VK3FI QRSS on 473kHz – 19/06/2014

Some four months ago I sent VK3FI in Mildura a QRSS keyer to try on his 600m beacon. The keyer hardware and message content are described at Simple Morse beacon keyer for VK3FI on 600m.

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Above is a capture with Spectran received at my location in Bowral tonight 760km east of VK3FI, QRSS3 on 473.000kHz (well perhaps 2Hz higher, Dial freq 472.2kHz USB for the above display).

S/N about 30dB in 0.34Hz bandwidth, or -9dB S/N in 2500Hz bandwidth. The high speed (12WPM) ident is just readable by ear with the receiver set to 2kHz bandwidth. (Though you might expect the 12WPM to be more copiable by ear in 250Hz bandwidth, it isn't.)

The antenna here is not good for that band.

This signal should be decodeable 20dB lower than I received it… perhaps better in a lower noise environment (TV and lots of flouros running here ATM).