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The NCDXF/IARU International HF Beacon Network
The NCDXF/IARU International H.F. Beacon Network is a project jointly sponsored by the
Northern California DX Foundation, NCDXF, and the International Amateur Radio Union, IARU.
The network is made up of 18 high frequency beacons located in 18 countries across
the world. Each beacon sequentially transmits in 5 amateur radio bands, 20 meters through
10 meters.
Beacon Locations
| Slot |
Country |
Call |
14.100 |
18.110 |
21.150 |
24.930 |
28.200 |
Operator |
Status |
| 1 |
United Nations |
4U1UN |
00:00 |
00:10 |
00:20 |
00:30 |
00:40 |
UNRC |
OK |
| 2 |
Canada |
VE8AT |
00:10 |
00:20 |
00:30 |
00:40 |
00:50 |
RAC |
OK |
| 3 |
USA |
W6WX |
00:20 |
00:30 |
00:40 |
00:50 |
01:00 |
NCDXF |
Not yet on 18 or 24 MHz |
| 4 |
Hawaii |
KH6WO |
00:30 |
00:40 |
00:50 |
01:00 |
01:10 |
UHRC |
Not yet on 18 or 24 MHz |
| 5 |
New Zealand |
ZL6B |
00:40 |
00:50 |
01:00 |
01:10 |
01:20 |
NZART |
OK |
| 6 |
Australia |
VK6RBP |
00:50 |
01:00 |
01:10 |
01:20 |
01:30 |
WIA |
Low output on 18 MHz |
| 7 |
Japan |
JA2IGY |
01:00 |
01:10 |
01:20 |
01:30 |
01:40 |
JARL |
OK |
| 8 |
Russia |
UA... |
01:10 |
01:20 |
01 :30 |
01:40 |
01:50 |
SRR |
Does not exist |
| 9 |
China |
BY... |
01:20 |
01:30 |
01:40 |
01:50 |
02:00 |
CRSA |
Does not exist |
| 10 |
Sri Lanka |
4S7B |
01:30 |
01:40 |
01:50 |
02:00 |
02:10 |
RSSL |
No output on 18 MHz |
| 11 |
South Africa |
ZS6DN |
01:40 |
01:50 |
02:00 |
02:10 |
02:20 |
ZS6DN |
OK |
| 12 |
Kenya |
5Z4B |
01:50 |
02:00 |
02:10 |
02:20 |
02:30 |
RSK |
OK |
| 13 |
Israel |
4X6TU |
02:00 |
02:10 |
02:20 |
02:30 |
02:40 |
U Tel Aviv |
OK |
| 14 |
Finland |
OH2B |
02:10 |
02:20 |
02:30 |
02:40 |
02:50 |
U Helsinki |
OK |
| 15 |
Madeira |
CS3B |
02:20 |
02:30 |
02:40 |
02:50 |
00:00 |
ARRM |
Off air for repairs |
| 16 |
Argentina |
LU4AA |
02:30 |
02:40 |
02:50 |
00:00 |
00:10 |
RCA |
OK |
| 17 |
Peru |
OA4B |
02:40 |
02:50 |
00:00 |
00:10 |
00:20 |
RCP |
OK |
| 18 |
Venezuela |
YV5B |
02:50 |
00:00 |
00:10 |
00:20 |
00:30 |
RCV |
Intermittently garbled |
Table 1 lists the 18 beacons with frequencies and the minute and second within each hour of
the start of the first transmission on each frequency for each beacon. Each transmission is
repeated every 3 minutes. Note that currently China and Russia do not as yet have a beacon
established and some beacons have transmission problems. This table is accessible on the
world wide web with any updates by checking out
http://www.ncdxf.org
A beacon is made up of a Kenwood TS-50s transmitter linked to a custom NCDXF built control module
synchronized by a Trimble Navigation Acutime (TM) GPS receiver. The signal is radiated
using a Cushcraft R5 vertical antenna.
The purpose of the beacons is for determining the quality of HF propagation paths from your
location to various parts of the world on each amateur radio band. The easiest way to do
this is to listen to the beacon frequency on a band of interest for 3 minutes. During this time
each beacon will sequentially transmit its callsign, in Morse code; followed by 4 one second
dashes at a declining power level of 100, 10 , 1, and 0.1 watt. Each change represents a 10db
or 2 S-unit drop in transmitted power. For more technical and operational information on the
beacons, as well as software for automating a schedule, check the web site above or articles
printed in QST magazine, Oct 1994, Nov 1994 and a follow-up report in Sept 1997 QST.
The following table gives the beacon locations within each country.
| Slot |
Country |
Call |
Location |
Latitude |
Longitude |
| 1 |
United Nations |
4U1UN |
New York City |
40º 45' N |
73º 58' W |
| 2 |
Canada |
VE8AT |
Edmonton (temporary) |
53º 35' N |
113º 20' W |
| 3 |
United States |
W6WX |
Mt. Umunhum |
37º 09' N |
121º 54' W |
| 4 |
Hawaii |
KH6WO |
Honolulu (temporary) |
21º 17' N |
157º 48' W |
| 5 |
New Zealand |
ZL6B |
Masterson |
41º 03' S |
175º 36' E |
| 6 |
Australia |
VK6RBP |
Rolystone |
32º 06' S |
116º 03' E |
| 7 |
Japan |
JA2IGY |
Mt. Asama |
36º 16' N |
138º 18' E |
| 8 |
Russia |
|
|
|
|
| 9 |
China |
|
|
|
|
| 10 |
Sri Lanka |
4S7B |
Colombo |
6º 33' N |
79º 31' E |
| 11 |
South Africa |
ZS6DN |
Pretoria |
25º 54' S |
28º 16' E |
| 12 |
Kenya |
5Z4B |
Kilifi |
4º 02' S |
39º 24' E |
| 13 |
Israel |
4X6TU |
Tel Aviv |
32º 06' N |
34º 48' E |
| 14 |
Finland |
OH2B |
Espoo |
60º 11' N |
24º 50' E |
| 15 |
Madeira |
CS3B |
Funchal |
32º 23' N |
16º 32' W |
| 16 |
Argentina |
LU4AA |
Buenos Aires |
34º 37' S |
58º 21' W |
| 17 |
Peru |
OA4B |
Lima (temporary) |
12º 04' S |
76º 57' W |
| 18 |
Venezuela |
YV5B |
Caracas |
10º 25' N |
66º 51' W |
I recently listened to 21.150 Mhz. In the morning, I was able to hear the South Africa and
Israel beacons indicating propagation to the middle east and South Atlantic. South America was
also workable as Argentina, Peru and Venezuela popped up in sequential order. By
late afternoon, propagation to the east of my location had disappeared, South America was still
workable, and the beacons in the Western United States, Hawaii, and New Zealand made
an appearance. I have yet to hear the Japanese beacon on 15 meters.
When propagation losses are low on a given path, a readable signal will be easily heard at
the 100 milliwatt power level indicating excellent QRP operations are possible.
Next time you are thumbing your VFO knob up or down the bands, pause and listen for these
beacons. It is fascinating to discover what propagation paths are open and waiting for someone
to initiate a QSO, possibly one of the most memorable of your radio adventures.
73 and happy DXing
Greg VE3NXB
Email:ve3nxb@kwarc.org
Note:
Some of the information presented in this article has been obtained from the NCDXF web
site and the pages of QST
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