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THE AM BULLETIN BOARD => QSO => Topic started by: Sam KS2AM on July 14, 2012, 11:31:09 AM



Title: WA2XMN - 42.8 MHz
Post by: Sam KS2AM on July 14, 2012, 11:31:09 AM
WA2XMN on 42.8 MHz in Alpine NJ is supposed to be on the air today starting at 11 AM.


Anyone in the area hearing them ?  I'm not.


http://www.wa2xmn.ar88.net/ (http://www.wa2xmn.ar88.net/)


Title: Re: WA2XMN - 42.8 MHz
Post by: Sam KS2AM on July 14, 2012, 11:42:04 AM
OK, they fired up just after I posted that and they're sounding good in Red Bank, NJ which is about 42 miles from Alpine.    ;D


Title: Re: WA2XMN - 42.8 MHz
Post by: Pete, WA2CWA on July 14, 2012, 05:48:30 PM
I tuned in about 4:45 PM. On the BC-898T scanner they were about "3 bars" using a discone antenna. On the 756 PRO II with the 6 meter beam pointed at them, they were about S-5 to 7. QSB noticeable on both receivers/antennas. The "music" (who in the world listens to that stuff) sounded clear but when the announcer came on at about 4:55 PM, he was very distorted almost to the point of not being understandable. Even opening up the receiver to 15 KHz didn't improve it.

All around, not a big "WOW" in my book.

We need VJB there on 2 meter SSB.


Title: Re: WA2XMN - 42.8 MHz
Post by: Sam KS2AM on July 14, 2012, 06:25:28 PM
The transmission was in normal broadcast wideband FM.

I was listening on a Icom 706 MKIIG with the wide FM filter and the audio was quite good with no distortion.  The signal level here was about an S9 which was not enough to quiet the background hiss.  

I dont think that the Bearcat or the 756 have a wide FM mode, do they  ?

The music I heard all day was classical and the format reminded me of WQXR.   I think there are still some of us around that listen to classical music .   :D


Title: Re: WA2XMN - 42.8 MHz
Post by: Sam KS2AM on July 14, 2012, 06:39:39 PM
Heres a clip I recorded.

The signal was not strong here so if you can set aside the background hiss and keep in mind that the 706 has very little low end audio, I think the audio is really quite good.  The music starts at about the 1 minute mark.

Sam



Title: Re: WA2XMN - 42.8 MHz
Post by: W4AAB on July 14, 2012, 06:48:56 PM
Like the web site said, time for someone to crank up some of those old radios with 42-50 mHz FM(circa late 1930's through WWII). What deviation are they running? Always felt like the Major got a raw deal from Sarnoff and others. We need some good band conditions where I can hear them. I have an old Hallicrafters police band set that may have wideband enough audio.
                                                   Joe W4AAB


Title: Re: WA2XMN - 42.8 MHz
Post by: Pete, WA2CWA on July 14, 2012, 08:27:58 PM
The transmission was in normal broadcast wideband FM.

I was listening on a Icom 706 MKIIG with the wide FM filter and the audio was quite good with no distortion.  The signal level here was about an S9 which was not enough to quiet the background hiss.  

I dont think that the Bearcat or the 756 have a wide FM mode, do they  ?

The music I heard all day was classical and the format reminded me of WQXR.   I think there are still some of us around that listen to classical music .   :D

The music audio quality was fine. It was only when the announcer came on and spoke at 4:55 PM (I only had the receivers on for about 15 minutes to listen - getting ready for hamfest tomorrow) that the audio was highly distorted. When music resumed playing, quality was fine. Bearcat has both automatic/manual wide and narrow FM settings. I was in the wide FM. Same with the 756 (just like your 706). QXR was never high on my list when they were around playing this stuff. Reminds me of elevator music from years ago.


Title: Re: WA2XMN - 42.8 MHz
Post by: W2VW on July 15, 2012, 11:36:31 AM
I tried to hear them with 2 different scanners. Both were trashed from skywave junk.

The SX-28 on a wire out the window is loaded with consumer generated crud. It would  not have been a heck of a lot of fun to listen to anyway.

No vertical antenna here presently.

Last time XMN was a good listen here.

Pete. VJB was handed a microphone which disappeared into a pile of radios on the table. He had a 15 ton air handler blowing on him at the time. Hardly an endorsement for ssb.

That contact most likely happened after Paul volunteered to keep the Alpine AM station alive overnight when the rest of us were recharging.

At times other operators were a bit confused as to which rig was doing the transmitting. We were not drinking either.

Of course one of the highlights of that trip was the cook's tour of the replica transmitter from Steve Hemphill himself.


Title: Re: WA2XMN - 42.8 MHz
Post by: Opcom on July 15, 2012, 04:16:42 PM
The R-220 would have been good on that. Didn't have time to try tuning in and probably would have heard nothing in Dallas TX.


Title: Re: WA2XMN - 42.8 MHz
Post by: WA3VJB on July 17, 2012, 10:09:52 AM

We were not drinking either.


That's been my excuse -- it was the bottle talking.

huh-HA !
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