TRANSPACIFIC TESTING 21/22 SEPTEMBER
ZL and VK LF stations will be transmitting on September 21/22. Separate frequencies are allocated to each participating station, as summarised in the following table:
FREQUENCY SCHEDULE FOR TRANSPAC TESTING
FREQ. - MODE & I.D. - CALLSIGN - LOCATION
176.515 - QRSS AX2TAR - AX2TAR - Hobart, VK7
177.0148 - QRSS ZL3FJ - ZL3FJ - Christchurch
182.680 - QRSS " T " - ZL3PN - Timaru
183.500 - QRSS ZL3JE - ZL3JE - Pareora
184.000 - QRSS ZL4MD - ZL4MD - Cromwell
183.3999 - DFCW " Q " - ZL6QH - Wellington
183.3999 - QRSS " L " - ZL4OL - Dunedin
Note: Signals from ZL6QH and ZL4OL are deliberately "co-channel" so they can fit on a single Argo screen with 120 second dot setting. Frequencies of ZL6QH and ZL4OL should be maintained within 0.1 Hz.
ZL6QH will send QQQQQ... with dual frequency CW, 0.4 Hz shift. Q will be encoded as 184.4001, 184.4001, 183.3997 & 184.4001 kHz, with no spacing between elements and a 120 second gap before starting the next cycle. The ten minute sequences will be nominally synchronised with the hour (there is some minor slippage in the control software). ZL6QH will beacon from before sunset to after sunrise.
ZL4OL will send LLLLL... with single frequency CW on 183.3999 kHz, taking 18 minutes to send di dah di dit with Morse character spacing. Sequences will nominally commence on the hour and half hour.
Both ZL6QH and ZL4OL intend to insert 12 wpm CW ID twice an hour. ZL4OL intends to insert CW ID between 18 and 20 minutes, as well as between 48 and 50 minutes into each hour. ZL6QH intends to insert CW ID between 28 and 30 minutes, and 58 and 60 minutes into each hour, and use a frequency of 184.4020 kHz so as to be offset from Argo captures correctly set for 183.3999 kHz centre frequency.
SUNRISE AND SUNSET TIMES (UTC)
DX stations can decide on their best times for monitoring. The Americas will already be dark when sunset occurs in ZL (at approx 0613 UTC), and VK7 is two hours following for sunset (at approx 0803 UTC).
Sunrise in the Americas occurs while it is still a dark path to ZL and VK. Around local sunrise may give best LF DX propagation for reception in the Americas. Sunrise eventually gets round to ZL (approx 1813 UTC) and VK7 (approx 2003 UTC).
Reception reports can be emailed to vernall@xtra.co.nz
Good luck to all prospective listeners.
73, Bob ZL2CA