Propagation Beacon Test

This weekend, I was inspired by our columnists' Keith Hamer and Garry Smith's recent mini-series on From Isobars to Millibars, in the November 2019 (64-67) and March 2020 (27-30), while I was also working on my own article on Time, Frequency and Propagation, for the April issue (28-31). Since I happen to have an older receiver in my shack, the Lowe HF125, I tried to used it with the MFJ-890 DX Beacon Monitor, to check out propagation on the HF bands.

With the MFJ synchronised to the time signal on 60kHz from Anthorn in Cumbria, and the Lowe on (around) 14,100kHz, I was impressed to hear a good range of beacons from the Northern California DX Foundation's (NDXC) International Beacon Project. At the time the image was taken, ZL6B, from New Zealand, was clearly audible, VK6RBP and JA2IGW, from Australia and Japan, were fading fast. At the top of the image is the Lowe HF225, currently on loan from RadioUser columnist Scott Caldwell, and my Signal Communications R-535 Airband Receiver, not in use in this scenario.

I enjoy having two HF receivers in use at any one time, one for Utility DXing, and the other one to enjoy my favourite LW and MW broadcast radio stations, in this case RTE from Ireland.

https://www.ncdxf.org/beacon/intro.html