On 4 July, the World Heritage Grimeton Radio Station in Southern Sweden will broadcast its annual Alexanderson Day message to the World. The station, SAQ, transmitts at 17.2 kHz CW (yes kHz) from its 1928 Alexanderson Alternator.
First transmission startup is at 0830 UTC with a message sent at 0900 UTC.
Its second transmission startup is at 1130 UTC with a message sent at 1200 UTC.
I didn’t know about this station. A very informative video. It makes me want build a receiver for 17.2 kHz to listen on Christmas this year, for the next transmission. 73 … Don
A quarter wave vertical for 17.2 kHz would be
13,604 feet, 7.8 inches. The ground radials would that much and more. Or 2.58 miles into the sky! Loop Antennas to the rescue. Let’s build one.
This is just what I’m thinking about from the AARL Antenna Book:
It 's a 2 foot by 2 ft square frame with 50 turns of wire wrapped around it and connected to an appropriate connector. So that is 2 feet x 4 x 50 or 400 feet. I’ll probably use 26 or 30gauge. Ken
I found the page you show. I think VLF today is considered 3 - 30 kHz. And frequencies 30 - 300 kHz are considered LF. So it may be 40 turns could be not enough to hear VLF and the Alexander Transmitter on 17.2 kHz. I read somewhere the almost ideal for VLF is 1 meter square frame and 100 turns ! That’s a lot of wire to wind making our skin come off after we’re done.
Yes, Jerry - - I’ve thought of that. Many pubs say adding an Active Amp does wonders. I’m going to wait and see how my AARL antenna works with my converter on the other VLF/LF signals out there. Ken
I’m going to try this. I put together a 2 foot x 2 foot square loop with 570 feet of 28 gauge wire for my VLF/LF receiver. I’ll see how it comes out. Ken KC3OYM
Here is a list of VLF stations. There are many lists. It’s hard to find out if it’s accurate or current. Many transmitters could be off the air or shut down.
Great, that is something to have a go at. I assume they QSL I have a R71a and recently fitted the IK2RND board which replaces the original memory board which holds the operating system and memories in a volatile memory backed up with a lithium cell. The mod also changes the coverage to start at 10Khz. What surprised me was the battery on the original icom board was still good after maybe 30 years. However if it dies so does the radio with the original board. The upgrade was plug and play.
I have a R71a and recently fitted the IK2RND board which replaces the original memory board which holds the operating system and memories in a volatile memory backed up with a lithium cell. The mod also changes the coverage to start at 10Khz. What surprised me was the battery on the original icom board was still good after maybe 30 years. However if it dies so does the radio with the original board. The upgrade was plug and play.