcome for ANY 600-meter station - not just WD2XSH stations. Multiple reports on the same station on different dates and times are encouraged as they allow us to see that communication is repeatable

The entire Amateur Radio community stands to benefit from your assistance!

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Ever wonder what happens to your Reception Reports?

Take a look at these excellent RECEPTION REPORT maps for the WD2XSH stations as compiled by Ralph Wallio, W0RPK.

If you have anything to contribute - news, construction articles, data files, interesting links or whatever - please email w5jgv at w5jgv dot com. Thanks from the 500 KC Experimental Group!

Operational Specifications

Frequency of Operation - 461 - 478 and 495 to 510 KHz
Maximum ERP - 20 Watts
Emission Modes - CW - PSK / FSK / MSK-31
Number of Stations - 45

The permitted Modulation Modes are:

CW / QRSS - 150HA1A

PSK-31 - 62H0J2B

FSK-31 - 62H0F1B

MSK-31 - 62H0G1D

Additional information about Amateur Radio and Part 5 Experimental Operation may be found on my other web site at W5JGV.COM